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The Words of Faith (Part 1) · 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. Let's have a seat. You know, the scripture
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pastor was reading and leading us in prayer,
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Romans. Romans 15 verse 31. It says that I may
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be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe
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and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable
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to the saints. Hallelujah. So the Apostle Paul
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here is praying, is requesting for prayer. That
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he might be delivered from men who do not believe.
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I think there's another part that he says that
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he may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked
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men. And what makes them unreasonable and wicked
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is because they do not have faith. Hallelujah.
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And sometimes our deliverance is not necessary
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from wicked and ungodly men who do not have faith.
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Sometimes the deliverance we require or we need
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is the deliverance from ourselves. We that have
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faith. Because with our faith, we don't give
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expression to the life of faith. And without
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giving expression to the life of faith that God
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has given us. We do not benefit from what Christ
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has done for us. We do not enjoy the benefit
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of what God has done in Christ for us. So the
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ignorance of the things that God has done, the
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ignorance of what God is doing in this moment,
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will limit us from experiencing the goodness
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of God. And when I mean the goodness of God,
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I mean from practically seeing the power of God
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at work in our lives. Yes, we are safe. We know
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by virtue of what the word has said. We believe
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in Jesus Christ and we are born again and we
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are safe. But yet, it seems as though the life
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and the promises and all the good things that
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are in Christ are not seen manifested in our
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lives. And this is not because of some people
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somewhere. Of course, we know that there is a
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resistance that can come from the outside. But
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one of the greatest resistance we can have that
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will limit us from making progress in life is
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us, is from us. And one of the prayers that we
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need to always pray always is that God will open
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our eyes because a man that is ignorant is a
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man that requires light. To function. So the
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solution to. Deliverance from ignorance is light.
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And one of the things that. I'll be sharing with
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us in this season. That will help us to live.
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And enjoy the life of faith. That we have in
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God. Is actually how we can. Give expression
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to this faith that we have. Because the faith
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that we have. It's not an inactive faith. Amen?
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The faith we have is not an inactive faith. The
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faith we have is a faith that is powerful. It's
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a powerful faith. When we read through scriptures
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and we see the stories of men that have done
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great and mighty things, we begin to wonder whether
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the quality of message or the quality of faith
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they have. And their time is different from that
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which we have in our time today. Or sometimes
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when you look around a brother or a sister, you
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begin to question whether you have the same faith
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as this person. But when we go through scriptures,
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we will discover that the same quality of faith
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has been given to all men. And the reason that
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our results are different I'm very intentional
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about using the word result. It's because of
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how we put to practice or how we give expression
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to that which God has worked in us. And one of
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the ways by which we give expression to the life
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of faith that we have is through our words. Hallelujah.
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It's through our words. One of the ways by which
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we give expression to the life of faith we have
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is our words. So in this season, we'll be talking
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about the words of faith. And I want to take
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us back to the background of where we started
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in this year in John chapter 14. John chapter
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14 from verse 12 to give us a kind of a reminder.
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The theme for the year that we've been considering
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in the church is greater works. John chapter
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14 verse 12, it says, Most assuredly, I say to
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you, he who believes in me, the works that I
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do, he will do also. And greater works than this,
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he will do because I go to my father. And whatever
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you ask in my name, that I will do. This is not
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a suggestion. It's an emphatic word. It's not
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a counsel. It's an emphatic word that Jesus is
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speaking. He says, whatever you ask in my name.
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So the question is, have we been asking in his
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name? Have we been receiving? Is this scripture
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a lie or is truth? When we pray and we ask, why
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don't we receive? What is the reason for not
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receiving? And whatever you ask in my name, that
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I will do. That a father may be glorified in
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a son. If you ask anything in my name, I will
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do. He's repeating it. If you ask anything in
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my name, I will do. So it is God's pleasure.
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To do what? To answer our prayers. It is God's
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pleasure to act on our requests. It is God's
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pleasure to act on our requests. But oftentimes
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it seems as though when we pray or when we speak,
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we pray, we don't see the result of those things
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we pray for. So we've learned over the past months
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that God's plan for his people is to do greater
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works. That is, we who are in Christ, we who
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are in Christ, what it means for us to be in
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Christ is that we are born again. Hallelujah.
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That we who are in Christ are divinely appointed
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for greater works. And these greater works are
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works that God has planned for us from the foundation
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of the world to do. As a result of our identity
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comes the idea of doing greater works. In Ephesians
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chapter 2, give me Ephesians chapter 2 verse
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8 and 10. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 and 10.
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It says, for by grace you have been saved. True
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faith and that not of yourselves. So God saved
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us. It is a gift of God. So God saved us. The
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salvation we receive is a gift, not of works.
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Now we've been singing a song, thank you for
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saving me. The salvation we receive is a gift.
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And our response, what shall we render? It stands
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given. Hallelujah. Because there's nothing we
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can give to God as... As a prize or as, you know,
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enough to equate to what he has done. So not
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of works, lest anyone should boast. So the idea
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is that we lose sight of boasting. What we are
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is because God has done something. And what has
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he done? He has given us freely. He has given
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us his life. He has given us his son who came
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into this world to die for our sins. He died
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in our place, forgiving our sins, and we believe
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in what he has done. He says, for we are his
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workmanship. This workmanship has to do with
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God's own creation. We are God's own masterpiece,
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just like a work of art. God sat down and designed
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and crafted us. It is all about what God has
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desired to see. It is God's idea. Your salvation
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is God's idea. Give me this verse 10 in the Amplified.
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If you have the Amplified there. It says, for
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we are his workmanship. This workmanship is his
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own masterwork. And whatever God does is perfect.
