LIVING FAITH: dead or alive
Many are walking around saying I am alive, I am believing, yet they are dead. They have no clue that suddenly like a thief Jesus will sound the return call for home, and many will miss it. Stuck in their offences, returning to the earthly desires, pride of life, lust of the eyes, and lust of the flesh. They think in their hearts well, I’ve tried this faith stuff and it doesn’t work. At best they don’t deny Jesus and continue to think they are Christians. The bible describes them as religious hypocrites having a form of Godliness but denying the power that belongs to a true follower.
Revelation 3:1 “ I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but are dead. V2 Be watchful and strengthen the things which remains, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before GOD.
John 6:28-29 Then they said to Him, “what shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “ This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
Don’t be surprised when you step out to believe God, put your faith in Him that the devil will bring well meaning, but more than likely religious persons used by the devil to deposit doubt and a spirit of unbelief to steal your confidence before you even get started !!! Because your living faith, your light is exposing their evil heart of unbelief, their powerless lukewarm life to which will be spewed out of Jesus ‘s mouth.
Jesus writes to Sardis regarding this very issue in Chapter 3 of Revelation. This church was on the brink of having their names blotted out of the book of life. That’s serious folks. When we deny the walk of faith, using our faith and producing completed works by faith, we have rejected the very gift of God whom gave us this precious faith. God has given each of us a measure of faith Romans 12:3. Ephisians 4:7 calls it Grace according to the measure of Christ.
So is your faith alive or dead? Hebrews 4: 2, For indeed the Gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith … Your faith in God is paramount to a living faith. A faith that works, is alive, it will produce the supernatural life you were born for. Jesus said you will know if your faith is alive by the fruit you are producing. A tree is known by the fruit. Look at the amplified version of Hebrews 4:2 For indeed we have had the glad tidings Gospel of God proclaimed to us just as truly as they the Israelites of old did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them, But the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith( with the leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power wisdom and goodness ) by those who heard it; neither were they united in faith with the ones Joshua and Caleb who heard ….
Notice that by mixing the Word of God you hear, with the God given faith you have received will profit you. That’s not all, according to this passage, by standing, and uniting yourself with believing believers, with those who are also working their faith, will cause your faith to profit you. It’s not merely mental acknowledgment, it’s a heart felt attitude full assurance and belief in what God sais is true and is for me personally. Being united with others of like faith will guard your faith, therefore guarding your heart. So how do we know, recognise those who are of the family of faith (faith filled believers) so we can be united with them? The bible tells us in Romans 10:17 faith comes to us by hearing. People of faith will talk, and work their faith. The bible sais out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Matthew 12:34. Brood of vipers, How can you being evil speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Pay attention to the speaking!!!! Don’t hang out with people who will tell you that this faith stuff doesn’t work. It wont won’t work for them for sure because that’s what they believe. !!!
What does a righteous man talk like? Romans 10:6-8 points out the pattern of speech. It doesn’t say who will be good enough to enter heaven? Or who can come back from the dead to help me? BUT IS SAIS the WORD is near you in your mouth and heart….. The righteous will say, will speak, will declare, will shout, will sing, will make a sound from their own mouth directly out of their own heart. Notice in verse 10, with your heart you believe, then your mouth will follow which works salvation. You will know a faith filled believer by their speaking, and the attitude of a bull dog!!! Never letting GO OF WHAT GOD SAIS. They will be overcomers and above the circumstances of life.
The WORD of God is His voice. John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice. John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God…..in Him was life, …. And light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. Rev 19:13 His name is called the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 The Word of God is living. Jesus the living WORD, has a sound.
Just as faith comes by hearing, fear comes by hearing. The devil is a liar, you have my permission to kick that devil in the face when you hear fear!!! Well meaning religious folk may be used of the devil, will talk fear and unbelief, because they have not surrounded nor united themselves with people of faith, and their hearts have grown hard to the voice of the Lord as in the day of rebellion. Tell them to shut their face up !!!! stop being so polite.
Hebrews 3:7-11 7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’
Guard your faith!!! Stand alert and make sure no one can steal it!!!
1 Timothy 6:20-21 Guard what was giving to you, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge by professing it some have strayed concerning faith. You have two options. You can listen to the voice of your surroundings; (circumstances, flesh, evil reports of unbelief ) therefore filling your heart with defeat, fear and sorrow. Or you can listen to the voice of GOD who declares over your life, VICTORY in every area.
Sometimes it’s a full on fight of survival!! It seems that the devil has shot forth every so called believer into your day to dislodge your faith!!!
2 Timothy 2:16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
2 Timonthy 2:25 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
Timothy was faced with many so called Christians that wanted argue, and even undermine his faith. Clearly being snared by the devil, and doing the will of the devil instead of GOD !!!!
1 Timothy 6:12 FIGHT the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed in the presence of many witnesses…
We began in Revelation 3: 1 I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but are dead. V2 Be watchful and strengthen the things which remains, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before GOD. The word perfect here indicates an incomplete work. There have been promises the Lord has spoken to you through the laying on of hands, through dreams, visions, and through your times with HIM. And they are about to die. We have let the works of faith remain incomplete and some have even fallen asleep and turned to their own way. ISIAH 53:6 We all like sheep have gone astray, We have turned every one to his own way…. Jesus said to Peter in Luke 22:31-32 SIMON SIMON Indeed Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail, and when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren.
We all know Peter then denied the Saviour three times in front of a young girl, and fell from his confident courageous belief and confession. Yet did his faith fail him? Did he become like those who say “ oh I tried that faith stuff it didn’t work for me!!! “
2 Peter 1:5 -11 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Often we are provoked to stir up our faith, to get up and believe, push and pray. This message is about protecting what has been given to you and strengthen your faith to complete this work / assignment or project or obedience that was originally handed to you. Don’t loose your confession to a devil of lies and unbelief or by well meaning so called Christians who say they have tried that faith stuff and it doesn’t work.
Galatians 5:1- 10 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
Love Fulfills the Law. You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.
Be like Paul who sais I am fully persuaded. I know In whom I believe. Strengthen your faith. Its about to die, open the WORDS of life, begin to speak it out of your mouth once again. DARE TO BELIEVE. To the overcomer, Jesus sais I will not blot out his name from the book of life. Rev 3:4-5 …. who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
Love and blessings Pastor Kerryn.