Faith Activation

1Sa 22:1 David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. 1Sa 22:2 And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.

• All the people in Debt, Distress, or Discontentment made the great decision to submit themselves to David because they saw a different spirit in Him

• The people that gathered around David were in debt, and distress - but the big key is that they were discontented

• If you become content with where you are at you will stop advancing in the Kingdom of God

Feats of David's Mighty Men

• Adino the Eznite, killed eight hundred men at one time.

• After him Eleazar the son of Dodo, He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword, he single handedly fought the philistine army & won

• Next Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils ...But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines.

• One time David said with longing, "Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!" 2Sa 23:16 So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David

• 2Sa 23:18 Now Abishai the brother of Joab, lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three.

• 2Sa 23:20 Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, went down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.

Question? Were they distressed or discontented? NO WAY they had purpose!

What about being in debt?

1Ch 29:6 Then the leaders of the fathers' houses, leaders of the tribes of Israel, the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the officers over the king's work, offered willingly. 1Ch 29:7 They gave for the work of the house of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.

• Just the value of the Gold given by David's mighty men was $7,096,640,000!!!

• David Gave $4,257,984,000 in gold

• The Spirit of Faith is the cure for debt, discontentment, and distress!!!

• What happened to these men who started in debt, distress, and discontented and ended up powerful, mighty, rich, superheroes for their nation and God's Kingdom!

They caught the Spirit of Faith (Confident Expectation)

• The principles of faith must be taught, but the spirit of faith must be caught

2Sa 5:1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, "Indeed we are your bone and your flesh.

Hebron: Seat of Association

• It doesn't matter what state or condition your life is in right now - if you are in covenant with those who slay giants you will become a giant slayer

• If you are in covenant with those who take cities, you will take cities also

• The first strategy God has is everyone coming together as one in unity, purpose, and covenant!

• One mind, one accord, one kingdom, one Lord, One faith.

• God's Kingdom is a family, not just a gathering of people.

• In that environment, he can command His blessing and the anointing flows!

2Co 4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

• The anointing comes by association - Joshua had an impartation from Moses

• Elisha had an impartation from Elijah

• Timothy had an impartation from Paul

• Those that you connect with, those that you associate with are greatly impacting you.

• People are like elevators, they either take you up or bring you down.

They learned the principles of Confident Expectation

Faith = RISK Faith = Rest Restful Risk or Risky Rest

I. Faith is being fully persuaded to the point of confident expectation

Rom 4:18 Abraham against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

• Faith doesn't consider circumstances or statistics – Abraham believed against hopelessness

Exhibit A: When Sarah was in her prime she was barren

Exhibit B: Now she is too old to have kids

• Hope is the blueprint, the outcome, the goal or vision of your faith – Abraham was childless but he was believing to become the Father of Many Nations – that was His God Given Vision

• Weak faith considers the circumstances and situation rather than God and His Promise

• Weak faith staggers at the promise of God

• Abraham staggered and waivered and tried to fulfill God’s promise himself until God appeared to him and changed his name to Abraham –

• All day long Abraham unintentionally was bombarded with his new God identity as his 318 hired servants asked him, “Hey father of many nations, where do I put the extra Gold?”

• Strong faith before it sees any evidence of the promise manifested!

• There's no such thing as melancholy faith:head like a melon, face like a collie

Rom 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

When Faith Cometh Fear Goeth, When Faith cometh you Knoweth

II. Faith takes and possesses the promises of God NOW!

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

• Faith doesn't wait, it's says it belongs to me, I'll have it now!!!

• Faith is never passive, it’s VERY aggressive and it takes what God promises now and refuses to be denied!

(Jordan) Now faith is the turning of dreams into deeds; it is betting your life on the unseen realities.

• Faith sees the invisible and receives the impossible

(Mof.) Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.

• There is a boldness and confidence that flow from faith

(Authentic) Now faith forms a solid ground for our expectations, the proof of unseen actualities.

• Faith proves unseen actualities

(AMP) 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].

(Jordan) Now faith is the turning of dreams into deeds; it is betting your life on the unseen realities.

• Faith sees the invisible and receives the impossible

(Mof.) Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.

• There is a boldness and confidence that flow from faith

(Authentic) Now faith forms a solid ground for our expectations, the proof of unseen actualities.

• Faith proves unseen actualities

(AMP) 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].

• Faith gives us the title to something in our heart before others see any external evidence of it!

