Victory Life KY

• John 2:14-15,NLT- In the Temple area He saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; He also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. 
• Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables.

• Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, Jesus said, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”

• The scripture says, My house will be a house of prayer. Today we would say His church, both individually and corporately are His temple. A living house of prayer. Individually and corporately.

• As we get into our talk, something that’s a continued work in my life is the awareness of just who I’m talking too.

• During our last prayer night there Lord gave me a word about us “stepping into to something”

• I had no idea at that moment what that was, and I’m still not a 100%. But part of it is the change concerning Wednesday night prayer.

• I believe God is leading us into something corporate, something that’s going to unify us as a body to a much higher degree.

• The longer I walk with the Lord, I am convinced that the most important reality of prayer is how we experience a divine relationship with our Father through fellowship.

• Prayer is not only an avenue of fellowship with God living in us, it’s also how a human, born of His world navigates that world.

• Hebrews 4:14-16,NKJV- Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 
• For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 
• Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

• I bring this passage up to highlight the coming into His presence boldly more than simply coming to get something. I’m hoping we can all leave here with a better understanding that ultimately, our Father, the Almighty simply wants to hang out with His kids.

• Let’s look at prayer from a natural perspective for a second, maybe from the viewpoint of a parent and a child; When children are young and immature, their primary communication is getting their needs met.

• But as they grow and mature, the relationship dynamic changes to one more of fellowship.

• I honestly believe that the most significant aspect of quality prayer is centered around our relationship with our Father.

• Go back to Genesis, it becomes very clear that God’s intention from the beginning is to be El Shaddai for all His people.

• As a matter of fact, according to Philippians 4, God will supply all of our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

• Think about Adam, what did he need as far as provision? So what do you think his prayer life was about? What if God’s main thing He’s looking for is exactly what He lost with Adam, and that is simply a relationship with His creation.

• The Apostle Paul takes us a little further in Ephesians by giving us some excellent insight into some of the things we should be praying about.

• Ephesians 1:20-23,NKJV- ...according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 
• far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 
• And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

• Notice the Holy Spirit led Paul to pray that they would be able to recognize what He’s already done.

• In that same chapter He also says this, The Lord Jesus Christ,  HAS BLESSED us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ...

• Ephesians 2, Jesus made us alive and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

• Peter adds that God has given usexceedingly great and precious promises, that through these we may be partakers of His divine nature.

• Don’t kid yourself, operating in this world only happens by faith. In others words, we’ve gotta believe this stuff.

• Hebrews 11:6,NLT- “It’s impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”

• Get this settled in your spirit, we will never operate in God’s world without believing in it. Remember, “It’s impossible to please Gods without faith.”

• Let me throw this in here, worrying to God isn’t praying.

• Probably the best way of overcoming worry is worship. And worship is key component of prayer.

• Think about it, if you’re needing to see it to believe it, how can you honestly pray to a God you can’t see? “Anyone who come to God must believe that He is...”

• Mark 11:24, Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

• Now I’m not talking about some kind of mind game where we’re pretending to believe something’s real that isn’t.

• I’m talking about functioning in a world beyond our natural one. The just shall live by faith.

• The moment the born again actually choose to believe, we have Divine access to God’s world, with the ability to bring its realities into our world.

• Believing connects us to God’s ever existing power. This is faith.

• Faith is the bridge between the two worlds. According to Hebrews, faith is substance of things, hoped for.

• But because God only has imperfect people to work through, many times His power is hindered because of our unbelief.

• Truth is, we honestly haven’t accepted the fact that is really that simple, “Only Believe”

• But as we’re transformed, our believing starts overriding doubt and we start seeing greater results.

• And this is why ultimately, prayer has to be about us fellowshipping with our Father.

• So a healthy prayer life, a lifestyle if you will, is growing to the place where we’re able to fellowship with Him right in the middle of our daily routine.

• Keep in mind, the enemy, and most definitely human nature will constantly pull against the things of the Spirit.

• So if we’re always looking to our intellectual, carnal world to confirm a world that makes no sense to our humanity, then faith and prayer will always be that mysterious thing we’re always a little unsure of.

