All right, keep your Bibles open there in 2 Chronicles 18 and please also keep your finger there
But please also go to Ephesians chapter 6 go to Ephesians chapter 6 once again
and I am continuing our series on the whole armor of God and
I wanted to get a story of a battle right because we're talking about putting on the armor
You know, we're involved in this spiritual battle not a physical fight. There's a lot of great battles
There's a lot of great stories in the Old Testament that help illustrate a truth right help illustrate a spiritual truth
Please go to Ephesians chapter 6 verse 13
Ephesians chapter 6 and verse number 13 it says wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able to
Stand in the evil day and having done all to stand stand therefore having your loins good about with truth
So we've covered that and having on the breastplate of righteousness
We've covered that and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. We've covered that now look at verse number 16
This is what we're focused on today. It says above all
Above all taking the shield of faith where if ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked
And so when we're looking at the armor of God all of its important, right?
God wants us to put the whole thing on not to leave out any pieces now
I know spiritual warfare, but it says he very clearly verse number 16 above all
You know that means most important when it comes to all these things are all important
But what is above all of that is to have the shield of faith, why is the shield of faith important?
It says wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. This is why it's important
Okay, because when the devil attacks us when this world attacks us, it's that faith
It's that shield of faith that'll protect us from the attacks of the wicked all right, so this is above all
We must make sure yeah, you can have all the armor on but forget the shield of faith
Where you're gonna be hit by those arrows you're gonna be hit by those fiery darts, okay, so we need the shield of faith now
Let's go back to 2nd Chronicles chapter 18 2nd Chronicles chapter 18 and verse number 29
Let's find this story here in the Old Testament very famous story a lot of great teachings in it
But I want to tie it in here with the armor of God all right. I'll give us number 29, so
Quick summary of the story we have King Jehoshaphat's all right of Judah
You know he's a godly king. He's trying to please the Lord
He's also you know reaching out as a friend to the northern king Ahab right, but
Bad decision you know there are some friends. You should just avoid well some people you should just avoid right
He's trying to bring this allegiance trying to be a friend to this other king and this other king
Encourages Jehoshaphat to get involved in a war with Syria all right and now King Ahab has all these
Has all these false prophets right now
He has all these teachers of the law that will tell him what he wants to hear all right
But Jehoshaphat wants to hear from a true man of God right he's a godly man
He wants to make sure before I go to war that I have God on my side that God is telling me
It's time to fight this battle all right
So we have two men right one who's seeking God and one who's just you know just doing his own thing right doing his own
Thing and then you know eventually they find one man
Who one one prophet who says look God is not with you here you go there
You know King and and you're gonna die basically right anyway for whatever reason it doesn't stop these two to go to war
I know the reason why right but King Ahab for him. He just had no faith
He did not believe the Word of God. He did not believe the prophet of God right and what are we teaching on today?
We're teaching on the shield of faith right having faith is to trust
What God has said is true and to believe in that right to carry that through and say God you have said this I'm going
To have faith that this is true both these men lacked in faith
Okay
They both went to war at least Jehoshaphat was trying to do what is right trying to do what is godly
He even finds himself in a difficult situation here, but look at verse number 29
It says in the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat. I will disguise myself, and we'll go to the battle
But put thou on thy robes so the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went to the battle all right
So it's all about putting on the whole armor of God. What do we find find one king?
That's this look. I'm not gonna put on my kingly robes
I'm not going to present myself as the king right he says to the to the godly King
Hey, you put on your robes though you dress up for the battle right and of course
He's trying to hide himself from the enemy so if the enemy goes toward the king wants to kill the king
It's going to kill Jehoshaphat even though it wasn't his idea to go to war right, but Jehoshaphat
Hey, he does what's right?
