RATURE READY
CHAPTER 2 – FAITH
Good day, so welcome back to part 2 of rapture ready, this part is called faith.
What is faith?
If we look in Hebrews chapter 11, it tells us what faith is, let us read verse 1 - 3:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained witness. By faith we understand that time itself was framed by a command of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
So, faithfulness, we can say is to follow through with a commitment regardless of the difficulty, faithfulness is love hanging on, it is saying: I will not quit!
What should we as Christians be doing to get ready for the end time events, it is hard to avoid the facts that the Lord maybe returning soon. How many of you are battling now, how many of you are doubting your faith? I mean that I am trying to hold on to my faith, my trust and confidence in God daily yet people are informing me that they are selling up, removing to remote areas, stockpiling food, weapons and more.
Who is right?
Do we run and hide as things get worse or do we stay and continue to minister, for no one knows what is certain yet the Bible instructs us to be vigilant. Jesus stated in Matthew, Mark, and Acts that no one knows when He will return. As we look around us, we see famines, earthquakes, disasters, troubles, persecutions, wars, and rumours, which all could be interpretated as signs of the end. Let me ask, has there ever been a time of total peace?
I just wonder what it would have been like to be a believer in the times of the emperors, under Caligula or Nero, to face the arena, the stake, or the Lion’s den FOR YOUR FAITH? Attila in Europe in the 5th century, Vikings in the 9th, Khan in the 13th, Muslim Turks in the 16th. What about the Black Death, claiming more than 25 million lives between 1347/1352? World War Two has 37 million casualties. Death, disaster, devastation, terror.
In 2 Peter 3:10
Paul gives us an answer:
But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens shall pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements, burning with heat, shall be dissolved, both the earth and the works that are in it shall be burned up.
Paul does not say run and hide, get all the food and stuff you can, Christians are called to do one thing, to spread the Word of the Lord with Holiness and goodness. Let us look at Jesus, the Bible tells us, he was tempted more than we will ever be, yet He was determined that no matter what happened, He would be faithfulness to the mission God called Him to do.
How is your faith doing in the time of storms?
Max Lucado wrote a book called “Six hours one Friday”, it tells the story of how he and his boat survived a hurricane, he received advice to take his boat into deep waters, drop four anchors, both sides front and back, then pray that they will all hold, Max survived that storm and the lesson: all of us need an anchor that will hold during the storms of life. That anchor is OUR FAITH.
What have you put your faith in?
Where is your faith anchored?
It is not easy being a Christian, yet we must find a way to live our faith without compromise. If our faith is set upon the things of this world, then our faith will perish, ONLY GOD has remined constant in the years passed. Our faith is to be set in heaven and in God. He is absolute power, and he is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Peter states that our faith is like gold, it is tested, impurities come out and the gold becomes more valuable, remember a goldsmith would melt the gold down in a fiery hot furnace until it was a golden liquid, all impurities would come to the surface, and he would then scrape them off, allow the gold to cool, then he would repeat this process over and over, until it was pure gold.
A faith tested and purified is a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, He will carry us through.
Faith is not a religion based on a philosophical mind, it is the message of the Old Testament Prophets and the fulfilment of the prophecies, OUR FAITH IS BUILT UPON JESUS. OUR FAITH IS BUILT UPON THAT HISTORICAL FACT THAT JESUS, GOD’S ONLY SON, DIED ON A ROMAN CROSS, IN JERUSALEM, ON A HILL CALLED GOLGOTHA IN 30AD AND HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME.
So, how can one possess great faith?
- Feed your faith
Read the Word of God, ask God to increase your faith, faith activated the word.
- Exercise your faith
Prove what you believe, live what you believe, follow the examples set by the men of God, in Hebrews 11, verse 2,3,4: for by faith, verse 5, because of faith, throughout the whole chapter it says prompted, urged on, motivated and so on. Speak to your faith, study the word
- Free your faith
Repent, obey Him, pray, worship, and do the works of the Lord, stir up your spirit, set aside your doubts, your fears, and worries.
KENNETH HAGIN SAID: ‘FEED YOUR FAITH AND STARVE YOUR DOUBTS’
Matthew 21:21 says:
So, Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you should say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will happen.
James 4:7
Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
- Endure trials that will arise
As you strive to live by every word of God, we will build faith by overcoming, remember God has promised to get us through the trials
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please God, for it is necessary for the one approaching God to believe that He is, and that He becomes a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
- Share your faith with others
Proclaim the Lord, call out His name, tell people who He is and what He has done, sing, praise His name, THANK HIM FOR EVERYTHING, EVERY CHALLENGE, EVERY DISAPPOINTMENT, EVERY SITUATION.
All of us have faith, a measure given to all of us, the question is not when the storms come but whether your anchor of faith will hold through the storms.
It is time to anchor your faith and hope to Jesus now and begin to make your faith grow even stronger than it has ever been.
I leave you with this:
Revelation 2:10
Fear none of those things which you are about to suffer. Behold indeed, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
1 Corinthians 15:58
So then, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
ARE YOU RAPTURE READY?
LET US PRAY:
Lord, your Son told us to pray that we might receive the Holy Spirit. We ask now that the same Spirit will strengthen, protect, and guide us always. Grant us tolerance in relationships, patience in listening, skill in managing, wisdom, and vision in all things. May we walk alongside each other as we make our journey towards a deeper relationship with Christ. In the name of Jesus, amen.
