male announcer: This
presentation is brought
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to you by the friends of
the Amazing Facts Ministry.
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¤¤¤
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Doug Batchelor: There's a power
of faith that God has wired
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in every human.
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You know, Jesus never said,
"My faith has made you whole."
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He always said, "Your
faith has made you whole."
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Doug Batchelor: You know,
we're gonna be talking about
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"Mountain-Moving Faith"
tonight and that Jesus--
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I'll tell you why.
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Jesus made a
statement in Mark 11, verse 22,
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"Have faith in God.
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For assuredly, I say to you,
whoever says to this mountain,
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'Be removed and be cast into the
sea,' and does not doubt in his
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heart, but believes those things
that he says will be done,
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he will have whatever he says.
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Therefore I say to you, whatever
things you ask when you pray,
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believe that you receive
them, and you will have them."
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Now that's a big promise.
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But what is Jesus talking about?
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Say to a mountain, "Be plucked
up and moved into the sea."
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You can read in Micah 7:19,
"He will again have compassion
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on us, and will
subdue our iniquities.
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You will cast all of our sins
into the depths of the sea."
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So what is it that
we moved-- need moved?
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We don't need a mountain
of dirt, we need to have God
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remove a mountain of sin.
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And some of us have
bigger mountains than others,
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but God is in the
business of moving mountains.
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And through faith in Christ,
that mountain can be moved
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and cast into the sea.
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And I remind you again that the
deepest ocean in the world, the
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Marianas Trench, is 36,000 feet
deep and the tallest mountain,
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Mount Everest, is just under
29,000 feet, meaning you could
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submerge Mount Everest in the
deepest ocean and it would be
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completely covered.
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You can submerge all
of our sins in God's mercy
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and it'll be completely
removed from God's sight.
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He casts our sins into the
depths of the sea and he sets up
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a "no fishing" sign.
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Faith, mountain-moving faith.
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So we're gonna be talking about
this subject of faith because it
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is crucial in our salvation, but
I want to begin by previewing a
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story about the Promised Land,
talking about these 12 spies.
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So in your Bibles, the
story we're going to use
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as a springboard
is Numbers chapter 13.
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Before they
entered the Promised Land,
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people had not been
there their whole lives.
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They hadn't been
there in generations.
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They wondered
what it looked like.
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And they persuaded Moses to let
them send some spies to sorta
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preview things, see
what the state of things was,
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and he agreed.
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And then it tells us
the names of these 12 spies.
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Most of them have evaporated
into history, but we remember
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two of them: Joshua,
the son of Nun, and Caleb,
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the son of Jephunneh.
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And he sends them out and it
says that now Moses--verse 17.
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Numbers 13, verse 17, "Then
Moses sent them to spy out the
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land of Canaan, and he said to
them, 'Go up this way into the
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South, and go up into the
mountains, and see what the land
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is like: whether the people who
dwell there are strong or weak,
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few or many; whether the land
they dwell in is good or bad;
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whether the cities they inhabit
are like camps or strongholds;
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whether the land is rich or
poor; whether they are forests
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or not.
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Be of good courage.'"
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He's saying, "'Be courageous,
have faith, and bring some
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of the fruit of the land.'
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Now the time was the
season of first ripe grapes.
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So they went and they spied out
the land from the Wilderness of
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Zin as far as Rehob,
near the entrance of Hamath.
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And they went up through
the South and came to Hebron."
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These are the
mountains of Hebron.
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"And Ahiman, Sheshai, and
Talmai, the descendants of Anak,
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were there.
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And they came to the valley of
Eshcol, and there they cut down
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a branch with one cluster
of grapes; and carried it
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between two of them on a pole.
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And they brought some of
the pomegranates and the figs."
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And it says, "They returned,"
in verse 25, "from spying out
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the land after forty days."
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So they departed
and they come back.
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Now, right away you find out
when they return there's a big
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difference between ten of
the spies and two of the spies.
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Two of the spies get
there first, Joshua and Caleb
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I suspect.
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I think they're probably
the ones carrying this enormous
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cluster of grapes.
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And they said, "The land through
which you send us is a land that
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truly flows with milk and honey,
and here's the fruit of it."
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And they began to toss
big old grapes to everybody.
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You got grapes as big.
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I was in Australia and I
really saw grapes that big.
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And so they're giving all these
grapes to everybody and they're
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tossing them figs, and pomelos,
and there's probably fruit flies
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everywhere 'cause they've been
carrying all this sticky fruit
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for days.
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And the people are rejoicing,
but then the other ten guys who
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had been dragging along, Joshua
and Caleb knew this wasn't going
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to go well.
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They brought back
a negative report.
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You see, as they first began
to go through the Promised Land,
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they looked at the walls
of Jericho and they thought,
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"Wow, those walls are massive.