• Proverbs 3:5-6,MSG- Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. 
• Listen for GOD’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track. 
• Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to GOD! 

• There is a Kingdom of Heaven principle here that we can all grow in, and it all starts with an element of trust. There is this supernatural life connected with simply hanging out with our Father.

• One of our primary purposes with prayer night is creating an atmosphere where we’re all drawing closer, discovering prayer on a more relational level.

• Remember, more things are caught than taught.

• So the more time we simply fellowship with God, the more His nature, personality, His attitude becomes ours.

• Proverbs 3 actually becomes part of who we are and this world no longer has the same influence.

• Think about this way, can you honestly have a Proverbs 3 kind of trust in someone you don’t know?
• In Timothy, Paul really sums it up perfectly, “I know the one in whom I trust.”

• This is why the Holy Spirit instructs us in Ephesians to not live so carelessly and unthinking, but to make sure we comprehend what Jesus actually did for us.

• And the longer I walk with the Lord, I am convinced that the most important reality of prayer is how we experience our relationship with the Father, with our King and with 
• It’s an avenue of fellowship with our King, and with the Holy Spirit living in each born-again believer.

• And even though we’re having a special night we gather as a family for prayer, in your personal life, instead of trying to make prayer this special thing you do from time to time, practice making prayer a lifestyle, an all day kinda thing.

• Learning to fellowship with God right in the middle of our daily routine.

• James 5:16,AMP- “The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available, dynamic in its working.”

• Worrying to God isn’t prayer.

• Possibly one of the best practices we can develop is an awareness of just who we’re talking too.

• Hebrews 11,MSG, The fundamental fact of our existence is that this TRUST in God, this FAITH, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. 

• Faith actually starts as a conviction in the human soul, established by the unveiling of the truth in God’s word, 
• to the degree that you have this fixed expectation from what God has told you, you have this divinely inspired trust.

• 2 Corinthians 5:7,AMP- We walk by faith, not by sight, living our lives in a manner consistent with our CONFIDENT BELIEF IN GOD’S PROMISES.

• Living this way starts with our thinking. There’s no way our believing can be right until our thinking is right. 
• Then James takes things a step further by driving the point home that our tongue is the rudder of our lives. 

• When David went against Goliath, his sword was in his mouth.

• RIGHT THINKING = RIGHT BELIEVING = RIGHT TALKING

• For the born again, moving into a life of faith means that at some point we have to stop letting this counterfeit society dictate who we are.

• Speaking what God says about you right in the face of not seeing anything yet is exactly what walking by faith, not by sight looks like.

• Hebrews 11:3,NLT- By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. 

• In these last days God is leading us back to the supernatural, to the impossible because He is returning for a glorious church. 

• Listen to Ephesians 5, “He will sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church.”

• Here’s the deal, unfortunately the enemy has had more success than we would like to admit in misleading the church.

• 1 Timothy 4:1,NIV- The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

• 2 Timothy 4:3,NLT- “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.”

• What we have to keep in mind is just hearing what we want to, what we like isn’t a life of faith. Remember, faith is spiritual substance, evidence, the title deed, proof of things not seen. 

• What God is looking for in these last days is some proof from His heirs.

• 2 Peter 3:3-9,NIV- Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 
• 4- They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 
• 5- But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 
• 6- By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 
• 7- By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 
• 8- But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 
• 9- The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 

• For everyone of us that are heirs to the Kingdom, part of our responsibility is expressing our God, being able to have conversations about Kingdom realities.

• A big part of the life of faith starts with us seeing ourselves the way God sees us, in His class, made in His image, heirs to His Kingdom.

•  All He has, He has already given. The Zoe life, His nature, His wisdom and provision.

• Romans 1:20,NLT- For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. 

• You see, the reason faith is so vital is simply because we are created beings, made a specific way. The reason He says people have no excuse is because He made every human with the ability to believe, and guess what, we do.

• We can make all the excuses we want but at the end of the day, it simply comes down to what we believe.

• Remember last week we talked about those who argue, man wrote the Bible? Ultimately the written is simply a transfer of the living to a human form of communication.