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Hallelujah. Whatever God does is good. So we
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who are in Christ are his workmanship. We are
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his masterwork. We are a work of art. Why did
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it create us in Christ? Created in Christ Jesus.
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Reborn from where? From above. This above means
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spiritually. So he recreated us in Christ. A
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spiritual experience. Spiritually transformed.
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Renewed. Ready to be used. So being the masterpiece
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of God is for a function. Alright? It's for a
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function. And this function is what we call for
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good works. So we are recreated in Christ. We
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are His handiwork created for good works. And
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these good works has been prepared for us beforehand.
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Taking path which He set so that we will walk
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in them that is living good life which He prearranged.
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And made ready for us. Hallelujah. So here we
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see that, you know, we have been recreated in
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Christ. And divinely appointed for good works.
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These good works is what we can also refer to
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as the greater works that he has called us to
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do. Because the works that God has called us
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to do are greater works. They are good works.
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Hallelujah. So these greater works. It's what
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we can call the good works. And these good works
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are actually the works of faith. Okay? They are
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of faith. They can only be done in faith. Outside
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faith, we cannot express these good works. They
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can only be carried out by the expression of
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faith. Give you that John chapter 14 verse 12.
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You see that Jesus here is speaking to the disciples.
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He says, I say to you, he who believes in me,
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believing in Jesus Christ is having faith in
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Jesus Christ. So those who believe in Jesus Christ
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are those who do the works that Jesus did. And
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these works are actually good works. They are
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the greater works. He says, and greater works.
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Then this he will do because I go to my father.
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So we can establish here that the greater works
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that we are called to do are the works of faith.
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Romans chapter 14 verse 23 speaks about our life
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in Christ. Romans chapter 14 verse 23. Give me
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Hebrews 11 verse 6. Hebrews 11 verse 6. It says,
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but without faith, it is impossible to please
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him. For he who comes to God must believe that
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he is and he is a rewarder of those who diligently
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seek him. So the means by which we can do these
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great works. We can please God. We can do that
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which God has planned from the beginning. It's
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by faith. Without faith, it is impossible for
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us to do what? To please Him and to do His will.
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So as a reminder, the believer has the faith
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necessary for the greater works. Now, the believer
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does not have a faith problem. That is what we're
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establishing. That the man in Christ is a man
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of faith. God has walked in him. Faith. So the
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man that is born again. Is a man of faith. From
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that John chapter 14 verse 12. To believe Jesus.
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Means a person is born again. Not only that.
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But also the person is alive. And lives his life
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by that faith that has been given to him in Christ
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Jesus. Hallelujah. So let's look at some scriptures
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that speaks about that believer. Romans chapter
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1 verse 16. Romans chapter 1 verse 16. Paul is
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saying here, for I am not ashamed of the gospel
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of Christ. Because this is the gospel of our
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salvation. He says, I am not ashamed of the gospel
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of Christ. For it is the power of God to salvation.
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For everyone who believes. So the man who believes
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in the gospel message. And what is the gospel
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message? The gospel message is that Jesus Christ
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has come to die for the forgiveness of sin. So
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if a man believes in the fact that Jesus Christ
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has died for the forgiveness of his sins, he
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has received salvation. So this gospel, which
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is the good news about the forgiveness of sins,
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Paul here is saying, it is the power of God unto
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salvation for everyone who puts his trust in
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that gospel. For the Jew first, and for the Greek.
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Verse 17. For in it, in what? In that gospel,
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the righteousness of God is revealed from faith
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to faith. And it's written, the just shall live
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by faith. So the man that is the just is a man
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that has been forgiven. He's a man that has put
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his trust in the gospel. And the Bible here is
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saying that that man will come to life by faith.
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Hallelujah. That just man come to life. He come
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alive by faith. Galatians chapter 2 verse 20.
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Galatians 2 verse 20. The apostle here also said
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that I have been crucified with Christ. It is
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no longer I who live. But Christ lives in me.
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And the life which I now live in the flesh. I
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live by the faith in the Son of God who loved
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me and gave himself for me. So here is a believer.
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And he's saying that he has been crucified with
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Christ. The life he lived in the flesh is a life
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of faith. It's a life of faith. 2 Corinthians
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5 verse 6. 2 Corinthians 5 verse 6. We're trying
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to establish that the believer has faith in him.
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Alright? 2 Corinthians 5, verse 6 and 7, it says,
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So we are always confident knowing that while
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we are at home, in the body we are absent from
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the Lord. Verse 7, For we walk by faith, alright,
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and not by sight. So here he's talking about
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the believer walking by faith and not by what?
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By sight. Romans chapter 12 verse 3. Romans chapter
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12 verse 3. For I say, through the grace given
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to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think
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of himself more highly than he ought to think,
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but to think soberly. As God has dealt to each
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one a measure of faith. Hallelujah. Meaning that
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everyone who is in Christ has been given a measure
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of faith. Now we are not saying that this faith
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is in different quantities. You have 50%, he
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has 20%. No. A measure of faith means that we
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all have faith. Hallelujah. Every believer has
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what? Has faith. Every believer has faith. The
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differences we have is in how we give expression
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to that faith that is in us. That is what makes
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a difference. But every believer has faith. We
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are equally, you know, having the faith of God.
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2 Peter 1 verse 1. 2 Peter 1 verse 1 in NLT.
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I prefer to read this in NLT. 2 Peter 1 verse
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1. It says, this letter is from Simon Peter.
