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Understanding the Faith For Greater Works (Part 8) · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. Second Corinthians 13 verse 1, it says,
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this will be the third time I'm coming to you
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by the mouth of two or three witnesses. Every
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word shall be established. I've told you before,
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and foretell, as if I were present the second
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time. And now, being absent, I write to those
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who have sinned before, which means that in this
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church, especially the Corinthian church, there
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are those who are living in sin or who have sinned.
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He says, I write to those who have sinned before
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and to all the rest, that if I come again, I
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will not spare. Since you seek a proof of Christ
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speaking in me who is not weak towards he but
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mighty in you verse 4 For though he was crucified
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in weakness Yet he lives by the power of God
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For we also are weak in him, but we shall live
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with him by the power of God Towards you now
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look up and look at verse 5 importantly it says
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examine yourselves examine yourself as to whether
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you are in the faith examine yourself some translation
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will say test yourself examine yourself whether
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you are in the faith this sentence or this first
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sentence in this verse you know Will imply that
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Because of course he's written to believe us
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Hallelujah is written to the church when we look
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at the context in from chapter one. Let's let's
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respond to chapter one First second Corinthians
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up to one From verse one. He says Paul an apostle
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of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timothy
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our brother To the church, so he was writing
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to a church to believe us the Church of God which
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is at current with all the saints who are in
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all Achaia who are all in Achaia so he's writing
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to the Church of God which is at current all
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the saints who are in Achaia and when we go further
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in even from chapter 13 verse 11 further we see
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making comment to prove that he's writing to
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believers. Yes, finally, brethren, brethren means
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that he's writing to people that are of the faith,
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that are in the faith. Finally, brethren, farewell,
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be complete, be of good comfort, be of one mind,
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live in peace, and the God of love and peace
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will be with you. Greet one another with a holy
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kiss, verse 13, all the saints greet you, the
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grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
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The communion, that means this would have fellowship
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of the Holy Spirit. That means they have fellowship,
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the koinonia of the Holy Spirit with all, be
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with you all. That is, it is with them. It's
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not actually a prayer, but an affirmation of
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what their identity is. But then verse five is
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looking like a contrast, right? It says, examine
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yourself. as to whether you are in the faith
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which will will bring us to the possibility that
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a man can be born again okay a man can be born
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again but you know his life can be so that's
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what you say as one who is not in the faith because
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examine yourself as to whether you are in the
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faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourself
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that Jesus Christ is in you unless indeed you
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are disqualified? In the Amplified, these are
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the Amplified Classic, it says, examine and test
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and evaluate your own selves to see whether you
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are holding to your faith and showing the proper
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fruit of it. Hallelujah. So a man can be in faith,
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a man can be born again, a man can have the Spirit
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of God, you know, and then his life might be
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showing contrary, you know, to his identity.
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It says examine and test and evaluate your own
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selves to see whether you are holding to your
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faith and showing the proper fruits. Yes. and
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showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove
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yourselves, not in Christ. Do you not yourselves
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realize and know thoroughly by an ever -increasing
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experience that Jesus Christ is in you unless
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you outwit your counterfeits, disapprove on trial,
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and reject it. Hallelujah. So it's possible for
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us who are in Christ Jesus, okay? That when we
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examine ourselves, by our conduct, by our actions,
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by the expressions of our daily living, it's
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possible for us to see that there are elements
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in our lives that we are not walking in faith.
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That we are not allowing our life to portray
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the life that God has developed or created in
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us, the life of faith. So, What I just want to
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do, maybe laying a foundation, maybe we will
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not go deeply into it because of time and the
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planning of the teaching, is to try to bring
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to our notice some of the things that are hindrances,
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or some of the things we can say, some of the
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enemies, I will say, of our faith, of the faith.
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All right? What can enable a man, what can make
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a man in Christ to begin in the faith, But, you
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know, in his conduct, he ended up living in the
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flesh. It's very possible. Hallelujah. James
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says something, James 1 verse 2. James 1 verse
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2. Now, I want to also make us know that, you
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know, having faith, or being a man of faith does
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not immunize us from the possibility of living
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in doubt. Now I've mentioned two important things,
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you know, faith and doubt. James chapter one
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verse two. From verse two to verse eight. Just,
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my brethren, count it all joy. When you fall
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into various trials, when you fall into various
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trials, knowing that the testing of your faith,
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what does it produce? It produces patience, okay?
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But let patience have its perfect work, that
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you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
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Even though of you lacks wisdom, let him ask
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of God who gives to all liberally and without
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reproach and it will be given to him, okay? But
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let him ask in faith, this is how the man should
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ask in faith, with no doubting. For he who doubts
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is like a wave of the sea driven, tossed by the
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wind. For let not that man suppose that he will
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receive anything from the Lord. He is a double
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-minded man, unstable in all his ways. And I
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also want to remind us that this text was written
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to believers, all right? That is not written
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to people that are not born again, but is an
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epistle to who? To believers, which means that
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a man that is born again can pray and not receive
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the result for the things of which he prayed
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for. And the problem is not often with God, all
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right? The problem is not with God, but the problem
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is coming from the person that is praying because
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his prayer, in his prayer, You know, he is not
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he has not equipped himself to receive of what
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God will give Because he has allowed doubt To
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rule over his heart therefore being a hindrance
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to receiving that which God Will do in his life
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So he says counted all joy when you fall into
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various trials, you know, definitely trials will
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come there are times in our lives the trial will
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come And when trial comes, you know, that target
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is to test our faith, to test the authenticity
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of the work of God in our lives. Knowing that
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the testing of our faith, you know, will result
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to strengthening and we see patience manifested.