• 2 Timothy 3:16-17,NKJV- All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

• Thank God for His written word, but there were many that didn’t have written word and still believed. This is why God tells us that without a preacher, how can they hear? The actual power is in the gospel, the message of Christ.

• This is why Paul takes things a step further in Corinthians by telling us that we are living letters written by the spirit of God.

• This is why Jesus made radical statements like, “If you can believe, all things are possible to them who believe.” And in it’s simplest form, faith is exactly that, believing.

• In these last days, the church will think more like God, talk more like God, walk more like God.

• Here’s one of your take homes for today, CHALLENGE YOUR POTENTIAL

• Start believing God for big. Seriously, we’re made for the supernatural, you ready for this, the impossible. God just might lead you into a battle you can’t win, without Him.

• A real life of faith isn’t trying to get God to do something, but actually enforcing a reality God has already created.

• This is why Ephesians teaches us to pray, Lord, open the eyes of my spirit so I can comprehend what you’ve already done for us.

• There has to be transformation in our soul for us to experience faith.

• Joshua 6:1-2,NKJV- Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the LORD said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.”

• Faith sees from God’s perspective. The more we see Him, the more we’re transformed into His image. And the more this happens, the more impactful we will be for Him.

• Colossians 1:15-16,NLT- Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. 
• He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him. 

• Here’s the thing, faith places us in Him.

• 1 Corinthians 1:27-29,NKJV- But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 
• and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.

• Here’s the deal, as long as we allow our senses, emotions, intelligence to determine reality, we leave no room for faith.

• And as we’ve repeatedly said, God didn’t give us these new lives in Him just to do our own thing until we go to heaven.

• We’re suppose to be bringing Heaven down here. Remember, CHALLENGE YOUR POTENTIAL

• Start believing God for big. Seriously, we’re made for the supernatural, the impossible. God just might lead you into a battle you can’t win, without Him.

• 2 Corinthians 13:5,NLT- “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.”

• Are we willing to evaluate ourselves honestly, to test our faith? We’ve all gotta ask ourselves, how teachable are we, really?

• Make no mistake, a faith life is a completely different life.

• The NT tells us, we are to walk by faith, not by sight. You see, living by faith, not senses, not emotions, not intelligence or experiences, will require genuine faith.

• This is why God tells us that we're to examine ourselves, to test our faith walk. 

• Unfortunately there's a lot of Christians that won't even acknowledge they need help with their faith. Even though with our new creation lives it’s really the only way we navigate the Kingdom we’ve been born into.

• MSG, The fundamental fact of our existence is that this TRUST in God, this FAITH, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. 

• Faith actually starts as a conviction in the human soul, established by the unveiling of the truth in God’s word with, to the degree that you have this fixed expectation from what God has told you, you have this divinely inspired trust.

• 2 Corinthians 5:7,AMP- We walk by faith, not by sight, living our lives in a manner consistent with our CONFIDENT BELIEF IN GOD’S PROMISES.

• Living this way starts with our thinking. There’s no way our believing can be right until our thinking is right. Then James takes things a step further by driving the point home that our tongue is the rudder of our lives. RIGHT THINKING = RIGHT BELIEVING = RIGHT TALKING 

• When Jesus told the disciples to have faith in God, He instructed them to speak faith to their situations, to their mountains. 
• But he started the lesson with this statement, “If you’ll not doubt in your heart but believe what you say” In other words, we’ve got to line our words up with our faith.

• Jesus is very clear in the fact that speaking faith from our hearts, effects change in our world, from His.

• This is why, according to Jesus Himself, speaking divinely inspired words over our situation is exactly the kind of corresponding action James is talking about.

• Why do you think Jesus told us to put the Kingdom of God first? Because just like our natural lives here demand focus, intentionality, development, make no mistake, so does our new lives.

• We’ve gotta get this, living this kind of life requires focus, and a key to living a more focused life is avoiding distractions.

• And when we talk the problem more than the promise, we're distracted.

• Because God has designed us to live by faith, we’ve got to get to the place where we allow what He says to shape and strengthen what we actually believe. How we actually live.

