Releasing your Faith
By
Bishop Dr. Perry Edison Newton Sr
Word of Faith Tabernacle
Nassau, Bahamas
Hebrew 11: 1-11; James 2:14-26
Introduction
This morning we are gathered here to perform an act of worship. We could worship God any where, but if we wanted to worship at this place we would first have to get here. As we are here, we have accomplished something that we wanted to do. Therefore, by being here; and by making preparation to be here, we’ve released our Faith.
Today, as this sermon unfolds, we will here God speaking to us on this subject “releasing your faith.” At the end of this sermon, you will know what it means to release your faith, how to release your faith and whether or not you have released your faith. Above all you will be challenge to release your faith in the saving grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Releasing your Faith!
I imagine that this topic sounds quite familiar and no doubt you may ponder in your mind, where did I hear this topic. Really it does not matter, where you will have heard this topic or how often you would have heard sermons preached on similar topics. Today God wants us to hear once again the principles of releasing our faith.
Let us turn our Bibles to James 2:14-26
“ what doth it profit my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works, can faith save him? …" V17 "Even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone. Yea a man says thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works." V20 "But will thou know O vain man, that faith without works is dead." V26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead. So faith without works is dead also. Faith without works is dead.”
I pose the following question: What is faith?
Hebrew 11:1 says: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.”
Faith according to Eerderman’s dictionary is “having trust in God for his great power which can accomplish miracles and also for his loving concern for the necessities of human existence.”
Faith is being able after being given a vision of what to do or an inspiration of how to do something one goes about getting it done.
Faith believes that once you begin to do something that God will provide the means to accomplish the task.
Faith is seeing your self having actually accomplished the task long before you begin.
The definition given in Hebrew in regards to faith can be interpreted as follows.
• You hope for something, or you desire to be something and to accomplish it. You actually see it in your minds eyes or in your spirit; it is already a reality in the supernatural or unseen realm.
• You know well in advance that you have that for which you hoped (a feeling that what is wanted will happen) for. You see you’re self with it, in it or having already accomplished it. You feel the sensation of the joy of having it. You want to be a doctor or a lawyer and you have already feel that you have accomplished it even though you are still preparing to be a doctor or lawyer.
• The evidence of things not seen. Evidence means something that is plain visible, clear, factual or obvious.
The Bible tells us in Roman 8:24 “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? V25 “But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”
Webster gives a good definition of Hope: A feeling that what is wanted will happen; to want and expect; to want very much; to trust or rely upon.
God wants us to release our Faith.
Release is variously defined as follows: To set free as from confinement, duty, or work; To permit to be issued, published or broadcast; relief from tension or by expressing emotions freely. Letting loose something that was held or caught.
Releasing your faith
This means that you will begin to do something; begin to talk about it; begin to save towards it; begin to study towards it; begin to adopt the attitude and behaviour that is necessary to do it; begin to be committed to it; begin to pay down on it; begin to build it.
James 2:17 says: “Even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone” in verse 18 he says: "shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.”
This makes it patently clear to us that Faith must be accompanied by works. Dr Myles Munroe a noted Bahamian theologian noted that the grave is filled with unfulfilled dreams and talents. This is so because many people never acted on that which was entrusted to them. In the Gospel of Matthew we find an example of this: Matthew 25:14- For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, which called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on his journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one dug in the ground and hid his Lord’s money. After a long time the Lord of those servants came and settled the account…”
It is to be noted that works is a manifestation of faith. It transforms ideas into reality; it moves the things you see from one realm to the next; from the supernatural to the natural.
Paul tells us in Hebrew 11:3 that the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. “Through faith we understand that the world were framed by the word of God so the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear”
What is works?
Webster tells us that works is physical or mental effort exerted to do or make something; labour, toil.
In order to release one’s faith one must act; must do something; must work.
Hebrew 11:6 says: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh unto God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
We cannot please God unless we exercise faith. We cannot please God unless we act upon that which he has planted in our Spirit. The naysayers will say much as to how impossible it will be. But Faith tells us that it is possible. Works makes the impossible possible. With man things are impossible, but with God all things are possible. That’s why Jesus admonishes us to have Faith in God.
When God places something in our Spirit we may do one of three things with it.
1. We may bury it or dismiss the thought
2. we may put it of for a later time(Doctor Myles Munroe calls this procrastination)
3. We may act upon it and thereby release our faith and bring glory to God.
We may ask the question how do I get the courage or the faith to act.
The Bible tells us: “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”(Roman 10:17
So we get faith by hearing the word of God. This can be accomplished by hearing a sermon preach or singing the word or by we ourselves reading or singing the word of God for our selves.