III. The Strength of Faith is contingent on 2 things:

1. The Promises of God - What God said

2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

• Exceedingly Great – Mightier than anything and completely unstoppable

Joh_10:29 My Father, … is greater than all

• – More valuable than anything because they can get you anything when you have nothing!

These Promises: Bring Salvation, Release Healing, Bring Prosperity, Release Joy, Give direction, they open Heaven!

2. The Character of God - Judging Him faithful who promised

Heb 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

Jer 1:11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Jer 1:12 Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

• The almond tree blooms in the middle of winter

• It’s a picture of possibility in impossibility

• Aaron’s rod that budded was an almond branch

• God watches over and hastens his word to perform it!

IV. Faith originates in the heart and is a product of what you give your attention to.

Human Faith vs the God Kind of Faith

Mark 11:22 (YLT) And Jesus answering saith to them, `Have faith of God;

You already have the faith of God if you're born again: Eph 2:8 & Rom 12:3

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

• There are only 3 realms we contact, the physical realm, the mental realm, and the spiritual realm.

• With our body we contact the physical realm, with our mind we contact the mental realm, with our spirit we contact the spiritual realm.

• Natural Human faith is of the mental realm and it's rooted in reason

Rom 8:6 Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death

Natural Faith: Thomas Confesses Jesus as Lord

Joh 20:26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" Joh 20:27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." Joh 20:28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"

• This faith is a natural human faith of the head, it isn't the God kind of Faith

• As believers we are called to live differently

Heb_10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

2Co 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

The Faith of God works in the heart of man

1P e 3:3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—1Pe 3:4 1Pe 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

• Peter calls your human spirit or heart the inward man - in other words the hidden man is the real you!

2Co 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

• Paul calls Him the Inward Man and we know he isn't talking about our internal organs because he says our inward man is being renewed day by day.

Rom 10:8 But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): Rom 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth ...and believe in your heart ..Rom 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

• Paul said we preach the word of faith:We = Apostolic Doctrine

• Formula: God's word preached, leads to God's word heard, leads to God's word believed, leads to God’s word acted on, leads to heaven manifesting in a life.

• The Faith of God works in the heart of man; not the mind, not the body

• The heart of man is his believing organ

• Faith works by and

Mar 11:23 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.

• You can have doubt in your head and faith in your heart

• Many Christians are defeated because they think if they have a doubt in their head faith won't work in their heart

• We must speak what we believe in our heart

• In this verse Jesus said Say 3 times and doubt 1 time

• You will have to focus 3 times more on speaking the word than simply believing it

• We must keep our believer hooked up to our speaker

1Ti_4:6 be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith ....

• We need to be people who are FULL of the Word of God

Pro 4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Pro 4:21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. Pro 4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

• The writer in Proverbs says make God's word the top priority of your focus and attention in life!

• If you do this the outcome will be life and divine health to your body, that's way better than divine healing!

Mat 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

• When you fill yourself with the Word of God to overflow, you can’t help talk faith because it will overflow from the inside.

• Literally, your heart is the incubator of heaven to release the promise and destiny of God in your life and the world

1Co 3:6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God [all the while] was making it grow and [He] gave the increase. ....1Co 3:9 For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God's garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God's building. [Isa. 61:3.]

• You are God's garden!

• In Gardening, it is incumbent upon the gardener to do 3 things.

1. Plant Seed

2. Water that Seed

3. Keep the Weeds Out

• If we do this, God brings the increase and the harvest of His promise.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

• Everybody is operating in faith all the time, the question is just what are you listening to because it's affecting what you believe.

Mar_4:24 And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you--and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.

Rom 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

• You are in full control of the time you invest in reading, studying, & hearing the word

• If you want to increase your capacity to receive from God it's simple - Spend time in the word and exercise your faith!

V. Faith calls into existence the things that do not exist.

Rom 4:17 (as it is written, "I HAVE MADE YOU A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS") in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

ERV… speaks of things that don't yet exist as if they are real.

ESV…calls into existence the things that do not exist.

Mof.) ...a God...who calls into being what does not exist.

YLT… and is calling the things that be not as being.

This passage teaches us 2 things about God and how He operates in faith:

1. Death is His enemy, because Jesus came to bring us abundant, overflowing life!So anything that is dead in your life is outside of what God wants you to experience and live in because He specializing in bringing dead things back to life!

2. God calls things those things which do not exist as though they did

• Faith is exercising your spiritual authority in the covenant promises of God to change your surroundings and circumstances by decrees of faith

Rom 4:17 even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

• Faith calls things!