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How are we ever gonna conquer a
city with a fortress like that?
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Impossible.
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Look at the size
of their armies."
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They came to the mountains
of Hebron, "Look at the size
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of the Anakim.
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They're giants.
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We feel like grasshoppers.
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How can we conquer
a nation like this?"
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And everywhere they went, they
just saw all the problems and
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they forgot the promises of God.
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The reason it was called
the Promised Land is because God
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promised to give it to 'em
and they forgot how far God had
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brought them out of Egypt.
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Have you ever made that mistake?
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You forget all the miracles
that God performs for you and
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you wonder if he can finish
what he started in your life.
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Well, those ten spies
show up and they say, "Oh no,
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we're never gonna make it."
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You can listen.
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And it tells us, after
they say it's a beautiful land
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in verse 28, then the ten
spies begin the majority report.
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"Oh, the people who dwell in the
land are strong; and the cities
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are fortified and
very large; moreover we saw
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the descendants of Anak there.
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The Amalekites dwell in the
south; the Hittites, and the
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Jebusites, and the Amorites
dwell in the mountains."
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How can we
conquer these mountains?
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"And the Canaanites dwell
by the sea and along the banks
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of the Jordan."
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And all the people began to
moan, I suspect, 'cause it says,
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"Caleb quieted the people."
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Why would it say that except
they were starting to moan
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and complain?
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"He quieted them before
Moses, and said, 'Let us go up
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at once.'"
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Now, he had just come back
from wandering through this land
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for 40 days.
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He's ready to go
take it right now.
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It says, "'Let us go up at once
and take possession, for we are
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well able to overcome it.'
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But the men who had gone up with
him said, 'We are not able to go
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up against the people, for
they are stronger than we are.'
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And they gave the children of
Israel a bad report of the land
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that they spied out."
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Alright, friends.
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Right there I've summed up just
if you wanna know who's gonna
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make it and who's
not gonna make it.
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If you don't think you'll
make it, you won't make it.
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If you believe that God can
lead you in, you can make it.
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All things are
possible to those that believe.
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Caleb said, "We are able."
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The other group
said, "We are not able."
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And what's really sad is
they were all church members.
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Now, when we talk about taking
the Promised Land and conquering
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the mountains, having
mountain-moving faith, you know,
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there are people in the church
today that says Jesus just came
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to give you grace
to cover your sin.
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Don't really expect any change
in your life or victory over
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sin, just accept his grace and
just enjoy that, and don't worry
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about striving, or fighting,
or wrestling against temptation,
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or running the race of life.
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They act like if there's
any effort involved in being a
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Christian, it's a lack of faith.
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That is categorically not true.
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The Bible is very clear that
faith means that you might need
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to fight a good fight of faith.
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Caleb believed they could take
the Promised Land and Caleb was
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also willing to fight for it.
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David believed he could conquer
Goliath and he said even when he
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went against Goliath, "You
come against me with a sword,
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and a spear, and a shield.
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I come against
you with the Lord."
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His faith was in God, but he
had a sling, and he had a stone,
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and he had a staff.
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And so the Christian life is
using all of the ability that
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God has given you, trusting God,
moving forward, trusting God.
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But you must surrender all of
your human ability to the Lord.
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You do need to engage your will.
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You must
surrender your heart to him.
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And there is effort involved.
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Why does the Bible
say, "Resist the devil.
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Flee from temptation"?
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And sometimes
there's a struggle involved.
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I think people need
to be reminded that part
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of the conversion is fighting
the good fight of faith,
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but it takes courage to do that.
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What happened to
these other ten spies?
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Moses said,
"Don't be discouraged.
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Have courage.
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Believe."
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Well, they get discouraged.
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They looked at the
problems instead of the promise.
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They lost faith because they
kept focusing on the negative.
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And we still have
the same issue today.
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Here we are now, we are on the
borders of the Promised Land.
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The question is, do God's people
believe that he is still a God
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that can move mountains?
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So I'm going to go through some
points that I hope will help
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illustrate this truth,
so let's begin talking about
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the prerequisite of faith.
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Why is faith so important?
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You cannot be
saved without faith.
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Now, God wouldn't say that
unless it was possible for you
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to have faith.
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Hebrews 11, verse 6, "Without
faith it is impossible to please
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him, for he that comes to
God must believe that he is,
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and he is the rewarder of
those that diligently seek him."
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Faith is possibly the
single most important element
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in the Christian life.
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Anything a person does in
attempting to be a Christian
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means absolutely
nothing if he lacks faith.
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The Bible says, "Whosoever
believeth in him," John 3:16.
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It all boils down
to believing in God.
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The words of Christ, Matthew 6,
verse 30, "Now if God so clothes
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the grass of the field, which
is today, and tomorrow thrown in
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the oven, will he not
much more clothe you, O ye of
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little faith?"
