FAITH IS THE VICTORY

I JOHN 5:1-5

Adapted from Lee Roberson by Rick Jackson

Think about what would be the most important thing for you to have? Some would say money, power, food, shelter or clothing. Others might want popularity or good feelings. Maybe health or family. As important as some of these may be they are not the most important thing for you or I to have. The most important thing for you to have is faith in the One True God.

In Mk. 11:22 Jesus said, “Have faith in God!”

In Lk. 17:5 the apostles pleaded, “Lord, Increase our faith!”

Rom. 10:17 declares, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God!”

Someone may question why faith in the true God is so important. My friends, faith makes prayer successful! It opens the Bible to us! It gives us peace. It can make a drab person radiant and can lift you out of defeat. Faith I the One True God can give you the determination to continue despite all odds. Look at David, at Daniel, at Paul. Faith does that! Faith gives us roses in winter, food in famine, water in drought and victory in conflict!

Some have no faith, others have little faith but some have great faith. Why is that? Consider,

I. THE BEGINNING OF FAITH (RM. 10:17)

1. God’s Word is established! (Ps. 119.11)

2. Faith begins when I consciously receive God’s Word (I Th. 2:13)

3. Faith in Christ saves the sinner! (I Th. 1:5-10)

Once faith begins it shouldn’t stop there. We must continue with

II. THE BUILDING OF FAITH (LK. 17:5)

1. Faith falters when the Scriptures are misused (II Pet. 3:15-16)

2. Faith grows when we act on the Word (James 1:22-25)

3. Faith grows when we pray (Mk. 9:23-24)

4. Faith grows when we memorize the Word (Ps. 119:11)

5. Faith grows when we believe (Heb. 11:6)

So now what? So now we see the result. In other words,

III. THE BLESSING OF FAITH

Faith will keep us steady. We can express this in 8 simple words, 4 simple phrases concerning how faith in God will help us.

1. Think straight (Phil. 4:8)

2. Pray right (Jm. 4:3)

3. Walk correctly (Eph. 5:15-16)

4. Trust completely (Jn. 14:1, 27_