• We are not called to be like thermometers – only able to detect and speak of what is!

• We are called to be like thermostats that call for the temperature we want – people who change the spiritual atmosphere around us and the circumstances of our lives

• Faith calls for what it desires based on the promises of God

2Pe 1:4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

• We have been given exceedingly great, exceedingly valuable, omnipotent promises that can change any impossibility of our life by the word of His power!

Gen 13:14 And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; Gen 13:15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.

• Abraham’s promised land was a physical land that God showed him, “as far as the eye could see”

• The principle of faith works exactly the same today in the new covenant only our promised land is all of the promises of God we can “see”

• God word transmits images to our spirit man to see what belongs to us

Words transmit images

Kangaroo, Hippo, Zebra

Rom 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

• Part of the supernatural ministry of Holy Spirit is to fill us with supernatural visions and images of the life and destiny God has for us!

• God uses our redeemed imagination to see His promises on the inside, then invites us to emulate the faith He operates in by calling things into existence which be not!

God told Abraham to look at the stars and the sand as a visual cue of how many descendants he would have.

Job 22:28 You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.

Don’t call it how it is, call it how you want it!

• Some Christians who have a problem with the message of faith say you have to call it like it is, or you’re lying!

Dog illustration about calling things: The Dog’s gone (X5)

That would be the doggone truth!

Christians who only affirm what already is are like someone who stands there when the dog is present and say, "The dog's here" (X5)

• Any person with 1 eye and half sense can see the dog's there!

• God's method is not confessing what is, "I'm Sick", or "I'm Broke".

• God's method is for calling for what you want!

• God didn’t stand on the nothing beholding the aching void and declare, “Nothing is”, Instead He said, Light Be!And it was!

1Co 1:26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 1Co 1:27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

1Co 1:28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,

The things that are are the observable reality in your life

God uses things which are not (things which are currently unobservable) to bring to nothing things which currently are!

This means that things which are unseen have to power to change the seen – regardless of the current conditions!

• Maybe in your life right now, something exists which is contrary to the word, will, and promises of God: Sickness, Pain, Defeat, Hopelessness, Depression, Poverty, Unfruitful labor – you know what it is – the bible calls these things mountains!

• God uses faith in His promises, believed in the heart of man, and decreed and acted on, to bring supernatural change and transformation to make your life look like heaven on earth

• If your life doesn’t look like heaven on earth in every area yet, you’re hearing the right message and the right preacher today

• You can take the promise of God on healing, meditate on it, believe it in your heart, and decree it out of your mouth – calling healing into existence and displace sickness!

• You can do the same with a financial need or desire

• If you have a need or desire, get a promise from the word and begin to meditate on it – then ask Holy Spirit for the seed you need to sow to act on the word and just do it!

I wanted a printing company and sowed a seed, 2 days later I had access to 110k Examples of God calling things that be not as though they were

Question: do we ever see Jesus or God operating this way?

Wedding Cana of Galilee: Joh 2:8 And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it.

Pool of Bethesda: Joh 5:8 Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk."

Man with a withered hand: Luk 6:10 And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."

Jesus and the disciples were in the boat going to the other side and a great storm of wind and waves arose: Mar 4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

VI. Faith & Words

Rom 10:8 But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): Rom 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Rom 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

• ½ of the faith equation involves the words of your mouth

• Faith is voice activated – when something is voice activated that means it is controlled or operates by voice command

• Your voice is your address in the spirit – when you prayed to receive Christ someone else didn’t get saved you did!

• Your voiceprint is actually as unique is your fingerprint – no 2 voices are identical

Psa 103:20 Bless the LORD, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. Psa 103:21 Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.

• Angels are voice activated

Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

• We know that angels are mega-powerful beings and in one OT case 1 angel killed over 180,000 enemies of Israel in 1 night!

• We know that’s at least 6.4kps or 6.4 kills per second

• By speaking and decreeing God’s word, we activate angels to work on our behalf and bring to bear unimaginable power to see God’s kingdom and promises manifest in our life!

Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

• Our life will manifest the fruit of our words so we have the power to decree life or decree death - harvest is inevitable

Jas 1:26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.

• The words you speak can deceive your very heart if you don't bridle your tongue

James 3:3 (GW) We put bits in the mouths of horses to make them obey us, and we have control over everything they do.

• As the bridle is to the horse, as the steering wheel is to the car, so the tongue is to the human being.

• The steering wheel of the car has full control over the direction of that car

• Your tongue and the words you release with it have power over the direction of your life and your future!

