Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn.
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And welcome to 3ABN
Spring Camp Meeting.
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This year, our theme
is The Year of Victory.
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And, you know, for
some of you at home,
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you may not know
what a camp meeting is.
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Let's tell them
what it's all about.
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It's fun, isn't it?
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Amen.
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And what we do?
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Camp meeting is a
time that we set aside
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special days for the Lord
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and we come together
and we worship our Lord,
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we enjoy good
music, good teaching,
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get into the Bible.
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It's a time to
recharge your battery,
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just be spiritually refreshed,
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meet up with old friends
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and meet some new
friends, isn't it?
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So we're so glad that
all of you are here today.
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And because our theme
is The Year of Victory,
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I thought that
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what I'm going to
be teaching on today
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I wanted to tie into the theme.
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And there's
something that the Bible says,
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is the victory that
overcomes the world.
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What is that? Faith.
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So we're gonna be
talking about faith today
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right after Jennifer LaMountain
doing this beautiful song
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"The Chasing of the Wind."
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Jennifer.
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Every heart
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Is filled with longing
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To be free
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From all life's pain
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Yet the search
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Through earthly pleasures
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Always ends
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In vain
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Only God
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Who made the heavens
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Can satisfy
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Our souls
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Apart from Him
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And all His meaning
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All things fail
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As they begin
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And hearts deceived
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Can only know
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A chasing
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Of the wind
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All achievements,
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All possessions
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These all with time
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Return to dust
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Only God
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Can be our reason
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For deep
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And quiet trust
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He will guard us
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From the dangers
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That gladly
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Make men fools
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Apart from Him
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and all His meaning
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All things fail
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As they begin
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And hearts deceived
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Can only know
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A chasing
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Of the wind
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A chasing
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Of the wind
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Why do we live
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Without Jesus?
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Why do we waste
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Another day?
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He is the life
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That sustains us
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The only hope
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For us today
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So tell me,
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Why do we live
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Why do we live
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Without Him?
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Amen.
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Thank you, Jennifer.
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You know what amazes me
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when you see some of
these artists come out
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and they're pregnant
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and they can
still sing like that,
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it seems like that would
really be a difficult thing.
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Well, before we
begin our study today,
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let's go before
the Lord in prayer.
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Loving Father God,
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Father, we do enter Your gates
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with thanksgiving in our hearts.
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And we thank You so much
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for everything that You
have already done for us,
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and for
everything that You will do,
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and are doing even those
things of which we are unaware.
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We praise You,
Father, for Your Calvary plan,
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we praise You
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that Your plan is for us
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to be totally
dependent upon You.
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And, Lord, I come
to You right now today.
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I'm asking in the name of Jesus
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that You would not let
me be out here by myself.
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I ask Father that
You would empty me of me
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and fill me with
Your Holy Spirit.
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Lord, this is about You.
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It's not about me,
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and I pray in
Jesus' name, Father,
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get me out of the
way and speak through me
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as we look to Your Word, Father,
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to gain a deeper
understanding of faith.
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I pray in Jesus' name
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that You will do a work
in each one of our hearts.
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Father, help us to understand
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who you are and
who we are in You
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and help us to
understand Your plan.
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We ask this in
the name of Jesus'.
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Amen. Amen.
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If you will,
please open your Bibles
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to Hebrews Chapter 12.
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Hebrews Chapter 12.
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Now this is following
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the great Hall of Fame of Faith,
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the Faith Chapter,
Hebrews Chapter 11.
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But I just want to remind
you that the Bible tells us
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in Romans 14:23
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that anything that we do
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that is not from faith is sin.
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How important is it
for us to understand faith?
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Let's look at
Hebrews Chapter 12.
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Beginning in
verse 1, the Bible says,
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"Therefore we also,
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since we are surrounded by
so great a cloud of witnesses,
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let us lay aside every weight,
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and the sin which
so easily ensnares us,
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and let us run
with endurance the race
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that is set before us."
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What is this race?
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"Looking unto Jesus,
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the author and
finisher of our faith,
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who for the joy
that was set before Him
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endured the cross,
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despising the shame,
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and has sat down
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at the right hand of
the throne of the Father."
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We are in a race of faith
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and the Bible tells us
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that we need to have our
eyes fixed on Jesus Christ,
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the author, the
perfecter of our faith.
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Did you know in Galatians 5:6,
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Paul makes this statement?
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He says, "The only thing
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that counts or avails
anything in the kingdom
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is faith working through love."
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What is faith?
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We know Hebrews 11:6 says,
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"Without faith,
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it is impossible to please God."
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Impossible.
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And he says because
those who come to Him
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must believe in Him
and believe that He exists,
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and that He rewards those
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who earnestly seek Him.
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I remember once when...
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I mean, we're all very
familiar with this scripture,
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but, you know,
I talk to God like
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I would talk to
my earthly father.
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And I came to Him one day
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and this
scripture as I was studying,
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it stuck out so much in my mind.
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And I was in one of those times
when it was a time of turmoil.
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And I said to the Lord, "Father,
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why is it impossible to
please You without faith."
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Lord Jesus, You
walked this earth,
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you know what
it's like down here.
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We don't know
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the end from the
beginning like You do, Lord.
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So why, when I am faithless,
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why is it
impossible to please You?
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And I was really
seeking God for the answer.
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Well, it didn't come
until a couple of days later.
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And I want you to
turn to 1 John Chapter 5.
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I'm just praying and asking God
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show me, Lord,
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why is it impossible to
please You without faith?
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And a couple of days
later, I opened the Bible.
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And I was at 1 John Chapter 5.
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Actually, I'm
going to read it to you.
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You know, I don't know
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if you notice last
night on the panel,
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but when he asked
if anybody's Bibles
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falling apart, I picked mine up,
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mine's in about 12
sections right now.
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I had a hard time
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getting it back
into order last night.
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It was out of order.
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But let's look at this.
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1 John 5:10.
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"He who believes
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in the Son of God
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has the
testimony within himself,
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he who does not believe God
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has made Him out to be," what?
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"A liar."
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Let's pause on
that for just a moment.
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"He who does not believe God
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has made him out
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to be a liar."
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No wonder,
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it's impossible to
please God without faith.
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If you don't come to this Word,
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and come to His promises,
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and come to everything
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that the Revelation
of what God has told us,
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if you don't accept this
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and say, Lord, I don't care
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what my circumstances look like,
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Your Word says it, I believe it.
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I'm walking in
faith, not by sight.
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If you don't believe God,
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it's like you're saying,
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Lord, yes, You said
that if I were tithe,
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I could test you in this
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and you would
open up the storehouse,
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the windows of heaven
and pour out a blessing
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that I couldn't contain.
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But, Lord, I'm not sure
that I can trust You in that.
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You know, it doesn't
make a whole lot of sense
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how I can get by on 90%
better than I can on 100%.
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So, Lord,
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I just not sure
that I can believe that
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you calling God a liar.
00:14:02.47\00:14:04.97
See, without faith, it
is impossible to please God.
00:14:05.01\00:14:08.61
By the way,
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I want to
finish this in context.
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From time to time
I meet precious souls
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who are yearning to go home
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and be with the Lord.
00:14:22.92\00:14:24.66
And yet they have no
assurance of salvation.
00:14:24.69\00:14:29.26
Let me tell you something,
00:14:29.30\00:14:31.07
you can have
assurance of salvation.
00:14:31.10\00:14:34.24
Now I know that
there's gonna be somebody
00:14:34.27\00:14:35.77
who's gonna write to me
and say, "That's not true."
00:14:35.80\00:14:38.41
I'm not saying
once saved, always saved
00:14:38.44\00:14:42.31
because we can certainly
00:14:42.34\00:14:44.41
turn from the Lord and be lost.
00:14:44.45\00:14:46.92
But you, if you are
abiding in Jesus Christ,
00:14:46.95\00:14:51.29
you can have
assurance of salvation.
00:14:51.32\00:14:54.39
It's a gift.
00:14:54.42\00:14:55.82
It's nothing you can
earn. Praise the Lord.
00:14:55.86\00:14:57.79
I praise Him all the time,
saying, "Father, I thank You."
00:14:57.83\00:15:01.66
That salvation is
by grace through faith
00:15:01.70\00:15:05.40
because I know there's
nothing that I could ever do
00:15:05.43\00:15:09.44
to earn my way to heaven.
00:15:09.47\00:15:11.67
And let's look while
we're here in 1 John 5:10.
00:15:11.71\00:15:15.14
"He who does not believe God
00:15:15.18\00:15:17.21
has made him out to be a liar.
00:15:17.25\00:15:21.78
And this is the testimony,
00:15:21.82\00:15:24.95
God gave us eternal life,
00:15:24.99\00:15:27.86
and this life is in His Son.
00:15:27.89\00:15:30.89
He who possesses the Son
00:15:30.93\00:15:33.63
has the life."
00:15:33.66\00:15:37.80
Have you accepted
Christ as your Savior?
00:15:37.83\00:15:40.30
Have you surrendered
control of your life to Him?