He puts on his kingly robes you know he presents himself as a chief you know commander-in-chief in the army here
And then let's keep reading there verse number 30
Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him saying
Fight ye not with smaller greats save only the king of Israel, so that's the tactics here right don't don't worry about defeating the whole army
We're just going after the king. We're going for the head. We take him down. We take down the whole army
That's their tactics right and so Jehoshaphat is the one that looks like that looks kingly all right
verse number 31
And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat
And that they said it is the king of Israel though
He wasn't the king of Israel is the king of Judah all right therefore they come past about him to fight
But Jehoshaphat cried out now who did he cry out to it's quite clear that he cries out to God right he finds himself in
A battle he finds himself about to be defeated all these these soldiers are coming to fight him
He cries out to the Lord it says here and the Lord helped him and God moved them to depart from him
So I don't know exactly what happens, but somehow God
I guess confuses these soldiers, and they don't go and attack him right he cries out
He cries out to God right and this is you know where we see this his faith step in right because he didn't have the faith
He should have listened to our Micaiah. He said don't go to war he should have done that
He didn't have the faith right now though. He has the faith right he's calling out to God
God help me and God steps in and helps him
Look at verse number 32
Sorry verse number 33 and a certain man drew a bow at a venture what that means is
There's a guy with a bow and arrow and adventure basically means
Just takes the risk just just he just this just you know fires
You know he doesn't really aim at anything
He just flies his arrow right just a random shot
you know from from one of the one of the enemies right he draws a bow at adventure and
Smotes the king of Israel between the joints of the harness not only that he get does he get the king of Israel
But between the hunt like you know where it's weak in the armor
Right somehow the arrow defines the weak spot in the armor
And he gets the king of Israel there, and then it says therefore he said to his chariot man turn thine hand
That thou mayest carry me out of the host for I am wounded and the battle increased that day
Howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even and about the time of the Sun going
Down he died all right so this King king of Israel wicked King
No faith in God not trust in the works of God right he doesn't put on his his battle armor
You know he doesn't put on his his kingly robes. He doesn't stand out
He tries to hide his lack in the faith and guess what happens he gets hit by just a random arrow
All right, what did we learn about the shoot of faith that it protects us it quenches all the fiery darts of the wicked
Now brethren here's the thing about Satan all right. Yes, the devil's may know
Certain temptations certain difficulties you may have in your life because they have to have had success on you already
You know they might have brought in some temptation some sin that you've fallen over all right
Maybe maybe they've done something to cause you not to live godly, but you know many times. They're just gonna shoot all arrows at ya
They're just gonna shoot indiscriminately
Right it's just gonna go flying and if you haven't got your shield of faith. It's gonna hit where it's weak right
That's what the devil does he hits you with everything
Right you there are some sins
There are some things that you don't struggle with but the devil's just gonna throw it your way
He's hoping something will stick and he'll throw something else you throw another another another arrow at you another arrow at you right
It's a spiritual war we need to make sure we have the whole armor of God
We must make sure we have the shield of faith
You know if we haven't got that shield of faith brethren if we don't live in accordance to God's Word and trust what he says
One of those arrows one of those fiery darts will get you you know will get you and you know take you down in your
Spiritual life and yet we have the other king at that one moment
He cries out to God in faith God comes and delivers him he had the shield of faith right and hey
He wasn't ashamed of going with his kingly robes
He was ready to go and fight even though he hadn't
Done correctly at the beginning, but he eventually gets that shield of faith, and he finds himself protected protected from the enemy
Okay, so there's a great story there great story a great illustration of this spiritual truth and brethren
Let me just tell you Satan's gonna shoot every arrow
All right every arrow you turn on the TV
There's probably gonna be a hundred arrows going your way some of those things you probably like just that doesn't bother me
You know you might see some I don't know you might see a commercial on alcohol or some other
You know ungodly device that might that some people struggle with you may not struggle with some of that
But then on the television they might find they might show you a woman
That's not dressed well not dressed modestly all right, and that might you might end up struggling with that all right
I mean those is gonna throw everything at you everything at you
And you need to be prepared don't think you can go to this battle without the shield of faith
You must have it on to the bubble taking the shield of faith, okay now
Please go to Hebrews chapter 11
We have to go to Hebrews chapter 11 whenever we're teaching on on the topic of faith
Why what's a chapter of faith Hebrews chapter 11 for sure right you guys go to Hebrews chapter 11?
