Chico Alliance Church
October 22, 2006
Pastor David Welch
"Spiritually Aware, Alert, Armed and Aggressive" Pt 13
“Shielded by Faith”
I.Be Aware
II.Be Alert
III.Be armed & aggressive
A.Be fully empowered
B.Be fully armed
C. Stand firm – engage the enemy
1. Stand firm having girded your loins with TRUTH
2. Stand firm armed with RIGHTEOUSNESS
3. Stand firm prepared with PEACE
4. Stand firm shielded by FAITH
Truth enables an accurate overall perspective on life.
Truth protects us and demolishes Satan’s lies which derail our life.
Righteousness enables godly thinking and living.
Righteousness protects us against Satan’s condemnation and motivates godly living.
Peace guards our relationships with our inner and outer world.
Christ’s peace protects us against Satan’s confusion and chaos.
Paul then instructs all believers to take up a protective shield.
in all these things, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16
THE CONCEPT OF FAITH
Both Old and New Testament terms translate similarly. Our English words "faith, trust, belief, believe, entrust, rely, persuade” all come from the same Greek root word.
We are called to personally “take up” faith which is a shield against Satan’s attacks. God provides the weapons, we must appropriate them. The shield is the first line of defense in our aggressive advance against the enemy’s fortresses.
What is it?
The core concept of Biblical faith has to do with trust.
Faith is the reasoned decision to trust God
based on the firm conviction or belief that God knows what is best
and always does what He says.
Genuine belief or faith engages the whole person. (Immaterial) Mind, emotion, will
(Material) action. Satan works two sides of this issue. He tries to keep us from trusting God by his fiery arrows of doubt and fear. He encourages us to put our trust in anything but God. His main goal is to keep us from submitting to God’s work in our life. He continually encourages us to do our own thing; follow our own selfish agenda.
Every day we make decisions to act based on whom we trust. Faith is not a foreign concept. We exercise faith every day. We cannot survive without some level of trust in someone. Life in this world requires trust. We trust the surgeon. We entrust our life in the pilot’s ability to fly the plane and the mechanics ability to maintain the plane. We trust the food that we buy is safe for human consumption. We trust the medicine we buy is what it says it is. We trust the mechanic did what he said he would do. All of us exercise trust at a certain level. We have all also had our trust violated from time to time.
THE PROCESS OF FAITH
The process of trust is the same. We may not always think it through, but all the elements are there.
•The need for help outside of ourselves (Struggle)
•The research for who might fill that need. (Enlightenment)
•The point of belief based on our research (Decision)
•The point of motivation to act. (Energizing)
•The point of action (Obedience)
•The Results (Reinforcement)
ILLUS:
•I need to get to Australia
•I research the airlines that might take me there
•I decide to go with Qantas
•I am energized to actually book the flight.
•I board the plane
•I arrive in Australia safe and sound reinforcing my trust in the airline.
The crucial point of faith is the object of my trust who do I trust? Faith is only as good as the object of our trust. It is not the amount of faith but the fact of trust that count. I either trust or not. I either board the plane or not. The fact of trust is demonstrated the moment I board the plane. I may still have a certain level of fear or anxiety. (weak faith) I may not even give it a second thought. (Strong faith). The verification of my trust happens the moment I board the plane or act on my belief. If we are to measure faith, it would be measured not by amount but intensity. Weak or strong not more or less.
The father who came to Jesus for help with his demonized son cried out, “I believe! Help my unbelief.” Our decision to trust God applies to every aspect of our life and Satan launches his destructive arrows at every turn. His scheme is to discourage trust in God or encourage trust in anything else but God. He knows that trust in anything but God breaks relationship with God (for without faith it is impossible to please Him) and ultimately brings disillusion with people and life (for people will eventually let us down.)
Faith is the key that accesses God’s help in every area of life. The process is the same for each.
•The need for help outside of ourselves (Struggle)
•The research for who might fill that need. (Enlightenment)
•The point of decision (Belief)
•The point of motivation to act. (Energizing)
• The point of action (Behavior)
Action is not faith but action validates the presence of faith. James argued that faith without action is not really faith at all.
•The Results (Reinforcement)
Struggle demands enlightenment which motivates belief which releases energy to act.