• Just like with the father of our faith Abraham. Remember last week I brought up the fact that God changed Abram's name to Abraham, changing what he was saying about himself. And this is exactly what we’ve got to do with what God says about us today. What’s God calling you?

• Romans 4, Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. 
• This is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing. The God who calls things which do not exist as though they did.

• I love Mary’s statement when the angel spoke her, “According to your word, let be unto me.”

• Seriously, everyone of us operate within the boundaries of our current beliefs. You see, I believe Jesus is looking for some faith people today like Mary. According to your word Lord.

• Lets turn it around for a second, how many times did Jesus tell people, “according to you faith, let it be so?”

• The more I look at the life of faith, at believing, and I know I talk this all the time but our thinking is key. Faith truly is a mind set. Maybe we should say it like this, faith is an attitude.

• Think about it, our attitude pretty much determines our approach to our life.

• Consider this, which one describes you, you see the difficulty in every opportunity, or the opportunity in every difficulty?

• Ephesians 4:23-24,NIV- “Be made new in the ATTITUDE of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

• Take president Lincoln for example, very few people had a clue who he was until the weight of the civil war revealed his way of thinking, his mind set, his attitude.

• Truth is, most of us, like our father of faith Abraham, are just one attitude adjustment away from stepping into the name change God has for us. Discovering that next level of success. Overcoming that challenge. Being the change in that situation.

• And this is why it's absolutely vital we continue growing in our faith because at the end of the day, everyone of us live within our own self-imposed boundaries of what choose to believe or not.

• This is why there’s a lot of wonderful Christians that find themselves in unbelief concerning something Jesus says simply because it makes no sense.

• Jesus faced the same unbelief with His disciples. Repeatedly He asked them, "How is it that you have no faith?" Faith isn't intelligence or emotion, it's 100% spiritual.

• And this is why the created was never intended to prove God. This is why Jesus told us to go and tell, not go and prove. The proving is God's responsibility.

• Romans 1:17,NLT- This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by FAITH. As the Scriptures say, “It is THROUGH FAITH that a righteous person has life.”

• “Through Faith,” Through a divine conviction in the soul, established on the truth in God’s word, to the degree that you have this fixed expectation from what God has told you. 

• Something God is continually reminding of, especially when I'm examining my faith walk, is my love walk. After all, He's the One who told us that our faith only works through love.

• Galatians 5:6,NIV- For in Christ Jesus, The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

• Let’s go back to Paul's instructions in Corinthians;

• 2 Corinthians 13:5,MSG- Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. 

• Bottom line, if we're going to test our faith walk, it starts by testing our love walk.

• Self evaluation isn't something we're always open to. Think about it, human nature leans toward blaming something or someone. (Adam and Eve)

• Truth is, if we're not willing to self evaluate, the odds are pretty high that there's no way we'll be open to it from another person.

• Romans 15:5-6,NIV- “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

• And this is why He told us to walk by faith not by sight, because we would never be successful walking in love, only walking by sight.

• Here's another reason the right attitude is so important, without it we could look right past the person God's wanting us to influence.

• Or connect us with the one He's been leading our direction to influence us.

• Remember, faith is always expecting Jesus to be right in the middle of what our situation might be. 

• 2 Corinthians 5:7,AMP- We walk by faith, not by sight, living our lives in a manner consistent with our CONFIDENT BELIEF IN GOD’S PROMISES.

• Because God has designed us to live by faith, we’ve got to get to the place where we allow what He says to shape and strengthen what we actually believe. How we actually live.

• Listen to God's Words from the prophet Isaiah, in chapter 46,
• I am GOD, the only God, incomparable and irreplaceable.
• From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be.
• Assuring you, I’m with you. Assuring you I’ll do exactly what I set out to do. 
• I’ve said it, and I’ll most certainly do it. I’ve planned it, so it’s as good as done.

• Remember , without revelation, without the unveiling of the truth in God’s word with supernatural vitality and enlightening clarity, 
• statements like this one form the Almighty will continue to be some mysterious, just out of reach idea that continues feeding our unbelief. The primary killer of our faith.

• Seriously, you think Jesus was just playing games when He said, “All things are possible to him that believes.”
• What about this one, “Without faith it’s impossible to please God.”