00:15:40.34\00:15:43.57
You may not be perfect
00:15:43.61\00:15:44.94
but you can
absolutely be guaranteed
00:15:44.97\00:15:49.04
that God is faithful.
00:15:49.08\00:15:50.45
He promises in Philippians 1:6,
00:15:50.48\00:15:52.85
He will complete the good
work that He has begun in you.
00:15:52.88\00:15:57.02
So you can have
assurance of salvation,
00:15:57.05\00:15:59.69
as long as you are
keeping your eyes focused
00:15:59.72\00:16:02.62
on Jesus Christ,
00:16:02.66\00:16:04.19
the Author and
Finisher of your faith.
00:16:04.23\00:16:06.93
Hallelujah.
00:16:06.96\00:16:08.60
He who does not have the Son
00:16:08.63\00:16:12.80
does not have that life.
00:16:12.83\00:16:17.01
Not everyone will
have eternal life.
00:16:17.04\00:16:19.81
Immortality is a gift
that we get on that last day.
00:16:19.84\00:16:24.85
Now, I went to the Lord
00:16:24.88\00:16:27.62
as I was considering this,
00:16:27.65\00:16:30.75
and I said, "Father, I
don't understand faith."
00:16:30.79\00:16:34.89
Generally
speaking, if we're going to,
00:16:34.92\00:16:36.96
if I ask you for a
definition of faith,
00:16:36.99\00:16:39.03
what scripture
you're gonna quote to me?
00:16:39.06\00:16:41.73
Hebrews 11:1,
00:16:41.76\00:16:43.26
"Faith is the
substance of things hoped for,
00:16:43.30\00:16:45.53
the evidence of
things not yet seen."
00:16:45.57\00:16:48.94
And, you know what?
00:16:48.97\00:16:50.37
We have new
Christians, new believers,
00:16:50.41\00:16:52.27
who come into the church,
00:16:52.31\00:16:53.98
or maybe they're not a believer,
00:16:54.01\00:16:55.44
and they're just
trying to understand
00:16:55.48\00:16:56.81
what's going on in our life
00:16:56.85\00:16:58.68
and somebody will say,
00:16:58.71\00:17:00.38
"Explain faith to me."
00:17:00.42\00:17:02.25
And we say,
00:17:02.28\00:17:03.62
"Well, faith is the
substance of things hoped for,
00:17:03.65\00:17:06.19
the evidence of
things not yet seen."
00:17:06.22\00:17:09.06
And they stand there and say,
00:17:09.09\00:17:10.43
"Yes, what does that mean?"
00:17:10.46\00:17:12.53
And we go,
00:17:12.56\00:17:14.10
"Well, faith is the
substance of things hoped for."
00:17:14.13\00:17:18.27
You know, we don't see it yet.
00:17:18.30\00:17:19.97
We're just hoping for it.
00:17:20.00\00:17:22.10
And they go, "Okay, thank you."
00:17:22.14\00:17:23.61
And they walk away
and they don't understand
00:17:23.64\00:17:25.87
because you didn't understand
00:17:25.91\00:17:27.31
and you couldn't
explain it to them.
00:17:27.34\00:17:29.58
I think that
Christians are walking
00:17:29.61\00:17:32.88
in a lesser degree of victory
00:17:32.91\00:17:36.22
than we could be simply
00:17:36.25\00:17:38.09
because we have
these wonderful words
00:17:38.12\00:17:42.59
that we don't understand.
00:17:42.62\00:17:45.26
You know, let
me give you a test.
00:17:45.29\00:17:47.13
Explain sanctification,
explain propitiation,
00:17:47.16\00:17:50.60
explain atonement,
00:17:50.63\00:17:52.73
explain grace, explain faith.
00:17:52.77\00:17:55.84
When we start
trying to define this,
00:17:55.87\00:17:57.67
we are so limited in
our own understanding.
00:17:57.71\00:18:01.54
And it's kind of some
of these words they have...
00:18:01.58\00:18:06.01
They're kind of a
nebulous or ethereal.
00:18:06.05\00:18:08.55
It's like faith
00:18:08.58\00:18:10.45
is this floaty
substance up here.
00:18:10.49\00:18:13.19
So I'm asking the
Lord, I said, "Father,
00:18:13.22\00:18:15.22
if You want me to teach
00:18:15.26\00:18:16.83
and You want me to
be a woman of faith,
00:18:16.86\00:18:18.46
You've got to
teach me what faith is."
00:18:18.49\00:18:21.43
And as I began studying,
the Lord gave me seven steps
00:18:21.46\00:18:24.90
that I want to share with you.
00:18:24.93\00:18:26.57
I'm gonna have to
share it rather quickly
00:18:26.60\00:18:28.17
'cause I didn't realize
how much time I was taking up.
00:18:28.20\00:18:30.91
But let's look at
seven steps to faith.
00:18:30.94\00:18:35.64
The very foundation of faith
00:18:35.68\00:18:37.88
and step number one is trust.
00:18:37.91\00:18:41.52
The Bible tells
us in Proverbs 3:5-6,
00:18:41.55\00:18:45.69
"Trust in the Lord
with all of your heart,
00:18:45.72\00:18:49.49
and lean not on
your own understanding,
00:18:49.52\00:18:52.56
in all your
ways acknowledge Him,
00:18:52.59\00:18:54.46
and He will direct your paths."
00:18:54.50\00:18:57.10
Okay.
00:18:57.13\00:18:58.47
If I am going to not be leaning
00:18:58.50\00:19:01.64
on my own understanding,
00:19:01.67\00:19:04.51
whose understanding
do I need to lean on?
00:19:04.54\00:19:07.58
God's understanding.
Where am I gonna find that?
00:19:07.61\00:19:10.78
Right here.
00:19:10.81\00:19:12.81
Trust in the Lord
with all of your heart,
00:19:12.85\00:19:14.72
lean not on your human,
00:19:14.75\00:19:17.69
limited wisdom,
00:19:17.72\00:19:21.62
your limited vision,
00:19:21.66\00:19:23.56
go to the word
to find the answer.
00:19:23.59\00:19:26.80
Lean on God's Word.
00:19:26.83\00:19:30.53
The Bible tells us
in Romans 10:17 that,
00:19:30.57\00:19:32.97
"Faith comes by
hearing, and hearing
00:19:33.00\00:19:36.24
by the Word of God."
00:19:36.27\00:19:38.81
If you want
faith, you've got to get
00:19:38.84\00:19:41.94
into the Word of God.
00:19:41.98\00:19:45.68
Paul wrote to Timothy
00:19:45.71\00:19:47.05
in 2 Timothy 3:15-17.
00:19:47.08\00:19:51.22
He said, "From
childhood you have known
00:19:51.25\00:19:53.49
the Holy Scriptures,
00:19:53.52\00:19:55.36
which are able to make you wise
00:19:55.39\00:19:58.93
for salvation through faith,
00:19:58.96\00:20:02.83
through faith which
is in Christ Jesus."
00:20:02.86\00:20:07.34
Hallelujah.
00:20:07.37\00:20:10.31
Why can we trust
00:20:10.34\00:20:14.08
in God?
00:20:14.11\00:20:17.01
Why do you trust in God?
00:20:17.05\00:20:19.41
I thought about that.
00:20:19.45\00:20:21.98
Well, number one,
He's all powerful.
00:20:22.02\00:20:25.15
That's a good reason
00:20:25.19\00:20:26.52
you could trust
in someone, isn't it?
00:20:26.55\00:20:28.62
He's also consistent.
00:20:28.66\00:20:30.73
He says in Malachi 3:6,
00:20:30.76\00:20:32.43
"I am the Lord, I change not."
00:20:32.46\00:20:35.40
In Hebrews 13:8 says that
00:20:35.43\00:20:37.13
"Jesus is the same
yesterday, today, and forever."
00:20:37.17\00:20:41.67
Have you ever noticed
that you can't trust someone
00:20:41.70\00:20:44.97
who's not consistent?
00:20:45.01\00:20:48.64
If you've got a dog,
00:20:48.68\00:20:50.61
and you come home
one night from work
00:20:50.65\00:20:52.71
and you're petting it
and you're being so sweet
00:20:52.75\00:20:54.75
to that little
dog, and the next night
00:20:54.78\00:20:56.55
you come home from
working you kick it
00:20:56.58\00:21:00.09
and then the
next day you come home
00:21:00.12\00:21:01.72
and you're loving on it,
00:21:01.76\00:21:03.09
the next day you come
home and you're kicking it,
00:21:03.12\00:21:04.49
does that dog trust you?
00:21:04.53\00:21:07.33
That dog is gonna cower.
00:21:07.36\00:21:09.23
So you cannot trust
someone who's inconsistent.
00:21:09.26\00:21:13.80
That's why you
can't trust a liar.
00:21:13.84\00:21:16.04
But we can trust God.
00:21:16.07\00:21:18.74
And we can trust
Him because He is love.
00:21:18.77\00:21:22.21
And He
demonstrated this love for us
00:21:22.24\00:21:24.98
by sending His Son to die for us
00:21:25.01\00:21:28.15
while we were yet
sinners, hallelujah.
