Saturday Motivation! Be Encouraged Winners! Let`s Grow in Faith!
18th February 2020
Saturday Motivation! Be Encouraged Winners! Let`s Grow in Faith!
Text:
Matthew 17 v 20; Faith can move mountains
What is faith?
Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see
Faith is taking the first step even when you do not see the whole staircase
The greatest test of faith is when you do not get what you want but still you are able to say, thank You Lord!
Faith is the basic ingredient to begin a relationship with God. It is the assurance that the things revealed and promised in the Word are true, even though unseen, and gives the believer a conviction that what he expects in faith will come to pass.
It is easy to lose faith at this time because of the devastating news we are hearing from different countries all over the world. The number of people that has died as a result of this plague can cause us to doubt if God really loves us and knows the best for us. In these difficult times, it is vital that we remember God`s promises from scripture for those who believe.
As Winners, we are promised blessings and a prosperous future and bible verses can offer us strength and hope for today and tomorrow. Bible verses can help us grow in faith.
At this time, the Lord is our peace. The more we trust Him, the greater our faith will increase. When planting a seed, we cannot hold it in our hands or just drop it on the soil. We have to dig and plant it inside the soil. So it is with the Word of God. We must dig into it by first trusting in Him. This prompts us to take further action as faith without works is dead.
If we do nothing, we get nothing. But let us be rest assured that the Lord is willing to strengthen and help us if we are willing to trust Him.
Faith is the power we need. Faith is a universal currency that you can use anywhere. Faith is not limited to time, space and location. Faith can deliver your divine allocation to you. True faith motivates a believer to act.
God has given to every believer a measure of faith. He has given us the starter kit that would enable each of us to build our collection of faith through His Word. The more scriptures we digest, the stronger we become spiritually. Faith builds our confidence and helps us to see with our spiritual eyes that what we need is already there even if not physically present.
Why is the topic of Faith so important?
Faith is so important because without it, we have no place with God. It is the belief in the only true God without actually seeing Him. Faith is not something we can purchase, produce or sell. Faith is actually a gift from God.
The way to differentiate between people that belong to God and those who do not is through faith. Our faith in God should not be conditional. We cannot say that because we earnestly seek God according to Hebrews 11 v 6, then God will provide us with everything because of our faith. We should always remember that our timing is not God`s timing.
Why do we need faith?
Faith is what will sustain us to the very end.
By faith, we know that we will spend eternity with our maker. This is because even though we cannot see Him, we believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.
Without demonstrating faith and trust in God, we have no place with Him. We believe in God`s existence by faith.
A lot of people lack faith because they cannot submit to a God they cannot see and can therefore not experience His power.
As believers, our faith can falter at times but because faith is a gift from God, He provides times of trial and testing in order to prove that our faith is real. The trials we face helps us to sharpen and strengthen what remains. This is why Apostle James encourages us to “consider it pure joy when we fall into trials, because the testing of our faith produces perseverance and matures us.
Examples of Faith
Hebrews Chapter 11 is known as the faith chapter because there are great deeds of faith there.
By faith Abel offered a pleasing sacrifice to God.
By faith, Noah built the ark.
By faith Abraham left his home and obeyed God`s command to go to where he did not know, and he also willingly offered his only son.
By faith Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt.
By faith Rahab received the spies of Israel and saved her life.
Many more heroes of faith are mentioned in the scriptures and they conquered Kingdoms, administered justice and gained what was promised.
Some shut mouths of lions. Some were thrown in the fiery furnace heated three times over and were not burnt.
Some escaped the edge of the sword (Elijah).
Some were super powerful in battle and defeated foreign armies.
Let`s look at some faith scriptures to strengthen ourselves;
1 Corinthians 2 v 5: Your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God
2 Corinthians 5 v7: I will walk by faith even when I cannot see
Mark 11 v 24; Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours
Mark 10 v 52: Go, said Jesus, your faith has healed you. Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Ephesians 2 v 8-9 ; For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not of works that no one should boast.
2 Corinthians 5 v 7: I have to live my life in faith without seeing Him
Matthew 17 v 20: He replied, because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, move from here to here, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. (Faith can move mountains)
Hebrews 11 v 6; Without faith it is impossible to please God for those who come to God must believe that He exists and rewards those who diligently seek Him.
Luke 1 v 37: Faith does not make things easy. It makes things possible
Matthew 21 v 22: You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it
Faith is taking the first step even when you do not see the whole staircase
Ephesians 2 v 8: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God
Matthew 8 v 13: And Jesus said to the centurion, go your way, and as you have believed, so be it done to you and his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
James 2 v 14; What good is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, go in peace, be warmed and filled without giving them the things they need for the body, is that good?
James: 2 v 24; You see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Romans 12 v3; For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think highly than he ought to think but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
2 Timothy 4 v7: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Galatians 2 v 20: I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see
Hebrews 11 v 1: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen
Worry ends when faith begins
Romans 5v1: Being therefore justified by faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord
1 Corinthians 13 v 2: If I have faith that can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.
Matthew 21v21: Jesus answered and said to them, truly I say to you, if you have faith and doubt not, you shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if you shall say to this mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea, it shall be done.
Isaiah 7 v 9: Stand firm in your faith
1 Corinthians 13 v 13: There are three things that last; faith, hope and love but the greatest of these is love
Let your faith be bigger than your fears
James 5 v 15: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise Him up, and If He has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
1 Corinthians 16 v 13: Be on your guard, stand firm and be courageous; be strong
2 Timothy 4 v7: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith
James 1 v 2-3: My brethren count it all joy when you fall into various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience
Romans 1 v 17: For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written, the just shall live by faith
Faith without works is dead
Ephesians 6 v 16: Above all, taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked
Have faith in God, only believe, all things are possible to them that believe
1 Corinthian 15 v 58: Let nothing move you
Isaiah 7 v 9: Stand firm in your faith
Hebrews 10 v 38: Now the just shall live by faith, but if any man shall draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him
Galatians 6 v 10: So then while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
The greatest test of faith is when you do not get what you want but still you are able to say, thank You Lord!
Romans 5: 1-2; Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God!
Romans 10 v 17: So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of God.
Luke 17 v 5: The apostles said to the Lord, increase our faith
Let us pray!
Song 5
Title: You Are Worth It
Verse 1
I say yes to you my Lord
And not to my desires
I`ll leave myself behind
And i`ll follow you
Chorus
I will follow you,
I will follow you (4ce)
2nd verse
I`ll walk with you my Lord
I`ll walk in faith with you
Cos even when I fall
Your grace will pick me up
Chorus
Your grace will pick me up
Your grace will pick me up (4ce)
3rd Verse
I`ve counted up the cost
Oh I`ve counted up the cost
I`ve counted up the cost
And you are worth it Lord,
Chorus
You are worth it Lord
You are worth it Lord (4ce)
Verse 4
I do not need safety
As much as I need you Lord
You are powerful and awesome
You are able to save
Chorus
You are able to save
You are able to save
Lord you are, you are able to save, you are able to save.
Verse 5
Lord I`ll chase you through the plague
I`ll carry up my cross
I `ll run into your arms
Cos you are worth it Lord!
Chorus till fades
You are worth it Lord!
You are worth it Lord
Yes you are!
You are worth it Lord!
You are worth it Lord
Yes you are!
You are worth it Lord!