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Hallelujah. So it is important to understand
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that a believer, a man that has faith, Cannot
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only walk and not only walk and there's a possibility
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for him not to only walk in the flesh That is
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walking not in faith, but also doubt It's a possibility
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in the believer I Wanted to see an example two
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examples particularly in scriptures First of
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all, we've seen the story of our Peter. Let's
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let's go to that story again. Once again in Matthew
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chapter 14 Matthew chapter 14 Matthew 14 verse
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22 Now having doubt does not mean that the man
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does not have faith I want you to hold that thought
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very much in your heart. That having doubt does
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not mean, okay, that you don't have faith. Hallelujah.
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Because sometimes we think that when we are doubting,
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you know, then it simply means that, you know,
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there's no faith in us. Matthew chapter 14 verse
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22. Immediately, Jesus met his disciples to get
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into the board. and go before him to the other
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side, while he sent the multitude away. And when
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he had sent the multitudes away, he went up on
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the mountain by himself to pray. Now when evening
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came, he was alone there, but the boat was now
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in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves
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for the wind was contrary. All right, Jesus has
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sent his disciples, all of them to go to the
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other side, and he himself excluded himself to
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pray. And as they were in the middle of the sea,
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behold, there was a wave, a wind, waves, wind
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that is contrary to the sailing of the boat.
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Now in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went
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to them and walking on the sea. And when the
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disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were
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troubled saying, it is a ghost. And they cried
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out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to
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them saying, be of good cheer. It is I do not
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be afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord,
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if it is you, command me to what? To come on
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the water. Now, I want you to see clearly that
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Peter did not just jump into the water, right?
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Hoping that some miraculous activity will happen.
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You know, sometimes some of the challenges we
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face in this life are our own orchestrations.
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You know, we are so zealous and we make decisions.
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We don't we don't we don't wait on God When it
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comes to making decisions, you know, we are praying
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before that let every action we take All right,
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let every step I take in my life Let every action
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I take let every conduct let every decision I
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take concerning my life Concerning my home concerning
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every in fact every part of your life. God is
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interested in every part of your life Sometimes
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we often think that God is just interested in
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you going to church and doing the work of ministry.
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When it comes to the decision of a way to live,
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then you know, this is my own personal decision.
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No! God is interested in every detail that has
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to do with our lives. So every decision we take
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must be a decision that is laid by God, by the
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Spirit of God. So Peter here did not just...
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think an idea within himself and say okay since
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Jesus is walking on the waters I can just jump
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into the water hoping that the water will float
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with him as Jesus was walking on water but he
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in his wisdom has to ask Jesus to command him
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to come on the water hallelujah now I want to
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just bring this to our notice once again that
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our life can be like that boat that is on the
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water, all right? Our life can be likened to
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that boat that is in the water. And at any point
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in time, the waves can come upon the boat, okay?
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The waters can stare in the sea, and there could
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be the possibility or fear to grip our hearts,
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all right? But one thing that we must be sure,
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is that God is always with us at all times. Okay?
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We can be sure, because God is interested in
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our lives, is interested in everything that concerns
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us. We can be always sure that God will show
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up at every point. In fact, God is with us. And
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we'll see the manifestation of His presence in
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every time. And James says that we should count
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it all joy. When what? When we face trials, which
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means that trials are very definite. Okay? Trials
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are very definite. As we used to say, if you're
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not experiencing one, maybe you're just coming
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out from one, you're on a break, or very soon
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you enter one. But as a believer, trials and
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temptations are certain, okay? And persecution
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also, because these are the realities of what
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the Bible teaches us, right? We face trials,
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we face temptations, we face persecutions. can
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come in different forms in different sizes and
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different shapes and the goal of those trials
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those temptations and those persecutions is or
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is against what we believe against what we anchor
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our life upon it is whether we are we are in
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the faith but that shouldn't make us afraid because
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we are sure of he who holds us to himself hallelujah
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we are sure of the faithfulness of god God is
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faithful to us and is able to keep us at all
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times. So we can rely on the faithfulness of
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God. Imagine the middle of the sea if Jesus has
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just maybe left them on their own and to their
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feet. You know there was another instance where
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Jesus was sleeping in the boat and then something
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similar happened. And they run to Jesus, don't
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you care that we perish? You know? And then we
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see Jesus Jesus, you know reaching the The waves
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and they and whatever what happened the storm
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And then we see him speaking and then correcting
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their own belief hallelujah So we must be rest
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assured or we must always remind ourselves of
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the faithfulness of God in all times in all season
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And whatever we're going to face whatever we're
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facing. All right We are sure of the health of
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God at all times. Hallelujah But in the case
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of Peter, Peter was looking forward to, probably
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in his mind, we can see from the text, he was
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asking for a word from Jesus. All right? A word
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from Jesus. If it is you, ask me to come. Okay?
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If it is you, ask me to come. At every point
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in time, There is a word that God will definitely
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give us and will lead us in every point in time,
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in every single, you know, challenge and temptation
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and trial, whatever it is that we will face.