• This is Paul’s point in Galatians, “The life I now live, I live by faith in Christ.”

• This is why Paul talked to us about having genuine, true, authentic faith. And it starts with us having a clear, biblical understanding, with enlightened clarity of exactly what faith is.

• Remember, out of the book of Hebrews, Faith is spiritual substance, evidence, faith is the reality of things we can’t see.

• MSG, The fundamental fact of our existence is that this TRUST in God, this FAITH, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. 

• Faith actually starts as a conviction in the human soul, established by the unveiling of the truth in God’s word with supernatural vitality and enlightening clarity, to the degree that you have this fixed expectation from what God has told you, you have this divinely inspired trust.

• This is why the apostle Paul told us in Colossians, that the same way we received Christ is how we are to live our new lives in Him.

• Being a Christian isn't just knowing about Jesus, it’s living like Jesus.

• I honestly don't think God gave us new lives in Christ just to hang around here doing our own thing until we get to Heaven.

• Living by faith chooses to accept what God tells us. In an unwavering  confidence, completely trusting what He tells us.

• I am GOD, the only God, incomparable and irreplaceable.
• From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be.
• Assuring you, I’m with you. Assuring you I’ll do exactly what I set out to do. 
• I’ve said it, and I’ll most certainly do it. I’ve planned it, so it’s as good as done.

• This kind of life of faith is a direct result of what Paul is referring to when he’s talking about walking in the spirit, not in the flesh.

• There has to be transformation in our thinking before our will allows us to engage in a different dimension, to engage in spiritual living. 

• Paul says, “It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going.”

• 2 Corinthians 5:7,AMP- We walk by faith, not by sight, living our lives in a manner consistent with our CONFIDENT BELIEF IN GOD’S PROMISES.

• NLT- We life by believing, not by seeing.

• One of our greatest examples of faith comes from the father of faith, Abraham. We have to remember, first thing God told him was to leave his old way of living. 

• Romans 4:20-21,NLT- Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.

• The more we embrace a God inspired mindset, the more we put into practice our new life. This is why James tells us that real faith has an action connected to it.

• A very simple approach to a life of faith is this; FAITH GETS READY!!

• One of my favorite John Wooden quotes is, “When opportunity shows up, its to late to get ready.”

• Remember 2 Corinthians 5:7, We live our lives in a manner consistent with our confident beliefs in what God has promised. Think about how often Jesus was on His disciples about their faith.

• Mark 11:22-23,NIV- “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.”

• Jesus's instructions are in response to the disciples seeing what happened after Jesus spoke to a tree.

• And when they questioned Him about the tree, He basically gave them this command; "Have faith in God" In other words, have such a conviction in our soul that it produces a fixed expectation from what God has told us.

• Then He instructed them to speak faith to their situations, to their mountains. But what I’ve discovered over the years is that most of us talk about our mountain instead of speaking to it. 
• Anybody know why? 

• Now in light of what Jesus has told us, let me say this; faith isn't magic. And it's definitely not some confession formula for getting things from God.

• Truth is, the things of the Kingdom have already been established. All the promises of God, in Him are yes and amen.

• This is why, according to Jesus Himself, speaking divinely inspired words over your situation is exactly what He was instructing us to do in His faith lesson in Mark.

• His lesson for them then, and for us now is that we would know how to live in our born again nature, from a spiritual world, all while confined to this natural world.

• This is what Paul was talking about in Romans when he said that the righteousness of God is REVEALED from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall Live By Faith.

• Live by the unveiling of the essence of the truth in God’s word with supernatural vitality and enlightening clarity.

• Understand living a life of faith doesn’t automatically happen anymore than our natural living happens.

• Think about it, they both require training and development. Romans shows us how Abraham grew stronger in his faith, not wavering at God’s promise.

• 2 Thessalonians 1:3,NIV- We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.

• Galatians makes it very clear, The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

• Because God has designed us to live by faith, we’ve got to get to the place where we allow what He says to shape and strengthen what we actually believe. How we actually live.

• By revelation, by the unveiling of the truth in God’s word with supernatural vitality and enlightening clarity.

