A. REVIEW LESSONS ON FAITH
1. Faith is a relationship. “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22).
2. It takes two wings to fly. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20).
3. Your faith can grow. “From faith to faith” (Rom. 1:17).
4. Different believers express faith for different purposes. “Having then different expressions of faith . . . according to the gifts that are given to us” (Rom. 12:3, 5, ELT).
B. YOU CAN SLIP FROM STRONG FAITH TO UNBELIEF
1. Abraham. “Strong in faith” (Rom. 4:20).
2. Peter. “Oh thou of little faith” (Matt. 14:31).
3. Legalistic believers. “Him that is weak in the faith” (Rom. 14:1).
4. Smallest faith. “Faith as a . . . seed” (Matt. 17:20).
5. Faithless is neutral. “Be not faithless” (John 20:27).
6. Doubt, dialogia. “But some doubted’ (Matt. 28:17).
7. Unbelief. “Help thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24).
C. POT HOLES, CANCERS, AND SNAKES THAT HINDER FAITH
Pot hole = what we do
Cancer = from our nature
Snake = Satan
1. (c) Know or confessed sin. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Ps. 66:18).
2. (p) Sin of ignorance. This comes from ignorance of Scriptures, lack of growth, or lack of seeking God.
3. (p) Dead faith. “Even so faith is dead” (James 2:17).
4. (p) Wrong motive. “You receive not . . . because you spend it upon your pleasures” (James 4:3, ELT).
5. (p) Not doing the right thing. “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).
6. (c) Not walking with God. “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).
7. (s) Being drawn away by Satan. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
8. (p) Haven’t acted in true faith. “You have not because you ask not” (James 4:2).
9. (s) Harboring idols. “Little children keep yourself from idols” (I John 5:21).
10. (c) An unforgiving spirit. “If you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you” (Mark 11:25).
11. (p) Failure to response to the needs of the poor. “Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard” (Prov. 21:13).
12. (c) Domestic conflict. “Husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel . . . that your prayers be not hindered.” (I Peter 3:7).
13. (p) Directing faith in wrong directions. “Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6).
Diligently means …
• Not I but Christ
• Christ first
• For me to live is Christ
14. (c) Improper reverence. “He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him, he will hear their cry” (Ps. 145: 19).
15. (c) We are not sincere and pray in great intensity. “Do it heartedly as to the Lord’ (Col. 3:23). “Laboring fervently for you in prayers” (Col. 4:12).
16. (p) We haven’t agreed with others. “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them” (Matt. 18:19).
There is value in the volume of prayer.
17. (p) We haven’t been abiding in Scripture. “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will” (John 15:7).
18. (s) Spiritually blinded by Satan. “The God of this world has blinded the eyes” (II Cor. 4:3).
19. (p) We give up too soon. “Continue in prayers” (Col. 4:2). “Pray without ceasing” (I Thess. 5:17).
20. (c) Give into the old nature. “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41).
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
Video presentations of the PBC are available online at trbc.org/pbc
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