00:10:18.45\00:10:19.78
How often Jesus made a big
issue out of a little faith.
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Matthew 8:26, he said to the
disciples, "Why are you fearful,
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O you of little faith?"
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And then Luke 18, verse 8, Jesus
said, "Nevertheless, when the
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Son of Man comes, will he
really find faith on the earth?"
00:10:33.76\00:10:37.30
What was Jesus looking for?
00:10:37.33\00:10:39.07
He wanted to see faith.
00:10:39.10\00:10:41.37
A weak faith his weakened by
predicaments and catastrophes,
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whereas a great faith
is strengthened by them.
00:10:44.24\00:10:47.98
The reason that Job is mentioned
in the Bible is because he was
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a man who had developed
faith before he ever got
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to his trials.
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One man came to Jesus with his
son and said, "Lord, if you can
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do anything."
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And Jesus said, "If you believe,
all things are possible to him
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that believes."
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That "statement, All things
are possible with God," is found
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about four times
in the New Testament.
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The angel said to Mary,
and several times with God,
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"All things are possible."
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All things
is--really means all things.
00:11:16.14\00:11:20.54
Mark--I'm sorry, Ephesians
2, verse 8, "For by grace you've
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been saved through faith."
00:11:24.31\00:11:26.55
Habakkuk 2, verse 4, "The
just will live by his faith."
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Galatians, "For you are
all sons of God through faith
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in Christ Jesus."
00:11:35.59\00:11:36.93
Romans 5:1, "Therefore,
having been justified by faith,
00:11:36.96\00:11:41.00
we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ."
00:11:41.03\00:11:43.60
So I hope I've made my case,
friends, that a prerequisite
00:11:43.63\00:11:47.20
for anyone to be
saved is believing in God.
00:11:47.24\00:11:51.47
We must believe in God.
00:11:51.51\00:11:53.81
Well, that leads us to the next
important point and I'm going to
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spend a little time on this, and
that's the prevalence of faith.
00:11:56.85\00:12:00.88
You might be thinking, "The
Lord is making it so impossible
00:12:00.92\00:12:04.35
by asking me to have this
supernatural, extraordinary
00:12:04.39\00:12:06.92
faith, and I just--I'm
not a person of faith."
00:12:06.96\00:12:09.32
I don't believe that.
00:12:09.36\00:12:10.69
I believe that
everybody has faith.
00:12:10.73\00:12:13.33
The question is,
where is your faith?
00:12:13.36\00:12:15.70
Now, the Bible tells us this.
00:12:15.73\00:12:17.10
Romans chapter 12, verse
3, "God has dealt to every man
00:12:17.13\00:12:22.74
the measure of faith."
00:12:22.77\00:12:24.11
And keep in mind, salvation
doesn't just come by faith,
00:12:24.14\00:12:26.81
it comes by faith in the Lord.
00:12:26.84\00:12:28.78
Every time someone was
healed by Jesus, you know,
00:12:28.81\00:12:31.55
Jesus never said, "My
faith has made you whole."
00:12:31.58\00:12:34.38
He always said, "Your
faith has made you whole."
00:12:34.42\00:12:36.92
Doug Batchelor:
Don't go anywhere, friends.
00:12:38.35\00:12:39.69
We'll be back in just
a moment for the rest of
00:12:39.72\00:12:41.62
today's presentation.
00:12:41.66\00:12:43.69
You probably already know
that the United States is one
00:12:43.73\00:12:47.36
of the most powerful economic
and military nations in history,
00:12:47.40\00:12:51.90
but have you ever wondered
if the Bible has anything
00:12:51.93\00:12:54.70
to say about the
US in Bible prophecy?
00:12:54.74\00:12:58.11
What if I told you that it does?
00:12:58.14\00:12:59.84
Would it surprise you?
00:12:59.87\00:13:01.54
Well, it's true.
00:13:01.58\00:13:02.91
Using vivid symbolic imagery,
the book of Revelation details
00:13:02.94\00:13:07.35
the rise of America and the
prominent role that it will play
00:13:07.38\00:13:10.95
in the last days
of human history.
00:13:10.99\00:13:13.39
If you'd like to know more
about this important subject,
00:13:13.42\00:13:16.22
Amazing Facts wants to
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00:13:22.76\00:13:26.60
see for yourself how the
book of Revelation pinpoints
00:13:26.63\00:13:30.21
the United States as a major
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00:13:30.24\00:13:34.51
and what you can
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Well, let's get back to the
rest of today's presentation
00:13:47.79\00:13:50.73
and learn some more amazing
facts from the Word of God.
00:13:50.76\00:13:53.26
Doug Batchelor: You know, the
two people that Jesus especially
00:13:54.83\00:13:56.77
complemented in the Bible
were Pagans that demonstrated
00:13:56.80\00:14:01.07
their faith in him.
