WHOSE REPORT WILL YOU BELIEVE?
Isaiah 53:1
Beyond any doubt, the most powerful, influential people on earth do not occupy elected offices, run industries, or control the government. The most influential people are people of faith.
The single most important thing in a believers life is faith in God.
Life at times is not an easy journey. The road we take is not always smooth, sometimes the conditions are not always favorable, and many hazards lie along the way. While life contains many joys, it can also be plagued by sorrows. It can be confusing, even at times, terrifying. Furthermore, our needs for the journey are never-ending, and we often feel helpless and overwhelmed. If there is one thing that life has taught me that one thing would clearly be that, we were not created to navigate through life alone.
I know that a lot of people like to focus on their problems but there is going to come a time in your life when you will have to have confidence not in your ability but in the ability of God. I'm reminded of a song we use to sing in our youth that said, Faith Faith Faith just a little bit of you dont need a whole lot just use what you got. Faith Faith Faith just a little bit of faith.
When you have Faith in God you have Confidence in God. When you have Faith in God you can count on Him.
When you have Faith in God you can depend on Him. When you have Faith in God you can swear by Him. When you have Faith in God you can rely on Him.
One of my favorite preachers is the late Robert W. Schambach but many know him by R.W. Schambach anyways he had this saying that went like this: “You don’t have any trouble! All you need is FAITH in God!”
Let's define faith. Faith in the greek is pronounced, “pistis” (pees-tee), which means: to persuade or be persuaded – come to trust; faith.
It does not seem quite right to come to church Sunday after Sunday and sing, “Jesus Never Fails,” and then go back home feeling sick, body racking with pain with sicknesses and ailments after the benediction.
It is one thing to dismiss the church with the words, “Only Believe;” and see no evidence of change.
Our testimony to healing on the basis of faith or promise, before it has happened, is generally unwise, and always inexcusable, unless faith is actually there.
Even when it is there, it is better by far to be able to testify with the voice of praise and thanksgiving, that what I'm believing God for is about to be manifested. Than to complain and be defeated.
Remember Jesus said that If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.Luke 17:6
Genuine faith can no more manifest itself without result, than the sun shine without light and heat. Knowing this, and believing it to be true, what is it that we have been mistakenly calling faith, because real faith never fails to bring about the result?
Many of God’s children have failed to look closely at the difference between faith and belief. To believe in healing is one thing; but to have faith for it is altogether something else.
We have made faith a condition of mind, when it is a divinely imparted grace of the heart.
When we see the grace of God, we see the power of God or the ability of God and as a result truth floods our hearts and minds, and the power of the Holy Spirit enables us to see the provision of God.
When you see God moving in your life because you have confidence in His ability or Faith in His ability there will be an end to your struggling and striving, and your life should never be the same.
When the storm happened on the Sea of Galilee the disciples could have worked themselves up into an emotional frenzy, trying to still the anger of the tempestuous waves and wind.
But three little words from Jesus and the wind drops from a scream to a whisper, and the sea whimpers for a moment
like a crying child in its mother’s arms and then settles down to sleep on the breast of nature.
Three little words from Jesus and the winds and the seas obey Him!
The storm may have laughed in the face of the disciples but the storm forgot that Jesus was on board.
Three little words from Jesus .. . one touch from His hand ... and more is accomplished in the time of a lightning flash than all our struggles and mental endeavors could work in a thousand years.
We have made it difficult, when He wanted to make it so easy.
Either you have faith, or you don't.
You can believe a promise, and at the same time not have the faith to appropriate it.
The Bible says, It is with the heart that man believes unto righteousness.
Heart belief opens the door of communication between us and the Lord and a divinely imparted faith becomes possible.
Is it not a fact that with most of us our conception of Faith has resulted in our struggling in an attempt to believe? It may be that, with all our struggling, we have come at last to the place where we do believe; and then we have been bewildered by the fact that we did not receive the thing for which we prayed.
We must discern that such belief is not necessarily what the inspired Word calls faith.
According to the Word of God, all we need is faith as a grain of mustard seed, and the things which the world calls incredible and impossible will be brought to pass.
Matthew 19:26 Jesus said, With men this is impossible; but With God All Things Are Possible.
Did you know that "With God, all things are possible" is the motto for the state of Ohio.
All we need is faith as a grain of mustard seed and mountains will tremble in fear as we approach. Do you realize what Jesus was saying? He declared that the least amount of faith that He could give was greater and mightier than the largest amount of the power of the devil. Here
was a David and Goliath experience in the realm of the soul.
A mustard seed went to battle against a mountain and slew it; but it had required the faith that He alone could impart as a gift.
What they needed, according to Jesus, was faith—not a whole lot of it, but just a little faith — as a grain of mustard seed. That would be enough!
Whenever and wherever faith is in operation, something is going to happen.
Thank God for Intercession and utterances and groaning of the spirit.
When God’s faith is imparted, the storm dies down and there is great calm and a deep settled peace in the soul because you will start talking like God and acting like God. And The only sound that will be coming out of your mouth is the sound of thanksgiving and praise.
I'm here to tell somebody that while it may look dark right now. Morning is coming!
Psalms 30:5 says, Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Tell your neighbor You can believe in the morning again... you can love in the morning again...you can have confidence in the morning again..
Whose report will you believe? Our text says in Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
another translation says,Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the power of the Lord revealed?
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:22 The Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom. And they did; they always required supernatural signs from any prophet or messenger who claimed to be from God. I don't know what your looking for this morning but what I do know is that YOU NEED FAITH IN GOD!
When you release the ability of God.... you release not only your Confidence / Faith in the power of God, you release the strength of God, you release the endowment of God, you release the gifting of God, you release the capableness/ability of God.
Hebrews 11:6 says But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
The person who comes to God must believe two things. 1. He must believe in God—that God is—that God exists.
The words "must believe" (pisteusai dei PWS: 2639) mean necessary and essential, absolutely necessary and essential.
2. He must believe that God rewards those who diligently seek Him. Note the word "diligently" (ekzetousin PWS: 1041).
It means to seek out God; to diligently seek to find Him and to follow Him.
CONCLUSION:
Whose report
Will you believe
We shall believe
The report of the Lord (4x)
His report says
I am healed
His report says
I am filled
His report says
I am free
His report says victory