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A slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I'm writing
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to you who share the same precious faith with
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us. So Peter here is saying to this church that
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they share what? What do they share? They share
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the same, the same quality. The same precious
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faith. With what? With him. Same precious faith
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we have. This faith was given to you because
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of what? Because of the justice and the fairness
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of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. And this
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justice and the fairness of God is seen in what?
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In his gift to us. It's a gift to us. Hallelujah.
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So the believer has faith. 1 Thessalonians chapter
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1, verse 1 to 3. 1 Thessalonians 1, verse 1 to
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3. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church
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of the Thessalonians in God. The Father and the
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Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace from
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God. Our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes,
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verse 2. We give thanks to God always for you.
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All making mention of you in our prayers. Remembering
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without ceasing your walk of faith. So he's speaking
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to believers. And it's establishing that these
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believers have a walk of faith, labor of love
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and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ,
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in the sight of our God and Father. Hallelujah.
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So oftentimes we see the apostles in their epistles
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reminding believers that they have something
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that has been given to them. Something precious.
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Something much precious than gold. Something
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much precious than silver. And that is a gift
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of faith that God has worked in the believer.
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Hallelujah. So we don't have a faith problem.
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That is, we don't lack faith because we are in
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Christ. Hallelujah. So how does this faith operate
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in the life of the believer? How do we see this
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faith expressed in the believer's life? Because
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understanding the expression, All the works of
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faith in the believer will help us. It will help
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us in what? In appropriating that which God has
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done in us. In our previous meetings and teachings,
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we said that the operation of faith or the activity
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of faith, first and foremost, is seen in the
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heart of the believer. Alright? We see faith.
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operating or the activity of faith is first and
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foremost established in the heart of the believer.
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Romans chapter 10 verse 8. In Romans chapter
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10 verse 8 to 10. But what does it say? The word
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is near you. This word is talking about the gospel,
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the message of salvation. The word is near you.
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In your mouth and in your heart. That is the
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word of faith which we preach. That if you confess
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with your mouth. The Lord Jesus. And believe
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in your heart. That God has raised him from the
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dead. You will be saved. Verse 10. For with the
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heart. One believes unto righteousness. So first
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of all we see. The activity or the operation
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of faith were in the heart of the believer. For
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with the heart, one believes unto righteousness.
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And with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.
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So from this verse alone, we will see faith in
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the heart of the believer operating. And we will
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also see faith in the mouth of the believer.
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Hallelujah. So when the gospel is preached, a
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man believes where he believes in his heart.
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And as for us that are Christians, as many as
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have received the gospel, if you are here today,
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it's expected that you have believed the message
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of the gospel. So when this message is preached
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in the heart, the man becomes born again. And
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this experience is from the heart. Hallelujah.
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The experience of the new life is from the heart.
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The change that occurs first and foremost in
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the life of the believer is invisible. That is
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to say, when we preach the gospel and you believe
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and you are born again, suddenly we don't see
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born again written on your forehead because it's
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not something physical. It is an invisible experience,
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but real. Hallelujah. Being invisible does not
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mean that it is not real. And sometimes, you
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know, our circumstances, the things we pass through,
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our conduct seems to question the invisible experience
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that we've experienced, we've had. Sometimes
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the devil brings issues and circumstances to
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question that invisible experience that we've
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had. That spiritual experience that we've had.
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Because it's not physical, sometimes we think
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that it's not real. That is why we need to be
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reassuring and assuring ourselves daily of the
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reality of what God has done in Christ. That
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you, the man that is in Christ, is born again.
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And what God has done in you is eternal. So the
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change occurs first in the invisible part of
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the man. The spiritual part of the man. Because
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the man, first of all, is a spiritual being.
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Man, first of all, is a spiritual being. So we
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see that the change, the transformation, the
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birth occurred first and foremost where? In the
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spirit of man. It is a heavenly experience. John
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chapter 3 verse 1. We see a man coming to Jesus
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Christ in John chapter 3 verse 1. There was a
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man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler
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of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night
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and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are
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a teacher come from God. For no one can do these
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signs that you do. Unless God is with him. Jesus
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answered and said to him. Most assuredly I say
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to you. Or verily verily I say to you. Unless
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one is born again. Alright. Born again. Unless
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a man is born again. What does it mean to be
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born again? That word again. Is a word anothen.
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In the Greek. Unless one is born again. He cannot
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see the kingdom of God. Verse 4. Nicodemus said
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to him, how can a man be born when he is old?
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Nicodemus was looking at it from a physical perspective.
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What he was thinking is something natural. What
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he was thinking is something that happens in
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the physical. An old man like me, you're saying
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I must be born again. How can an old man be born
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again? Can he enter a second time into his mother's
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womb and be born again? So Nicodemus here did
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not understand the concept that Jesus was speaking.
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Jesus answered most actually I said to you unless
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one is born of water and the spirit he cannot
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enter the kingdom of God. So what he's saying
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is here is that this is not something physical.
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It is a spiritual experience. Water and the spirit
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speaks of a spiritual experience. Water speaks
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of the spirit. He cannot enter into the kingdom
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of God. Verse 6. That which is born of the flesh
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is flesh. And that which is born of spirit, spirit.
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So in context, Jesus is saying this is not a
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natural birth. So this experience. That you will
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have to experience the kingdom of God. To experience
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the spirit of God. To experience the power of
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God. Is a spiritual experience. And for every
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man that has believed in Jesus Christ. That experience
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has happened. Amen. That experience has happened.
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Colossians chapter 3 verse 1 and 2. If you were
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raised with Christ, this is the experience of
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the believer. Here, Paul is using the idea of
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raised with Christ to speak of what happened
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in the spirit. If you were raised with Christ,
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that is, if you are born again, because born
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again, the word anothem means to be born from
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above. All right, that word anothem, N -A -N
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-O -T -H -E -N. It means from above. Above simply
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means a realm that is not earthly. Okay? To be
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born from above, to be born from a higher place.