And I'm going to read to you from Matthew 17 Matthew 17
You just get ready in Hebrews 11, but Matthew 17 verse 18. We have the story here of Jesus rebuking a devil
Matthew 17 verse 18 reads and
Jesus rebuked the devil and he departed out of him and the child was cured from that very hour
then came the disciples to Jesus apart and said why could not we cast him out and
Jesus said unto them because of your unbelief
Okay
So the devil's could not cast out sorry the devil's the did I say that was the disciples could not cast out a devil right?
Because Jesus makes a very clear because of your unbelief you will lack in faith
And then it says this for verily I say unto you if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed
You shall say unto this mountain remove hands to you on the place and it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible
unto you
Now are these words true did Jesus say these words?
That if we just have faith like a mustard seed a small seed a small amount of faith
We can accomplish great things
That's what God says we just need a small amount of faith
And we can accomplish great things listen when you first place your faith on Jesus Christ you accomplish a great thing
He was saved right you believe the gospel you believe Jesus Christ you trust it in his sacrifice
Just faith alone and now you're on your way to heaven
Hey that shows you that a little bit of faith can accomplish a great amount of thing right amount a great amount of works
Right you can do great things for God, but here's the thing now that you are saved
We're commanded to live by faith right we're commanded to walk by faith, and so God wants us to accomplish great works for him
You know again. We're in a warfare brethren
We're in the fights and that faith that should have is going to protect you from the evil one
So you can go forward and cause some damage to the spiritual kingdom of Satan right didn't get there
And you know prove yourself show God's power through your life, but look without faith
You're not going to do great works without faith. You're not going to do anything for the Lord it all starts with faith
Now what is faith Hebrews chapter 11 verse number 1 Hebrews 11 verse number 1 the Bible is very clear
It says now faith is the substance of things hoped for number 1
biblical faith
Christian faith is not an empty or blind faith. It's not blind
It says it is the substance of things hoped for okay
We don't just believe whatever we're told it's built upon something. Okay. It is built on something that is substantial
That's where substance comes from say. What is it built on right here this book?
Okay, we read these words. We see this book. This is what we need to trust
Believe place our faith on it's not built on nothingness. Okay. It's built on something and our faith is
Has substance right it says the evidence of things not seen all right. Have you seen God?
Have you seen Jesus have you seen heaven or hell?
Yet, I'm sure if I ask any of you guys. You're going to tell me I know it's true
100% just as much as I know my name is Kevin just as much as I know
I have 11 kids just as much as I know that I live you know in Barringah
All right, just as much as I know anything in this reality. I know Jesus Christ. I know he's real
I know he died for me. I know he's prepared a place for me in heaven just as much
It's not like I have less trust in that I believe in that just as much
and I'm sure if I ask you you'll be saying the same thing to me okay because
That's what faith does it's the evidence of things not seen I know there's an eternity well
I'm not looking to waste my time on a Wednesday night
You know if we don't believe these things if we don't believe in a spiritual world
We don't believe any turn in eternity in heaven or hell
Why are we here then if we don't believe those things the fact that you're here listening to me?
Listening to some guy talk for 40 minutes 50 minutes an hour
Proves to me that you have evidence of those things and that evidence is your faith
That's why we're here to listen to the Word of God look at verse number two
For by it by faith that is the elders obtained a good report
Okay, a good report so a good report is the outcome of faith
Okay, so I hope you're living for the Lord. I hope you're doing great things with your life
I hope you know you're becoming a better husband a better father better children as you grow in faith for the Lord
I hope there's a good report about your life
It should be if you have the faith if you believe the Word of God what should it should produce is a good report
Okay, the fact that you're doing good works verse number three look at verse number three
It says through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the world Word of God
Hey, is that what our scientists teach that the worlds were framed by the word word of God?
They don't teach that you know why because they don't have faith in God
They haven't got faith in the Word of God and yet you asked me. You know are you how was the world created?