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And sometimes what God will tell us as a point
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in time, okay, may be different from what He
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will tell us in another time. So we must be very
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sure to know at all times, understand what God
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wants us to do at every point in time. There's
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a word that we will receive for every season
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of our lives. And that is what will enable us
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to navigate through all the challenges and the
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trials that we'll face in our lives. And Peter
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received an instruction to come, right? And we
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see from the verse, which verse is it? Yes, verse
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29. So he said, come, that is the word at that
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moment, come. And when Peter had come down out
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of the boat, what happened? He walked on the
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water to go to Jesus, right? So, He actually,
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you know, oftentimes when we read this story,
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the first, the most glaring part of the story
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for us was the fact that Peter was sinking. And
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we don't really give, I will not say, we're not
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really, we're not giving him credit, but we forget
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the fact that Peter actually walked on the water.
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All right? We see him walking on water at the
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word of Jesus. So the word of Jesus that says
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come, and in moving obedience to the word, enables
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him to begin to walk on the water. So he started
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by faith. By the word of God, he was able to
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walk on the water. The next verse, verse 30.
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But when he shifted his attention, but when he
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saw that the wind was by a stress, he was afraid.
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So what happened? When the focus shifted from
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what Jesus said, When his focus shifted from
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Jesus to what? To the circumstance around him.
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When his focus shifted from Jesus Christ to the
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wave, to the challenges, to the trials, to the
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temptations, something came into his mind. He
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was afraid. Alright? Something happened to him.
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Fear came in. So instead of faith, what do we
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see? We see fear. And the difference here is
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on the focus. What was his focus now? His focus
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was no longer on Jesus and what Jesus has said,
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but his focus shifted to what? To the circumstance,
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the environment, the trials, the temptations.
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And sometimes, you know, we do similar. All right?
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We shift our attention to what God has said,
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the promises of God, all the Word of God concerning
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our lives, the prophecies we've received. the
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hands that have been laid upon us. From every
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catatismas we've heard prophecies, what have
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been given to us almost every Sunday, every cell
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meeting. For the moment temptations and trial
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comes, it seems as though we are not working
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by prophecies, by promises, and by the word of
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God. Because we quickly shift our attention to
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what? To the challenges, the circumstances around
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us. I'm beginning to think, what happened? He
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cried out saying, Lord, save me. And immediately
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Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him and
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said to him, Oh, you of little faith, why did
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you what? So why did he begin sinking? Because
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there was doubt in his heart. All right. There
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was doubt in his heart. So the same person that
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was able to walk by faith will see that doubt
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did what? Doubt came into his heart. All right.
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So having faith or rather been made of faith
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does not immunize us from the possibility of
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doubt. Even though he received the word of faith
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that enables him to walk on water, he actually
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started in faith. We can see clearly that evidently
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that he started in faith, he walked on water,
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but later doubted because his attention shifted
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from Jesus to the water, to the storm, to the
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waves that is on the sea. Also there's another
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example in scriptures example of Abraham Romans
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chapter 4 verse 18 will give us a testimony about
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Abraham. Here's a positive example Romans chapter
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4 verse 18 to 20 Alright, let me read from verse
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16 or verse 13. For where there is no law, there
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is no transgression. Verse 16. Therefore, it
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is of faith that it might be according to grace,
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so that the promise might be sure to all the
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seed, not only to those who are of the law, but
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also to those who are of the faith of Abraham,
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who is the father of us all. As it is written,
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I have made you father of many nations, in the
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presence of him whom He believed. That is Abraham
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believed, right? Believed God. Who gives life
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to the dead and call those things which do not
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exist as though they exist, they did. Verse 18.
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Who? Talking about Abraham now. Look at the example
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now. Who? Talking about Abraham. Contrary to
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hope. In hope, belief. Contrary to hope. In hope,
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belief. So that he became the father of many
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nations. According to what was spoken, there
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was a word that was spoken, all right? Just as
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in the case of, let's say, just as in the case
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of Peter, a word was spoken. So also to Abraham,
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a word was spoken. So shall your descendants
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be, all right? And not being weak in faith, Abraham
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was all weak in faith. How did we know that he
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was all weak in faith? He did not consider his
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own body. Okay? That means he didn't bring to
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remembrance. He didn't look at the frailty of
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his body. For example now, if you give me a word
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right now that I'm going to play on the 17 football
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for my country. I mean, I have every evidence
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to doubt your words. Because I'm over twice that
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age. So there's no possibility that I will make
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the under -17 squad of Nigeria, if by just looking
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at me they will disqualify me. Right? Now, carry
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that context to the context of Abraham, who had
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not been weak in faith. He did not consider his
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own body already dead. Since he was about a hundred
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years old, imagine he was about a hundred years
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old, right? And there was a promise him that
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his own will have a son. And also what? The deadness
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of what? Of Sarah's womb. What himself? And the
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impossibility. How old was Sarah? Huh? Help me,
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how old was she? When the word came, yes, the
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promise. 80 what? 89? 90? Let's even say she's
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60. Miracles can happen. But somebody in the
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80s in this 70s 80s and then a promise came even
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how she loved when the angel said She was going
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to give her she loved But look at Abraham The
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Bible says he didn't consider the deadness of
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his body There's a possibility to doubt. There's
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every evidence, right? There's every logical
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evidence without the promise of God It's every
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logical evidence to doubt what God have said
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The deadness of Sarah's womb was an issue Was
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20 He did not waver. Look at what the Bible says.