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To be born from a higher place which is not natural.
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So here in Colossians, it says, if then you were
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raised, that is if then you are born from above.
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Seek those things which are what? Which are spiritual.
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Those things that are from above. Where Christ
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is. Where is Christ? Christ is what? Is in the
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invisible. Are we together? Christ is in the
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spirit. So you seek such things that are yours
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in Christ. Sitting at the right hand of God.
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Set your mind on things that are above. Above
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the same word. This above here is the word A
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-N -O. Ano. Alright. It's an adverb. Talking
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about something as we see in John chapter 3 verse
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1. To be born again. Not only things on the earth.
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So there's a difference between things that are
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on the earth. And there are things that are above
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the earth. Above does not mean sky. Above simply
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means a different civilization. A different reality.
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A reality that is not seen with the physical
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eyes. A reality that is spiritual. Hallelujah.
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So how do we bring about the manifestation of
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the things that has happened in the spirit to
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the physical? How do we do that? We'll see that
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in due course. Romans chapter 10 verse 8. Again,
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the text we read. We'll see that this experience
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happened where? In the heart. Now the heart is
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not speaking of the physical heart of man. Because
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when you're born again, and you have a new heart
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transplant, right? For example, now, I'm not
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saying anybody is going to be sick, but if there's
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a heart transplant, a physical heart in the hospital,
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and you were born again and you had a heart transplant,
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it does not mean that the heart you receive makes
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you not born again. Because we say that this
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happens in the heart. The scripture uses the
32:13
word heart figuratively. All right? The word
32:18
cardiac, K -A -R -D -I -A. It's used figuratively
32:23
to refer to the inner core of a person. The center
32:30
of thoughts of a person. Where emotions and feelings
32:36
are felt. For example now, you were in love with
32:40
a young man or with a young lady. And suddenly
32:44
the lady or the young man says, I'm not doing
32:46
it again. You say, oh my heart is broken. Right?
32:52
We're not talking about your physical heart.
32:54
Even though, in a way, such experience can have
32:57
effect in the physical. We've seen people that,
32:59
you know, because of what happened emotionally,
33:02
they become sick in the physical. Which also
33:05
tells us there's a relationship between what
33:07
happened in the invisible and the physical. Are
33:10
we together? So, here, the heart is not referring
33:15
to what? It's not referring to the physical organ
33:17
that pumps blood. But he's speaking to the invisible
33:20
part of a man that we cannot see with our eyes.
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Hallelujah. The center of thoughts. Where thoughts,
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where moral preferences are seen. Where intentions
33:33
are made. Where decisions are taken. The very
33:37
core of a man that is invisible. Because it is
33:41
invisible does not mean that it is not real.
33:45
Hallelujah. So. When a man received the message,
33:49
he received the message in this aspect of his
33:53
being. Of course, we receive the message from
33:56
our ears. Then, from the ears goes to our core,
34:01
our being, our way, our real man is, the inner
34:05
man. And when we go through the scriptures, we
34:11
see that the heart... It's described as the inner
34:18
person from which motives, beliefs, and actions
34:23
flows. Rather than just the mere physical organ
34:28
that pumps blood. The word heart or cardia is
34:35
used in scriptures about 800 times. And almost
34:42
every time it is used, in those 800 times, it
34:45
is used figuratively. Not in a literal sense,
34:48
referring to men and the believer. Hallelujah.
34:53
1 Samuel chapter 16 verse 7 is an example of
34:57
how the word had is used. 1 Samuel 16 verse 7.
35:04
But the Lord said to Samuel when he came to anoint
35:07
the king of Israel in the house of Jesse. Do
35:10
not look at his appearance or at his physical
35:14
stature. Because I have refused him. For the
35:19
Lord does not see as a man sees. Hallelujah.
35:23
How does a man see? We cannot see your heart.
35:29
Amen. We cannot see. We know you have a heart.
35:33
Alright. Your core, your being, where your emotions
35:37
are. Where your belief system is established.
35:41
Where the renewal is made your mind. Alright.
35:44
But we cannot see it. For the Lord does not see
35:48
as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance.
35:54
But the Lord looks at what? The Lord is able
35:58
to discern what is in the heart of a man. Hallelujah.
36:02
So the good news or the news flash is this. Is
36:05
the Lord knows our heart. He is in the invisible
36:10
and is able to see what is invisible to the physical
36:15
eyes. So this describes what? It shows that although
36:21
we as men might look physically, but God has
36:25
the ability to look inside the heart. 1 Peter
36:29
3 verse 3 also describes the hidden person of
36:33
the heart. 1 Peter 3 verse 3 to 5. And it's linking
36:41
it to the outward, the inward spiritual life
36:44
of man. It says, do not let your adornment be
36:48
merely outward arranging the hair, wearing gold,
36:51
or putting on fine apparel. Rather, let it be
36:56
the hidden person of where? The hidden person
36:59
of the heart. So your focus is not about what
37:02
is in the physical, but rather the man, the real
37:05
you that is inside. With incorruptible beauty.
37:08
Of a gentle and quiet spirit. Which is very precious
37:12
in the sight of God. Hallelujah. So. Because
37:19
the heart is very important. And is the foundation.
37:23
Or is the first place we see faith in operation
37:26
in the life of a man. Primarily in the heart.
37:29
The Bible will teach us that we must guard the
37:32
heart with what? With all diligence. Because
37:36
out of it flows what? Flows the issues of life.