I can tell you exactly just over 6,000 years ago some
6,100 like was it 200 years right I can't remember what I worked out right you know it took God six days
And all he had to do was say a few things let there be lights, and there was lights the Bible says right
I know that and yet these scientists who get the big paychecks in universities
They dedicate their whole lives for this and they're wrong. They're lying
They're deceived, and they don't even know it
But they're deceived you know and they think they're doing good, but no that's not a good report before the Lord
That's not a good report, and it says so so that are things which are seen
That's everything that we see in this world right I can see you I can see the chairs I can see the carpet
I can see the building I can see the Sun and the and the ocean and I can see the grass and the trees
It says here so the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear
Where the world you know everything is built on things you can't see things that do not appear
you know it's
The atom you know the atom cannot be seen by the naked eye
Okay, the atom you need a very powerful
Microscope to be able to see the smallest atom
It's impossible with the naked eye and yet God knew about that God knew that the things that he built you know a thing from
Built from things that cannot be seen I mean this is this is what faith is right the fact that we have this evidence
We have this substance of our faith
Okay, it's real
Okay, it gives us a good report
But it's built on something that many people cannot see but I know it's there. I know I know I have faith
I know you have faith right. I know that it's right there, and you know what the atom is
Not the smallest particle. You know the atom is made up of small particles all right
There are subatomic particles that make up the atom you know the electrons the protons and the neutrons
And you know what those particles cannot be seen there is no microscope that can see those things
It's never been seen by a human being
But what they have seen are the effects of those particles
They don't see the particles, but they see the effects of those particles. They know it's out there, okay?
They can't really find them because they're so tiny
But they know they're there all right, and you know what they say about these particles
They say that it well
There's sort of debate amongst the scientific community if these particles are actually made of matter or just energy
Imagine it's not even made of matter and yet
We have all this matter made up from things that contain no matter
Well that sounds like what we just read there in Hebrews chapter 11 all right. It's amazing
You know this is the creation of God, but why do I know I didn't I didn't need the scientists to tell me this I know
Because of my faith on the Word of God that this is how is created things that everything that we see is made of things
That we cannot see things that do not appear drop down to verse number 6 Hebrews chapter 11 verse number 6
It says, but without faith it is impossible to please him, so we want to please God
Well, we need we need faith right when we have faith
We please him when you place your faith on Jesus Christ it pleased the Lord whenever you place your faith on God for your daily
Life it pleases the Lord and when you lack faith it displeases the Lord, okay?
This is here for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and
That he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him so brethren I know
Number one for he that cometh to God must believe that he is I know you believe that already okay
I know that but then that's not it and
This is what else we have to believe and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him
Brethren this is what pleases the Lord number one that you know that he is and number two that he is a rewarder of
Them that diligently seek him okay?
This is what our faith ought to be based on you know and this is why it's it's easy
You know to build faith is because when you find yourself living in faith
You're gonna find that God's gonna start rewarding you you're gonna find that God starts to bless you
Okay, and when you can see those things it's much easier to have greater faith for some greater task
So some from some greater
Hope that you may have in the future the Bible says in Matthew 7 7 ask and it shall be given you
Seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you for everyone that ask of
Receiveth and hear that seeker finder and to him that knocketh it shall be opened
Hey, there's an effect for your faith right every. What's it saying every?
Action has a reaction
Okay, what does God want from us? He wants us to seek we seek and we'll find all right
We knock and it'll be open unto us right and
Ask and it'll be given to you ask gonna be given to you right
That's faith when you go to the Lord in prayer
And you ask well the Lord's gonna answer that prayer for you
Okay, and so when we read there in Hebrews 11 6
And it is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him we seek him in faith brethren
That's how we see can we seek him in faith, and he's going to reward that faith boy
I want to be rewarded by God. I know you want to be rewarded by God
I know we've already been rewarded by God because of our faith all right when I think about New Life Baptist Church
And I think about is the Lord's hand in this church
Absolutely, so how do you know because he's a rewarder of them that diligently seek him
Because we've gone in faith
We've stepped out in faith and the God and God has provided God has blessed
You know I never forget the day. I was in Sydney
You know we said we're gonna start the church first of October no matter what you know
We're struggling to find a building and struggling to find a house for my family
Eventually we got the building
I've got to a point where I was gonna say you know what if I can't find a house
I'm willing to fly down every Sunday out of my own pocket just to have church here and fly back
That's what we're gonna. Do you know what seven days literally or six days before we started church?
