Chico Alliance Church
Pastor David Welch
“Where There Is Faith”
Although these 12 habits do not necessarily have an order. I believe there is a logical progression expressed by the order in which I present them.
You cannot practice any of the disciplines without taking time away from the business of life.
Habit 1 -- Silence and Solitude
As you take the time to focus on connecting with God we need to reflect on our relationship with Him.
Habit 2 -- Submission
Once we understand that He is boss and how we have not always followed his lead we need to confess sin.
Habit 3 -- Confession
Now we are ready to encounter life in a fallen world with a strong trust in God.
Habit 4 -- Faith
Introduction
Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godly discipline affects both the present and the future. 1 Timothy 4:6-10
We have been looking to understand and implement into our lives the habits or disciplines that condition the spiritual dimensions of our life that increase our greater capacity to relate to God. There is no instant formula, book or ecstatic experience that produces spiritual maturity. Only when these activities become a way of life will we see the desired growth we all long to experience.
Today we look at the absolute core of the Bible. It is the absolute core of life itself. No one can function in life without this.
Everyone practices this everyday. You wouldn’t have been able to get here today without it.
Without it there is no salvation. (Gal 3, John 1:9)
Without it there is no spiritual growth. (Gal 3)
Without it you cannot please God and actually stir His wrath. (Heb 11)
Without it there is no rest. (Heb 3-4)
Without it there is no life. (Gal 2:20)
Without it there is no victory. (1 John 5:4)
Without it there is no endurance.
Without it there is no answered prayer. (James 2)
Whatever we do without it sin. (Rom 14:23)
Without it there is no hope, joy or peace. (Rom 15:13)
Without it there we are unprotected and vulnerable (1 Pet 1:5; 2 Tim 1:12; Eph 6)
It is actually the hub of all the other disciplines. It really is the core of the Bible.
What is it?
I am talking about FAITH. This is so prevalent in the Bible that we can only touch the fringe of the topic. The Greek noun is usually translated into our English words "faith, trust, belief”. The verb is translated into English by the words "believe", "trust", "commit", "entrust". The basic idea has to do with assurance, confidence, trust, a firm idea or belief or settled conviction. You exercised faith in your car, your legs, your food, your tires, your steps, your church, your eyes. Genuine belief or faith engages the whole person.
(Immaterial) Mind, emotion, will (Material) action.
Mere intellectual assent is not complete trust. (Demons believe and emotionally respond to God)
Irrational emotion does not constitute true faith. Strong desire is still incomplete.
Not until we actually act upon our belief does it qualify as Biblical faith. Actually that is true of anything. Until we are willing to actually act, we don’t really believe. The action is not the faith. The action only demonstrates the genuineness of the faith. The Bible tells us that Abraham believed God in Gen 12 and demonstrated that believe in Gen 22.
Faith has to do with action based on a decision to fully rely on a person or thing motivated by past experience, character, observation or a promise.
A Bible translator struggled with finding a receptor word for belief as the language did not have such word. One day one of natives came into the translators hut exhausted and plopped down into the chair and put up us feet on the stool exclaiming something about dropping his full weight on the chair. The translator finally had his word for faith.
We make a decision to entrust our full weight on Jesus base based on the truth (data) of His Word. God never asks us to trust based on absence of data. He doesn’t always give us everything up front. In fact genuine faith almost nearly always involves some element of mystery or unknown or future aspect. It is however never “blind faith”. Here is the Bible’s description.
Without becoming weak in faith Abraham contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Romans 4:19-21
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Faith is the decision to do what God asks based on the inner conviction that God does what He says.
This applies to every aspect of life, not just our salvation. We are justified by faith in Christ. The just shall live by faith. Hebrews 11:6 reveals the two essential facts that we must embrace concerning God.
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe
that He is (Great God) and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Good God)
Faith always has an object
Trust in what or who? The object of our faith makes all the difference in the world.
It is not faith in faith. We choose to entrust the full weight of our life and well-being on Jesus. We choose to act based on God’s person, promise, presence and past performance.
The more we know Him, the stronger our faith. The less data the more difficult to trust.
Scripture warns us about trusting ourselves our in mankind.
How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood. Psalms 40:4
Thus says the LORD, "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD. "For he will be like a bush in the desert And will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A land of salt without inhabitant. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. "For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit. Jeremiah 17:5-8
Faith is based on “data”, “fact”.
Faith cannot be measured in terms of more or less. We either believe or we don’t.
Faith may be measured in terms of stronger or weaker.
Stronger conviction that motivates more confident action
Faith regarding more areas of my life.
Faith involves an unknown or unseen factor.
Faith involves a certain amount of “risk”.
Faith requires some action on my part that demonstrates my trust.
Why is it necessary to live by faith?
? It is the only way to God.
This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:2
? It is the only way to spiritual maturity.
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:3-5
? Without it we cannot please God.
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe
? Whatever is not of faith is sin.
But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin. Romans 14:23
? Only means of victory.
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4
? Only means of spiritual protection
You are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Pet 1:5
taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16
Where do I get it?
Many of us have trust issues. We have not been able to really trust anyone and this often carries over into trusting God.
? Jesus gives it.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. Romans 12:3
? The Word of God strengthens it.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Romans 10:17
? The Holy Spirit manifests it.
How is faith strengthened?
? Practice the other disciplines
Time with God If you don’t know Him you won’t trust Him.
Submission
If you are only out for your agenda, you will be unable to trust God through the hard times, thinking that He is untrustworthy or mean because He doesn’t do what you want.
Confession
Interact with the Word daily
? Pray “I believe, help my unbelief”
? Fix your eyes on Jesus
? Enlist the help of other believers
Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. Romans 15:1-2
Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. Hebrews 13:7
The process of building faith
? Acquire truth
? Affirm truth that inspires action
? Apply the truth to your life
? Act on the truth
Test belief with action
If I am not living it, I really don’t believe it.
We live what we believe.
Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test? 2 Corinthians 13:5