Jesus reminds us that the smallest degree of Faith can move mountain trees. His disciples came to him and asked him to increase their faith, to which Jesus replied: “ If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamore tree, be thou plucked up and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. Luke 17:5
The disciples could not cast out a demon and they asked Jesus, why. Jesus responded to them: “Because of your unbelief. For verily I say unto you if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21
Releasing our faith requires at times that we wait on God i.e. having patience. There are some things which God alone can do for us. No matter what help man offers, at times it takes God’s supernatural moves to have it done.
Ours is to fulfill our side of the bargain: We must believe and Act.(Work)
Then we must allow God to fulfill his part and sometimes this requires us to wait.
Faith requires patience. 1 Cor 3:6-7 says: "I have planted, Appolos watered; but God giveth the increase." So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Only God can give increase. However, we must be obedient to his word, and release our faith by doing.
As it relates to the church he commanded us in Mark 26:15-18
“And he said unto them go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that beliveth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe…
Our job is to Go forth and preach.
Romans 10:14 says “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believe? And how shall they believe in whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher…”
We must wait on God for some things to be manifested. But we must act in order for God to move for us.
Hebrew 11:4 “by faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.”
V17 Says: “By Faith Abraham when he was tried, offered up Isaac and he that received the promise offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed be called, accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead from whence also he received him in a figure.
Releasing your Faith
Demands that you seek to accomplish things which you cannot see how its going to be done.
Releasing faith means to believe that God has something in store for you.
Releasing our faith in Jesus for our salvation is the most important thing that we can ever achieve. We may become millionaires or great leaders; but if we have not released our entire faith in Christ Jesus we have wasted our time. What ever you have faith to believe you can achieve it. God will not dishonor his word. He says if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed you will accomplish mountain moving feats.
Many people only have faith in God for what they can get, We have faith in God for our own selfish reasons. But I challenge you today to trust Jesus with the management of your soul, your life.
Releasing our faith in Jesus for Salvation means, according to Dr James Kennedy the author of Evangelism Explosion: “Resting our hope of eternal life in Christ. Dr Kennedy states further: Christ didn’t come down here merely to get us through an appendicitis operation or to get us safely on a plane to New York! Christ came to get us to heaven that we might have eternal life.
Faith is trusting Jesus Christ alone for our salvation. People trust in only one of two things either in themselves or in Christ. And I was trusting in the same thing that you were- in my own efforts to try to live a good enough life. Then I realized that if I could get myself to heaven in this way, I would save myself; and if I could save myself I would by my savior; and if I were my savior then I would be in competition with Jesus Christ who claimed to be the Savior of the world.
What I needed to do was to cease trusting in myself and start trusting Jesus Christ. And so, years ago, sincerely and repentantly, I did just that, and I received the gift of eternal life. I didn’t deserve it than and I don’t deserve it now, but by his grace I have it.”
If you want to accept Christ, you must accept him by faith. You must not concern yourself about how your life will be tomorrow. The scripture tells us: “For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves; it is a gift of God not of works lest any man may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
Using and example from Dr James Kennedy let me illustrate the point of releasing your faith in Jesus Christ for your salvation.
I’ll use the chair.
Do you believe this chair exists? (Point to empty chair)
Do you believe it will hold you?
It is not holding you now. How could you prove you believe it exists and can hold you?
(By sitting in it)
Let the chair represent Jesus Christ. For a long time I believed he existed and could help me, but I did not have eternal life because I was trusting my own good works to get me into heaven.
Who did you trust to get you into heaven?
To receive eternal life you must transfer your trust from yourself to Christ.
As I close I wish to encourage each of us that from today, let us begin to act on our faith. Let us begin to do some thing. Let us not put of for tomorrow that which we can do today. Let’s not wait for things to drop in out lap; get up and get busy. The Bible tells us” seek and ye shall find; ask and it shall be given; knock and the doors will be opened.
Word of Faith let us not bury our talent. Let us use our talents.
Work it; whatsoever God has entrusted to you perform your duty well. It will bring results some day. Yes there will be dividends if you release your faith.
Release your Faith by speaking about it act upon it; just do it. Great things are accomplished by work. The Bible gives us a good example of what diligence and hard work will accomplish. It points us to the ant one of the smaller creature as a point of reference. “Go to the ants thou sluggard consider her ways and be wise.”
Yes Word of Faith lets get busy with our relationship to God. God is looking for relationship a lasting relationship with his people. He says: this people draweth nigh unto me with their lips but their hearts are far away.
How about releasing your faith today!
I close with the words of William B Bradbury who penned the song the solid Rock.
“My hope is built on nothing less but Jesus blood and righteousness I dare not trust the sweetest frame bur wholly lean on Jesus name.
When He shall come with trumpet sound O may I then in him be found dressed in his righteousness alone; faultless to stand before his throne
On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand all other ground is sinking sand.”
God bless you