00:21:28.18\00:21:31.22
And we can trust the Lord
00:21:31.25\00:21:32.85
because He has
00:21:32.89\00:21:35.16
your eternal benefit in mind.
00:21:35.19\00:21:39.66
You know, we all
know Romans 8:28.
00:21:39.69\00:21:43.26
In Romans 8:28,
00:21:43.30\00:21:45.53
now, let me get
started here, Romans 8:28 says,
00:21:45.57\00:21:48.67
"All things work together
00:21:48.70\00:21:50.04
for the good of
those who love the Lord
00:21:50.07\00:21:51.77
and are called
according to His purpose."
00:21:51.81\00:21:55.44
Oh, how do you say that
00:21:55.48\00:21:58.65
to a mother
who's just lost her son
00:21:58.68\00:22:01.58
and her husband
in a car accident?
00:22:01.62\00:22:05.02
How do you go up
and quote this scripture
00:22:05.05\00:22:06.96
and say, all things
work together for the good?
00:22:06.99\00:22:11.59
If somebody
came and told me that
00:22:11.63\00:22:13.13
in those circumstances,
I want to slug them.
00:22:13.16\00:22:16.03
But see, we can't take
Romans 8:28 out of context.
00:22:16.06\00:22:20.64
You should never
quote Romans 8:28
00:22:20.67\00:22:22.84
unless you add Romans 8:29
00:22:22.87\00:22:25.41
because they come together,
00:22:25.44\00:22:27.18
"All things work
together for good
00:22:27.21\00:22:29.38
for those who love the Lord
00:22:29.41\00:22:30.75
and are called
according to His purpose
00:22:30.78\00:22:33.45
because those He foreknew,
00:22:33.48\00:22:35.48
He predestined to be conformed
to the image of His Son."
00:22:35.52\00:22:40.19
The way He works all
things together for good
00:22:40.22\00:22:43.43
is He works them out
for our eternal benefit
00:22:43.46\00:22:46.49
by conforming us to
the image of His Son.
00:22:46.53\00:22:49.63
So even in the
circumstances of a woman
00:22:49.66\00:22:52.23
who has lost her
husband and her child
00:22:52.27\00:22:55.87
in a car accident,
00:22:55.90\00:22:57.27
God can work that out
for her eternal benefit.
00:22:57.31\00:23:00.48
He can conform her a little more
00:23:00.51\00:23:02.44
to the image of Jesus,
drawing her closer to Him,
00:23:02.48\00:23:06.15
trusting in Him more.
00:23:06.18\00:23:09.92
Learning how to be comforted
00:23:09.95\00:23:13.42
in a time of sorrow.
00:23:13.46\00:23:16.62
Everything that God does
is for our eternal benefit.
00:23:16.66\00:23:19.59
Step number two,
00:23:19.63\00:23:21.30
trust is the foundation.
00:23:21.33\00:23:22.83
That's the first step.
00:23:22.86\00:23:24.20
The second step is hope.
00:23:24.23\00:23:27.87
But hope in the Greek means
something entirely different
00:23:27.90\00:23:32.64
than the way we
use it in the English.
00:23:32.67\00:23:35.51
You know, someone
told me last year.
00:23:35.54\00:23:38.01
JD and I've been
married 20 years.
00:23:38.05\00:23:40.42
We've had two
three-day vacations
00:23:40.45\00:23:42.25
in 20 years.
00:23:42.28\00:23:44.75
That's what happens
when a workaholic marries
00:23:44.79\00:23:46.39
a workaholic.
00:23:46.42\00:23:48.76
And someone asked me last year,
00:23:48.79\00:23:52.86
"Are you all going to go
on a vacation this year?"
00:23:52.89\00:23:54.93
And I said, "Oh, I hope so."
00:23:54.96\00:23:58.00
Well, we didn't?
00:23:58.03\00:24:00.50
What was I saying
when I said I hope so?
00:24:00.54\00:24:02.97
Oh, maybe wishful thinking
00:24:03.00\00:24:04.34
but "Oh, wouldn't that be nice?"
00:24:04.37\00:24:05.97
See, when we use the
word hope it's kind of like,
00:24:06.01\00:24:09.24
"Oh, it's a dream, I wish."
00:24:09.28\00:24:12.71
But in the Greek hope
means eager expectation.
00:24:12.75\00:24:18.59
Open your Bibles
to Hebrews Chapter 6.
00:24:18.62\00:24:21.29
I wanna show
you something there.
00:24:21.32\00:24:22.66
I love this scripture.
00:24:22.69\00:24:25.09
Hebrews Chapter 6.
00:24:25.13\00:24:27.03
Our first step is
trust, the second step is hope.
00:24:31.43\00:24:34.90
In Hebrews 6:17, says this.
00:24:34.94\00:24:40.11
Hebrews 6:17,
00:24:40.14\00:24:41.71
"Thus God, determining to show
00:24:41.74\00:24:44.85
more abundantly to
the heirs of promise
00:24:44.88\00:24:47.78
the
immutability of His counsel."
00:24:47.82\00:24:51.35
That means it cannot be changed.
00:24:51.39\00:24:53.19
It's immutable. It
stands firm forever.
00:24:53.22\00:24:56.02
"He confirmed it by an oath,
00:24:56.06\00:24:59.79
that by two immutable things,
00:24:59.83\00:25:03.47
" two things that
cannot be changed,
00:25:03.50\00:25:04.90
His counsel and His oath,
00:25:04.93\00:25:07.04
"in which it is
impossible for God to lie,
00:25:07.07\00:25:10.34
we might have
strong consolation,
00:25:10.37\00:25:13.34
who have fled for
refuge to lay hold of the hope
00:25:13.38\00:25:17.71
set before us.
00:25:17.75\00:25:20.25
This hope," this
eager expectation,
00:25:20.28\00:25:24.29
"we have as an
anchor of the soul,
00:25:24.32\00:25:26.69
both sure and steadfast,
00:25:26.72\00:25:28.76
which enters the
Presence behind the veil,
00:25:28.79\00:25:31.79
where the forerunner
has entered before us,
00:25:31.83\00:25:34.16
even Jesus, having become
00:25:34.20\00:25:36.87
High Priest forever."
00:25:36.90\00:25:41.17
What does an
anchor do for a ship
00:25:41.20\00:25:46.34
in a stormy sea?
00:25:46.37\00:25:49.34
It helps us hold its course
00:25:49.38\00:25:51.75
to keep it on course.
00:25:51.78\00:25:53.85
Hope,
00:25:53.88\00:25:55.42
the hope set before us
00:25:55.45\00:25:57.82
knowing that
yes, our loving Lord
00:25:57.85\00:26:01.19
is preparing a
place for us right now
00:26:01.22\00:26:05.69
and that He's
coming back to get us.
00:26:05.73\00:26:07.90
Hope, eager expectation
that we can trust His Word,
00:26:07.93\00:26:12.03
we can trust His
counsel, we can trust His oath.
00:26:12.07\00:26:14.97
It is immutable.
00:26:15.00\00:26:16.34
That is an
anchor that will keep us
00:26:16.37\00:26:19.64
from being double-minded
00:26:19.67\00:26:23.81
because what does
James say in James 1:6-8?
00:26:23.85\00:26:27.98
He says you don't have
00:26:28.02\00:26:29.52
'cause you don't
ask, you don't get it
00:26:29.55\00:26:31.12
'cause you're asking
with the wrong reason.
00:26:31.15\00:26:33.22
And He says,
00:26:33.25\00:26:35.26
"Let him who ask in faith,
00:26:35.29\00:26:39.33
with no doubting."
00:26:39.36\00:26:42.16
Without doubt.
00:26:42.20\00:26:44.53
We've got to
get this in our mind
00:26:44.57\00:26:48.30
that we can put hope,
00:26:48.34\00:26:50.11
our hope, our eager
expectation in the Word of God
00:26:50.14\00:26:53.94
'cause James says,
"He who doubts is like
00:26:53.98\00:26:56.41
a wave of the sea
driven and tossed by the wind.
00:26:56.44\00:27:00.18
For let not that man suppose
00:27:00.22\00:27:02.38
he will receive
anything from the Lord,
00:27:02.42\00:27:05.42
he is a double-minded man
00:27:05.45\00:27:08.92
unstable in all he does."
00:27:08.96\00:27:11.53
You know, one of
my favorite scriptures
00:27:14.73\00:27:17.37
is Romans 4:17.
00:27:17.40\00:27:19.93
It says that "God is the God,
00:27:19.97\00:27:21.74
who gives life to
the dead and calls things
00:27:21.77\00:27:24.27
that are not as
though they already were."
00:27:24.31\00:27:27.14
A lot of times when
I take His promises,
00:27:27.18\00:27:30.01
and I'm praying and back to Him,
00:27:30.05\00:27:32.51
I know if I were
to look by sight,
00:27:32.55\00:27:35.62
that it's not the
way it is right now.
00:27:35.65\00:27:39.12
But I know His counsel
in His Word is immutable.