37:40
Proverbs chapter 4 verse 23. Proverbs chapter
37:45
4 verse 23. Says keep your heart with all diligence.
37:51
For out of it springs what? The issues of life.
37:55
From what is in your heart. There's a central
37:57
unit that influences your actions is found in
38:03
your heart. Whoever controls your heart will
38:05
control your action. Hallelujah. Whoever controls
38:09
what happens in your heart will control your
38:11
outcome. The outcome of your life. Whoever controls
38:18
what happens in your heart will control your
38:20
destiny. He will control where your eternity
38:25
will be. So not only that we allowed God into
38:32
our hearts, receiving the message of salvation
38:35
that causes a transformation. In our hearts.
38:40
Giving us a new birth and a new identity from
38:42
the heart. We also have to guard our hearts from
38:48
external influence. Because the devil also wants
38:53
to influence us in the heart. Hallelujah. So
38:59
secondly, we saw that the operation or the activity
39:01
of faith can be seen in the conduct of the believer.
39:06
We say that, we taught that in this church. So
39:09
since salvation is not invisible, since salvation
39:13
is from the invisible, since a new birth is from
39:16
the invisible, since faith operates in the heart
39:19
of man where we don't see with our physical eyes,
39:21
our conduct also must be reflected from what
39:30
has happened in the invisible. James will teach
39:35
that faith cannot remain merely an inward profession.
39:39
Okay? The way a believer believes should also
39:46
demonstrate what? The faith that has happened
39:52
in his heart. The experience we have in the invisible
39:55
must be seen in our conduct. So, the activity
40:00
of faith Is not only in the heart alone. The
40:06
operation of faith. First of all we say it starts
40:09
from the heart. But it doesn't end there. It
40:12
moves from what has happened in the inside. To
40:14
the conduct of a man. James chapter 2 verse 17
40:20
and 18. Give me the amplified version of this
40:23
text. James chapter 2 verse 17. The argument
40:27
here. Is that. If you are born again, we must
40:33
see it in your conduct. So too, faith, if it
40:39
does not have works, he says to back it up, to
40:42
show it, to prove, it is by itself ineffective
40:46
or inoperative. If your faith cannot be seen
40:55
in your conduct, it means that your faith is
40:58
what? It's not active. It's inoperative. So you
41:03
can make faith inoperative in your life by not
41:06
allowing the Spirit of God to bring about the
41:12
manifestation of what God has done in the inside
41:15
of you. Let the man that has been renewed from
41:19
the inside controls what you do in the physical.
41:26
So too, faith... If it does not have works to
41:30
back it up, he says it is by itself dead, inoperative
41:33
and ineffective. Verse 18. But someone may say,
41:37
he's not saying that this is a statement of fact,
41:40
but someone may say or claim to have faith and
41:46
have good works. Show me your alleged faith.
41:52
All right? Without the works, if you can. And
41:57
I will show you my faith by my works. That is
42:01
by what I do. Amen. So it's not an argument of
42:07
salvation is by works or salvation is by faith.
42:10
That's not the argument here. The conversation
42:12
is here is that if something has happened in
42:14
you, we should be able to see it in your conduct.
42:18
Hallelujah. So Jesus also will go on to teach
42:23
that what is inside a man. eventually becomes
42:26
visible through his conduct. What is in the heart
42:35
of man is eventually seen in his conduct. A genuine
42:39
relationship with Christ should produce a corresponding
42:43
fruit. Matthew chapter 7 verse 16 to 20. Matthew
42:49
chapter 7 verse 16 to 20. By their fruits. New
42:56
King James. You will know them by their fruits.
43:05
Do men gather grapes from corn bushes or figs
43:10
from tissues? Just imagine you went to a mango
43:12
tree and then suddenly you see orange on it.
43:16
No, it's impossible. Alright? The identity of
43:21
the tree will produce the fruits that is expected
43:23
of the tree. Even so, every good tree bears what?
43:29
Bears good fruit. But a bad tree bears bad fruit.
43:38
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit. Nor can a
43:44
bad tree bears what? Bears a good fruit. Everything
43:49
that does not bear good fruit is cut down and
43:52
thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits,
43:57
what will happen? You will know them. Hallelujah.
44:01
So say to your neighbor, my conduct is important.
44:05
My conduct is important. Because my life in the
44:09
inside must be manifested in the physical. Faith
44:12
is operational in our hearts. And faith is also
44:16
seen in its activity in our conduct. Because
44:20
what happened in our hearts must be demonstrated
44:24
in our actions. Hallelujah. But remember we read
44:29
in Romans chapter 10. Romans chapter 10 verse
44:33
9. About confession. Alright. Romans chapter
44:38
10. Give me Romans chapter 10 verse 9 and 10
44:41
again. If you confess with your mouth the Lord
44:49
Jesus and believe in your heart, God has raised
44:52
him from the dead, you will be saved. So there's
44:55
a confession. For with the heart one believes
44:58
unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession
45:01
is made unto salvation. Confession is made unto
45:06
salvation. So here we see in operation or in
45:12
activity, Faith in the words, in speech of the
45:17
believer. Alright? In the mouth of the believer.