The house is available. We found a house say why because we had faith we stepped out in faith
We say God we're gonna start in your life Baptist Church
We're going to start on the first of October and Lord. We're doing your work. We're doing your will
We're striving to serve you to do your work and God says well. Let me reward your faith
Let me test it out a little bit, and you know just a week before church. We'll find you a house
Okay, found the building praise God. You know the Lord
rewards
And actually it was the only building that we got I know it was a bit difficult there at the at the rugby club
But it's the only one that actually allowed us to meet on Sunday morning like I had contacted
Every other building and I already had set my mind in my heart that we're gonna start the church in Caloundra
All right, we called it the church in Caloundra right and yet
There was that one building left the only one that was left
You know we've morning services for Sunday praise God for his provisions all right, and then what about this new building now that we have here
How did that come to be Reverend?
Well, we'll pray for it remember. We're praying for it. We're praying for it
We're praying for God to find us something where we can have two services on a Sunday make it easier something that was affordable as
Well for us, and then this building came available. You know brother Matthew mentioned it. You know it took several months, but eventually
The previous pastor Pentecostal contacted me and said look you want to carry on this lease
We need we're trying to find a church to take over this building
Praise God, and you know what we worked at the finances, and we found out that if we pay the lease
We're gonna be left with $50 a month. That's all it's like we have the building
We'd be left with $50. You know for water or whatever drink a bit of water
I don't know what tracks you know be used up by tracks all right and
Yet we stepped that in faith brethren right we stepped in faith
And yeah the first couple months was tight, and then we had people added to the church the offerings went up and guess what now
We pay it easily in fact. We're a month ahead in our payments for the lease praise God
You know we stepped that in faith, and he rewarded our church now so many things so many things
Actually the pulpit this pulpit
I don't know if you guys remember, but our last service that we were before we came here was at Koana
Forest our community center was a Friday we had a Friday and remember we had Friday services sometimes right we had a Friday service there
And then we're coming into this building on the Sunday
We did not have a pulpit right and then brother Steven all right contact brother Steven and on Saturday
He comes and delivers it for us
Just in time you go and check the YouTube channel the first meeting that we have here is with this pulpit
We had literally two days from our last service at that community center, and the Lord delivered it right we stepped that in faith
And he goes all right. There's the pulpit for you as well. Not just a building now the Lord just keeps providing and
Listen we've been praying for air conditioning right we had the air conditioners break down during summer we struggled all right
It was difficult. I found it hard to preach in the heat and all that kind of stuff right it was really uncomfortable
Hey, I had the air conditioning guide technician come out today to give me a quote right and you know why I caught him out
today
Because I actually I caught him out before I caught him out early in the year
And I said to him you know to you know he gave me some advice
And I said well how much is that going to cost me?
You know and when's the cheapest to get that installed when would it be the cheapest to contact you and he says well
You know June July that's where where you know business starts to die down a little bit you contact me in June and July
And it's gonna be this much it's gonna be some six to seven thousand
He told me it's gonna be this much and if you can call me then
I'll give you a discount as well and all this kind of stuff guess what now we're in June
We're approaching July guess how much money we have in the bank account just over seven thousand dollars
We've never had that much money in our bank account. You know why because we prayed about it
We've sought the Lord in faith, and he is a rewarder to them that diligently seeking
Listen this church has been built on faith, and I know it's been built on Jesus Christ
That's why it's not built on the efforts of man. It's not built on personality. It's built on Jesus Christ, okay
Blessed hope Baptist Church when we started that church down there all right
We should just step that in faith for the families down there all I need I said look
I'll come down you know midweek services in Sydney as long as the orphans can afford the plane tickets
I don't need to get paid as long as the plane tickets are covered and we find a place to meet guess what immediately
Enough just enough to pay the plane tickets and guess what a building free of charge
We used it for over a year free of charge
God provided all right, and then we had to move out of that building and we found another building praise
God in less than a week
It's fine, and then we were told we have to leave that building because of these restrictions
And we're panicking we were like three days to church
We find a building and the building didn't have electricity so on Sunday. They're having service without electricity
That's fine because during the morning, but then we needed it by Tuesday night