• Listen to God's Words from the prophet Isaiah,
• I am GOD, the only God, incomparable and irreplaceable.
• From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be.
• Assuring you, I’m with you. Assuring you I’ll do exactly what I set out to do. 
• I’ve said it, and I’ll most certainly do it. I’ve planned it, so it’s as good as done.

• Faith simply chooses to accept that when God tells us He knows our end from our beginning, and that He'll be with us every step of the way, we accept Him at His word.

• This means that during our journey of faith, when everything doesn’t look perfect, according to what God says, if we don’t lost heart, if we don’t quit, what He said will happen.

• Faith boldly says stuff like, "I'm coming out, this too will pass, I cannot be defeated, I’m highly favored and anointed and I'm not going to quit.

• Faith talks more about how big God is instead of how big the problem is.

• Faith knows that what looks like a setback is really a setup for my next victory. Because God always leads us to victory.

• Throughout the bible, one theme you'll see repeatedly is that God uses what appears to be opposition to elevate His people to higher levels of success.

• We’ve got to keep this in front of our thinking, real, genuine faith starts as a conviction in the human soul, established by the unveiling of God’s word with supernatural vitality and enlightening clarity, 
• to the degree that you have this fixed expectation from what God has told you, you have this divinely inspired trust.

• Remember 2 Corinthians 5:7, We live our lives in a manner consistent with our confident beliefs in what God has promised.

• Will sent me this the other day and I thought it was perfect for the intro to our new talk, “FaithTime.” “By revelation, or the unveiling of the essence of the truth in God’s word with supernatural vitality and enlightening clarity.” 

• Through this divine revelation, not only is humanity exposed to the realities of the kingdom of God, it’s how a human navigates the unseen world of the believer.

• Because we’re so exposed to the things of this world, it automatically pulls us away from our true identity and purpose. We’re sons and daughters of God, designed to imitate Him.

• But if we constantly feed our soul with a consistent diet of worldly, anti-Christ indoctrination, there’s absolutely no way we can ever actually live a life of faith.

• And according to Romans 10, there’s only one way that changes, we need some FaithTime. Without revelation, without the unveiling of the essence of the truth in God’s word with supernatural vitality and enlightening clarity, we will never overcome unbelief. The primary killer of our faith.

• Mark 9:19-25,NKJV-  He answered him and said, “O FAITHLESS GENERATION, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” 
• 20, Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. 
• 21, So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 
• 22, And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 
• Jesus said to him, “IF YOU CAN BELEIVE, all things are possible to him who believes.”
• Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” 
• When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!

• We’re living in a time where we get bombarded with so much information that making time for faith to be developed becomes more of a challenge every day.

• One major challenge Christians face today is confusing information with faith.

• 2 Timothy 1, Because of your GENUINE FAITH, (real, true, authentic)  I’m reminding you to STIR UP THE GIFT OF GOD that’s in you.

• That being said, the other side of this reality is, not genuine faith.

• And according to Paul, the genuine is recognizable. So what’s it look like? More specifically, what is it?

• Hebrews 11:1,NKJV- Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

• NLT, Faith is the reality of what we can’t see.

• MSG, The fundamental fact of our existence is that this TRUST in God, this FAITH, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. 

• The Amplified says, faith perceives as fact what hasn’t been revealed to our human senses.

• Faith is spiritual substance. We have to remember, everything about God’s kingdom is like a seed, including faith.

• Faith actually starts as a conviction in the human soul to the degree that it produces a fixed expectation from what God has told us. It’s a divinely inspired trust.

• Remember, it’s the unveiling of the essence of the truth in God’s word with supernatural vitality and enlightening clarity.” 

• Here’s what’s sad, much of society, not to mention, a percentage of the church really doesn’t see the value in developing a life of faith. We’ve reduced it down to some religious term or philosophy.

• At the end of the day, it all starts with this one simple question, do you believe the Bible to be the word of God for your life today?

• Once we make up our minds on this reality, its up to each of us to begin laying a foundation for living a life of faith. We’ve got to get the word of God issue settled. 
• Genuine faith, real faith accepts the Bible as God speaking right now. This kind of faith is a what takes you past the demonic, unbelieving manipulation that,”man wrote the Bible.”