00:14:01.10\00:14:02.60
You remember, there was
this woman that she persisted
00:14:02.64\00:14:06.41
in asking Jesus
to heal her daughter.
00:14:06.44\00:14:09.08
And even though Christ
was trying to send her away,
00:14:09.11\00:14:12.01
he said, you know, "Can't take
the children's food and give it
00:14:12.05\00:14:14.72
to the dogs."
00:14:14.75\00:14:16.05
He was testing her faith.
00:14:16.08\00:14:17.39
She said, "Yes, but even
the puppies get the crumbs."
00:14:17.42\00:14:19.49
He said, "Woman,
great is your faith.
00:14:19.52\00:14:21.62
Your daughter is healed."
00:14:21.66\00:14:23.22
He just did that to illustrate
something for the apostles.
00:14:23.26\00:14:25.83
Then there's
the Roman centurion.
00:14:25.86\00:14:27.20
He said, "You don't even
need to come to my house."
00:14:27.23\00:14:29.90
And Jesus turned around in
amazement and said, "I've not
00:14:29.93\00:14:32.07
seen this kind of
faith in all of Israel."
00:14:32.10\00:14:34.47
Two blind men come to
Jesus and said, "Lord!"
00:14:34.50\00:14:36.77
He said, "What do you want?"
00:14:36.81\00:14:38.14
"That our eyes might be opened."
00:14:38.17\00:14:39.81
He said, "Be it unto you
according to your faith."
00:14:39.84\00:14:43.58
Now, that seems
like a pretty tall order.
00:14:43.61\00:14:46.18
Jesus is telling us that if
we have faith in him, all things
00:14:46.21\00:14:50.09
are possible to
him that believes.
00:14:50.12\00:14:51.79
I'm not suggesting you go buy
a lottery ticket and then have
00:14:51.82\00:14:54.59
faith you've got
the winning number.
00:14:54.62\00:14:56.29
It's not that kind of faith.
00:14:56.32\00:14:57.93
The principle thing that Jesus
wants to have us learn about the
00:14:57.96\00:15:02.20
power of faith is that through
faith in him, we can have the
00:15:02.23\00:15:06.94
mountain moved, that we can get
victory over our sins, that we
00:15:06.97\00:15:10.81
can be transformed, that
we can become like Christ.
00:15:10.84\00:15:13.68
The purpose of the plan
of salvation, the angel said,
00:15:13.71\00:15:16.95
"You'll call his name Jesus
for he will save his people
00:15:16.98\00:15:19.71
from," what?
00:15:19.75\00:15:21.08
"From their sins."
00:15:21.12\00:15:22.42
God wants us to have faith that
we can be saved, that he can
00:15:22.45\00:15:25.39
transform us.
00:15:25.42\00:15:26.76
You know, so often the battles
in the Bible, you see when they
00:15:26.79\00:15:29.22
went into battle
trusting the Lord, they won.
00:15:29.26\00:15:31.49
Old Testament's full of battles.
00:15:31.53\00:15:33.29
People say, "Pastor Doug, why is
the Old Testament full of war?"
00:15:33.33\00:15:36.33
All of those battles
are illustrating our battle
00:15:36.36\00:15:39.33
with the devil.
00:15:39.37\00:15:40.70
Doesn't matter if there were
20,000 enemy soldiers and they
00:15:40.74\00:15:43.54
only had ten, when they went
into battle--Samson killed a
00:15:43.57\00:15:48.31
thousand with a jawbone
with the Spirit of the Lord.
00:15:48.34\00:15:50.71
When you go into battle with the
Lord, someone once said you and
00:15:50.75\00:15:54.28
God are always a majority.
00:15:54.32\00:15:56.75
And when Jonathan and his
armorbearer went against the
00:15:56.79\00:15:59.29
Philistine garrison, he said,
"There's no restraint for the
00:15:59.32\00:16:02.32
Lord to deliver by few or many."
00:16:02.36\00:16:04.29
They went it faith and
they got the victory over this
00:16:04.33\00:16:07.23
whole contingent of soldiers.
00:16:07.23\00:16:08.70
Two men because they had faith.
00:16:08.73\00:16:10.93
So there's this prevalence
of faith that we see all through
00:16:10.97\00:16:13.87
the Bible and the Lord
wants us to demonstrate that.
00:16:13.90\00:16:16.94
Then you've got the
production of faith.
00:16:16.97\00:16:20.14
All right, so there's faith out
there and I've got a little bit
00:16:20.18\00:16:23.38
of faith.
00:16:23.41\00:16:24.75
How do I grow my faith?
00:16:24.78\00:16:27.02
Well, the answer's in the Bible.
00:16:27.05\00:16:29.18
The disciples came to Jesus.
