Having Faith in the Father
Intro – Last week we learned that the father of Jesus Christ is our father too. God is our Father. The model prayer that Jesus taught his disciples starts off “Our Father.” His Spirit resides within our spirit and cries “Abba Father.” We’ve gone through a name change and a nature change because we’ve changed father figures. The devil is not my father anymore. God is my Father. I’ve gone through the adoption process. I’ve received His Son, Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ was baptized in the Jordan River, John the Baptist took Him down. He came straight up out of the water. The Holy Spirit came down. The heavens opened up and the voice of the Father came out and said “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” And when I receive His Son in whom He is well pleased, then He is pleased with me. If I receive His Son, then He receives me and then He has two sons in whom He is well pleased. It’s the adoption process. God is my Father. God is your Father too and before this year is through, I going to make a believer out of you. I want you to develop faith in the Father.
TEXT - Mark 11:22
I know it seems rudimentary. I know it seems elementary. But if Jesus said it, then saying it must be necessary. Have faith in God. The Father is the object of my faith. Faith in anything or anyone else will cause a faith failure. The Father is the object of my faith. Pleasing the Father is the objective of my faith. And the objectivity of my faith is that I will do what He tells me to do, no matter what. I have to put my faith is in my Father, because it’s not my faith to keep. It’s borrowed faith. My Father gave it to me for me to invest it in Him. It’s borrowed faith.
Romans 12:3 -
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
God has given to me the faith I need to invest in Him. My Father is a business man and faith is the commerce of the kingdom of God (Hebrews 11:6). He’s giving it to me for me to invest it in Him. Romans 10:17 - So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Every time the preacher preaches to you the word of God, your Father is giving you faith for you to invest it in Him. Every time a teacher teaches you the word of God, your Father is giving you faith for you to invest it in Him. It’s borrowed faith. Tell your neighbor “Put that back where you got it from”. Your heavenly Father is a businessman. He’s is looking for you to make an investment because His looking for a return.
Matthew 25:14-30
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15 And unto one he gave five talents, F49 to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
You have to put your faith in your Father. You have to invest your faith in your Father. You have to use the faith your Father gives you because if you don’t use it you will loose it. Have faith in God. Put your faith in your Father. Put your trust in your Father.
1. Believe your Father CAN do it for you.
Jeremiah 32:17 -
Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
Mt 19:26 -
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Mark 10:27 -
And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible
.
Lu 1:37 -
For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Lu 18:27 -
And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
Before this year is through, I’m going to make a believer out of you so you have faith in your Father’s ability to do what He said He would do.
2. Believe your Father will do it for you.
Genesis 2:1-3
1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created F9 and made.
It’s already done! Have faith in your heavenly Father to do what He said He would do because it’s already done! He’s already created it. The word created is the Hebrew word Bara. It means to shape or to form from nothing. Only my Father can take nothing and make it into something. On the seventh day he rested from everything He created. He rested from everything He created and made. The word made is the Hebrew word asah. It means to form or produce. It means to take something and make it into something else. God rested from creating and making because He’s already created it and He’s waiting for me to make it. He’s waiting for me to make my way prosperous. He’s waiting for me to make myself pray. He’s waiting for me to make myself fast. He’s waiting for me to make myself praise. God’s not getting the blessing ready for you. It’s already done! He’s getting you ready for the blessing by making you make yourself have faith. He’s already given faith to you but you have to choose to accept it. Thomas said "I will not believe" concerning Jesus Christ rising from the dead. That means you make the decision as to whether or not you will have faith after the Father gives it to you. You have to want it. You have to say it. You have to give it. You have to do it. You have to believe it. You have to receive it. You have to have faith in your heavenly Father.
