APRIL 2021 SERIES

THEME:    EARNESTLY CONTEND FOR THE FAITH [OUR FAITH] – JUDE 1:3

(Jude 3 NLT) Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.

(Jude 3 NKJV) Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

Ice-breaker – The happenings in Ilorin (Kwara State) of Nigeria has become so touching. The different faith (religions) in the state; few weeks ago were in a physical combat about the use of Hijab in schools – Hijab is a covering of the head by females which is common to the Muslim faith. This became very bloody many were wounded and others lost their lives. All in the name of following the instructions of their foremost leaders of their Faith, earnestly Contend for the Faith.

TOPIC:       X-Ray your Faith (Part 1)

TEXT:        Mark 11:12 – 22; Hebrews 11:1 – 3

Mark 11:12-25

Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it.

So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’

And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. When evening had come, He went out of the city. Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

These teachings on Faith would be our focus for the month. Today, I will like us to x-ray our faith in three dimensions. These dimensions are;

  1. What is Faith?
  2. How is Faith built?
  3. Birthing True – Faith

 

1. WHAT IS FAITH?

Hebrews 11:1 has helped to answer this question. So I will like us to read from several versions to be able to understand its true meaning.

[NKJV] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

[The Message] The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see.

[NLT] Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

[Amplified] NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

[Darby] Now faith is [the] substantiating of things hoped for, [the] conviction of things not seen.

So from the Scriptures and our already read text you will agree with me that Faith is giving substance to the hope in our hearts of our future by our words.

This was the same thing Jesus was saying, when your heart and mouth are in agreement you will have it.

‘The Law of the Universe 1 – We are a life speaking being/Spirit’

Hard fact: Your STATUS is a function of your Words and state of Heart.

2.HOW IS FAITH BUILT?

Let’s read Romans 10:1 – 18. We would have a few stop-overs. Romans 10:8 – 10, 13 – 18. Romans 10:17 says Faith is built by Hearing.

Whatever is heard, engineers Faith. So when you study the Heroes of Faith in Hebrews 11; they all were considered to have Faith despite Christ promises of His birth, death and resurrection had not been fulfilled. Why? Because, they heard WORDS (Instructions from God) and gave images (SUBSTANCES) making them real in their Hearts. Though, these things were not seen but they saw them in their realities.

So my question for you; Who are you listening to? What is the foundation of your Faith? Is it the God kind of Faith? Is the Faith in God?

 ‘The Law of the Universe 2 – The EYE and EAR are doors to the Spirit’

Hard fact: Your STATUS will improve or reduce to the level of Words (either heard, spoken or seen).

3. BIRTHING TRUE FAITH

Let’s read Romans 10:17 TPT Faith, then, is birthed in a Heart that responds to God’s anointed utterance of the Anointed One.

Romans 1:17, Hebrews 10:38; The JUST shall live by FAITH

‘The Law of the Universe 3 – Faith is the Currency of the Spirit’

Hard fact: Your STATUS is a reflection of your Faith. (Just like the banking rule – if you have not made deposit into your Faith account you can’t make withdraws)

A call to being Birthed into Faith; a belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 10:8 – 13.