Speaking Faith 6: Faith in Action - part two
We are – at varying levels – people of faith. In a variety of ways, we come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
For many of us, our faith began as act of the intellect. We examined the facts – and the conclusion was obvious.
For some of us, our faith came through personal crisis. Something really bad happened – and we cried out in desperation hoping that there really was Someone out there. And He met you at your point of need.
Whether you come to Christ through the intellect or through crisis – spiritual maturity means that faith has practical application in real life. I’m talking about faith in action.
Now, look at an example of faith in action – in Matthew 8:5ff…
“When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralysed and in terrible suffering.” Jesus said to him, “I will go and heal him.”
The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith… (skip down to verse 13) Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.” Matthew 8:5-10, 13
• Imagine this man – a Centurion: A Roman – not a Jew - officer ruling over 100 soldiers.
• One of his servants – someone who he apparently cared a great deal about is paralysed and in serious pain.
• He tells Jesus of the man’s plight – and Jesus says: “I will go and heal him.” – No uncertainty in Jesus’ words. Notice the phrasing: “I will” – this is His choice and decision. “I will GO and HEAL..” – This will be the result. The servant will no longer be suffering and sick. He will be able to walk, jump, dance, skip and do it all with great joy!
• But the Centurion interrupts with the most amazing statement: “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
What does this reveal about the Centurion?
- Humility
- Absolute faith in Christ’s ability
- Understanding of authority structures
This is important if you desire to speak faith:
1. Speaking faith is not speaking ARROGANTLY.
2. Speaking faith is speaking CONFIDENTLY that Christ is able.
3. Speaking faith understands the AUTHORITY Christ possesses.
Now – look again at Jesus’ response: “When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith… (skip down to verse 13) Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.”
-The Centurion ‘astonished’ Christ with his faith!
-Christ determined to do just as the Centurion spoke!
-The servant was healed – immediately!
Now that is an example of faith. Is there anyone in the house today that desires this kind of faith?
Turn to Matthew 15:22 Putting your faith into action pleases Christ!
“A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” “Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” Matthew 15:22-28
Again we see a non-Jew exhibiting amazing faith. Why does she believe? Because she has seen Christ at work – His authority is evident! Her daughter is demon-possessed and needs help. But Jesus won’t help her because His ministry is first to the Jews – but she responds to Him with incredible faith – she won’t be put off – “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” And Jesus can’t put her off any longer – why? Because ‘you have great faith!’ And the daughter was healed.
Do you need Christ to intervene in your life? Are there struggles that you cannot overcome? Are there problems that need solutions?
• Speak faith. Speak faith that Christ will act on your behalf.
• Take the promises of God, apply them to your life – and confidently express your faith that He will come through for you.
Last week we covered these two issues:
1. START WHERE YOU ARE – 1 Peter 2:2-3
2. GROW IN YOUR EXPERIENCE OF GOD’S PROMISES – Psalms 1
Today I want to address these two issues:
3. Speaking Faith means watching your mouth.
4. Speaking Faith means saying and doing what God has spoken.
3. SPEAKING FAITH MEANS WATCHING YOUR MOUTH.
Most of us would be absolutely in shock is someone were to secretly record our voices for one day. The amount of negativity, cynicism, critical words and fear that we express is amazing.
Jesus said: “The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean’.” Matthew 15:18
IF you will just listen to people for awhile – you can easily see the condition of their heart. How? By their words.
Many people are afraid. Listen to each other. Listen to yourself. See how many times we say things like…
• “I’m afraid that…”
• “My biggest fear is…”
• “I’m worried about…”
God wants you to stop living in fear. He wants you to speak faith.
In the Old Testament there was a man named Job. Job was afraid. Job expressed a spirit of fear -
“What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.”” Job 3:25, 26
Job had a highly develop spirit of fear that was ruining his life. Notice he says: “What I feared, has come upon me…” Isn’t that usually the case? The very thing you fear is exactly what happens! It’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy! If I speak fear, uncertainty, anxiety – I will reap the same! We must resist fear in the same way we resist the devil.
Do you walk in fear? It is an evil spirit. It is a demon. Fear is not from God and it is not your friend! Some people cling to fear as if it helped them. They really get close to their fear. They feed it, they pet it, they treat like a friend. NO! Fear is of Satan. Fear isn’t from God. Now – you know I’m not talking about the fear you’d feel if you were falling off the cliff at the Grand Canyon!
The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7, KJV
The Greek word for fear is “deliah” – which is very similar to the Hebrew word “Delilah” – Delilah was the mistress of Samson – who as a tool of Satan cut off Samson’s hair – eliminating his strength. The Hebrew meaning for ‘Delilah’ is ‘feeble, or that which cuts off strength’
When you are walking in fear, anxiety, worry – you are walking in feebleness, weakness and impotence. That’s why I say that if you are filled with fear – you have a demonic spirit that needs to be addressed!