00:16:29.22\00:16:31.49
They said, "Lord,
increase our faith."
00:16:31.52\00:16:35.36
And Jesus said, "Impossible,
you only get so much at birth
00:16:35.39\00:16:38.43
and that's your quota."
00:16:38.46\00:16:39.79
That's not what he said.
00:16:39.83\00:16:41.50
The reason they said, "Increase
our faith," and Jesus responded
00:16:41.53\00:16:45.40
is because it is
possible for you to have
00:16:45.43\00:16:48.14
your faith increased.
00:16:48.17\00:16:50.47
How does that happen?
00:16:50.51\00:16:51.87
"So then faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the Word of God."
00:16:51.91\00:16:57.58
As you read the
Bible, your faith will grow.
00:16:57.61\00:17:01.22
Which leads me to another
important element in how you can
00:17:01.25\00:17:04.89
have more
production of your faith.
00:17:04.92\00:17:09.96
Look at the story of
David, David and Goliath.
00:17:09.99\00:17:14.13
So when David says to King Saul,
"I believe that I could whip
00:17:14.20\00:17:17.87
that giant," the king said,
"He is a soldier from his youth
00:17:17.90\00:17:22.10
and you are just a youth.
00:17:22.14\00:17:23.47
What makes you
think you can beat him?
00:17:23.51\00:17:24.81
He's twice your size."
00:17:24.84\00:17:26.74
David said, "Well,
I've just got blind faith."
00:17:26.78\00:17:28.51
That's not what he said.
00:17:28.54\00:17:30.15
David said, "I've got
evidence for my confidence.
00:17:30.18\00:17:34.55
When I was taking care of my
father's sheep, a bear showed up
00:17:34.58\00:17:38.92
and God gave me the strength
and the spirit to kill the bear.
00:17:38.95\00:17:42.42
And then later a lion came to
get the sheep and God delivered
00:17:42.46\00:17:47.10
the lion into my hand.
00:17:47.13\00:17:48.40
And through God's faith working
through me, I killed a bear,
00:17:48.43\00:17:52.20
I killed a lion.
00:17:52.23\00:17:53.60
True, they're smaller than the
giant, but I've got evidence,
00:17:53.64\00:17:56.37
and based on the evidence
of what God did for me with the
00:17:56.40\00:17:58.54
lion and the bear, I
believe that he can help me
00:17:58.57\00:18:01.21
kill the giant."
00:18:01.24\00:18:02.58
When the Lord brought
the children of Israel to the
00:18:02.61\00:18:04.91
shores, the borders of the
Promised Land, hadn't the Lord
00:18:04.95\00:18:08.78
given them evidence to believe?
00:18:08.82\00:18:11.35
Look at all those incredible
plagues that came on the
00:18:11.39\00:18:13.72
Egyptians, and how God provided
water out of a rock, and bread
00:18:13.76\00:18:17.56
for heaven, and
victory over the Amalekites.
00:18:17.59\00:18:20.33
He had given them evidence for
their faith and that's why they
00:18:20.36\00:18:22.86
were without excuse when he said
to that generation, "You can't
00:18:22.90\00:18:27.27
go into the Promised Land
because you just don't believe."
00:18:27.30\00:18:30.34
And friends, that's something--
it's kind of a sobering thought,
00:18:30.37\00:18:34.14
but I don't
want to rush past it.
00:18:34.18\00:18:36.95
Those that did not believe
that God could bring them
00:18:36.98\00:18:40.22
into the Promised Land and give
them victory did not make it
00:18:40.25\00:18:43.22
into the Promised Land.
00:18:43.25\00:18:44.55
You must believe that your
Jesus is bigger than your devil.
00:18:44.59\00:18:49.36
Nobody has a problem
having faith in the devil.
00:18:49.39\00:18:52.36
Everybody glorifies the devil
all the time, saying, "Oh yeah,
00:18:52.39\00:18:54.93
the devil got me to do this and
the devil got me to do that."
00:18:54.96\00:18:57.90
And you know, they just take
it for granted that the devil is
00:18:57.93\00:19:00.34
gonna have his
way in their life.
00:19:00.37\00:19:02.54
But when you say, "Well,
don't you think that Jesus
00:19:02.57\00:19:05.11
is bigger than the devil?
00:19:05.14\00:19:06.88
Doesn't the Bible say, 'Greater
is he that is in you than
00:19:06.91\00:19:10.85
he that is in the world'?"
00:19:10.88\00:19:12.41
And so through Christ, we
are able to get the victory and
00:19:12.45\00:19:16.58
conquer and
overcome these mountains.
00:19:16.62\00:19:19.65
So you can have more faith.