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He did not waver at the promise of God through
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what? Through unbelief But was strengthened in
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faith giving glory to God hallelujah So We quickly
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just see our Abraham believe God as a scar but
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I can tell you that there's every possibility
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not to believe God's word Biologically is impossible
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for that to happen biologically speaking But
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God said it and what happened? He didn't allow
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the natural factors the evidence, you know, some
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people tell you let's speak facts right facts
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and faith, sometimes when you begin to consider
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facts, then you will not live by faith. Hallelujah.
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So there's every fact needed to prove, to make
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Abraham doubt the promise of the word of God.
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But the Bible says he didn't waver, right? Against
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all impossibilities. He did not doubt the promise
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of God, even though he was dead in his body.
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And also we see the issue of Sarah's womb. So
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from these two examples we've seen, Peter, for
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example now, you know, he doubted because he
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shifted his attention toward the environment,
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to the situation. And we see an example of Abraham
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who, against all odds, hold onto the word and
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the promise that came from God. So we can deduce
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that to act upon Doubt is a choice everyone must
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make. All right? It's a choice that everyone
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must make. Noun. I said it several times that
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we came into Christ by the exercise of our will.
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All right? And even now that we're in Christ,
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our will have not been taken away. We still have
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the ability to do what? To exercise our will.
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And every single time as we live, we are confronted
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with situations, with circumstances, with facts,
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with proofs, with evidence that will warrant
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us to doubt the promise of God. We are confronted
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with trials, with temptations, with difficulties
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that will warrant us to doubt the promises of
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God, to doubt the Word of God, to doubt what
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God has said concerning us. But we have a choice
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to make. And the choice lies in the exercise
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of our will. Whether we are going to hold on
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to what God has said, regardless of what the
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noise is about, regardless of what the surrounding
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the facts are saying, or we succumb. So we can
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exercise our will by allowing doubt to control
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our decision and actions or do the opposite and
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allow faith to stand strong. For example now,
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we keep telling you every day you have the Spirit
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of God in you, you can lay your hand on the sick.
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Right? And sometimes when you look at the nature
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of the person's sickness, when you look at the
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nature, when you look at the person's age, how
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long the person have been sick. Sometimes we
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don't need to even investigate and get facts
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for signing the sickness. Sometimes we want to
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know what kind of sickness is it? Is it HIV?
31:50
Is it hepatitis? So we build an archive of facts
31:55
and then we begin to work on those things. Things
31:58
that can limit us from what? From acting in faith.
32:05
So we can exercise our will, align doubt to control
32:09
our decisions or actions or do the opposite and
32:13
allow faith to sound strong. Peter in the case
32:16
of the example we saw did not create, he didn't
32:19
create the circumstance around him right. He
32:21
was not responsible for the storm nor did he
32:24
do anything to make the waters you know to increase
32:28
the the the the bias trustness. But he had a
32:31
choice and his choice was to fix his gaze on
32:35
Jesus. What Jesus said come to fix his gaze on
32:40
Jesus, come or turn away looking at the stormy
32:44
waters and then begin to sink. In the case of
32:49
Abraham, Abraham had a choice to do what? Abraham
32:58
did not create the all -age for himself at that
33:00
moment, right? Because sometimes, you know, we
33:04
can begin to look at our situation and look at
33:06
the situation as our own creation. Abraham did
33:08
not create his circumstance nor the barrenness
33:11
of his wife, but he had the choice to hold on
33:14
to the promise of God or allow doubt to conquer.
33:20
So, can a Christian doubt? Yes. Is the Christian
33:25
a doubter? No. In the same way, a man can walk
33:30
in the flesh and yet be born of the Spirit. The
33:35
same way a man that is full of faith can also
33:38
allow doubt to do what? To control his action.
33:42
Hallelujah. Now, let me say this as we build
33:47
on gradually on this. Doubt in itself is not
33:51
sin. All right? Doubt in itself is what? Is not
33:56
sin. But responding to doubting is what is self.
34:04
That's when sin comes to be. Because to doubt
34:08
and to act on the doubt is to go against the
34:11
Word of God. And when we live against the Word
34:15
of God, then we are living in sin. What does
34:21
it mean to doubt? Matthew 21 verse 21. He says,
34:33
so Jesus answered and said to them, I shortly
34:35
I said to you, if you have faith, if you have
34:40
faith, right, and do not doubt, which means that
34:42
you can have faith and doubt, okay? If you have
34:46
faith and do not doubt, you will not only do
34:51
what was done to the fig tree, but also if you
34:54
say to this mountain, be removed and be cast
34:56
into the sea, it will be done. And whatever things
35:00
you ask in prayer, belief you will receive, okay?
35:06
So what does doubt means? What does doubt, what
35:08
does it mean to doubt? What does it mean to doubt?
35:14
Of course, we see in the case of Abraham in Romans
35:19
4, Romans 4 verse 19 talks about wavering, okay?
35:34
Verse 20. Verse 20. Yes, he did not waver at
35:39
the promise of God. He did not waver at the promise
35:42
of God. So what does that word that? What does
35:45
it mean? In the Greek it's called diachrino.