45:21
Faith must be operational in the heart as well
45:26
as in the mouth for salvation. Alright? What
45:32
is in your lips and in your heart must be the
45:37
same. Okay? What is in your lips and what is
45:44
in your heart must be the same. Oftentimes, it's
45:51
very easy to see people say things that is not
45:55
actually what is in their heart. Or to say things,
45:59
to believe something and not say it. Or to say
46:03
something that they don't believe. In verse 17
46:08
of that same text, Romans 10 verse 17. Romans
46:14
10, he says, so then faith comes by hearing and
46:18
hearing by the word of God. Faith comes by hearing
46:24
and receiving the gospel, which we've seen earlier
46:26
on, in the heart. And it's given expression through
46:30
words of the mouth. A man believes in his heart
46:34
and confesses with his mouth. This is how we
46:41
are born again. Hallelujah. Now, not only for
46:43
salvation, okay? The confession of faith in the
46:48
lips of the man is not only in salvation. But
46:52
the believer must speak the words of faith to
46:55
see the power of God at work in his life daily.
47:00
This is an aspect of our lives that we need to
47:03
be coached, we need to be taught, and we need
47:06
to be mentored in order to see The power of God
47:11
at work daily in our lives. Hallelujah. Mark
47:17
chapter 11 verse 22 was a text that we are familiar
47:19
with. Mark 11 verse 22 verse 23. Jesus said something
47:25
when he was teaching about faith to his disciples.
47:30
Jesus answered and said to them, Have faith in
47:34
God. For as surely I say to you, whoever says,
47:40
That is, whoever will speak. Okay? Whoever will
47:45
speak. So the issue of faith is fundamental in
47:49
the heart. Alright? And the kind of faith you
47:52
are speaking about is fundamentally established.
47:55
The faith that is from the gospel of Jesus Christ.
47:59
Alright? So, surely I say to you, whoever will
48:02
say to this mountain, be removed and cast into
48:08
the sea. And does not doubt where? In his heart.
48:12
So we see the activity of what is in the heart.
48:15
And what is where? In the lips. In the mouth.
48:19
Be removed and cast into the sea. And does not
48:23
doubt in his heart. But believes that those things
48:27
which he wore. Which he think. Is it what he
48:31
think? What he wore? Those things which he wore.
48:34
He says. will be done. He will have whatever
48:41
he says. Now this statement is emphatic. It's
48:49
not a probability. Alright? It's not a probability.
48:53
He will have whatever he says. Conditional to
49:00
the previous statements that have been made in
49:02
the verse. He will have whatever he says. Hallelujah.
49:14
So the power of God finds expression through
49:17
the believer by his speaking. By his speaking.
49:23
So is it possible that the reason for the powerlessness
49:26
you see is because of what you've been speaking?
49:29
What you've been saying is not in collaboration
49:32
with what you believe in your heart. The realities
49:36
that you've been speaking are not things that
49:38
are in... In connection to your identity, to
49:42
what God has done in your heart. Our words and
49:48
what is in our heart must align for us to experience
49:53
the power of God in the physical, in the material.
49:59
And now we're talking about the believer here.
50:03
So the power of God finds expression through...
50:07
The believer, by his speaking. First of all,
50:11
do you know that even in preaching, we preach
50:14
for people to be saved. So the power of God that
50:17
is unto salvation is expressed through words.
50:22
Not only that, in our personal life, we must
50:27
always speak in order to see the expression of
50:30
God's power in our life. The believers are called
50:36
to examine themselves to see if they are in the
50:38
faith. In 2 Corinthians 13, verse 5 to 7, we
50:43
know the historical context of the Corinthian
50:46
church from 1 Corinthians to 2 Corinthians. These
50:50
men are Christians, right? But in their conduct,
50:53
there's no alignment. Okay? What they are doing
50:58
is contrary to their identity. What they are
51:02
saying... is contrary to their identity. So what
51:06
does it mean? In 2 Corinthians, you can write
51:09
that down and read it later. 2 Corinthians 13
51:11
verse 5 to 7. What does it mean to examine whether
51:15
they are in the faith contextually imposed later
51:17
to the Christians at Corinth? The believers are
51:21
to evaluate themselves to see if... Their profession
51:32
of faith, their confession of faith, and their
51:35
work, that is their conduct, align with the faith
51:38
that they have in Jesus Christ. What comes out
51:42
of the believer's mouth, their speech must proceed
51:46
from what fills their heart. Hallelujah. What
51:52
fills our heart must be given expression by our
51:56
words and in our words. Matthew chapter 12 verse
52:00
34 and Luke chapter 6 verse 45. Give me these
52:04
two texts. Matthew 12 verse 34. Jesus Christ
52:10
here is speaking to unbelievers here. He says,
52:14
How can you, being evil, speak good things? It
52:19
is impossible for a man that is evil to speak
52:21
good things. Now, good things is not nice things.
52:26
What is good is defined by God. Hallelujah. What
52:30
is good is defined in Christ. Not by the physical,
52:34
not by the standard of the world. Good is what
52:37
God has done in Christ. So how can you who are
52:42
evil speak good things? For out of the abundance
52:45
of the heart, what will happen with the mouth?
52:47
The mouth will speak. Luke chapter 6 verse 45.
52:55
Luke chapter 6 verse 45. A good man. Who is a
52:59
good man? A good man is a man that is born again.
53:03
Hallelujah. A good man is a man in Christ. And
53:07
your goodness is not because he did something
53:09
good. Your goodness is an imputed goodness. Your
53:13
goodness is a gift. So such a good man, out of
53:17
the good treasures of where? Of his heart, brings
53:21
forward good. Good works. Good works, right?
53:27
Good. And an evil man, who is an evil man? An
53:31
evil man is a man that has not believed the gospel.
53:34
No matter how handsome and beautiful she is,
53:37
no matter how educated the man is, as far as
53:42
God is concerned, he is an evil man if he has
53:47
not believed in Jesus. So an evil man out of
53:50
the evil treasures of his heart brings forth
53:53
what? Evil. For out of the abundance of the heart,
53:57
his mouth will speak. Hallelujah. That is to
54:02
say, from what God has done in our hearts, our
54:07
words should carry power. Amen? So also, conduct
54:15
and profession must align. What have we established?
