HAVE FAITH IN GOD!

MARK 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

Pastor Rick Jackson

We need faith in God for special needs, We need faith in God for the rough times. But we need faith in God for everyday... for ordinary times... for life in general. Jesus here made a blanket statement in response to the disciples noticing a miracle Jesus had performed as a matter of course. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

I. THE GREAT IMPORTANCE OF FAITH

1. No-one can please God without it! [Heb. 11:5-6]

It is the first requirement to do anything pleasing to God. Without faith---
-one cannot be saved
-one cannot pray acceptably
-one cannot live victoriously

2. Faith is plainly commanded as a duty! [Mk. 11:22]

John 20;27 Then saith he to Thomas, ... be not faithless, but believing.

3. Unbelief is a Sin! [Hebrews 3:12]

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God

Romans 14:23b ...for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Mark 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

4. Faith can get anything in the universe with nothing impossible!

Matthew 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Mark 9;23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

FAITH FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL ITEM--- faith for salvation won't get you a job, etc.

II. WHAT IS FAITH?

1. Faith is a certain conviction, an evidence that we will get the thing we hope & ask for [Hebrews 11:1]

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

2. Not every confidence, feeling or assurance we have is faith in God

-lady prayed for a girl but got a boy, God didn't lie, she wasn't given assurance by God for a girl even though she thought she had begged enough, she had faith in her prayers not faith in God

-people make a false assumption of salvation based on baptism, church membership, good works, etc. That's not Bible saving faith.

-sometimes self-deception is called faith

3. It is only as we come to know the will of God through the Word of God and the Spirit of God that we can have faith in particular matters!

Jn. 3:36, 6:37 - saving faith takes God at His Word

Faith in God is faith based on the Bible, or the clear leading of the Holy Spirit. It is always based upon what God has promised and it NEVER goes against His Word!

Faith is not a way of getting things God doesn't want us to have.

Faith is a way of getting things God wants and plans for us to have.

Find a clear promise in God's Word that He will do such a thing and believe and depend upon it--- then you have trusted God and your faith will be rewarded with the thing promised. If you are clearly led by the Spirit of God that a prayer request is in God's Will, will honor God, and that He will do it--- then that is faith in God and He will do it!

If someone says they had faith in God and still insist they didn't get it... be sure they did not have true faith in God. True faith in God is always rewarded. God keeps His promises. Faith is the assurance that God will do a thing because He has promised to do it. Faith is believing God.

4. Faith may be based on a known mercy of God without a definite promise. [Matthew 15:22-28]

But remember- God's wisdom is higher than ours. What we think would be mercy to have God may know to not be right for us!

III. HOW TO EXERCISE FAITH & GROW GREATER FAITH IN GOD

1. Learn the Word of God [Rm. 10:17]

-it's true - because faith is based on God's promises

-it's tried - because the more you are in the Word the more familiar you become with God [Psalm 37:4]

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine
heart.

-it tunes us to Him-
Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

2. Fully surrender to the leading of the Holy Spirit and to the will of God [1st John 3:20-22] Sin will kill faith!

3. Act on the faith you have.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

NOTE: I found this message in a file of unfinished messages I keep. Generally if I "adapt" a message from another preacher I give credit where possible. There were no such notes on this message but I feel certain it was highly influenced by Dr. John R. Rice to whom (earthly speaking) I owe much of my Christian growth.