35:48
Okay? It means to waver. It means to hesitate
35:55
or be divided between two opinions. or be divided
36:02
between two opinions. It means to have two opinions,
36:08
to have another opinion, all right? To have another
36:15
opinion on something or let's say a contrary
36:20
opinion. Doubt is uncertainty. Doubt is uncertainty.
36:28
It means, it means divided thinking all right
36:34
it means having two opinions or being uncertain
36:40
now doubt is not exactly the opposite of faith
36:47
okay the opposite of faith is what is unbelief
36:52
hallelujah and unbelief is a sin all right so
36:57
we have doubt and doubt can lead to unbelief.
37:02
Okay? Doubt can lead to unbelief. When it becomes
37:06
unbelief, that's when we say that you are in
37:08
sin because you are going into unbelief. You
37:11
are walking in unbelief. Alright? You are living
37:15
not in accordance to what the Word of God says.
37:18
So you are in unbelief. You are in sin. Alright?
37:23
So, doubt is to have double thinking, double
37:27
opinion. concerning what has been said. For example,
37:30
now in Hebrews 3 verse 18 to 19, Hebrews 3 verse
37:37
18 to 19, and to whom did he sway that they will
37:44
not enter his rest, but to those who did not
37:47
obey. So we see that they could not enter in
37:51
because of what? Because of unbelief. So here
37:55
the problem was not about doubt But the refusal
38:00
to believe in God, okay, the refusal to believe
38:04
in God So unbelief goes further than doubt Just
38:09
trying to differentiate between what unbelief
38:10
is and what doubt is. Alright, so unbelief goes
38:13
further than doubt Unbelief is a subtle rejection
38:17
of God's Word God said this I said no I choose
38:22
to do this And often times the reason why we
38:26
move into unbelief is because we think or we
38:30
allow the thought, another opinion, the uncertainty
38:34
in our heart concerning what God has said. We
38:37
begin to calculate what God has said. We begin
38:39
to imagine the impossibility of what has been
38:41
said. We begin to meditate on the opposite of
38:45
what has been said. And then we find ourselves
38:48
in unbelief, making a decision not to obey or
38:52
not to believe. or not to act in accordance to
38:55
what God has said. So where does doubt operates?
39:03
Mark chapter 11 verse 21. Where does doubt operates?
39:07
Where do we see doubt operates? Mark chapter
39:10
11 verse 21 and 24. Mark 11 21 to 24. And Peter
39:18
remembering said to him, Rabbi look, The victory
39:22
which you curse has withered away. So Jesus answered
39:27
and said to them, have faith in God. For I shall
39:30
say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be
39:33
removed and be cast into the sea, and does not
39:36
doubt where, where, so where does doubt operates?
39:42
In their heart. All right? Doubt operates where?
39:47
In their hearts. But believe that those things
39:50
he says will be done. He will have whatever He
39:53
sees. Verse 24 Therefore I say to you whatever
39:56
things you ask when you pray believe that you
39:59
receive them and you will have them. So doubt
40:03
operates in the heart of man. Alright? Doubt
40:08
operates in the heart of man. In the heart of
40:12
man. And when we talk about heart, we're not
40:14
talking about the organ that pumps blood. Alright?
40:21
We're not talking about that organ in you that
40:24
they can change it, they can... Now these signs
40:26
have made it possible for them to replace with
40:28
something, right? Is it pacemaker, what do they
40:32
call it? Or they can do transplant, carry somebody's
40:36
heart and give somebody. That's not what we're
40:38
talking about, right? So the heart is figurative
40:43
here. It speaks of the thoughts or the feelings,
40:48
the mind. where feelings is the mind. In scripture,
40:52
the term heart is primarily a descriptive term,
40:56
all right? It's a descriptive term for the inner
41:01
life of a person, not a physical organ. When
41:07
the Bible says the heart of man, like in Jeremiah
41:09
17 verse 9, Jeremiah 17 verse 9 talks about the
41:13
deceitfulness of a man's heart. He's not talking
41:15
about that heart that palms blow, all right?
41:17
Says the heart is deceitful. Above all things
41:21
and desperately wicked who can know it? So it
41:24
is referring to the inner core of the human personality
41:27
The realm where motives and intentions and convictions
41:32
are found That is where doubt operates All right
41:39
The heart describes a seat it describes a seat
41:42
of the belief and persuasion within a person
41:48
where there's belief and where there's persuasion
41:51
within a person. It is that inner center from
41:55
which thoughts, where thoughts are made, where
41:59
decisions are made, and it is from that place
42:05
that action flows, okay, from the heart. From
42:09
the abundance of the heart, the mother will speak,
42:12
right? From the abundance of your heart, you
42:15
will act. So we don't need to, we just need to
42:18
stay with you for a while and we'll know the
42:21
content of your heart. We'll know it by the words
42:25
that comes out of your mouth. Do you know that
42:28
by your words we'll know whether you have faith
42:30
or you don't have faith? I mean, subsequently
42:34
we will look at how, you know, we can locate,
42:37
I've said this the last time, I said we can find
42:39
faith way in the heart of a man and also on his
42:42
mouth, in his lips, all right? Because from what
42:45
is in your heart, we will see it manifest in
42:46
what you say. So let there be alignment Okay,
42:52
let there be alignment in what is in our heart
42:54
and what is on our lips so that we will eat the
42:56
fruit of The tongue. Hallelujah. The Bible will
43:02
tell us that life and death lies in the power
43:04
of the tongue. Okay? So It is important to understand
43:12
what that heart is. In biblical anthropology,
43:15
this inner conviction is formed through interaction
43:18
of the spirit and the mind, which together can
43:25
shape a person's understanding and how that person
43:28
responds to God. Okay. We're talking about the
43:31
heart. So when the scripture speaks about the
43:34
heart, it is describing that unseen center of
43:37
a person's conviction. and motives rather than
43:40
a literal organ. And I want to also bring to
43:44
your notice as well, okay? That as much as doubt
43:48
operates in the core, the heart of a man, that
43:52
is where faith also what? That is where also
43:55
faith operates. Romans from the 10 verse five
43:58
to 10 will talk about how faith operates in the
44:02
heart of a man. Romans from the 10 verse five
44:04
to 10. For Moses writes about the righteousness
44:07
which is of the law. The man who does these those
44:12
things shall live by them But the righteousness
44:15
of faith speaks. So the righteousness of faith
44:18
has speaks In this way do not say in way in your
44:24
heart Who will ascend into the heaven that is
44:28
to bring Christ out from there from above or
44:32
who will descend into the abyss? That is to bring
44:35
Christ up But what does this say? The word is
44:42
near you, is in your mouth and in your heart.