Let’s do it now: Pray this prayer with me:
Lord Jesus, I come to you in faith. I am asking you to free me from all spirits of fear. I now break off the power that fear has held in my life. I confess that YOU, Lord Jesus are my life. And that you don’t give fear, instead you give power, you give love and you give me a sound mind. And in the power of the Holy Spirit, in the Love of Christ and in the mind of Christ, I now rebuke any spirits of fear and demand that – you must leave me, now, once and for all! I break off your power through the power of the Risen Christ! And I am being set free – even now! Praise the Lord! Amen!
Now – if the spirit of fear tries to come back – you just keep praying this prayer until your deliverance is complete and final!
Changing from critical, negative, faith-denying vocabulary to a positive, hope-filled, faith vocabulary takes time. I still find myself speaking the very words that I hate – expressing criticism when I really want to build up. That’s why I need the grace of God. He forgives and forgives and forgives – all the while it is His desire to change me.
Speaking faith means keeping watch over your mouth. Just because you can say it – doesn’t mean it needs to be said.
1 Peter 4:11 says: “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.”
The next step in putting your faith into action is –
5. SPEAKING FAITH MEANS SAYING AND DOING WHAT GOD HAS SPOKEN.
Turn to Deuteronomy 28:1ff
“If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands that I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.” Deut. 28:1-6
Is there anyone here today that would like to experience the blessings that are listed in this passage?
These blessings don’t come automatically – there is a very large word that begins the text: “IF” And the “If” is followed by instructions:
1. Fully obey the Lord
2. Carefully follow all His commands
Now, the King James Version puts verse 1 this way:
“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:” Deuteronomy 28:1, KJV.
Hearken diligently – “to hear intelligently the sound of the Lord” – In other words, God is SPEAKING to you – listen and perceive what He is saying and what He is expecting of you! Now – how are you going to HEAR WITH SOUND the voice of the Lord today? SPEAK what He has said!
Remember what I spoke with you about how to get the Word of God into your heart? Speak it – and let your heart receive it through your inner ear! God Word – spoken in your mouth – goes directly to your inner spirit- the place of revelation!
And then – DO what He has said. You cannot short-change the importance of obedience if you want blessings from God. God created you to function and to live in a certain fashion – and then He revealed His plans for you – He showed you how to live so that your life will be healthy, strong, balanced and fruitful. His commands are all about you living in such a way.
If you are living in disobedience to the Word of God – do not expect blessing.
The Bible tells us… “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8
If you want to move into the flow of God’s blessing – repent. And then do what He has said.
We live in an age where ‘tolerance’ is the official religion. We tolerate anything – except for those who have the courage to stand up for righteousness and truth!
Say you go to the Doctor and the Doctor is into tolerance. You need to change Doctors! Because if you have cancer – you need to be told and you need a plan to get well. So, you can’t have some weak-wristed wimp of a Doctor who refuses to call it what it is: CANCER.
A lot of churches and pastors have become tolerant. They welcome anyone, but they don’t call people to change their lives, to repent of their sin. Folks: Unconfessed sin is cancer. It will kill you. Don’t think you can live a lifestyle that is rebellious against God and have it work out okay for you – it won’t! Sin is a killer. And if you are going to enter into the flow of God’s blessing – you’ve got to repent.
God isn’t into tolerance. In fact, He has never tolerated sin. He loves sinners, but He hates sin. And His love for sinners – cost His Son His life. And if you want the blessing of God – repent.
And – just like we prayed a deliverance prayer – I want to lead you in a prayer of repentance. Let the Holy Spirit guide you…
Lord Jesus, I’m here to repent of my disobedience. I’ve been living as if I was in charge, and I am terribly sorry. I repent right now of _____________________________. I don’t want that to be a part of my life any longer and I ask that you’ll empower me through the Holy Spirit to gain victory over it. Cleanse me with your blood, restore me to right relationship with you. And fill me with your power in the Holy Spirit. I now choose to be fully obedient to your Word and plans for my life. Thank you! Amen.
CONCLUSION: Today is a day to speak faith. To put your faith into action. Some of you need to speak faith by going to a loved one and asking for forgiveness. Others of you need to speak faith by repenting of a sinful behavior. Some of us need to speak faith by turning away from being sharp tongued and critical and asking the Holy Spirit to fill us with His language!
Whatever it is – God’s blessing awaits all who will live their faith.
Speak faith. Speak faith that Christ will act on your behalf. Take the promises of God, apply them to your life – and confidently express your faith that He will come through for you.