Prov 6:2 (BBE) You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.

• Abraham had the promise that he would be the father of many nations at 75 but for 24 years he had no offspring

Gen_15:2 But Abram said, "Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"

• Abraham was not walking by faith when he made this statement, he was walking by "seeing I go childless".

• It wasn't until God changed His name when He was 99 and he heard his 318 hired servants declaring daily "Father of many nations that Abraham saw the promise manifest"

• Abraham's 318 hired servants were daily releasing a declaration of faith over him that he was the father of many nations

• This is the power of words and prophetic declaration to propel you into your future and shape your destiny

• Prophet Kim Clement would always say, "You're somewhere in your future and you look much better than you look right now!"

Zechariah and Elizabeth: Were barren & too old to have kids when an angel appeared to Zecharias to tell him

Luk 1:13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John…..Luk 1:18 And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." Luk 1:19 And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. Luk 1:20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."

• God knew that Zecharias unbelief and bad confession would keep the promise from ever happening so God had to shut his mouth until John the spirit-filled Baptist arrived!

Mar 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

• For you to operate in powerful faith, you must exercise integrity in your speech

• If you live a life constantly speaking as if what you say doesn’t matter and won’t come to pass, you will greatly diminish your ability to operate in the God Kind of Faith

• Some people want to make great faith confessions, but afterward they speak contrary to what they confessed in their everyday life

• MK 11:23 – says the “Things” which he says shall come to pass

• That means the overall lifestyle of words you speak is either working for you or against you and it’s your choice!

Pro 4:24 (AMP) Put away from you false and dishonest speech, and willful and contrary talk put far from you

False: Just saying things that aren’t true or correct

Lying: Telling an untruth, usually to deceive or cover up evil

Contrary: opposite in nature, direction, or meaning.

• If a big dog walks by and you jokingly say, “Look at that little dog” – unless you are trying to release faith to shrink it – that is contrary speech and you are training your spirit not to believe your words are powerful and move mountains

Matt 5:37 (NLT) Just say a simple, 'Yes, I will,' or 'No, I won't.' Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

• As a Christian, a person of faith and integrity, our word should be our bond

• If you are a person of your word, not only will you believe your words but so will others

Mat 12:36 But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.

• God takes our words so seriously ultimately they are the difference between heaven and hell!Shouldn’t we!

• God reveals here that words are containers

• Our words can be empty containers, or our words can be full of faith and hope

• If you learn the power of words, you can get more done with your mouth than you ever could with your hands

VII. Faith moves mountains with words because mountains are made of words

Heb 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible.

• Some years ago Scientist discovered that matter was made of time units called molecules

• They then discovered the molecules were made of atoms

• Then they discovered that atoms were made of protons, neutrons, and electrons

• They have finally discovered that protons, neutrons, and electrons are made of quarks

• The best that they can tell is that quarks are made of sound waves

Luk_17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

1. If it were God's will for the mountain to be there God never would have told you to move it!

2. If you only knew what was on the other side of your mountain you would move it!

3. If it is there, you have the authority to move it!

4. Your mountain needs to hear your voice!

5. If what you have in life is all up to God we need to rip Mk 11:23 out of our bible.

VIII. The Fight of Faith

Colossians 2:15 (AMP) [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross].

• Jesus won the war and disarmed our enemies

Luk_19:13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

• Our job is to enforce and maintain the enemies defeat

• Our enemy wants to take as many people down with him as possible - misery loves company

Mat 6:33 But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.

Luk 12:32 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

• Here we have the great dichotomy of the kingdom of God

Dichotomy: something with seemingly contradictory qualities

• On the 1 hand, God freely gives you the kingdom of God as a gift and there is nothing you can do to earn it

• On the other hand, the Kingdom is like a seed that develops in the process of time through renewing of the mind which produces transformation and transfiguration

• It must be pursued and sought to enter it

Matt 11:12 (AMP) And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize--a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion].

Acts 14:22 (AMP) Establishing and strengthening the souls and the hearts of the disciples, urging and warning and encouraging them to stand firm in the faith, and [telling them] that it is through many hardships and tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

• We are in a war, there is a fight, and through faith we win

1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

• The faith fight is the good fight because it's a fixed fight

Lay Hold: to seize

• Faith lays hold of the promise of God

• Faith maintains a good confession

• If the enemy can keep you in the sense realm: walking by site you lose the fight

• Because faith believes before it sees - and site refuses to believe unless it sees.

