W
ALKING BY FAITH NOT BY SIGHT
PART 2
(Some information from: Charles Capp)
Pastor Tim P. Blaisure – 02/18/24 – Morning Message
Intro:
Last week we delt with a few things that can mess up our walk by faith, like doubt and unbelief in three examples: The Lunatic son, the fig tree, and faith as a mustard seed. We are going to expand on those and other things dealing with walking by faith and not by sight.
The Definition (by compassion.com) of FAITH:
An unwavering trust in God, present trust because God showed Himself to be dependable throughout the Bible. God’s ultimate promise of salvation was realized through the death and resurrection of His son Jesus Christ.
DOUBT – a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.
DOUBT- you don’t know something – so you question it.
UNBELIEF – Refusing to accept that something is true or real.
UNBELIEF -is when you know something and choose not to believe it.
Foundation Scriptures:
Hebrews 11:1 KJV
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1 NIV
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:6 KJV
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
I. THE WORD OF GOD IS THE WILL OF GOD:
Romans 10:17 KJV
“ SO, THEN FAITH COMETH BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.”
· If you pray for something or someone and say if it is the will of God, there is no faith in that prayer.
· Faith comes from hearing the Word of God over and over again.
· If you don’t know what Gods will is, you have not heard what God says about that area.
· So, you could not have Bible faith concerning it.
· You can believe in your mind and not in your heart.
· Prayer of faith will heal the sick.
· Prayer of doubt will destroy the sick.
· At this point it would be better for you to go to the doctors.
· The only way to have the Bible kind of Faith is to know what God said about that area you are praying about.
HEALING - 1 Peter 2:24 KJV
“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
PROVISION - Philippians 4:19
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
3 John 2
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest PROSPER AND BE IN HEALTH, even as thy soul prospereth.”
II. YOU CANNOT ABUSE THE LAW OF FAITH:
1 John 3:21 KJV
“Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.”
1 John 3:21 NLT
“Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.”
· You cannot abuse the law of faith if they are keeping His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
· If they are pleasing God, you will have confidence (faith) in God.
· Why is your faith not working.
· Because Faith works with a pure conscience.
· When you are doing things contrary to the Word of God and expecting God to answer, how would that work?
· It causes you to have a spiritual heart attack, which is why faith won’t work for you.
· You don’t have the confidence in God because you are not keeping His commandments.
· You have to do what God says if you want to receive what God promises.
· We have to live it, not just confess it.
· We can’t say one thing and do something else.
· It is a matter of living what the Word of God says.
· This Bible Faith only comes by hearing what God said about it.
· If you don’t know what God said about it, then it is impossible to have all the things God said by praying in faith and expect you will receive it because you won’t.
III. HAVE FAITH AND DOUBT NOT:
Matthew 21:21 KJV
“Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.”
· Looking back to the man with the Lunatic son.
· The man said to Jesus, I brought my son to cast the demon out, and they couldn’t.
Matthew 10:1
“And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.”
· Jesus gave the disciples the ability given to them to cast out unclean spirits.
· To heal all kinds of sickness and disease.
· But they didn’t use it this time.
· They went by sight instead of faith in what Jesus gave them.
Luke 9:1-2
“Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.”
· Jesus expected them to use what He gave them without doubt.
· They saw all that Jesus did so there should not have been doubt, because of what Jesus said.
· But they believed Jesus could do it but doubted in the power Jesus gave them to do it themselves.
· Doubted that it could be done.
· Doubted that it would be done.
· Therefore, it didn’t get done through them.
· This happened probably because they saw the boy convulsing after they demanded the demon to come out.
· Jesus did not let what He saw stop Him from delivering this boy.
· The enemy likes to manifest himself so that it will distract you from what you are meant to do.
· If we keep walking by sight instead of by faith, we will stop seeing signs, wonders, and miracles in our church and families.
Mark 16:20
“And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”
CONCLUSION:
Remember
DOUBT- you don’t know something – so you question it.
If you don’t know what the Word of God says about Salvation, Sanctification, Healing, Health, Finances, Provision, Family, Morals, Sin, condemnation, etc.… you will have doubts and not have Bible faith in these areas of your life.
DOUBT CAN BE FIXED BY KNOWING THE WORD OF GOD, AND OBEYING IT.
UNBELIEF -is when you know something and choose not to believe it.
Unbelief can only be fixed when you choose to believe the Word of God for what it says and for what Jesus has done.
If you choose not to serve the Lord or believe His Word, then you have chosen to walk in unbelief and therefore you don’t have Bible faith Jesus or His Word. So, don’t expect answers to your prayers when you are in unbelief.