You know Tuesday night service you need lights right you need lights guess what two hours before church service the other Christian comes in connects
the electricity
You know what that is that's faith
You know and I'm like man
Are we gonna I'm like I'm ready to contact everyone looks and don't come to church today because the electricity is not now the guy
You know literally and I contact the company said they normally come in the mornings. It's probably not gonna turn up today
I'm like oh, man
It's not gonna work out literally two hours before church service
You know why because we step that in faith, you know both I can see the Lord's hand in both churches and listen
Go to Psalm 20 go to Psalm chapter 20 verse 7 Psalm chapter 20 verse 7 and look
I'm just talking about the church because we're all involved in the church
I'm sure you can relate in your own personal life
How you've stepped out in faith and God has provided how you had that shield of faith
And it's protected you from the fiery darts of the wicked
Go to Psalm chapter 20 in verse number 7
And I think it's better for us when we started this church
We started from scratch and we built ourselves up slowly slowly
You know increase our faith slowly. You know we exercise our faith slowly
I think it's much better having started our church this way
Than having everything handed to us from the very beginning because then we wouldn't have that faith
We wouldn't be growing in faith. We wouldn't see how God's hand has provided for us, and you know it's it's dangerous
I think it's dangerous, and we've got to be careful of this because we're going to get the air con units
We're going to be doing really well financially. We've got a building praise God
We've got a lot of things going for us right now, right?
But what we don't want is to turn our hearts toward those resources or towards those finances
And and start putting our trust upon those things when the whole time our trust has been in God
And then God has provided those things the mistake happens when you start to get more and more things
And you think wow look at our church and look at all the things that we have
Don't worry about the things that we have praise God for them
But make sure that you put your heart and trust and faith on Jesus Christ not on the things not on the resources that we have
Psalm chapter 20 in verse number 7 remember. We're in a spiritual warfare here Psalm chapter 20 in verse number 7
says some trust in chariots
Well, they go to war that's good right they should trust in their in the chariots
Well should they some trust in chariots and some in horses?
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God
Listen when we go to war we don't trust in our resources. We don't trust in our possessions or in our bank account
We don't trust these things for church
We need to place our trust remember the name of the Lord our God verse number eight
They are brought down and fallen, but we are risen and stand upright
Hey, why does New Life Baptist Church stand upright right now?
It's because we've trusted in the Lord we've remembered the name of the Lord we did not boast in our resources
We do not boast in these other things. We've only boasted in the Lord Jesus Christ
Let's not forget. You know no matter how much this church grows
Don't never forget that our faith must rest solely on the Lord our God
Please go to James chapter 2 go to James chapter 2
James chapter 2
How
Do I know if I am exercising my faith, how do I know this?
I think James chapter 2 does a really good job of illustrating or teaching on this and
Sometimes we turn to James chapter 2 and we focus on debating those that believe in work salvation
Right, but you know we can miss the points of the book as well
If that's what we're focused on but in James chapter 2 verse number 17
Let's have a look at this James chapter 2 verse number 17
It says even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone
So brethren you have faith. I know okay, but if you don't have works that faith is dead. It's alone. It's alone
Okay, now. This is you know. This is actually not even about salvation
This is not about the salvation of your soul what this is teaching is we are people of faith
We are striving to live by faith well if that's what we're striving to do
Then we need some works to go with our faith
All right, otherwise our faith is there. It's not good for anything. It's not productive for anything right
It's just yeah, we've got the faith, but we're not we're not exercising that faith
We're not using that faith and stepping out in faith and saying God help me to exercise
Help me to do something productive with the faith that I have
Look at verse number 18. Yea a man may say thou hast faith, and I have works
Show me thy faith without thy works
And I will show thee my faith by my works now first of all those that believe you must have works
To have true faith well this that this says in verse number 18 show me thy faith
Without thy works, so can you show your faith without works?
Absolutely, okay, in fact. That's what salvation is salvation of the soul, and this is even about the salvation of the soul
But that's what it is right that you place your faith without works without trusting any works
You place your faith alone on Jesus Christ, and this is now that you are children of faith
Well, what's the what should we do it says and I will show thee my faith by my works, so should we do works
Absolutely should we serve God should we serve one another should we serve the body of Christ?