For many of us, our faith began as act of the intellect. We examined the facts – and the conclusion was obvious.
For some of us, our faith came through personal crisis. Something really bad happened – and we cried out in desperation hoping that there really was Someone out there. And He met you at your point of need.
Whether you come to Christ through the intellect or through crisis – spiritual maturity means that faith has practical application in real life. I’m talking about faith in action.
Now, look at an example of faith in action – in Matthew 8:5ff…
“When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralysed and in terrible suffering.” Jesus said to him, “I will go and heal him.”
The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith… (skip down to verse 13) Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.” Matthew 8:5-10, 13
• Imagine this man – a Centurion: A Roman – not a Jew - officer ruling over 100 soldiers.
• One of his servants – someone who he apparently cared a great deal about is paralysed and in serious pain.
• He tells Jesus of the man’s plight – and Jesus says: “I will go and heal him.” – No uncertainty in Jesus’ words. Notice the phrasing: “I will” – this is His choice and decision. “I will GO and HEAL..” – This will be the result. The servant will no longer be suffering and sick. He will be able to walk, jump, dance, skip and do it all with great joy!
• But the Centurion interrupts with the most amazing statement: “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
What does this reveal about the Centurion?
- Humility
- Absolute faith in Christ’s ability
- Understanding of authority structures
This is important if you desire to speak faith:
1. Speaking faith is not speaking ARROGANTLY.
2. Speaking faith is speaking CONFIDENTLY that Christ is able.
3. Speaking faith understands the AUTHORITY Christ possesses.
Now – look again at Jesus’ response: “When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith… (skip down to verse 13) Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.”
-The Centurion ‘astonished’ Christ with his faith!
-Christ determined to do just as the Centurion spoke!
-The servant was healed – immediately!
Now that is an example of faith. Is there anyone in the house today that desires this kind of faith?
Turn to Matthew 15:22 Putting your faith into action pleases Christ!
“A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” “Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” Matthew 15:22-28
Again we see a non-Jew exhibiting amazing faith. Why does she believe? Because she has seen Christ at work – His authority is evident! Her daughter is demon-possessed and needs help. But Jesus won’t help her because His ministry is first to the Jews – but she responds to Him with incredible faith – she won’t be put off – “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” And Jesus can’t put her off any longer – why? Because ‘you have great faith!’ And the daughter was healed.
Do you need Christ to intervene in your life? Are there struggles that you cannot overcome? Are there problems that need solutions?
• Speak faith. Speak faith that Christ will act on your behalf.
• Take the promises of God, apply them to your life – and confidently express your faith that He will come through for you.
Last week we covered these two issues:
1. START WHERE YOU ARE – 1 Peter 2:2-3
2. GROW IN YOUR EXPERIENCE OF GOD’S PROMISES – Psalms 1
Today I want to address these two issues:
3. Speaking Faith means watching your mouth.
4. Speaking Faith means saying and doing what God has spoken.
3. SPEAKING FAITH MEANS WATCHING YOUR MOUTH.
Most of us would be absolutely in shock is someone were to secretly record our voices for one day. The amount of negativity, cynicism, critical words and fear that we express is amazing.
Jesus said: “The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean’.” Matthew 15:18
IF you will just listen to people for awhile – you can easily see the condition of their heart. How? By their words.
Many people are afraid. Listen to each other. Listen to yourself. See how many times we say things like…
• “I’m afraid that…”
• “My biggest fear is…”
• “I’m worried about…”
God wants you to stop living in fear. He wants you to speak faith.
In the Old Testament there was a man named Job. Job was afraid. Job expressed a spirit of fear -
“What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.”” Job 3:25, 26
Job had a highly develop spirit of fear that was ruining his life. Notice he says: “What I feared, has come upon me…” Isn’t that usually the case? The very thing you fear is exactly what happens! It’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy! If I speak fear, uncertainty, anxiety – I will reap the same! We must resist fear in the same way we resist the devil.
Do you walk in fear? It is an evil spirit. It is a demon. Fear is not from God and it is not your friend! Some people cling to fear as if it helped them. They really get close to their fear. They feed it, they pet it, they treat like a friend. NO! Fear is of Satan. Fear isn’t from God. Now – you know I’m not talking about the fear you’d feel if you were falling off the cliff at the Grand Canyon!
The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7, KJV
The Greek word for fear is “deliah” – which is very similar to the Hebrew word “Delilah” – Delilah was the mistress of Samson – who as a tool of Satan cut off Samson’s hair – eliminating his strength. The Hebrew meaning for ‘Delilah’ is ‘feeble, or that which cuts off strength’
When you are walking in fear, anxiety, worry – you are walking in feebleness, weakness and impotence. That’s why I say that if you are filled with fear – you have a demonic spirit that needs to be addressed!