44:46
So what word? What word? That is the word of
44:50
faith which we preach. It's found in the heart,
44:53
it's found on the lips. But if you confess, confess
44:56
simply means agree. If you agree with your mouth,
45:02
right? The Lord Jesus, and believe where? And
45:07
believe in your heart. that God has raised him
45:10
from the dead, you will be saved. For with the
45:14
heart, what happens? One believes unto righteousness,
45:18
unto salvation. And with the mouth, agreement
45:22
is made unto salvation, okay? Confession, profession,
45:26
right? So we know that with the heart, man believes
45:32
in unto righteousness. And also we saw earlier
45:34
on that doubt also, you know, operates Doubt
45:42
is found in the heart and faith is also found,
45:43
it can also be operational in the heart. So we
45:48
locate faith in two places, a heart and also
45:52
in the mouth. Mark 11, 23 again, we say that,
46:08
So where do we see doubt? Shall not doubt in
46:11
the heart. So whether it is faith or doubt, they
46:20
walk through the heart, all right? So if we have
46:25
an understanding that doubt and faith will operate
46:27
through the heart, it means that we need to guard
46:31
our hearts with all diligence, for out of it
46:35
flows what? The issues of life. It therefore
46:39
means that we have a responsibility over our
46:41
hearts. Alright? Faith comes by what? By hearing
46:46
of the Word. So how do you think that will come?
46:51
By hearing of what? Of what? Which word? Any
46:56
word? Except the Word of God. Alright? See? Do
47:05
you know that what spoke to Peter was the waves?
47:10
Do you know that waves were speaking to his heart?
47:13
Do you know that waves is a circumstance that
47:16
is speaking to his heart? Probably in his heart,
47:20
you're going to sing, you're going to sing, you're
47:21
going to sing. You know, sometimes when we're
47:26
in trouble, we quickly know what is in your heart.
47:30
I'm going to die. I'm going to die. That's actually
47:32
what is in your heart. That's what the circumstance
47:33
is speaking to you. I'm in trouble, I'm in trouble.
47:39
Repeatedly, the confession on your lips is actually
47:42
what is dominating your heart, your core. And
47:45
what creates fear is actually you listening to
47:48
the circumstance, you listening to the trial,
47:50
you listening to the situation around you. All
47:54
right? So it simply means that we have a responsibility
47:59
to do what? To be watchful to what we hear. And
48:05
it can come, listen, it can come from a place
48:08
of love in court. Doubt can come from a place
48:12
of love. It can come in a seemingly, you know,
48:17
righteous way. But when you look at it, it's
48:19
not in alignment to God's work. It's not in alignment
48:22
to what God is saying concerning you, concerning
48:25
what you should do as a believer. So whether
48:28
it is faith or doubt, they walk through their
48:30
heart. And remember, we didn't say the spirit.
48:34
right that's different conversation so at a point
48:38
of regeneration we see that a man who is not
48:40
born again is a child of wrath we've we've said
48:43
this over and over again Ephesians chapter two
48:45
verse one to three that man is not born again
48:48
is disobedient child that is in his heart okay
48:51
in his heart that is in his spirit and his soul
48:55
because he's not born again but when a man is
48:58
born again he has a spirit of faith in him He
49:01
has the faith of God. Galatians 2 .20 speaks
49:03
about this. We've read it previously. 2 Corinthians
49:06
chapter 4 verse 13. You will see that that man
49:09
has a spirit of faith in him. But his mind, his
49:12
mind, his heart, his mind or that place of thinking
49:15
needs transformation. It needs understanding.
49:18
It needs renewal. Okay? Because when you're born
49:26
again, your spirit is born again. Okay? But your
49:29
heart needs transformation. It needs renewal.
49:34
Hallelujah. So we say that faith comes from the
49:38
word of God. Romans 10 verse 17. Faith is produced
49:42
by the word of God. As scripture teaches, faith
49:44
comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
49:50
However, doubt may arise, okay, because listen,
49:56
doubt will arise. because of the word that has
50:02
come. All right? Doubt may arise after the word
50:06
has been heard. Doubt is often communicated through
50:12
circumstances. I gave an example with the circumstance
50:18
of Peter, okay? And even to Abraham, doubt may
50:23
have spoken to him through the circumstance of
50:26
his age. and how Sarah is unfit to give birth.