00:19:19.69\00:19:22.09
Matthew 17, verse 20,
"Assuredly, I say to you,
00:19:22.12\00:19:25.49
if you've got faith as a
mustard seed, you'll say to this
00:19:25.53\00:19:28.40
mountain, 'Move from here
to there,' and it will move;
00:19:28.43\00:19:33.37
and nothing will
be impossible for you.
00:19:33.40\00:19:36.00
However, this kind does
not go forth except by prayer
00:19:36.04\00:19:38.67
and fasting."
00:19:38.71\00:19:40.04
So read the Bible, you get
faith, look at the evidence
00:19:40.08\00:19:43.75
of God's leading in your
past and it'll grow your faith,
00:19:43.78\00:19:47.25
and prayer will grow your faith.
00:19:47.28\00:19:49.78
So when you pray and you
get answers to your prayer,
00:19:49.82\00:19:54.26
your faith gets bigger.
00:19:54.29\00:19:55.69
Have you ever prayed before for
something that was just really
00:19:55.72\00:19:57.96
extraordinary, and then God
answered your prayer and you go,
00:19:57.99\00:20:00.56
"Wow, why would I doubt God?
00:20:00.60\00:20:02.93
He's so powerful.
00:20:02.96\00:20:04.30
He's answered so
many prayers before."
00:20:04.33\00:20:07.00
Faith sees the invisible,
believes the incredible,
00:20:07.04\00:20:10.94
and receives the impossible.
00:20:10.97\00:20:13.11
All right, well, at this point I
want to talk a little bit about
00:20:13.14\00:20:15.91
the poison of pessimism.
00:20:15.94\00:20:18.18
You can read here where it says
in Matthew chapter 4, verse 3,
00:20:18.21\00:20:21.38
"When the tempter came to
Jesus, he said, 'If you're
00:20:21.42\00:20:24.55
the Son of God, command that
these stones become bread.'"
00:20:24.59\00:20:28.76
Now, what did he say?
00:20:28.79\00:20:30.43
"If."
00:20:30.46\00:20:32.03
For the devil,
everything is about an "if."
00:20:32.06\00:20:35.20
You know, when Christ was
hanging on the cross, there was
00:20:35.23\00:20:37.17
that thief on the left and he
said, "If you're the Son of God,
00:20:37.20\00:20:41.54
save yourself and us."
00:20:41.57\00:20:44.14
And the high priest, when
Christ was being tried, he said,
00:20:44.17\00:20:49.71
"If you're the Son of God."
00:20:49.74\00:20:51.58
So the word "if," it
obviously denotes some doubt.
00:20:51.61\00:20:56.52
And so God is not
wanting us to have doubt,
00:20:56.55\00:20:58.72
he's wanting us to have faith.
00:20:58.75\00:21:00.49
James chapter 1, verse 6, When
someone comes to the Lord and
00:21:00.52\00:21:04.69
they're wanting deliverance, he
said, "But when a person prays,
00:21:04.73\00:21:08.10
let him ask in faith, with no
doubting, for he who doubts is
00:21:08.13\00:21:12.67
like a wave of the sea
driven and tossed by the wind.
00:21:12.70\00:21:16.20
For let not that man suppose
he'll receive anything from the
00:21:16.24\00:21:19.54
Lord; a double-minded man is
unstable in all of his ways."
00:21:19.57\00:21:23.68
Some of us need to pray and say,
"Lord, forgive my unbelief."
00:21:23.71\00:21:30.09
Start believing that God can.
00:21:30.12\00:21:33.32
And you know, I think
it's important for us to speak
00:21:33.36\00:21:37.09
positively to
those that are around us.
00:21:37.13\00:21:38.93
So many Christians are
negative to each other.
00:21:38.96\00:21:41.50
We need to encourage each
other that we can do all things
00:21:41.53\00:21:44.17
through Christ.
00:21:44.20\00:21:45.73
Abraham Lincoln said, "We
complain because roses have
00:21:45.77\00:21:49.37
thorns, but we ought to
rejoice that the thorn bushes
00:21:49.40\00:21:52.27
have roses."
00:21:52.31\00:21:53.88
And that's--several variations
of that have been quoted.
00:21:53.91\00:21:57.48
So not only do we have the
production of faith to avoid the
00:21:57.51\00:22:01.28
poison of pessimism, so don't be
constantly rehearsing disbelief,
00:22:01.32\00:22:07.56
then there's the
perseverance of faith.
00:22:07.59\00:22:10.19
Faith is not something
that just happens in a moment.
00:22:10.23\00:22:13.53
Faith represents a persistence.
00:22:13.56\00:22:16.93
They were 40 days exploring the
Promised Land even though they
00:22:16.97\00:22:20.20
saw--they saw that
the giants were bigger.
00:22:20.24\00:22:24.31
They saw the walls
of Jericho were bigger.
00:22:24.34\00:22:26.98
They saw that they had, you
know, better weapons, the people
00:22:27.01\00:22:30.98
in the Promised Land.