54:19
First of all, the heart must align with what
54:22
is in our conduct. Alright? Also, our conduct
54:27
and what we say must align. Titus chapter 1 verse
54:32
10 to 16. The conduct and the profession must
54:37
align. You can't say one thing and then you are
54:40
doing a different thing and then you expect to
54:42
see the result. You can't believe in something
54:44
different and say something different and expect
54:47
to see the power of God at work. So what you
54:50
speak what is in your heart, what you believe
54:53
in your heart and what you speak and what you
54:56
do must align in order to see the fullness manifestation
54:59
of the power of God. When there's a disconnect
55:02
from any of these three, it limits the expression
55:05
of God's power in our lives. Titus chapter 1
55:11
verse 10 to 16. They profess to know God. Who
55:14
are those people? They are unbelievers. They
55:17
profess to know God. But in works, in their conduct,
55:21
they deny him being abominable, disobedient,
55:25
and disqualified for every good work. Great work
55:28
are good works. So a man that what he professes
55:33
is in denial to his what? To his conduct is a
55:38
man that is not good. He's not ready for every
55:41
good work. That man cannot do these greater works
55:44
we are talking about. Verse 17. Verse 17. Not
55:52
17. 10 to 16. But thank you. You've concluded
55:57
my reading of that text. Faith is not only...
56:01
Faith is not invisible in its activity or operations.
56:07
The manifestation of faith becomes evident in
56:10
the life of a Christian. Therefore, a believer's
56:13
life should display the evidence of faith through
56:17
his conduct, through his character, through his
56:20
obedience and the life of ministry. So we've
56:24
established, first of all, that faith may begin
56:28
in the heart. All right, that is where faith
56:30
starts. We believe the renewal, the new life,
56:34
the born again experience in the invisible, in
56:38
the spiritual realm of a man. Because man is
56:40
a spiritual being. So it begins in the heart
56:42
of man, but becomes visible in his speech and
56:47
in his conduct. Hallelujah. So do you know that
56:51
by your words we know whether you have faith
56:52
or not? Whether you are a man of faith or not.
56:56
By your words we know the content of your heart.
56:59
What your meditation is. Someone is regarded
57:05
as wise until when he speaks. Then we will know
57:11
the content of his heart. That this man has no
57:15
wisdom. Someone may look unwise until when he
57:18
speaks. Then we will understand the content of
57:21
what is inside him. So faith may begin in the
57:27
heart. Always. But then our speech and our conduct
57:31
must reflect what has happened in our heart.
57:35
It is important to emphasize that faith speaks.
57:40
Faith speaks. Faith operates in the heart and
57:45
also in the mouth. It's not only what I believe.
57:49
It's also what you are speaking. If you don't
57:52
speak it, you may not see it in existence. Hallelujah.
57:59
So quickly, as we draw a curtain to this foundation
58:02
we are laying today. Five practical applications.
58:05
This one is Pastor Ima that has told us to be
58:08
giving practical applications. Practical applications
58:15
for the words of faith. First of all, we must
58:20
guard our heart. Being intentional about what
58:25
you allow into your heart. Remember, we've said
58:30
in our previous teachings that the devil is interested
58:33
in the activity that happens in your heart. Even
58:37
though you are born again, even though you are
58:39
renewed, it does not stop the enemy. From bringing
58:43
doubt inside your heart. Hallelujah. So from
58:47
that, you know, your speech can express doubt.
58:50
You know, your speech. We'll see that maybe hopefully
58:52
on Wednesday. So we must guard our hearts. Being
58:56
intentional about what comes into our hearts.
59:00
Because your beliefs, your words and actions
59:05
flows from what? From your heart. Therefore,
59:09
you have a duty. It's not everything you hear.
59:14
Hallelujah. It's not every music you listen to.
59:18
It's not every news you read. Every time you
59:25
read about these rumors about how fake men of
59:28
God, how fake this person, this, this, this,
59:30
this, this. The only negativity upon negativity,
59:33
it will control. In fact, the reason for the
59:37
things you see, even sometimes you dream, is
59:40
because of the things you have allowed inside
59:41
your heart. Why will you not dream that people
59:46
are pursuing you? Why will you not be thinking
59:52
of your village people? You've watched so much
59:56
of nolly, what do they call it? Nollywood. And
1:00:01
you have developed your belief from what you've
1:00:03
allowed into your heart. As against what God
1:00:07
has done and what God has said in his word. So
1:00:11
we have a responsibility of guarding. See, your
1:00:13
ear is a doorway into your heart. It's not your
1:00:17
mouth. You know, they say that a door into a
1:00:20
man's heart is his stomach, is a lie, is your
1:00:24
ear. What you hear, what you hear have impact
1:00:28
on your heart. It have impact on your spiritual
1:00:31
life. It formulates your ideology and your perspective
1:00:36
about life. And that is why the Bible will tell
1:00:39
us to renew our hearts daily by the word of God
1:00:42
so that those toxics we've received will be discarded
1:00:46
and then the word of God will become supreme
1:00:48
in our hearts. So not only do we guard our hearts,
1:00:52
secondly, we must fill our hearts with God's
1:00:55
word. Spend time daily reading and meditating
1:00:59
on and receiving God's word until it shapes your
1:01:02
thinking. Until it shapes your thinking. See,
1:01:08
if your mind has not been renewed, you cannot
1:01:11
heal the sick. If you cannot renew your mind
1:01:16
to the point that you believe that this text
1:01:19
speaks about you, that I will lay hand on the
1:01:21
sick and the sick will be healed, you cannot
1:01:23
administer healing. So your mind must be renewed
1:01:29
by what God has said concerning you. It must
1:01:33
become a realistic thing in your mind. You're
1:01:36
thinking, must be strengthened by the words of
1:01:40
faith. Number three, you must speak words that
1:01:45
agree with faith. Now, we are not saying that
1:01:49
you are denying things that happens in the natural.