50:32
As a circumstance that can speak loudly than
50:35
even words. Doubt can speak from our experiences,
50:43
our past experiences. You know, some people have
50:48
failed in life to the point that they believe
50:49
that they cannot excel. So even when they they
50:54
are encouraged to take a step of faith to act.
50:56
They don't want to act because they've used the
51:01
experience they've had in the past to formulate
51:03
a theology that influences their life going forward.
51:07
So experiences can be instruments by which doubt
51:11
can speak. What we perceive through sense is
51:17
sensory. You can say that all these things can
51:20
come but from God. So any voice that comes apart
51:24
from God will create doubt. Anything that speaks
51:30
apart from the word of God will create doubt
51:32
in the heart of man concerning that particular
51:35
circumstance. For this reason, the apostle will
51:38
say we work by faith and not by sight. We work
51:43
by faith and not by our senses and not by what
51:48
comes externally. Second Corinthians chapter
51:51
5 verse 7. Second Corinthians chapter 5 verse
51:55
7. For we walk by faith, and not by what? By
52:02
sight. That sight there, my reference to not
52:05
only what we see with the physical eyes, but
52:09
to everything we perceive through, we perceive
52:13
through, I would say through our hearts, our
52:16
perception of life, our perception of circumstances.
52:18
and situation, not only on what we see with the
52:20
physical eyes alone. So doubt is therefore an
52:24
opinion, okay? Remember, when we're trying to
52:27
explain what doubt is, we say it's a diverse,
52:32
diverting opinion, right? Another thinking. So
52:36
doubt is therefore an opinion communicated by
52:40
circumstances, by perceptions, or by the words
52:43
of other people around you, okay? Which challenges
52:47
the faith that has been produced by the Word
52:49
of God? It challenges the faith that has been
52:55
produced by the Word of God in the believer If
53:00
such doubt is entertained If such doubt is entertained
53:08
and accepted because I told you that on its own
53:12
is not seen right But if it is entertained and
53:17
accepted it can develop into unbelief All right,
53:23
it can develop into unbelief Which is the deliberate
53:29
refusal to believe what God has said Okay So
53:37
what we will see is that faith does not eliminate
53:40
the possibility of doubt. All right Having faith
53:45
does not eliminate the possibility of doubt.
53:51
But it protects the believer against doubt, all
53:55
right? But it does not eliminate the possibility
53:59
of having doubt in our heart. Especially if we
54:04
read Ephesians 6, we're standing there about
54:09
where Paul was listing, you know, Yes, so finally
54:15
bread and be strong in the Lord and power of
54:18
his might Put on the whole armor of God and you
54:22
may be able to stand against the wires of the
54:24
devil and how does the devil comes By thoughts
54:28
by imaginations by deceitful thinking right?
54:32
Our mind for we do not wrestle against flesh
54:35
and blood but against principalities against
54:37
powers against the rulers of darkness of this
54:39
each against spiritual course of wickedness in
54:43
the heavenly places yes therefore take up the
54:46
whole armor of God that you may be able to stand
54:49
the evil day having done all to stand stand the
54:53
evoke having gathered your waste with truth having
54:56
put on the breastplate of righteousness and having
54:58
shot your feet with the preparation of the gospel
55:01
of peace above all taking the shield of what
55:04
the shield of it so what do you do with the shield
55:06
of faith which you will be able to quench the
55:09
fairy darts of the wicked one Now all those things
55:13
is describing actually fit. All right is able
55:16
to withstand Or shield us from the influence
55:21
of that. All right so faith grows all we say
55:25
the believer goes in faith as He continually
55:31
focus on Christ as he continually focus on what
55:35
the Word of God It enabled him to be strong and
55:39
to be established because we're praying for For
55:42
us to be established in faith, to be strong in
55:45
faith, and how that can come to be is by deepening
55:49
our root in the understanding of the Word of
55:50
God. So what he can do, deepening our self in
56:00
the Word, in the Word of God, in the Word of
56:02
Christ, because that's how faith comes, and that's
56:05
how faith is sustained by the Word of God. We
56:08
expose our self to the Word of God, the Word
56:09
of Christ, what Christ has done, what Christ
56:12
is doing and what Christ can do. All that he
56:15
has accomplished for us, you know, in redemption.
56:20
Our mind must be fixed on the truth of what God
56:28
has done in Christ. And we'll see our faith strengthen
56:33
and develop. There are certain examples that
56:42
would have loved us to go but because of time
56:44
So What has God said in his word concerning us?
56:51
Right, what has God said in our hearts what have
56:55
God said in his word concerning us? What has
57:02
God said in his word concerning us, you know,
57:06
he said that we are loved okay And this is what
57:10
God has said, we are loved. Do we allow circumstances
57:14
to speak contrary to this that God has said in
57:18
His word that we are loved? He says that we are
57:23
His family. Do we allow circumstances to speak
57:26
contrary to this that God has said concerning
57:32
us in His word? The word of God says that we
57:37
are in an inseparable union with Him. Do we allow
57:41
our experiences and circumstances to speak contrary
57:48
to this truth about what God has said? The Word
57:54
of God will say that He will meet all our needs,
57:59
or He has meet all our needs according to His
58:01
riches and glory, or He is able to meet all our
58:03
needs. God will supply all that we need, we require.