00:27:39.15\00:27:42.79
So I know that just like God,
I'm calling things that are not
00:27:42.82\00:27:46.76
as though they already were.
00:27:46.80\00:27:48.93
The third step from trust,
00:27:48.96\00:27:51.20
we develop that trust
00:27:51.23\00:27:53.03
and we build on
that by our hope in God.
00:27:53.07\00:27:55.44
The third step is title deed.
00:27:55.47\00:28:00.04
Title deed,
00:28:00.08\00:28:01.78
Hebrews 11:1.
00:28:01.81\00:28:03.14
Let's turn there.
00:28:03.18\00:28:04.51
Hebrews 11:1,
00:28:04.55\00:28:06.85
the Bible says,
00:28:06.88\00:28:09.02
"Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for,
00:28:09.05\00:28:13.59
the evidence of
things not seen."
00:28:13.62\00:28:16.29
Now in the Amplified,
let me read this to you.
00:28:16.32\00:28:19.29
It says, "Now
faith is the assurance,
00:28:19.33\00:28:23.80
the confirmation,
00:28:23.83\00:28:25.77
the title deed of
the things we hope for,
00:28:25.80\00:28:29.40
being the proof of
things we do not see
00:28:29.44\00:28:32.67
and the
conviction of the reality,
00:28:32.71\00:28:35.58
faith perceiving as real fact
00:28:35.61\00:28:39.55
what is not
revealed to the senses."
00:28:39.58\00:28:42.35
Now, you know, I
read that in the...
00:28:42.38\00:28:44.65
When I read that
in the Amplified,
00:28:44.69\00:28:46.35
I thought, I'm gonna do
a study in the Greek here.
00:28:46.39\00:28:50.26
The word
substance is hupostasis.
00:28:50.29\00:28:53.93
And this was a
word that was common
00:28:53.96\00:28:56.13
in the business
papyrus that they found back
00:28:56.16\00:28:59.03
in the days of
Jesus and it was the basis
00:28:59.07\00:29:01.90
of the guarantee
of a transaction.
00:29:01.94\00:29:06.31
It was like, if
you bought a home,
00:29:06.34\00:29:09.64
you got a title
deed that was the basis
00:29:09.68\00:29:12.28
of the guarantee
of the transaction.
00:29:12.31\00:29:15.88
So Moulton and
Milligan in their vocabulary
00:29:15.92\00:29:18.39
translated it and said,
00:29:18.42\00:29:20.89
"And as this is
the essential meaning
00:29:20.92\00:29:23.46
in hupostasis,
00:29:23.49\00:29:25.19
we venture to
suggest the translation.
00:29:25.23\00:29:28.16
Faith is the title
deed of things hoped for."
00:29:28.20\00:29:34.17
You've heard about
claiming God's promises, right?
00:29:34.20\00:29:37.41
That's what this means.
00:29:37.44\00:29:39.01
You've got to trust in the Lord,
00:29:39.04\00:29:41.81
put your hope,
your eager expectation
00:29:41.84\00:29:44.61
in the truth of His Word.
00:29:44.65\00:29:46.01
And then you need to
claim the promises of God,
00:29:46.05\00:29:49.58
stake your claim.
00:29:49.62\00:29:50.95
2 Corinthians 1:20 says,
00:29:50.99\00:29:53.32
how many of God's
promises are yours
00:29:53.36\00:29:55.32
if you're in Christ Jesus?
00:29:55.36\00:29:57.33
"All of God's promises are yours
00:29:57.36\00:29:59.66
if you are in Christ Jesus."
00:29:59.69\00:30:02.23
We need to be like Abraham.
00:30:02.26\00:30:05.07
The Bible says in
Romans 4, beginning in 19,
00:30:05.10\00:30:08.97
"Not being weak in faith,
00:30:09.00\00:30:11.54
he did not
consider his own body,
00:30:11.57\00:30:15.41
already dead,
00:30:15.44\00:30:16.78
since he was about
a hundred years old,
00:30:16.81\00:30:19.01
and the
deadness of Sarah's womb.
00:30:19.05\00:30:21.82
He did not waver
00:30:21.85\00:30:23.65
at the promise of
God through unbelief,
00:30:23.69\00:30:26.76
but was strengthened in faith."
00:30:26.79\00:30:31.09
Two polarized opposites,
00:30:31.13\00:30:34.46
unbelief,
00:30:34.50\00:30:36.10
faith.
00:30:36.13\00:30:38.20
Faith is the opposite
00:30:38.23\00:30:42.24
of unbelief.
00:30:42.27\00:30:45.67
So "He did not waver
at the promise of God
00:30:45.71\00:30:48.44
through unbelief,
00:30:48.48\00:30:49.81
but was
strengthened in his faith,
00:30:49.84\00:30:52.18
giving glory to God,
00:30:52.21\00:30:53.95
and being fully convinced
00:30:53.98\00:30:57.25
that what He had promised
00:30:57.29\00:30:59.05
He was also able to perform.
00:30:59.09\00:31:02.76
And therefore 'it
was accounted to him
00:31:02.79\00:31:06.76
for righteousness.'"
00:31:06.80\00:31:09.20
Abraham faced the physical facts
00:31:09.23\00:31:13.64
without weakening in his faith.
00:31:13.67\00:31:18.57
He looked at all
of the circumstances.
00:31:18.61\00:31:21.71
And he said, "I don't care.
00:31:21.74\00:31:23.58
I'm not walking by sight,
00:31:23.61\00:31:25.75
I'm walking by faith."
00:31:25.78\00:31:27.85
How often do we walk by sight?
00:31:27.88\00:31:32.05
You know, the Lord told me
00:31:32.09\00:31:33.42
when He first called me
00:31:33.46\00:31:34.99
into full-time ministry,
00:31:35.02\00:31:38.93
very often as I was
journaling my prayers
00:31:38.96\00:31:42.06
and sitting at
His feet to listen,
00:31:42.10\00:31:44.50
for that voice,
that still small voice
00:31:44.53\00:31:46.47
and let the Lord impress
His thoughts upon my mind,
00:31:46.50\00:31:49.90
very often, He reminded me.
00:31:49.94\00:31:53.01
Do not let this
become a flesh walk,
00:31:53.04\00:31:56.44
it has to be a faith walk.
00:31:56.48\00:31:59.21
Pray for anyone who's
in a television ministry,
00:31:59.25\00:32:03.28
please
00:32:03.32\00:32:04.82
because it would be so easy.
00:32:04.85\00:32:07.99
And it's a struggle to...
00:32:08.02\00:32:10.59
You know, there's
times you're back here
00:32:10.63\00:32:12.33
and you're
worried about your hair
00:32:12.36\00:32:13.96
and whatever else,
00:32:14.00\00:32:15.33
you know, bad hair day,
if I have a bad hair day,
00:32:15.36\00:32:17.77
it lasts for years, you know,
00:32:17.80\00:32:19.23
'cause we'll maybe tape
eight or nine programs in a day.
00:32:19.27\00:32:22.90
So you've got
all of these things
00:32:22.94\00:32:24.47
that you're worried about
before you go on the camera.
00:32:24.51\00:32:26.57
And then it's like,
00:32:26.61\00:32:27.94
I can be so
surrendered in the morning.
00:32:27.98\00:32:29.68
And then you come in
00:32:29.71\00:32:31.05
and flesh rears
its ugly little head
00:32:31.08\00:32:32.95
and you're worried
about these things.
00:32:32.98\00:32:34.88
And then you've got to
go all through this process
00:32:34.92\00:32:37.02
of surrender again and
say, "Lord, let me remember,
00:32:37.05\00:32:39.45
it's not about you.
00:32:39.49\00:32:41.12
It's about me."
00:32:41.16\00:32:43.22
I mean, it's not
about me, it's about you.
00:32:43.26\00:32:46.09
Help.
00:32:46.13\00:32:47.46
You know, the
very, very first time
00:32:47.50\00:32:48.83
that I was on
television on another network.
00:32:48.86\00:32:51.83
And I remember... I had
God kept me up all night long.
00:32:51.87\00:32:54.14
I was praying, what
do you want me to say?
00:32:54.17\00:32:56.44
And I was up all
night long praying with Him.
00:32:56.47\00:32:58.51
And then I went
to do this taping,
00:32:58.54\00:33:01.24
and I thought I
looked really nice.
00:33:01.28\00:33:03.18
Well, I was with a very...
00:33:03.21\00:33:04.55
I'm six feet tall, barefoot.
00:33:04.58\00:33:05.98
I'm with a very short host.
00:33:06.01\00:33:07.68
And the lighting
was all for this host.
00:33:07.72\00:33:10.65
So there's all
these shadows over me.
00:33:10.69\00:33:13.39
And I looked up at the
monitor right before we began,
00:33:13.42\00:33:15.79
and I thought, "Oh my
gosh, I look like an old hag."
00:33:15.82\00:33:19.59
And the Lord said,
"Crucify that thought,
00:33:19.63\00:33:21.80
this is not about
you, it's about Me."
00:33:21.83\00:33:24.83
You know, He has to
remind me of that all the time.