1:01:52
We are not saying that you are denying somebody
1:01:54
died, then you say, no, the person have not died.
1:01:56
No, that's not what we are saying. Or you are
1:01:58
feeling some symptom of sicknesses, then you
1:02:00
say, no, you are not sick. That's not what we
1:02:01
are saying. What we are saying is that your profession
1:02:03
is what God has said. Your profession must be
1:02:07
what God is saying concerning that situation.
1:02:09
Your conviction must be established on the report
1:02:13
of God. So you must speak words that agree with
1:02:17
faith. Make a conscious decision to let your
1:02:21
speech reflect God's promises rather than fear,
1:02:26
doubt, or negativity. You must be intentional
1:02:30
about what? Your words. See, you must change
1:02:34
your dictionary. Your dictions must change. Sometimes
1:02:38
when some brothers and some sisters come around
1:02:40
and begin to speak, I wonder whether you are
1:02:44
born again. An unbeliever is experiencing doubt
1:02:48
in his word. So also you, the believer. So there
1:02:52
must be a change. This change does not happen
1:02:55
automatic. By what you hear and what you meditate
1:02:59
upon proceeds the words that come out of your
1:03:01
mouth. So you must be conscious enough to change
1:03:04
your vocabulary. You must be intentional enough
1:03:08
to change the things you say daily. Because your
1:03:11
words shapes your reality. The word of God is
1:03:17
powerful. The word of God is effective. The word
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of God in the mouth of the believer is powerful.
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But then you must believe in your heart. You
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must agree with what God has said. And number
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four, let your conduct demonstrate your faith.
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Ask yourself, can people see my faith in the
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way I live? Can people see my faith in my words?
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When they look at me and the things I'm passing
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through, oh, am I always saying, oh, I'm dying,
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this thing is killing me, it will kill you. Because
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that is your reality. That's the reality you
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are enforcing by your words. So your words must
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be the words that God has said concerning that
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situation. For every situation in your life,
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look for what God is saying concerning that situation.
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Hallelujah. What is God saying about this? Pray.
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That means you have to be a man of prayer, a
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woman of prayer. You have to be a woman of the
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word to know what God is saying. A time per season.
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Concerning this situation, Lord, what is your
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word? And when you receive the word of God, you
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stay with the word of God until the word of God
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comes to manifestation. Regardless of what people
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may say and the circumstances may be saying,
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the word of God is your truth and must always
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be what you believe in. Hallelujah. We must examine
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ourselves regularly. Sometimes, you know, they
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say on the average, men speak so many words in
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a day. I mean, women speak more words than men.
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I mean, the scientists have calculated. It's
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on the average, women speak more words, about
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even 10 ,000 more words than men. A day. Of all
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those words you speak, please, evaluate the things
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you say. Sometimes, before you speak, think of
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the things you say. Sometimes, we say things
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without even thinking about their implication.
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Even some jokes we make, we don't think, we say
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things carelessly. What you say affects people.
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Hallelujah. First and foremost, what you say
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affects people. But you are the first beneficiary
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of the things you say. Hallelujah. So if you
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are dishing out hurtful words to people, you
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are the first person that is a bitter person.
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Because what you are enforcing is the abundance
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of what is in your heart. And it has repercussions.
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It has impact on you. So examine yourself regularly.
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Periodically evaluate whether your heart, your
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confession and your conduct are in alignment
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to your faith in Christ. Don't merely profess
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faith and come here every day on Sunday morning
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and sing and dance. And sometimes we shed tears.
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We fast. But what is in our heart and what we
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are saying, we just pray for you. That your faith
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will be renewed. But you use your words and counter
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what we've prayed. You are making our work of
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ministry difficult. He says, hold on your brother.
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And let your brother pray with you and agree
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with you. You finish agreeing with the person
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and the person will go and do contrary. He will
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say contrary to what God has said in his word.
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Hallelujah. Our words must be faithful words.
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We're going to see from Wednesday that God created
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this earth to operate by words. Hallelujah. The
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activity on the earth are activities by words.
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Do you know that even the kingdom of darkness,
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somebody in Africa, in one village, in Nigeria,
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in one village, will enter a shrine with your
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picture. And they will say some things. And you
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are in America, suddenly you remove your clothes
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and you begin to walk naked. You think those
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things are movies? You think they don't know
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the power of words? The things that operate on
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the earth, right? The things that, operations
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on the earth, activities on the earth, are activities
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that are established and enforced by words. And
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you, the man that have the spirit and the power
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of God, must leverage from that and change the
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course of your life. The power of what? Of the
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tongue, right? We'll see it subsequently in the
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next teaching. We'll see the power of words.
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How words can shape our realities. And you can
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have it turned around in your life by the things
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you say. Hallelujah. Let us thank God for showing
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us this truth. That we are determined, we are
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intentional, we are committed to seeing the power
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of God manifested through our lives. We appreciate
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you being here today. We hope you carry 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.
1:08:32
Stay connected with us through our website or
1:08:35
follow us on social media. If you are encouraged,
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share this message with someone you care about.
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Until next time, stay blessed.