• Truth is, according to Hebrews 1, the integrity of God’s word is what holds everything together. 
• Psalm 138, Lord You have magnified Your word above Your name.
• John 1 tells us that God’s word became flesh and dwelt among us.
• Jesus said, My words are spirit and truth.

• Here’s a perfect example, if we’re born again, according to Jesus we’re no longer of this world. We’re built to live a different way, the faith way.

• Habakkuk 2:2, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38,
• THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH

• Let me ask you this, throughout your day, how often do you think about actually living your life by faith? Living like it really is the fundamental foundation of our existence?

• Living with the conviction in your soul that faith is the substance you’re life is based on, to the degree that you have this fixed expectation from what God has told you, you have this divinely inspired trust.

• What if the reason the Bible teaches us that we’re to live by faith is because God designed our born-again lives to function a different way?

• What if Christianity was never meant to be a bunch of religious, legalistic traditions, but actually a completely different way of living?

• Actually living our lives according to what we believe instead of what we see? Crazy right...

• Seeing God’s promises as spiritual substance. Adopting His promises as the fundamental foundation of our existence.

• This is why the apostle Paul told us in Colossians, that the same way we received Christ is how we are to live our new lives in Him.

• Christian means, like Him.

• Being a Christian isn't just knowing about Jesus, it’s living like Jesus.

• I honestly don't think God gave us new lives in Christ just to hang around here doing our own thing until we get to Heaven.

• Living by faith chooses to accept what God tells us. In an unwavering  confidence, completely trusting what He tells us.

• Developing a fixed expectation concerning the unseen promises of God. In other words, walking in the spirit, not in the flesh.

• There has to be transformation in our thinking before our will allows us to engage in a different dimension, to engage in spiritual living. 

• This faith, this inherent trust and enduring confidence in the power, wisdom and goodness of God is the bridge to that dimension. To spiritual living.

• Paul says, “It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going.”

• 2 Corinthians 5:7,AMP- We walk by faith, not by sight, living our lives in a manner consistent with our CONFIDENT BELIEF IN GOD’S PROMISES.

• NLT- We life by believing, not by seeing.

• All we have to do is come to the place where we live like our father in the faith Abraham did.

• Romans 4:20-21,NLT- Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.

• The more we embrace a God inspired mindset, the more we put into practice our new life.

• A very simple approach to a life of faith is this; FAITH GETS READY!!

• One of my favorite John Wooden quotes is, “When opportunity shows up, its to late to get ready.”

• Remember 2 Corinthians 5:7, We live our lives in a manner consistent with our confident beliefs in what God has promised.

• Mark 11:22-23,NIV- “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.”

• Jesus's instructions are in response to the disciples seeing what happened after Jesus spoke to a tree.

• And when they questioned Him about the tree, He basically gave this command; "Have faith in God"

• Then He instructed them to speak faith to their situations, to their mountains.

• Now in light of what Jesus has told us, let me remind you; faith isn't magic. And it's definitely not some confession formula for getting things from God.

• But make no mistake, according to Jesus Himself, speaking divinely inspired words over your situation is exactly what He was instructing us to do in His faith lesson in Mark.

• His lesson for them then, and for us now is that we would know how to live in our born again nature, in a spiritual world, all while confined to this natural world.

• This is what Paul was talking about in Romans when he said that the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall Live By Faith.

• Understand living a life of faith doesn’t automatically happen anymore than our natural living happens.

• Think about it, they both require education, training, and development.

• 2 Thessalonians 1:3,NIV- We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.

• Because God has designed us to live by faith, we’ve got to get to the place where we allow what He says to shape and strengthen what we actually believe. How we actually live.

• By revelation, or the unveiling of the essence of the truth in God’s word with supernatural vitality and enlightening clarity.

• Luke 16:10,NKJV- “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.”

• Galatians 6:7-9,NKJV-  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for WHATEVER a man sows, that he will also reap. 
• For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 
• And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in DUE SEASON we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

• We can’t forget that everything pertaining to God’s Kingdom operates under this principle of sowing and reaping. Remember, whatever we sow we will reap if we don’t give up.