00:33:24.87\00:33:28.14
But what we've got to do,
00:33:28.17\00:33:29.74
I don't know how I got
off on that bunny trail
00:33:29.77\00:33:31.57
but let's get back.
00:33:31.61\00:33:33.98
Abraham was absolutely certain
00:33:34.01\00:33:37.61
that God was able
00:33:37.65\00:33:42.08
to keep His Word.
00:33:42.12\00:33:45.92
We don't know
what the future holds,
00:33:45.95\00:33:48.32
but we know Him
who holds the future.
00:33:48.36\00:33:52.09
And let me share
a secret with you.
00:33:52.13\00:33:55.00
It's all about how much
word you have in your heart.
00:33:55.03\00:33:59.73
Little word,
00:33:59.77\00:34:01.10
little faith,
00:34:01.14\00:34:03.34
a lot of word, a lot of faith.
00:34:03.37\00:34:07.58
Do you wanna more
intimate relationship
00:34:07.61\00:34:09.14
with the Lord Jesus Christ
00:34:09.18\00:34:10.51
you need to have a
more intimate relationship
00:34:10.55\00:34:12.18
with your Bible?
00:34:12.21\00:34:13.62
If you wanna have more faith,
00:34:13.65\00:34:15.12
the Bible says we've all
been given a measure of faith.
00:34:15.15\00:34:17.99
If you want to
increase your faith,
00:34:18.02\00:34:19.62
get into the Word of God.
00:34:19.65\00:34:23.02
So we've got trust.
00:34:23.06\00:34:25.36
We've built on it with
hope, eager expectation.
00:34:25.39\00:34:29.96
We have staked our title
deed claiming God's promises.
00:34:30.00\00:34:34.90
Now the next
thing that we need to do
00:34:34.94\00:34:36.71
step number four,
00:34:36.74\00:34:38.61
is speak in the spirit of faith.
00:34:38.64\00:34:43.55
Turn in your Bibles
to 2 Corinthians 4:13.
00:34:43.58\00:34:48.42
Oh, we do not recognize
00:34:48.45\00:34:51.75
how important
what we say really is.
00:34:51.79\00:34:56.26
2 Corinthians 4:13.
00:35:00.26\00:35:02.86
Paul writing to the Corinthians
00:35:05.90\00:35:10.01
says this.
00:35:10.04\00:35:12.31
"And since we have
the same spirit of faith,
00:35:12.34\00:35:17.15
according to what is written,"
00:35:20.28\00:35:21.78
now he's going to show us
what the spirit of faith is.
00:35:21.82\00:35:25.92
"I believed and
therefore I spoke."
00:35:25.95\00:35:28.02
He's saying, that's
the spirit of faith.
00:35:28.06\00:35:30.13
"I believed, and
therefore I spoke."
00:35:30.16\00:35:32.79
"Since we have the
same spirit of faith,
00:35:32.83\00:35:36.67
according to what is written,
00:35:36.70\00:35:38.13
'I believed and
therefore I spoke,'
00:35:38.17\00:35:41.60
we also believe
00:35:41.64\00:35:43.14
and therefore speak.'
00:35:43.17\00:35:45.87
" Do you realize
how important it is
00:35:45.91\00:35:47.64
what comes out of your mouth?
00:35:47.68\00:35:49.94
I can tell if
someone is a person of faith
00:35:49.98\00:35:52.88
within being
around them in 15 minutes,
00:35:52.91\00:35:56.08
5 minutes, really.
00:35:56.12\00:35:59.22
What comes out of
your mouth is all telling.
00:35:59.25\00:36:04.59
The Bible tells us
in Proverbs 18:21 that,
00:36:04.63\00:36:08.80
"Death and life
00:36:08.83\00:36:10.17
are in the power of the tongue."
00:36:10.20\00:36:14.30
And now I wanna make sure
00:36:14.34\00:36:15.97
I had the
scripture reference to us
00:36:16.00\00:36:18.21
flipping through my
Bible here on the side.
00:36:18.24\00:36:20.04
Let me read
something else to you.
00:36:20.08\00:36:21.84
"Life and death are in
the power of the tongue."
00:36:21.88\00:36:24.51
Proverbs 18:21.
00:36:24.55\00:36:26.11
That means you can speak life
00:36:26.15\00:36:28.55
into someone's day,
00:36:28.58\00:36:31.85
their circumstances
00:36:31.89\00:36:33.22
if you're
speaking the Word of God
00:36:33.25\00:36:34.66
into their life.
00:36:34.69\00:36:36.46
Or you can speak an idle word.
00:36:36.49\00:36:40.00
You know what an idle word is.
00:36:40.03\00:36:42.33
Anything that
doesn't line up with this.
00:36:42.36\00:36:45.80
Idle word is a
word that's inoperative,
00:36:45.83\00:36:49.24
but this word is
alive, and active,
00:36:49.27\00:36:52.67
and sharper than
any two-edged sword.
00:36:52.71\00:36:55.38
Listen to this,
00:36:55.41\00:36:56.75
Numbers 14:27,
00:36:56.78\00:37:01.05
I will begin.
00:37:01.08\00:37:02.42
This is the Lord
talking to Moses and Aaron.
00:37:02.45\00:37:07.36
He says,
00:37:07.39\00:37:09.79
let me set this up.
00:37:09.82\00:37:11.16
They're wandering around.
00:37:14.06\00:37:16.16
The children of God
are wandering around
00:37:16.20\00:37:18.03
in the desert.
00:37:18.07\00:37:19.40
They have seen him
00:37:19.43\00:37:21.74
part the Red Sea.
00:37:21.77\00:37:24.81
They have seen him
00:37:24.84\00:37:26.78
let Moses strike a rock
00:37:26.81\00:37:28.31
and water gushed
forth to bring them water
00:37:28.34\00:37:30.85
for those millions of people.
00:37:30.88\00:37:33.45
They have seen
God rain down manna
00:37:33.48\00:37:35.62
from heaven and quail.
00:37:35.65\00:37:37.62
They've seen God do
all of these miracles,
00:37:37.65\00:37:40.69
and yet they're murmuring
and they're complaining saying,
00:37:40.72\00:37:45.39
"You brought us out
here in the desert to die.
00:37:45.43\00:37:48.33
Oh, we had it so much better
00:37:48.36\00:37:51.73
when we were back in Egypt.
00:37:51.77\00:37:53.44
Oh,
00:37:56.47\00:37:58.24
let's bring it into today."
00:37:58.27\00:38:00.18
I've started keeping the Sabbath
00:38:00.21\00:38:03.61
and I'm getting so
much trouble at work.
00:38:03.65\00:38:06.78
I may lose my job.
00:38:06.82\00:38:08.15
I had it so much better
00:38:08.18\00:38:09.88
before I was a Sabbath-keeper.
00:38:09.92\00:38:12.65
I had it so much better
before I did it God's way.
00:38:12.69\00:38:17.33
God's just gonna
let me get ruined.
00:38:17.36\00:38:19.89
He's gonna let my finances go
00:38:19.93\00:38:22.30
right down into the ground.
00:38:22.33\00:38:25.70
Oh, you brought us out
here in the desert today.
00:38:25.73\00:38:29.17
The Lord says,
00:38:29.20\00:38:30.54
"How long will
this evil congregation
00:38:30.57\00:38:34.04
murmur against Me?
00:38:34.08\00:38:37.48
I have heard the complaints
00:38:37.51\00:38:39.08
the Israelites
murmur against Me."
00:38:39.11\00:38:41.82
Tell them, this
is Numbers 14:28,
00:38:41.85\00:38:44.52
take note.
00:38:44.55\00:38:45.89
"Tell them, 'As I
live,' says the Lord,
00:38:45.92\00:38:49.26
what you have
said in My hearing,
00:38:49.29\00:38:53.09
I will do to you."
00:38:53.13\00:38:57.40
Did He?
00:38:57.43\00:38:59.13
Did He left those Israelites
00:38:59.17\00:39:01.10
that generation
die in the desert.
00:39:01.14\00:39:03.74
Yeah. Why?
00:39:03.77\00:39:05.11
Without faith, it is
impossible to please God.
00:39:05.14\00:39:08.41
He said, "I've told you
that there's a Promised Land
00:39:08.44\00:39:11.75
that you can cross
over to this Promised Land.
00:39:11.78\00:39:14.98
But you're sitting
here calling Me a liar.
00:39:15.02\00:39:18.02
You're saying
00:39:18.05\00:39:19.39
that I brought you
out here in the desert.
00:39:19.42\00:39:21.22
I'm the author of life
00:39:21.26\00:39:22.76
and you say I brought you
out in the desert to die."
00:39:22.79\00:39:26.06
Fine, God says,
00:39:26.09\00:39:27.76
as you have said in my hearing,
00:39:27.80\00:39:29.93
after seeing miracle,
after miracle, after miracle,
00:39:29.96\00:39:33.77
power of life and
death is in the tongue,
00:39:33.80\00:39:36.20
so I will do to you.
00:39:36.24\00:39:39.87
God isn't...
00:39:39.91\00:39:41.24
Listen, God's all...