00:22:31.01\00:22:32.58
Caleb and Joshua, they saw that,
but they persisted in believing
00:22:32.61\00:22:36.55
in God.
00:22:36.58\00:22:37.92
They hung on. Faith persists.
00:22:37.95\00:22:40.62
You know how
you move a mountain?
00:22:40.66\00:22:41.96
An ant can move a mountain
one grain of sand at a time.
00:22:41.99\00:22:45.93
You've just got to persist.
00:22:45.96\00:22:48.66
1 Timothy 6:12, "Fight
the good fight of faith."
00:22:48.70\00:22:52.80
It is a fight.
00:22:52.83\00:22:54.17
It's a battle.
00:22:54.20\00:22:55.54
"Lay hold on eternal life."
00:22:55.57\00:22:56.87
Now, the language that Paul
is using there, he's kind of
00:22:56.91\00:22:58.97
talking about, like, when
Jacob got ahold of the angel
00:22:59.01\00:23:02.38
and he said, "I will not
let you go unless you bless me."
00:23:02.41\00:23:06.08
Take ahold of
the promises of God.
00:23:06.11\00:23:07.88
Lay hold of them, and reach
out for the horns of the altar,
00:23:07.92\00:23:11.72
and just plead for mercy.
00:23:11.75\00:23:13.49
Sometimes we give up so easy.
00:23:13.52\00:23:15.59
Pray persistently.
00:23:15.62\00:23:17.16
1 John 4, verse 4 and 5,
"For whatever is born of God
00:23:17.19\00:23:21.20
overcomes the world.
00:23:21.23\00:23:22.93
And this is the victory
that has overcome the world."
00:23:22.96\00:23:25.13
What is it?
00:23:25.17\00:23:26.50
"Our faith.
00:23:26.53\00:23:27.87
Who is he that overcomes
the world, but he that believes
00:23:27.90\00:23:31.14
that Jesus is the Son of God?"
00:23:31.17\00:23:33.91
Spurgeon said, "A little faith
will bring your soul to heaven.
00:23:33.94\00:23:37.95
A great faith will
bring heaven to your soul."
00:23:37.98\00:23:41.68
Faith does not--George Mueller,
who's a great man of faith,
00:23:41.72\00:23:44.15
he said, "Faith does not operate
in the realm of possibility.
00:23:44.19\00:23:47.92
There's no glory for God in
that which is humanly possible.
00:23:47.96\00:23:50.83
Faith begins
where man's power ends."
00:23:50.86\00:23:54.20
You might say,
"Lord, I'm helpless.
00:23:54.23\00:23:56.13
I can't do it."
00:23:56.16\00:23:57.50
That's when you really
give God permission to roll up
00:23:57.53\00:24:00.14
his sleeves.
00:24:00.17\00:24:02.30
Our greatest
weakness lies in giving up.
00:24:02.34\00:24:05.47
The most certain way to succeed
is always to try one more time.
00:24:05.51\00:24:10.55
You've heard the expression,
and that, by the way,
00:24:10.58\00:24:13.05
is Thomas Edison, who
wasn't a Christian but he made
00:24:13.08\00:24:15.12
some good statements.
00:24:15.15\00:24:16.48
Someone said, "Triumph is the
combination of try and oomph."
00:24:16.52\00:24:19.52
Sometimes Christians
forget about the oomph.
00:24:19.55\00:24:21.82
There is some effort
involved in being a Christian.
00:24:21.86\00:24:24.13
You gotta wrestle
sometimes in prayer.
00:24:24.16\00:24:27.30
And this is a great
quote by Bernard of Clairvaux,
00:24:27.30\00:24:32.60
"Only by desertion
can we be defeated.
00:24:32.63\00:24:34.74
With Christ and for
Christ, victory is certain.
00:24:34.77\00:24:37.91
We can lose the victory
by flight, but not by death.
00:24:37.94\00:24:41.94
Happy you are if you die in
battle, for after death you'll
00:24:41.98\00:24:44.55
be crowned.
00:24:44.58\00:24:45.91
But woe to you if by forsaking
the battle you forfeit both
00:24:45.95\00:24:49.62
at one time the
victory and the crown."
00:24:49.65\00:24:53.19
So many people give up, and
for little temporary relief,
00:24:53.22\00:24:57.79
they sacrifice to the devil.
00:24:57.83\00:24:59.76
Friends, and then there is
power in faith when you believe
00:24:59.79\00:25:03.70
all things are possible.
00:25:03.73\00:25:05.40
You know, I didn't give
you the rest of the story.
00:25:05.43\00:25:08.47
You can look in the book
of Joshua, in chapter 14.
00:25:08.50\00:25:11.91
Caleb is 85 years old
and he comes to Joshua.