Absolutely, we should all do that right if you have the faith show your faith by your works. You know
This is why you know our faith is so important because without faith. We can't do the works, and we can't please God
Alright, we want to be people that please the Lord God look at verse number 19
They'll believe us that there is one God thou doest well the devil's also believe and tremble
But will thou know o vain man that faith without works is dead
All right, so live in faith not dead faith
But live in faith ought to drive you to serve God it ought to drive you to do good works
It ought to drive you to serve the local New Testament Church
And of course you know Ephesians 2 8 & 9 we love that so true for by grace
Are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works
Lest any man should boast amen right not of works
We're saved by faith, but then verse number 10 for we are his workmanship unto good works
Which God have before ordained that we should walk in them
So if we're people of faith, what should we do now get some works right exercise that faith
do something productive for the Lord and
Here's the thing brethren you have that faith, and you can do great things. He's going to reward you
He's going to give you the ability to do things for the Lord
Please go to our mark chapter 9 go to mark chapter 9 mark chapter 9
Mark chapter 9 and while you're turning there, I'm going to read to you from Luke 17 verse 3
Because maybe you're lacking faith tonight I
Have to admit that there's been many times in my life that I've lacked faith
Okay, and in Luke 17 verse 3 it says take heed to yourselves
These are the words of Jesus if thy brother trespass against thee rebuke him and if you repent forgive him and if you trespass
against thee
And if you trespass against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to thee saying I repent
Thou shalt forgive him and the Apostles said unto the Lord increase our faith
If someone does wrong to you offends you hurts you it's hard enough to forgive him the first time
Jesus says look if they do it seven times in a day forgive them and so the Apostles are like oh, man
I can't do it. They're lacking faith right and they're asking the Lord Jesus Christ increase our faith
And brethren we need our faith increased
Okay, I I don't think I could forgive someone seven times in one day who wronged me
I hope I hope I'm wrong
But I just I can't you know, I can't even imagine that right happening right it's hard enough just once
I think after the second time i'm like i'm done with you
But that's a lack of faith, all right
You guys are in mark 9 verse 17 mark 9 verse 17
It says in one of the multitude answered and said master I have brought unto thee my son
Which have a dumb spirit
And whether so ever he taketh him he teareth him and he fometh and gnasheth with his teeth and pineth away
And I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out and they could not so this is actually the same story that we started
Off with as well, but just from the book of mark it says here. He answered him and say oh faithless generation
How long shall I be with you?
How long shall I suffer you bring him unto me?
And they brought him unto him and when he saw him straight away
The spirit tear at him and he fell on the ground and wallowing foaming
And he asked his father how long is it ago since this came unto him?
And he said of a child so of a child since a little child this
Young man has been possessed by this devil
Verse number 22 and oft times it have cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him
But if thou canst do anything have compassion on us and help us
Jesus said unto him if thou canst believe
All things are possible to him that believe it
wow
Do you believe that brethren?
Do you believe that if thou can't if you can believe jesus that you can do anything?
All right, look at verse 24 and straightway the father of the child cried out and said with tears lord. I believe
Help thou mine unbelief
Okay, so he said look I believe lord that you can help him, but i've got some doubts
Help me help mine unbelief
And so brethren if you find yourself lacking faith if you find yourself not having, you know, uh lacking in belief, you know
Realizing that you're not accomplishing great things for god. And when you look at it, maybe it's because you don't have the faith
Maybe you don't have that shield of faith
Maybe the devil has attacked you like this young man has been attacked by maybe if his father had a greater faith
The devil would not have been able to get those fiery darts into his family. That's a possibility, right?
And so the question is then
How do we increase our faith? Well, we see number one. We go to jesus
We ask we ask jesus right the apostles did it the father of his son went to jesus
Please help our faith. So we go to god number one to help increase our faith
But I believe you know just some practical things that we can do to increase our faith. Please go to hebrew chapter 10
hebrew chapter 10
And uh, remember hebrew chapter 11 is the the chapter the faith chapter right the chapter on faith, right?