00:39:41.28\00:39:42.61
God is an all loving God.
00:39:42.64\00:39:43.98
I'm not trying
to scare you here.
00:39:44.01\00:39:46.18
He knew that there
were hardened hearts here
00:39:46.21\00:39:49.48
that would not
respond to His love.
00:39:49.52\00:39:53.29
His Spirit will not
strive with man forever.
00:39:53.32\00:39:56.89
These people had become hardened
00:39:56.93\00:39:58.69
against God after
miracle, after miracle,
00:39:58.73\00:40:01.40
the proof of His love.
00:40:01.43\00:40:03.03
There's power of life
and death in the tongue.
00:40:03.06\00:40:05.77
We need to speak
00:40:05.80\00:40:08.24
with a spirit of faith.
00:40:08.27\00:40:10.77
Let us pray
00:40:10.81\00:40:12.47
and ask God to put a guard
at the doorpost of our mouth.
00:40:12.51\00:40:15.44
Amen.
00:40:15.48\00:40:16.81
I have to remind myself
this every day I confess,
00:40:16.85\00:40:20.08
every day when I'm repenting
and confessing my sins,
00:40:20.12\00:40:22.62
I confess idle words.
00:40:22.65\00:40:25.19
And I ask for
forgiveness of sin, that sin.
00:40:25.22\00:40:28.62
It is so easy.
00:40:28.66\00:40:30.23
Okay.
00:40:30.26\00:40:31.59
We've got trust,
hope, title deed,
00:40:31.63\00:40:34.63
speaking with a spirit of faith.
00:40:34.66\00:40:38.07
Number five.
00:40:38.10\00:40:39.90
This is going to surprise you.
00:40:39.93\00:40:42.07
This is part of faith, folks.
00:40:42.10\00:40:44.31
Actions of obedience.
00:40:44.34\00:40:47.44
It's not enough
just to trust in God,
00:40:47.48\00:40:50.38
to put your hope in God,
00:40:50.41\00:40:52.28
to claim His promises,
00:40:52.31\00:40:53.92
to speak in a spirit of faith.
00:40:53.95\00:40:56.95
You've got to have
actions of obedience.
00:40:56.99\00:40:59.75
You can see faith.
00:40:59.79\00:41:02.92
The Bible tells us in Mark 2:5,
00:41:02.96\00:41:04.86
"When Jesus saw their faith,
00:41:04.89\00:41:07.76
" He's talking about
the stretcher-bearers
00:41:07.80\00:41:09.76
who're bringing their
paralytic friend to Him.
00:41:09.80\00:41:12.43
Jesus saw their
faith by their actions.
00:41:12.47\00:41:14.94
What we do our
deeds breathe life
00:41:17.97\00:41:22.34
into our beliefs.
00:41:22.38\00:41:26.21
Let me repeat that,
our deeds breathe life
00:41:26.25\00:41:30.89
into our belief.
00:41:30.92\00:41:33.66
The Bible says in Romans 1:5,
00:41:33.69\00:41:36.22
excuse me, let me skip that one.
00:41:36.26\00:41:37.59
Acts 16:4-5.
00:41:37.63\00:41:40.90
Obedience strengthens
faith, listen to this.
00:41:40.93\00:41:44.27
"As they went
through the cities,
00:41:44.30\00:41:45.70
they delivered to
them to decrees to keep,
00:41:45.73\00:41:50.44
which were
determined by the apostles
00:41:50.47\00:41:52.27
and elders at Jerusalem.
00:41:52.31\00:41:53.68
So the churches
were strengthened
00:41:53.71\00:41:55.91
in the faith, and
increased in number daily."
00:41:55.94\00:41:59.71
We know James 2:17, don't we?
00:41:59.75\00:42:02.28
What does James 2:17 say?
00:42:02.32\00:42:04.85
"Faith without works is dead."
00:42:04.89\00:42:10.66
Your deeds, your
actions breathes life
00:42:10.69\00:42:14.60
into what you believe.
00:42:14.63\00:42:17.73
1 John 3:18,
00:42:17.77\00:42:20.50
"My little children,
00:42:20.54\00:42:22.14
let us not love
00:42:22.17\00:42:24.04
in word or in tongue,
00:42:24.07\00:42:26.68
but in deed and in truth."
00:42:26.71\00:42:30.05
We need to understand
00:42:30.08\00:42:33.75
that God's love
00:42:33.78\00:42:36.32
is absolutely unconditional.
00:42:36.35\00:42:40.49
He's so loving we
will never, you know,
00:42:40.52\00:42:43.09
the more I study,
00:42:43.12\00:42:44.99
the more and
closer I get to the Lord,
00:42:45.03\00:42:49.36
the more I realized how
little I understand His love.
00:42:49.40\00:42:52.87
And there are times that I'll
go through spiritual dryness,
00:42:52.90\00:42:56.24
maybe a little bit of
an overload, a burnout,
00:42:56.27\00:42:59.51
and I get back
00:42:59.54\00:43:00.88
into this performance mentality.
00:43:00.91\00:43:02.81
If only I spend
more time in my Bible,
00:43:02.84\00:43:04.35
more time in prayer,
00:43:04.38\00:43:06.18
more time in this.
00:43:06.21\00:43:08.55
And God is calling
me lovingly saying,
00:43:08.58\00:43:10.95
"Come rest in Me.
00:43:10.99\00:43:12.99
Come trust in Me.
00:43:13.02\00:43:14.69
Come understand My love."
00:43:14.72\00:43:16.26
His love is unconditional,
00:43:19.26\00:43:20.66
but His promises
I want you to know
00:43:20.70\00:43:22.53
are absolutely
conditional upon obedience.
00:43:22.56\00:43:25.83
Let me give you a scripture
00:43:25.87\00:43:27.47
to verify that.
00:43:27.50\00:43:29.24
Turn in your
Bibles to Hebrews 10:36,
00:43:29.27\00:43:32.87
"The promises are
conditional upon obedience."
00:43:32.91\00:43:35.51
2 Corinthians 1:20 says,
"All of His promises are yours,
00:43:35.54\00:43:39.31
if you are in Christ Jesus."
00:43:39.35\00:43:42.88
If you're not God's
promises aren't yours.
00:43:42.92\00:43:45.95
But Hebrews 10:36,
00:43:45.99\00:43:48.36
listen to this.
00:43:48.39\00:43:51.73
Hebrews 10:36 says,
00:43:51.76\00:43:54.30
"You have need of endurance,
00:43:54.33\00:43:57.13
so that,"
00:43:57.17\00:43:59.37
what?
00:43:59.40\00:44:01.00
"After."
00:44:01.04\00:44:02.37
Listen, "You have
need of endurance,
00:44:02.40\00:44:05.51
so that after you have done
00:44:05.54\00:44:08.18
the will of God,
00:44:08.21\00:44:10.35
you may receive the promise."
00:44:10.38\00:44:14.65
Now wait a minute,
00:44:14.68\00:44:16.05
what's going on here?
00:44:16.08\00:44:18.49
How can I even?
00:44:18.52\00:44:20.16
I mean, God's promised this
00:44:20.19\00:44:21.52
and He now wants me to obey Him
00:44:21.56\00:44:23.79
in order to get this promise.
00:44:23.83\00:44:26.53
Let me tell you something,
Philippians 2:13 says that,
00:44:26.56\00:44:29.23
"God works in you to will
00:44:29.26\00:44:33.37
and to do
00:44:33.40\00:44:36.04
according to His good pleasure."
00:44:36.07\00:44:38.07
It is two
totally different stages.
00:44:38.11\00:44:42.78
The first thing when you
come to the Lord and say,
00:44:42.81\00:44:45.25
"Oh, Lord, I want
Your plan for my life.
00:44:45.28\00:44:47.38
Oh, Father God,
00:44:47.42\00:44:49.42
teach me Your will."
00:44:49.45\00:44:51.69
What will happen
00:44:51.72\00:44:53.05
is the Lord works in you to will
00:44:53.09\00:44:54.72
and He lines your
will up with His will.
00:44:54.76\00:44:58.86
He makes His
desires become your desires.
00:44:58.89\00:45:02.13
It's so amazing how
the Lord works, isn't it?
00:45:02.16\00:45:05.97
I mean, isn't it amazing
how gently He changes us?
00:45:06.00\00:45:09.04
And suddenly, we're
desiring the things of God.
00:45:09.07\00:45:12.37
And the more of
this word that's in you,
00:45:12.41\00:45:14.24
the more of the mind of
Christ you're operating by.
00:45:14.28\00:45:17.81
And then
00:45:17.85\00:45:19.88
once He starts lining
your will up with His will,
00:45:19.91\00:45:24.19
will He do
anything to force you?
00:45:24.22\00:45:27.36
Does God ever
force us to do anything?
00:45:27.39\00:45:29.86
All right.
00:45:29.89\00:45:31.23
So if God's gonna
work in us to will,
00:45:31.26\00:45:32.93
and He's gonna
work in us to act,
00:45:32.96\00:45:34.76
He's not gonna
force me to do anything.
00:45:34.80\00:45:36.50
What does He want me to do?