00:25:11.94\00:25:15.61
They'd conquered a
bunch of other nations.
00:25:15.64\00:25:17.88
And Caleb says to Joshua, "You
know that 40 years ago, when we
00:25:17.91\00:25:21.02
were spies, I believe
that God could lead us in.
00:25:21.05\00:25:24.79
And I saw these mountains where
these beautiful, fertile soil,
00:25:24.82\00:25:27.76
the southern exposure, and the
springs," in what we now call
00:25:27.79\00:25:30.73
Judea, the area of Hebron,
better known as the mountains of
00:25:30.76\00:25:34.73
the Anakim where
the giants lived.
00:25:34.76\00:25:37.70
Caleb said, "I'm 85 years old
now, but I am as strong now for
00:25:37.73\00:25:41.14
going out to
battle, for coming in."
00:25:41.17\00:25:43.30
And then he makes
these famous words.
00:25:43.34\00:25:44.74
He says, "Give
me this mountain."
00:25:44.77\00:25:47.91
He believed that with faith
he could overcome a mountain.
00:25:47.94\00:25:51.95
Joshua blessed him.
00:25:51.98\00:25:53.35
Caleb led the children of Judah.
00:25:53.38\00:25:55.62
They conquered the giants.
00:25:55.65\00:25:57.29
And the reason the Jews
settled in where are we now say
00:25:57.32\00:26:00.52
Jerusalem is is because that
old man had faith that he could
00:26:00.56\00:26:04.33
overcome mountains and giants
because all things are possible
00:26:04.36\00:26:07.40
with God.
00:26:07.40\00:26:08.73
Friends, don't
underestimate what you can do.
00:26:08.76\00:26:10.30
Don't give the devil the glory.
00:26:10.33\00:26:12.30
Jesus said that
he can set you free.
00:26:12.33\00:26:14.50
He can save you from your
sins and cast that mountain
00:26:14.54\00:26:17.87
into the depths of the sea.
00:26:17.91\00:26:19.21
Do you believe
what Jesus promises?
00:26:19.24\00:26:21.74
male announcer: Don't forget to
request today's life-changing,
00:26:26.31\00:26:28.62
free resource.
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Not only can you receive this
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To get your digital copy of
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And be sure to select
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on the request page.
00:26:48.17\00:26:49.50
It's now easier than ever
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with Amazing Facts
wherever and whenever you want,
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and most important,
to share it with others.
00:26:56.24\00:26:58.41
Doug Batchelor: the
Bible tells us that salvation,
00:27:00.35\00:27:02.18
of course, emanates from God.
00:27:02.22\00:27:04.59
So we need to know something
about God to rightly understand
00:27:04.62\00:27:07.52
and embrace salvation.
00:27:07.56\00:27:09.19
Yet in the church today, there's
a great deal of confusion about
00:27:09.22\00:27:12.09
the nature of God.
00:27:12.13\00:27:13.80
The Bible says God is one
god, but is He three persons?
00:27:13.83\00:27:17.50
Is Jesus also eternal God?
00:27:17.53\00:27:20.04
Because Jesus is the son of God,
does that mean there was a time
00:27:20.07\00:27:22.90
when He did not exist or
He was brought into existence?
00:27:22.94\00:27:26.31
Is the Holy Spirit a
person, or is He just the force
00:27:26.34\00:27:30.01
and the energy that
God uses to communicate?
00:27:30.05\00:27:32.75
You know, I thought this was
so important I really felt led
00:27:32.78\00:27:35.42
of the Lord to write a
book on the subject called
00:27:35.45\00:27:38.09
"Exploring the
Trinity: One God or Three?"
00:27:38.12\00:27:40.96
In this book we answer
those very important questions.
00:27:40.99\00:27:43.53
We talk about the history of the
Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
00:27:43.56\00:27:47.00
as well as the history of the
Holy Spirit in the church and
00:27:47.03\00:27:49.46
how it has been much debated.
00:27:49.50\00:27:51.07
This is something we
really need to understand,
00:27:51.10\00:27:53.27
because Jesus said eternal
life comes from knowing God.
00:27:53.30\00:27:57.44
¤¤¤
00:27:59.84\00:28:05.38
male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's free offer.
00:28:05.41\00:28:07.42
It's sure to be a blessing.
00:28:07.45\00:28:09.18
And thank you for your
continued support as we take
00:28:09.22\00:28:11.89
the Gospel of Jesus
Christ to the world.
00:28:11.92\00:28:14.56
We hope you'll join us
next week as we delve deep
00:28:14.59\00:28:17.56
into the Word of God to
explore more amazing facts.
00:28:17.59\00:28:21.06
male announcer: This
presentation was brought
00:28:24.90\00:28:26.20
to you by the friends of
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00:28:26.23\00:28:29.24