Faith’s Hall of Fame – Part 1

Message Date: May 15, 2022
Bible
  • It is probably not possible to overstate the importance of faith in the Christian life. Faith is the only avenue of approach to God.
  • 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
  • Salvation through faith:
    • 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
  • Blessing and the fullness of the Spirit through faith:
    • ‭‭14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians‬ ‭3:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
  • Peace through faith:
    • 3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26:3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
      • Trust is faith in action.
  • Healing through faith:
    • 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.‭‭ James‬ ‭5:14-15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
  • Victory over adversaries through faith:
    • The world:
      • 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ‭‭I John‬ ‭5:4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
    • The flesh:
      • 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. ‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
    • The devil:
    • 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
  • If everything that God provided to us by grace must be appropriated by faith, then we need to know something:
    • There are three types of faith mentioned in the Bible–the faith, personal faith, and the gift of faith. We must determine which is the subject of the scripture we are reading.
      • 1. “The faith” is used to describe the Christian faith.
        • 7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. ‭‭Acts‬ ‭6:7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
        • 2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. ‭‭I Timothy‬ ‭1:2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
        • 1 ‭‭Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, I Timothy‬ ‭4:1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
        • 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭4:7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
        • 8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. ‭‭I Timothy‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
      • 2. Personal faith is applying the objective belief in Jesus to our personal life in a subjective way.
        • Obtaining things  from God is a part of it, but getting things from God is not the only purpose of personal faith.
          • A. Obtaining promises
            • 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:33-34‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
          • B. Protecting yourself
            • 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
          • C. Walking by your faith.
            • 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. ‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
            • 7 For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance. ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭AMPC‬‬
      • 3. The gift of faith is simply a manifestation of the Spirit of God–as He wills. It’s the ability to believe God for things not promised in the Word.
        • 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12:9‬ ‭NET‬‬
          • The process of the gift of faith is simple!
            • (a) Inspiration – You will be inspired & sense God’s leading (Word, Spirit, etc.).
            • (b) Faith rises – Faith will rise in your heart to believe with great boldness.
            • (c) Prophetic declaration – You will declare God’s sovereign will over the need.
            • (d) God’s authority – The authority of Almighty God is released with power to work.
        • What God does for some–miraculously and instantly–as He wills  by, a manifestation of the Holy Spirit, is to show us what is available to all by faith in the Word  as they will!
  • We will need to be careful to determine which aspect of faith the Word is talking about in order to properly understand.
    • The beginning of every subject is the definition of terms.
  • Faith:
    • Vine’s: firm persuasion , a conviction based upon hearing; akin to peitho: to persuade
    • Thayer’s: the conviction of the truth of anything : belief.
    • Strong’s: πίστις pístis, pis’-tis; from G3982; persuasion
    • Pastor Will definition: what you believe.
      • The words for faith and believe are used interchangeably and are the noun form and the verb form of the same word.
        • Noun: (Stong’s 4102)  “Pistis” – belief
        • Verb: (Strong’s 4103) “Pisteou” – to believe
  • 22 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark‬ ‭9:22-24‬ NKJV