THE STRUGGLE OF FAITH
Who will we trust to not only help us survive, but succeed in a fallen world?
•Who will I trust concerning my eternal destiny? (Saving Faith)
•Who will I trust to help me make everyday life decisions? (Living faith)
•Who will I trust to face life’s challenging circumstances? (Conquering Faith)
•Who will I trust to face life’s devastating disappointments? (Enduring Faith)
THE SOURCE OF ENLIGHTENMENT
Where do we get the ability to trust God in the midst of our life struggles? The foundation of faith has to do with enlightenment, truth, fact, information. To find faith we must know truth. Where do we get the right information that motivates belief?
1.The enlightenment of Jesus
Jesus motivates us to trust Him by the life He lived, the words He spoke, the works He performed, the promises He made, the love He demonstrated. His life and testimony demonstrated Himself trustworthy. He modeled absolute trust in the Father in the fact of unbearable pain and suffering.
For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 1 Peter 2:21-24
let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb12:1-2
Jesus models, inspires, motivates and sustains faith.
2.The enlightenment of the Word
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Romans 10:17
This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:2
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:3-5
The word of God furnishes the facts needed to make a decision to trust God. The word inspires faith.
3.The enlightenment of other believers
Other believers encourage us to believe by their trust in God. We see and study their trust in God through a multitude of difficulties. They urge us on. They model the way. They cheer us. They encourage us and inspire us by their words and their testimony.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us (those who lived and died exercising faith), let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us
Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. Hebrews 13:7
But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. Romans 1:12
we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, 1 Thessalonians 3:2
4.The enlightenment of personal experience
Any time we take a step of faith and trust God we reinforce our faith quotient. It is sometimes short lived but it does play a part the next time we are called on to give it all to God. The foundation of genuine faith is truth. Truth motivates us to believe and trust in God which ignites energy to act on our belief.
THE APPLICATION OF FAITH TO LIFE
Saving faith is the faith necessary for rebirth into God’s family.
Who do I trust with my eternal destiny?
He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:11-13
We are called “believers” because we have chosen to trust in Christ for salvation.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." Ro 10:8-11
This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:2
Satan does everything possible to keep people from trusting Christ for salvation. Satan promotes an elaborate array of paths to eternal life. All roads lead to heaven. We will only find eternal life when we trust in Christ alone for it.
Living faith is the trust necessary to live and grow on a daily basis.
Who do we trust for the wisdom to make everyday decisions? Examples of those who trusted God for life can be found all through Scripture. Hebrews 11 cataloged an impressive list. We trust our life to the God who made our world out of nothing.
Because of His trust in God, Abel honored God through an acceptable sacrifice and even though it cost him his life it forged a lasting legacy of faith that stand to this day.
Enoch’s unflagging daily trust in God resulted in a miraculous transport into God’s presence.
Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight— we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8
Faith always has the element of the unknown. Faith has an element of risk.
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20
Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." Galatians 3:11
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:3-5
Satan does everything he can to keep us from trusting God for our daily growth. He tries to cast doubt on God’s provision. He discourages us. He diverts us from eternal purposes.
He sidetracks us from our goals. He throws obstacles in the way. The writer of Hebrews urged some weary believers not to give up but to find inspiration from those who had conquered and persevered and to lay aside every sin and encumbrance that hindered us from finishing the race.
Conquering faith is the faith necessary to confront and conquer impossible obstacles
Who do we trust to help us in the face of insurmountable obstacles?
Noah’s unquestioning trust in God motivated the action that saved both him and his family from certain destruction. Abraham’s unflinching trust in God’s promise resulted in great blessing for the whole world. Moses’ absolute trust in God encouraged him to forgo temporal ease, riches, pleasure and fame to pursue eternal purposes. Joshua’s trust in God’s direction to completely conquer and capture a heavily fortified city. Rahab’s trust in God motivated her to buck the crowd and embrace the living God resulting in the salvation of her and her family.
We are told that the simple trust in God’s provision enabled others to conquer kingdoms, perform acts of righteousness, obtain promises, shut lion’s mouths, quench the power of fire, escape the edge of the sword, from weakness become strong, become mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight, receive back their dead by resurrection.
Many who expressed their trust in God to come to their aid found miraculous intervention.