00:45:36.53\00:45:38.73
He says,
00:45:38.77\00:45:40.87
"Take one step of faith."
00:45:40.90\00:45:43.74
You take, you
God changes your will
00:45:43.77\00:45:46.11
and you step out in faith.
00:45:46.14\00:45:48.11
And the minute you do the power
of the Holy Spirit shows up
00:45:48.14\00:45:52.65
because He gives
the Holy Spirit to those
00:45:52.68\00:45:54.92
who obey Him.
00:45:54.95\00:45:56.28
The power of the
Holy Spirit shows up
00:45:56.32\00:45:58.25
and He works in you
to do His good pleasure.
00:45:58.29\00:46:02.59
Hallelujah.
00:46:02.62\00:46:04.69
It's all about
what God is doing in us.
00:46:04.73\00:46:07.63
Obedience is by grace,
00:46:07.66\00:46:11.57
by the power of
God working in you.
00:46:11.60\00:46:15.10
I can't obey God on my own.
00:46:15.14\00:46:17.64
Hallelujah.
00:46:17.67\00:46:19.01
This excites me so much
when I think about His plan.
00:46:19.04\00:46:22.41
We have need of endurance
00:46:25.45\00:46:27.28
so that after you've
done the will of God,
00:46:27.32\00:46:30.29
you will receive the promise.
00:46:30.32\00:46:32.45
Now let's go to step number six.
00:46:32.49\00:46:36.36
We've started
with trusting in God,
00:46:36.39\00:46:39.69
we've put our hope in God.
00:46:39.73\00:46:41.83
We have claimed the promises
00:46:41.86\00:46:44.23
we're speaking
with a spirit of faith.
00:46:44.27\00:46:47.94
Now we put actions of obedience
00:46:47.97\00:46:49.87
so that our
deeds will breathe life
00:46:49.90\00:46:52.31
into what we believe.
00:46:52.34\00:46:54.51
Number six
00:46:54.54\00:46:56.51
is a victorious attitude.
00:46:56.54\00:47:01.92
A victorious attitude.
00:47:01.95\00:47:05.09
Did you know
that as a Christian,
00:47:05.12\00:47:07.72
you should have a
victorious attitude?
00:47:07.76\00:47:10.33
From time to time
I've had people say to me,
00:47:10.36\00:47:13.46
I'm a happy person.
00:47:13.50\00:47:15.40
I'm a joy... Let me change
that, I'm a joyful person.
00:47:15.43\00:47:18.40
Right now,
actually, I'm not very happy.
00:47:18.43\00:47:20.74
There's something
that's going on in my life
00:47:20.77\00:47:22.40
that I'm not very happy about.
00:47:22.44\00:47:24.87
But I've still got
the joy of the Lord.
00:47:24.91\00:47:27.51
And no matter what's
going on, I can smile,
00:47:27.54\00:47:30.18
takes less muscles to
smile than it does to frown.
00:47:30.21\00:47:34.35
I'm just
naturally a smiling person.
00:47:34.38\00:47:37.69
And if you knew my history,
00:47:37.72\00:47:41.72
and how I grew up,
00:47:41.76\00:47:43.29
it isn't because I've
always had a bed of roses.
00:47:43.32\00:47:46.43
I grew up in a
very dysfunctional home.
00:47:46.46\00:47:49.93
Very dysfunctional,
00:47:49.96\00:47:51.53
my father was killed...
00:47:51.57\00:47:53.07
My parents were
divorced when I was four.
00:47:53.10\00:47:55.34
My father got custody of me.
00:47:55.37\00:47:57.71
My father was a pilot.
00:47:57.74\00:47:59.07
He was killed when I was six,
00:47:59.11\00:48:00.51
I came back to
live with my mother.
00:48:00.54\00:48:03.75
And my mother
married an alcoholic
00:48:03.78\00:48:05.68
who was very abusive.
00:48:05.71\00:48:08.28
He was a very mean man.
00:48:08.32\00:48:10.62
And my mother decided
00:48:10.65\00:48:11.99
if you can't
beat them, join them.
00:48:12.02\00:48:14.12
And she became an alcoholic.
00:48:14.16\00:48:16.39
And my mother was bipolar.
00:48:16.42\00:48:18.59
So when she divorced
this man when I was 16,
00:48:18.63\00:48:22.03
everything landed on me.
00:48:22.06\00:48:25.00
And so I was like
a little old lady.
00:48:25.03\00:48:28.07
I mean, I didn't know
understand spontaneity.
00:48:28.10\00:48:30.07
I didn't understand anything.
00:48:30.11\00:48:31.74
The only thing that kept me sane
00:48:31.77\00:48:33.51
through my years of growing up,
00:48:33.54\00:48:36.01
I love Jesus
with all of my heart.
00:48:36.04\00:48:38.85
I was so active in my church,
00:48:38.88\00:48:40.98
and that was the place
00:48:41.02\00:48:43.15
that I went to breathe.
00:48:43.18\00:48:47.62
But we should have joy.
00:48:47.66\00:48:51.09
Nehemiah 8:10 says,
00:48:51.13\00:48:52.46
"The joy of the
Lord is our strength."
00:48:52.49\00:48:55.76
We need to have a
victorious attitude.
00:48:55.80\00:48:58.03
1 John Chapter 5 turn there.
00:48:58.07\00:49:00.54
1 John Chapter 5.
00:49:00.57\00:49:03.57
We started off
with this scripture,
00:49:03.61\00:49:05.14
now we're going to look at it.
00:49:05.17\00:49:09.74
1 John 5:3.
00:49:09.78\00:49:12.11
1 John 5:3 says,
00:49:17.62\00:49:19.89
"For this is the love of God,"
00:49:19.92\00:49:22.79
what?
00:49:22.82\00:49:24.26
"That we keep His commandments."
00:49:24.29\00:49:27.80
You can say,
"Oh, God, I love you.
00:49:27.83\00:49:30.93
Oh, God, I love you.
00:49:30.97\00:49:33.44
Oh, Lord, I love you."
00:49:33.47\00:49:36.94
I have a lady that
I was counseling with.
00:49:36.97\00:49:39.11
And I do not mean
to make light of this.
00:49:39.14\00:49:41.44
She was a very...
00:49:41.48\00:49:42.81
Her relationship with
the Lord was very emotional,
00:49:45.71\00:49:48.68
which it should... I mean,
there should be emotion in it.
00:49:48.72\00:49:51.12
But it was purely emotional.
00:49:51.15\00:49:53.15
She would worship
and she would get...
00:49:53.19\00:49:55.92
When she worshiped the
Lord, she always cried,
00:49:55.96\00:49:58.16
she never could and, you know,
I have to tell you when I come,
00:49:58.19\00:50:00.83
I'm not a person who cries.
00:50:00.86\00:50:03.03
But when I do press into
the presence of the Lord,
00:50:03.06\00:50:05.93
there's many
times that I've cried.
00:50:05.97\00:50:07.30
So I'm not making light of this.
00:50:07.34\00:50:09.14
But the point that
I'm trying to make is
00:50:09.17\00:50:11.14
hers was purely emotional
and there was no obedience.
00:50:11.17\00:50:15.18
She didn't think
she needed to obey
00:50:15.21\00:50:17.91
because she
didn't understand grace.
00:50:17.95\00:50:19.81
She had a wrong
teaching on grace.
00:50:19.85\00:50:22.28
She's coming around a little,
but listen what the Bible says,
00:50:22.32\00:50:25.05
"For this is the love of God
00:50:25.09\00:50:27.26
that we keep His commandments."
00:50:27.29\00:50:30.53
Do not love me God is saying
00:50:30.56\00:50:32.43
in word and in tongue only,
00:50:32.46\00:50:34.36
but in truth and in deeds,
00:50:34.40\00:50:37.17
"And His commandments
are not burdensome."
00:50:37.20\00:50:41.34
Why are His
commandments not burdensome?
00:50:41.37\00:50:45.27
Come on.
00:50:45.31\00:50:47.18
They are promises
00:50:47.21\00:50:49.34
of what He's
going to do in our life.
00:50:49.38\00:50:52.45
It's God who's working
in us to will and to act.
00:50:52.48\00:50:55.55
Apart from Jesus,
00:50:55.58\00:50:57.52
we can do nothing.
00:50:57.55\00:51:00.69
Nada, zip, zilch,
00:51:00.72\00:51:03.32
there's nothing
that you and I can do.
00:51:03.36\00:51:05.29
You know, if we could
just get this in our heart
00:51:05.33\00:51:08.00
and learn how to be
totally depended upon God.
00:51:08.03\00:51:12.60
I mean, see where I mess up,
00:51:12.63\00:51:15.44
is when I start
depending on Shelley.
00:51:15.47\00:51:18.37
Getting back into
that performance mentality
00:51:18.41\00:51:20.71
and the Lord has to
tell me, "You foolish thing."
00:51:20.74\00:51:24.25
Galatians 3:3,
00:51:24.28\00:51:25.65
"Having begun in the Spirit,
00:51:25.68\00:51:27.48
are you now trying to
perfect it in the flesh?"