Let’s do it now: Pray this prayer with me:
Lord Jesus, I come to you in faith. I am asking you to free me from all spirits of fear. I now break off the power that fear has held in my life. I confess that YOU, Lord Jesus are my life. And that you don’t give fear, instead you give power, you give love and you give me a sound mind. And in the power of the Holy Spirit, in the Love of Christ and in the mind of Christ, I now rebuke any spirits of fear and demand that – you must leave me, now, once and for all! I break off your power through the power of the Risen Christ! And I am being set free – even now! Praise the Lord! Amen!
Now – if the spirit of fear tries to come back – you just keep praying this prayer until your deliverance is complete and final!
Changing from critical, negative, faith-denying vocabulary to a positive, hope-filled, faith vocabulary takes time. I still find myself speaking the very words that I hate – expressing criticism when I really want to build up. That’s why I need the grace of God. He forgives and forgives and forgives – all the while it is His desire to change me.
Speaking faith means keeping watch over your mouth. Just because you can say it – doesn’t mean it needs to be said.
1 Peter 4:11 says: “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.”
The next step in putting your faith into action is –
5. SPEAKING FAITH MEANS SAYING AND DOING WHAT GOD HAS SPOKEN.
Turn to Deuteronomy 28:1ff
“If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands that I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.” Deut. 28:1-6
Is there anyone here today that would like to experience the blessings that are listed in this passage?
These blessings don’t come automatically – there is a very large word that begins the text: “IF” And the “If” is followed by instructions:
1. Fully obey the Lord
2. Carefully follow all His commands
Now, the King James Version puts verse 1 this way:
“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:” Deuteronomy 28:1, KJV.
Hearken diligently – “to hear intelligently the sound of the Lord” – In other words, God is SPEAKING to you – listen and perceive what He is saying and what He is expecting of you! Now – how are you going to HEAR WITH SOUND the voice of the Lord today? SPEAK what He has said!
Remember what I spoke with you about how to get the Word of God into your heart? Speak it – and let your heart receive it through your inner ear! God Word – spoken in your mouth – goes directly to your inner spirit- the place of revelation!
And then – DO what He has said. You cannot short-change the importance of obedience if you want blessings from God. God created you to function and to live in a certain fashion – and then He revealed His plans for you – He showed you how to live so that your life will be healthy, strong, balanced and fruitful. His commands are all about you living in such a way.
If you are living in disobedience to the Word of God – do not expect blessing.
The Bible tells us… “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8
If you want to move into the flow of God’s blessing – repent. And then do what He has said.
We live in an age where ‘tolerance’ is the official religion. We tolerate anything – except for those who have the courage to stand up for righteousness and truth!
Say you go to the Doctor and the Doctor is into tolerance. You need to change Doctors! Because if you have cancer – you need to be told and you need a plan to get well. So, you can’t have some weak-wristed wimp of a Doctor who refuses to call it what it is: CANCER.
A lot of churches and pastors have become tolerant. They welcome anyone, but they don’t call people to change their lives, to repent of their sin. Folks: Unconfessed sin is cancer. It will kill you. Don’t think you can live a lifestyle that is rebellious against God and have it work out okay for you – it won’t! Sin is a killer. And if you are going to enter into the flow of God’s blessing – you’ve got to repent.
God isn’t into tolerance. In fact, He has never tolerated sin. He loves sinners, but He hates sin. And His love for sinners – cost His Son His life. And if you want the blessing of God – repent.
And – just like we prayed a deliverance prayer – I want to lead you in a prayer of repentance. Let the Holy Spirit guide you…
Lord Jesus, I’m here to repent of my disobedience. I’ve been living as if I was in charge, and I am terribly sorry. I repent right now of _____________________________. I don’t want that to be a part of my life any longer and I ask that you’ll empower me through the Holy Spirit to gain victory over it. Cleanse me with your blood, restore me to right relationship with you. And fill me with your power in the Holy Spirit. I now choose to be fully obedient to your Word and plans for my life. Thank you! Amen.
CONCLUSION: Today is a day to speak faith. To put your faith into action. Some of you need to speak faith by going to a loved one and asking for forgiveness. Others of you need to speak faith by repenting of a sinful behavior. Some of us need to speak faith by turning away from being sharp tongued and critical and asking the Holy Spirit to fill us with His language!
Whatever it is – God’s blessing awaits all who will live their faith.
Speak faith. Speak faith that Christ will act on your behalf. Take the promises of God, apply them to your life – and confidently express your faith that He will come through for you.
posted by Doug Love at 2:27 PM
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