Proving God’s Will Pt-7 ~ Message 105

  This message continues with the importance of proving God’s will rather than just assuming that if it sounds right to us then it must be.  It also gets into how the fruit of the Spirit will change our responses in everyday difficulties and temptations.

  God has made it very clear that there are priorities for us if we are going to accomplish what he desires.  First is Faith which is essential for salvation; “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness”… (Rom.10:10).  And Faith is also a necessity to accomplish God’s purpose: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev.4:11); and also; “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.” (Heb.11:6).  The question then is how to increase our faith.  

  Faith comes by exposure to the Word of God first; “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom.10:17).  Next is experience.  In Matthew chapter 16 Jesus said to His disciples; “O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?  Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?”.  As we experience God’s deliverance in our lives it increases faith.  Next it is a gift from God as one of the fruits of the Spirit; “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Gal.5:22).

  The problem for us all is that fear and faith work like a teeter-totter.  When we are overwhelmed by eminent peril our faith can be reduced to zero where Jesus was asleep in a ship; “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mk.4:37-41).  Is there a way to protect ourselves from fear, even this type of life threatening fear?  Yes!  (Continued in the text in the next message) 

Scripture: Rom. 12:1-2, Jas. 4:3, Gal. 5:22-23

Salient Points:  Praying wrong, Fervent prayer, God’s enemies, Renewing the mind, Focusing on God’s greatness.

Special Thanks,
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