00:51:27.52\00:51:30.82
Oh, don't we do that?
00:51:30.85\00:51:32.95
Am I the only one?
00:51:32.99\00:51:34.62
Anybody in here try to
perfect their relationship
00:51:34.66\00:51:37.03
in the flesh from time to time?
00:51:37.06\00:51:38.89
God is up there saying,
00:51:38.93\00:51:40.56
children you don't
know how much I love you.
00:51:40.60\00:51:43.03
All I'm asking is that you come
00:51:43.06\00:51:44.67
and surrender
control of your life to Me.
00:51:44.70\00:51:47.27
I'll work in you
to will and to act.
00:51:47.30\00:51:49.04
I promise, I'm gonna
complete the good work
00:51:49.07\00:51:51.27
I've begun in you.
I have equipped you.
00:51:51.31\00:51:53.48
I will equip you to do
everything I ask of you.
00:51:53.51\00:51:57.68
These commandments are
promises of what I'm doing you
00:51:57.71\00:52:00.68
to give you a happy
life and abundant life.
00:52:00.72\00:52:04.85
Hallelujah.
00:52:04.89\00:52:07.86
His commandments
are not burdensome.
00:52:07.89\00:52:10.33
1 John 5:4 says,
00:52:10.36\00:52:12.13
"For whatever is born of God
00:52:12.16\00:52:15.60
overcomes the world.
00:52:15.63\00:52:18.77
And this is the victory
00:52:18.80\00:52:21.77
that has overcome the world,
00:52:21.80\00:52:23.77
our faith, our faith."
00:52:23.81\00:52:27.98
Hallelujah.
00:52:28.01\00:52:30.85
Have you been born again?
00:52:30.88\00:52:34.95
If you are in Christ Jesus,
00:52:34.98\00:52:37.32
if you've been
born of His Spirit,
00:52:37.35\00:52:39.92
you are an overcomer.
00:52:39.95\00:52:42.12
He came to destroy
the works of the devil
00:52:42.16\00:52:45.03
to give you power...
00:52:45.06\00:52:46.76
More than just justification.
00:52:46.80\00:52:49.76
Forgiveness of your old
sins, He will sanctify you,
00:52:49.80\00:52:53.27
give you sanctification,
00:52:53.30\00:52:54.90
the power to
overcome sin day by day.
00:52:54.94\00:52:57.44
Hallelujah.
00:52:57.47\00:52:59.67
And one day there
will be that glorification
00:52:59.71\00:53:02.21
when we see Him,
00:53:02.24\00:53:04.31
and we are changed in
the twinkling of an eye
00:53:04.35\00:53:06.55
to be just as He is.
00:53:06.58\00:53:08.78
The Bible says in
1 Corinthians 15:57,
00:53:08.82\00:53:12.42
"Thanks be to God who gives us
00:53:12.45\00:53:15.52
the victory in Christ Jesus."
00:53:15.56\00:53:18.86
But let's look
at Luke Chapter 18.
00:53:18.89\00:53:20.96
If you want to turn there,
00:53:21.00\00:53:22.66
Luke Chapter 18.
00:53:22.70\00:53:26.17
You know, the Bible
tells us in Revelation 12:11,
00:53:26.20\00:53:29.94
"We overcome
00:53:29.97\00:53:32.31
by the blood of the Lamb,
00:53:32.34\00:53:35.61
and the word of our testimony."
00:53:35.64\00:53:39.01
Remember that word is
so empower, so important.
00:53:39.05\00:53:42.58
Luke 18:1-8.
00:53:42.62\00:53:49.02
This is the Parable
of the Persistent Widow.
00:53:49.06\00:53:51.86
And the Bible says, "Then
He spoke a parable to them,
00:53:51.89\00:53:54.56
that men are always to
pray and not lose heart."
00:53:54.60\00:53:58.43
This is Jesus teaching
His disciples with a parable.
00:53:58.47\00:54:01.90
And here's what He said,
00:54:01.94\00:54:03.41
"There was in a certain city
00:54:03.44\00:54:05.57
a judge who did not
fear God nor regard man.
00:54:05.61\00:54:09.04
Now there was a
widow in that city
00:54:09.08\00:54:11.01
and she came to him, saying,
00:54:11.05\00:54:13.58
'Get justice for
me for my adversary.'
00:54:13.62\00:54:17.15
He would not for a while,
00:54:17.19\00:54:19.05
but afterward he
said within himself,
00:54:19.09\00:54:22.42
'Though I do not
fear God nor regard man,
00:54:22.46\00:54:25.26
yet because this
widow troubles me
00:54:25.29\00:54:27.66
I will avenge her,
00:54:27.70\00:54:29.46
lest by her continual coming,
00:54:29.50\00:54:32.07
she wearies me.'
00:54:32.10\00:54:34.54
' Then the Lord said,
00:54:34.57\00:54:36.00
'Here what the
unjust judge said.
00:54:36.04\00:54:38.97
And shall not God
avenge His own elect
00:54:39.01\00:54:43.08
who cry out day and night,
00:54:43.11\00:54:45.28
though He bears long with them?'
00:54:45.31\00:54:47.25
" Jesus isn't
comparing God to this judge.
00:54:47.28\00:54:51.29
He's already said
there are two categories.
00:54:51.32\00:54:53.36
The judge was unjust.
00:54:53.39\00:54:55.09
Here's God.
00:54:55.12\00:54:56.46
It's like Him saying,
you as evil as you are.
00:54:56.49\00:54:59.69
If you know how to give
good gifts to your children,
00:54:59.73\00:55:01.76
how much more will
I give the Holy Spirit
00:55:01.80\00:55:03.53
to those who asked me?
00:55:03.57\00:55:05.60
So He says here,
00:55:05.63\00:55:07.77
"I tell you that He
will avenge them speedily.
00:55:07.80\00:55:12.47
Nevertheless, when
the Son of Man comes,
00:55:12.51\00:55:15.91
will He really
find faith on earth?"
00:55:15.94\00:55:19.58
He will if you
are trusting in Him,
00:55:19.61\00:55:23.05
leading not on
your own understanding,
00:55:23.08\00:55:24.69
if you're
putting your hope in Him,
00:55:24.72\00:55:26.12
eager expectation,
00:55:26.15\00:55:27.76
if you have
staked your title deed,
00:55:27.79\00:55:30.69
claiming his promise,
00:55:30.73\00:55:32.13
if you're speaking
in the spirit of faith,
00:55:32.16\00:55:34.30
if you've got
actions of obedience,
00:55:34.33\00:55:36.36
and if you've got
this victorious attitude,
00:55:36.40\00:55:38.87
He will find faith.
00:55:38.90\00:55:40.84
Now number seven,
00:55:40.87\00:55:42.27
stand firm.
00:55:42.30\00:55:44.91
This is part of faith, folks.
00:55:44.94\00:55:46.88
Stand firm, 2
Chronicles 20:20 says,
00:55:46.91\00:55:50.01
"Believe in the Lord your God,
00:55:50.05\00:55:52.58
and you shall be established,
00:55:52.61\00:55:56.22
believe in His prophets,
and you shall prosper."
00:55:56.25\00:56:00.46
Believing in God means
00:56:00.49\00:56:03.86
to be living in God.
00:56:03.89\00:56:09.10
Believing in God means
00:56:09.13\00:56:12.13
to be living in God.
00:56:12.17\00:56:15.40
Isaiah 7:9,
00:56:15.44\00:56:17.24
let me read this to you.
00:56:17.27\00:56:19.44
The Bible says, "If
you will not believe,
00:56:19.47\00:56:21.88
surely you shall
not be established."
00:56:21.91\00:56:24.91
I like the way the NIV says it.
00:56:24.95\00:56:27.22
It says, "If you do not
stand firm in your faith,
00:56:27.25\00:56:29.45
you will not stand at all."
00:56:29.48\00:56:33.82
Let me give you a scripture
that you can stand firm on.
00:56:33.86\00:56:37.46
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 says,
00:56:37.49\00:56:41.23
"Now may the
God of peace Himself
00:56:41.26\00:56:43.30
sanctify you completely,
00:56:43.33\00:56:45.10
and may your whole
spirit, soul, and body
00:56:45.13\00:56:47.60
be preserved blameless
00:56:47.64\00:56:48.97
at the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:56:49.00\00:56:51.31
He who calls you is faithful,
00:56:51.34\00:56:54.28
who will also do it."
00:56:54.31\00:56:57.25
What is faith?
00:56:57.28\00:56:59.28
Faith is trusting in God,
00:56:59.31\00:57:01.92
leaning not on
your own understanding.
00:57:01.95\00:57:03.89
It's putting your hope in
God claiming His promises,
00:57:03.92\00:57:06.55
staking your title deed.
00:57:06.59\00:57:08.12
It's speaking
with a spirit of faith,
00:57:08.16\00:57:09.89
the actions of
obedience, victorious attitude,
00:57:09.92\00:57:12.73
and standing firm.
00:57:12.76\00:57:15.50
Hallelujah.
00:57:15.53\00:57:16.87