• If you keep the spiritual battle in the faith realm you win

1Jn 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

IX. Faith operates in the past tense of God's Promises, Power, and Blessings

• There was a day when people "contended" at the altar for salvation and waited in hopes that God might save them!

This is partially true because of misunderstanding about the sovereignty of God.

Sovereign: Having Supreme Power and Authority

• Nobody in their right mind would argue with the fact that God has supreme power and authority, this is actually the prerequisite of being God!

• However God delegated dominion, authority, and lordship over planet earth to man in Gen 1:26

1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion

Dominion: Be Lord, Reign, Rule, Have Mastery of, Govern, Have Jurisdiction, To Be Great & Powerful.

• God handed over All Ruler ship, Governing Authority, and Power to Adam after creating him.

• God let Adam be the Lord of the Earth and reign over the entire jurisdiction of it.

• Nothing else God created could resist Adam’s dominion because it covered, “all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Psa 115:16 Heaven belongs to the LORD alone, but he gave the earth to us humans.

• When man sinned he committed high treason against God and handed the dominion on planet earth to Satan

2Co 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe.

• When Jesus came, he defeated the devil and won back the dominion on planet earth

Heb 2:14 (CEV) We are people of flesh and blood. That is why Jesus became one of us. He died to destroy the devil, who had power over death.

Rev 1:18 I am the living One. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.

Mat 28:18 Jesus came and told His disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

Mat 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations

• Immediately after Jesus won back the dominion from the devil, he handed back over to man on the earth because that was His plan from the beginning and it never changed

• Jesus secured our redemption and a spiritual inheritance more valuable than our wildest dreams.

Heb 9:15 Because Christ offered himself to God, he is able to bring a new promise from God. Through his death he paid the price to set people free from the sins they committed under the first promise. He did this so that those who are called can be guaranteed an inheritance that will last forever. Heb 9:16 In order for a will to take effect, it must be shown that the one who made it has died. Heb 9:17 A will is used only after a person is dead because it goes into effect only when a person dies.

• Jesus died to redeem us and put His will into effect which is our inheritance - then He came back to life to appear before the Father as our advocate and mediator

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

• He gave us spirit inspired prayers to understand what belongs to us in Christ

Eph 1:18 (BBE) And that having the eyes of your heart full of light, you may have knowledge of what is the hope of his purpose, what is the wealth of the glory of his heritage in the saints,

• He gave us Holy Spirit to be able to see the things which belong to us!

1Co 2:12 Now, we didn't receive the spirit that belongs to the world. Instead, we received the Spirit who comes from God so that we could know the things which God has freely given us.

• We become brand new people, we have a whole new world called the Kingdom of God, we have a whole new master who is also our friend, we have a whole new way of life that includes salvation, joy, peace, divine health, healthy relationships and total prosperity.

• When you understand the past tense of God's word and the inheritance Christ purchased for you, you immediately realize that questions about God's will to heal in any situation are invalidated

• The same is true concerning prosperity and the blessings of God

2 Cor 1:20 (NKJV) For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

X. Faith + Rejoicing leads to manifested breakthrough!

1Pe 1:8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 1Pe 1:9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

Psa 67:5 Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. Psa 67:6 Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us.

Act 16:25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Act 16:26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.

XI. Faith declares the outcome in the middle of the battle

1Sa 17:45 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 1Sa 17:46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

• Never run at your giant with your mouth shut!

• Winning the war of words is the precursor to victory in battle!

XI. Faith Refuses Offense

Syrophonecian Woman

"Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed." Mat 15:23 But He answered her not a word.

1st opportunity for offense: Jesus ignored her

And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us."

2nd opportunity for offense: The Disciples Rejected her

Mat 15:24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

3rd opportunity for offense: You are unacceptable

Mat 15:25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" Mat 15:26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."

4th opportunity for offense: Jesus called her a DOG!!!

Mat 15:27 And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."

• Her faith, love, and desperation for her daughter to be healed caused her to refuse offense and refuse to be denied!

• When Jesus calls you a dog the best response is BOW-WOW!

Mat 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

• This woman and the Centurion were the only 2 people Jesus said had great faith

• If you are going to operate in faith you are going to have to avoid the pitfall of offense

• Offense is an event, Offended is a choice – Stephen Furtick

XII. Faith Works by Love

Gal 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

Working: To Be Active, Operative, Effective, Produce, to Function.

• Love is the on/off switch of faith

• Faith also works by God's Love impacting us

Rom 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.