By Faith

Heb 11:1?10

1          Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2          For by it {Faith} the elders obtained a good report.

3          Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

4          By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

5          By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

6          But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

7          By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

8          By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9          By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10       For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Vs 6

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

(KJV)

What is faith???

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

“Faith is substance”

·          It’s something tangible.

·          It’s something touchable.

·          It’s the walking with God that Abraham had.

·          It’s the waiting on God that Sara had.

·          It’s the Building of the Ark that Noah had.

·          It’s the sending home of the army that Gideon had.

·          It’s the stretching forth of the rod that Moses had.

·          It’s the building of the alter and adding water to make a fire from heaven that Elisha had.

·          It’s the speaking to the dry bones that Ezekiel had.

·          It’s the fish and the loaves that the lad gave to the Disciples to feed a multitude.

·          It’s the stepping out onto the waves that Peter had.

·          It’s Peter and John reaching out to the lame man at the gate Beautiful.

·          It’s something.

·          It’s working for God.

·          It’s paying your tithe and seeing God bless you.

·          It’s inviting someone to church.

·          It’s asking someone if you can teach them a bible study.

·          It’s giving your testimony.

·          It’s Praying for a revival of Souls.

·          It’s doing something God wants you to do.

·          It’s giving something God wants you to give.

·          It’s going somewhere God wants you to go.

·          It’s believing something God wants you to believe.

·                    It’s Tangible!!

·                    It’s not nothing!!!

·                    It’s something!!!

90% believe in God.

·          But that is only a mental believe.

·          How many have a heartfelt belief?

·          You can say you believe all you want.

·          But your lifestyle will tell us the truth!!!

Mark 16:17?18       And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

(KJV)

We can say that we have faith till Jesus comes.

·          We can convince ourselves.

·          We can convince our spouse.

·          We can convince our fellow Christians.

·          We can convince our sinner friends.

·          We can possibly even convince the Pastor.

But If You Don’t Have Some Evidence,

You Are Not Convincing GOD!!!

·          Let me just say something here.

·          My role as pastor is not to win souls.

·          My role as a Christian is to win souls.

·          My role as a pastor is to teach and encourage you to win souls.

·          A revival church is a church multiplying not adding.

·          I don’t want to add to myself.

·          I want to multiply by all of you!

·          If it’s just me winning souls it will only add.

·          But if it’s the whole church winning souls it will multiply!!!

·          The early church was added to, at the first,

·          But then it multiplied as God gave revival!!!

·          Acts 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

What am I talking about when I say Convincing God?

“By the way you won’t do diddly in the Kingdom of God until you CONVINCE GOD”.

·          Well Noah had to build an ark.

·          David had to face a giant on the battlefield.

·          The saints in the book of Acts gave all that they had.

·          They also prayed all night to get Peter out of prison.

·                    Faith is work.

·                    Faith is effort.

·                    Faith is getting involved.

·                    Faith is evidence!!!

“David could have stood behind the rocks like everybody else till the Giant died of old age!”

“But His Faith Caused Him To Walk Out Into The Battlefield!!!”

God said “Hmm…Standing by the rocks – not faith”

“Walking into the battlefield – That is FAITH”

James 2:17?18

17       Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18       Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

(KJV)

What’s he saying?

·          He’s saying you can stand there all day and say “I believe God is going to give us a Soul Revival”.

·          But if you’re not inviting people.

·          Your faith is dead!!!

Do you know what the “works of faith” are???

They’re the vehicle that the miraculous rides on.

In order for God to perform the miraculous He needs our only resource that is left.

·          For the widow woman it was her cruise of oil.

·          For another widow in the midst of a famine it was her last meal.

If we’re concerned about souls tonight…

·          It might be knocking on some doors.

·          It might be making some phone calls.

·          It might be coming for an evening of prayer to agree with God.

·          It might giving them an invitation.

Someone said the fewest amount of new converts to any church Biblically is

365 per year.

“Acts 2:47 say’s the Lord added daily to the church!!”

You or I don’t have the resource to win the lost.

·          It will not happen because “we want it to”.

·          It will not happen because God wants it to. {He gave His life so it would…and it has not happened yet!!!}

·          It will happen because the people of God have taken a stance of faith with works.

·          It will happen because Zion is travailing.

·          It will happen because His people have humbled themselves and are praying.

·          It will happen because our faith by our works is mingled with the will of God.

Do you understand what can happen when the will of God is released???

·          The Dead are raised to life again.

·          They come out of their graves and give testimony of his power.

·          The Blind regain their sight.

·          The Dumb speak.

·          The Deaf hear.

·          Drug addicts are delivered.

·          People who are considering suicide decide to give their life to God!