Hebrews chapter 11
But leading into hebrews chapter 11 is hebrews chapter 10, of course
And so we're going to look at the toward the end of hebrews chapter 10 because this helps us understand
How we can be people that grow in faith that we can add to our faith
Look at hebrews chapter 10 in verse number 38. Let me just show you this hebrews chapter 10 in verse number 38
It says now the just shall live by faith
And if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him
So how is it that we please the lord again with our faith, right?
So if you draw back if you haven't got you're not living by faith, you're not walking by faith
Then you're not going to please him. That's why god says here. My soul shall have no pleasure in him
So that ties in together, right? So we see definitely that this is about having faith
So let's backtrack a little bit. Let's get a bit of context. Let's go to verse number 35 hebrew chapter 10 and verse number 35
And here we'll see four things four things that will help you exercise or increase your faith look at verse number 35
Cast not away therefore your confidence
Is it possible to cast off your confidence? Yeah, so the apostle paul is saying look don't cast it away
Okay, what is confidence something that you trust in right don't cast away. He says stay confident be confident that god is true
To his word be confident that god is true to his promises
I know if I go to prayer
To god in the holy spirit that he's going to hear my prayers and he's going to answer my prayers
Do you believe that reverend?
I hope you believe that have the confidence in that when you go to pray have confidence have faith when you go to pray
That god will hear you that's number one have confidence. Don't
Don't put it aside. Okay, don't put it away. Number one have confidence in god and in his word number two
It says which have great recompense of reward now. We saw that already if we have faith. God will reward us
Right. So point number two is keep your eyes on the reward. Listen, it's coming, you know, you have the confidence
Yes, god's gonna hear me. God knows I have faith in god and the promise is he's going to reward that faith
So hold on to that promise hold on to that reward. Keep your eyes on the reward, you know, it's coming now
Look, it can take time. It can take even a long time because look at verse number 36
For you have need of patience
All right, number three be patient
All right, sometimes yeah, god's gonna just allow you to go
Longer than you maybe feel you need to maybe you want god to answer that prayer today
Maybe you want god to keep that promise right now for you, but it's something that is still further down the track
Right. Hey, we need to have patience
Okay, that's that's how we do it right we need to learn how to have patience in our spiritual life
And not only that it says for you have need of patience that
After you have done the will of god
You might receive the promise
So what's the next thing number four do the will of god, right do the will of god
Listen faith is not this this is not faith
I'm, just going to do whatever I want
Right
I'm, just going to live however I want and god will take care of me because he promised that he's going to take care of
Me god promised that he'll never leave me nor forsake me
So i'm just going to just live a miserable wicked life. Listen, i'm not going to go to work
I'm not going to provide for my family. I'm just going to play video games all day
Hey, that's not faith
Okay, that's not doing the will of god. What do we command it to do do the will of god?
All right that you might receive the promise verse number 37 for yet a little while that he shall come
And sorry and he that shall come will come and will not tarry now the just shall live by faith
But if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him. So what's the commandment then reverend? We are to live
By faith we ought to walk by faith. And once again guys, we need to increase our faith. Yes
Go to jesus go to god ask him to increase your faith
But what can we do let me just those four things once again from what we read there have confidence in god in his word
Number two keep your eyes on the reward. It'll keep you motivated right number three be patient
Be patient and number four do the will of god. Okay, do the will of god if you do god's will guess what?
He's going to come and reward that faith. You know, how do I know god's will read this book and just do what he says
It's not that complicated. It's like oh, it's god's will in my life for my life. Just read the bible. It's all here
You're a man
Go to work
Find a wife have kids
All right, you're you're a lady get married have kids raise your children love the lord go to church go so when you pray
You know confess your sins to the lord, right?
I mean, it's not the christian life is not complicated
I tell you what the world the unbelievers if they've got a complicated life, you know
They don't know what to they don't know, you know what to do with their lives
They don't know what the future holds. I know what the future holds. I know exactly what the future holds
You know say oh man, it's the governments are getting so wicked these days, right?
Yeah, I know we know that didn't you read revelation
Didn't you read the book of psalms it's all over the bible right this wicked i'm not surprised anymore
Because i've got faith in god's word. I know it's all going to come true
All right. So above all brethren above all don't forget
This is the most important part of your armor above all taking the shield of faith
Wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Let's pray