58:06
for life and for godliness. Do we hold on to
58:09
God's Word or we hold on to our current circumstance
58:14
of lack and hold on to what is speaking contrary
58:19
to the Word of God? What has God said concerning
58:25
His ability in us that we can do great works
58:30
or greater works? Do you allow circumstances
58:35
To speak contrary to what God have said concerning
58:37
your identity All right Now we can push and have
58:46
men converted do allow excuses Circumstances
58:51
to communicate a contrary opinion to you to what
58:54
God have said in his word The word of God is
59:01
saying that we are to change nations for God
59:03
right working changed nations by the preaching
59:05
of the gospel? Do you look down on yourself?
59:08
As Gideon would say, imagine the angel of God
59:11
appeared to Gideon. And Gideon would say, oh,
59:14
look, I'm the weakest in our clans. I'm this,
59:21
I'm that, and that, and then building up excuses.
59:25
Do we allow these excuses to speak contrary to
59:28
what God has said concerning our assignment?
59:32
concerning the faith He has given to us, committed
59:37
to us, to share the gospel to the world, to lay
59:41
our hands on the sick, to give words of prophecy,
59:46
you know, to heal the sick. What has God said
59:52
concerning us by prophecies we have received?
59:56
Some of us, we have books full of prophecies.
59:59
Every single time a brother gave us word, we
1:00:02
are quick to document. And when we go through,
1:00:07
do we allow our lives to be anchored on those
1:00:11
things that God has said concerning our lives?
1:00:16
Now we're going to see further as we go into
1:00:17
the story, how we can shield ourselves from things
1:00:20
that are enemies of the faith. Okay, we'll begin
1:00:23
to talk about them. Our companionship is a challenge.
1:00:29
The things we expose ourselves to listen to every
1:00:32
time can be an enemy. There are many, many things
1:00:36
around us that we can be mindful of. Sometimes
1:00:41
we neglect them, so they affect us. They create
1:00:45
a system within our heart that we don't see faith
1:00:48
expressed in our lives. The words we speak can
1:00:57
be against our identity and the things that God
1:00:59
has called us to walk in. So we must allow faith
1:01:03
to find expression in our heart and our action,
1:01:05
the action feel of faith. What vision has God
1:01:11
inspired your heart to do? Some of us, you see,
1:01:15
God has been giving us insight to what we should
1:01:18
do and some of us are traveling back to our countries
1:01:20
and God has, we have clarity that some of you
1:01:24
when we call you, you have clarity of what you
1:01:25
go back to your country to do. But the moment
1:01:28
you learn from the airport and the warm breeze
1:01:31
of your country blows your face, it washes away
1:01:36
the vision that God has given you and embraces
1:01:39
you into the reality of that nation. So you become
1:01:44
a prayer point. You know, we got to go soon.
1:01:51
We have to eat. You enter Lagos, you are busy
1:01:55
like the Lagosians. When I entered Lagos, everybody
1:02:00
was busy in Lagos. Everybody was moving from
1:02:03
one place to another. I wonder where they are
1:02:05
going to. So we can be caught up in the busyness
1:02:08
of life. And then we neglect the mandate that
1:02:15
God has given us. And then circumstances of life
1:02:20
squeeze us into a position where we begin to
1:02:22
doubt what God has said. See, it's all my prayer.
1:02:27
This will be our own experiences. And I know
1:02:31
I'm speaking to somebody here. This is an environment
1:02:35
that God has used to groom, to train, to empower
1:02:38
you with the knowledge that you've made. See,
1:02:42
we know within the pastorate that any save is
1:02:44
not your destination. So we know that what God
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is doing here is to redeploy you elsewhere. So
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when people are living here, we are happy that
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people are living. because for us, we know it's
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a redeployment and there is an expectation, all
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right? So we must be able to embrace the calling
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and the purpose of God for our lives and walk
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in it because we are able because that's what
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God has said concerning us. When we shift our
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attention from Him, who has promised, we'll begin
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to doubt and thereafter disobey, all right? We'll
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begin to doubt and thereafter disobey. And may
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that never be apportioned in Jesus' name. So
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what are the circumstances limiting you from
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trusting God? In doing those things He has said
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you would do in your life. As I close Hebrews
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chapter 12 verse 1 and 2. Remember doubt and
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faith operates in the heart. You are a man of
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faith, you are a woman of faith, you must be
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diligent. Examine yourself always to see if you
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are walking in the faith. When we say you are
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walking in the faith, it means that you are walking
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in obedience. Alright? You are walking in obedience
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to the Word of God. You are responding to what
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God has said in His Word for you concerning you,
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concerning your conduct as a believer. Therefore,
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we also, since we are so surrounded by a great
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cloud of witnesses, Let us lay aside every weight
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and sin which so easily ensnares us, and let
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us learn with endurance the rays that is set
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before us. Looking unto who? To Jesus. All right?
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The author and the finisher of our faith. Who
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for the joy that was set before him endured the
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cross, despising the shame, and has sat down
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at the right hand of the Father. We appreciate
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you being here today. We hope you carried this
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word with you throughout your week. Don't forget
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to check the show notes for additional insights.
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Stay connected with us through our website or
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follow us on social media. If you were encouraged,
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share this message with someone you care about.
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Until next time, stay blessed.