The were not healed by faith but by Christ because they entrusted themselves to Him.
Lame were healed. Lepers cleansed. Demonized delivered. Blind regained sight. Paralyzed restored. Dead raised. History records testimony after testimony of God’s miraculous intervention. Many of you can recall such times in your lifetime.
Satan does everything he can to keep us from trusting God. Satan continually casts doubt on God’s ability or willingness to intervene. Satan wants us to give up hope.
The catalog of faithful in Hebrews 11 who stand as a “cloud of witnesses” to the power of trust in God did not stop with the list of those who conquered insurmountable odds because of their trust in God.
Enduring faith is the faith that holds on to God in spite of difficult circumstances.
Who will help me endure unbearable difficulty with hope and confidence?
... and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
Faith is the reasoned decision to trust God
based on the firm conviction that God knows what is best
and always does what He says.
Faith has to do with trusting God to work all things for His glory and our growth.
This is the conviction and belief that enabled Paul to consider the suffering of this life as momentary and light compared to the coming glory. This is the conviction that enabled Paul to hold on to the truth that God is able to keep what we commit to Him until the day of restoration. This is the faith that motivated Paul to express confidence that the one who started a good work would keep working at it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Satan does what he can to urge us to give up when things get tough. Satan throws fiery darts of doubt about God’s love.
Some of you are in need of saving faith today to bring you from death into life.
Some of you are in need of living faith to follow God’s direction.
Some of you are in need of conquering faith to eliminate some mountains.
Some of you are in need of enduring faith as you face unyielding and seemingly unending difficulties.
Who will you trust to deliver you? Who will you trust to strengthen you?
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. Psalms 121:1-2
The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him. Psalms 28:7
Christ is our shield against the enemy’s attacks.
O LORD, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, "There is no deliverance for him in God." Selah. But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. Psalms 3:1-3
In the midst of unimaginable loss and pain Job declared, “Though He kills me, yet will I trust Him!” Without a firm trust in God’s word, Satan inundates us with fear and confusion. These darts come from the wicked one. He launches them from all directions hoping to put you out of commission. Only the shield of faith will keep you from injury.
Peter warned us of this brutal attack.
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. 1 Peter 5:8-9
Every struggle has to do with whether or not we will believe God and embrace His truth.
Every defeat can be traced to a refusal to live by God’s instruction.
Every time we refuse to believe God it hardens our heart against God.
That is why Hebrews urges us to encourage one another daily lest we be hardened by the deceitfulness of sinful unbelief.
Faith is the reasoned decision to trust God
based on the firm conviction that God knows what is best
and always does what He says.
That conviction comes from Jesus, the study of the word, the encouragement of believers and life experience. Our only protection is to know and embrace God’s promises. Our only protection is to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
Implementation of the shield of faith against the enemy has to do with holding up the truth of God in the face of the enemy’s lie.
•We search for God’s word in the matter. (prayer, reading, hearing, watching, listening)
•We believe God’s word.
•The spirit energizes us to act
•We act on God’s word with His strength.
•God responds to our obedience.
Trust in God saves us. (Gal 3, John 1:9)
Trust in God perfects us.(Gal 3)
Trust in God pleases God. (Heb 11)
Trust in God brings peace and rest (Heb 3-4)
Trust in God enables true life. (Gal 2:20)
Trust in God overcomes the world. (1 John 5:4)
Trust in God enables endurance. (Heb 11)
Trust in God effects answered prayer (James 2)
Trust in God enables hope, joy or peace. (Rom 15:13)
Trust in God access the power of the Holy Spirit
Trust in God extinguishes the barrage of fiery darts hurled by the evil one. (1 Pet 1:5; 2 Tim 1:12; Eph 6)
Life is hopeless! – my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. I will therefore…
You can’t do it! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I will…
You are stupid! I have the mind of Christ. I will…
Death is the end! For me to live, is Christ, to die is gain.
You don’t need God! Apart from Him I can do nothing.
Life will only be meaningful if I am healthy and wealth. Blessed are the poor in spirit for they shall see God.
The world offers true life. Love not the world not the things in the world.
What lie is the enemy hurling at you this morning?
Where have you refused to trust God?
Are you walking in a wilderness?
What has God said?
What will you believe?
Who will you trust?