• This includes being faithful with our faith, here’s the deal, if we never sow into our faith, there’s no way we’re going to reap from our faith.

• What every believer has to understand is that we’ve all got to start somewhere, and usually it’s with one small decision, the another… (Mustard Seed)

• This is Jesus’ point when He told us that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing would be impossible for us.

• This is why God told us not to despise the day of small beginnings. Just like a seed. Remember, the kingdom of heaven is like a seed.

• At some point we’ve got to acknowledge this reality, God’s ways are different. All His promises, His covenant comes from a world we can’t see in the natural. And it’s only through faith that we bring them into this world.

• God rarely asks us to take giant leaps of faith, usually He’s simply encouraging us to take small, everyday steps discovering our life in Jesus.

• What we have to understand is, God’s not asking any of us to do anything He hasn’t already done. 
• That being said, we have to remember, not only is God a faith God, Corinthians tells us He is the faithful God. Bottom line, there’s absolutely no other way to experience a life in Him outside of faith.

• Hebrews 4:2,NKJV- Indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith...

• What we have to understand is that our born again nature is built to live according to what He says, not according to our intelligence. 

• Jesus’ mother summed it up perfectly when she told the workers, “Whatever He says to you, do it!”

• His Word is truth, it’s eternal, spiritual, the written image of Himself.

• Jesus not only instructs and encourages us in how we are to live an anointed life, He demonstrates it. This is why He tells us, the righteous are to live by faith.

• Romans 3:3-4,NKJV- What if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar...

• On the other side of us saying yes to God, there will be uncertainty, opinions, challenges, fears, obstacles we have to overcome. Maybe the question each of us has to answer is, which part of His word do we actually believe?

• Like He said, it all starts out like a seed, then grows to greatness.

• Proverbs 4:18,NLT- “The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.”

• Psalm 68:19,NKJV- “Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits”

• If we honestly believe God daily loads us with benefits, we should get up every morning actually counting on them? We’ve been asking this question throughout this talk, how faithful are we with our faith?

• It’s those little steps, little adjustments that keep us moving closer to our purpose.

• After all, we are new creations in Christ. Designed to live out of a different world right in the middle of this one. But make no mistake, our new life demands faithfulness.

• Philemon 1, The sharing of our faith becomes effective when we acknowledge every good thing that Christ has put in us.

• One of my favorite leaders from the OT is Nehemiah. But he didn’t start out that way. What interesting is that his name actually means, “God comforts,” which eventually does happen.

• But probably the most outstanding characteristic we see in Nehemiah is a faithful, no quit attitude, simply stepping into his God ordained path.

• Isaiah 58:11-12,NKJV-  The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

• The revelation of this prophecy is timeless, and I believe is speaking to us today. Nehemiah is a perfect example of one of God’s faithful, walking out a specific word of the Lord in his generation.

• There is a generation we cross paths with every day who are without God and they're convinced they're ok the way they are.

• But the reality is, their lives are in ruins and their walls are crumbling.

• This is why the Holy Spirit is constantly looking for those who’ll let Him creat a faithful heart in them.

• Y’all have heard me talk about Nehemiah so many times, but he really does represent us today.

• He's not a prophet or a priest, he doesn’t have some prestigious title or position, as a matter of fact, at the time he’s a slave.

• But what I love about him is that none of that moves him. Right in the middle of impossibility he rises to the occasion, becoming one of God's faithful people that saw a need, heard the heart of God and said, ok.

• Instead of just settling for the comforts of slavery, or assuming someone else take care of it, or playing the I'm too busy card, Nehemiah said ok Lord.

• Nehemiah is the perfect example of how we respond to the prophetic words of Isaiah, and become a rebuilder of the broken.

• He not only said yes to God, he was willing to stay with it until! He was one of God’s faithful. I can’t help but wonder if God knew this all along, that’s why He pulled on Nehemiah’s heart.

• Just like Nehemiah, today God is simply looking for people that’ll not only say yes, but stay with it, until! He’s looking for the faithful.

• One of the greatest lessons Nehemiah shows us is what happens when we don’t give up. Lets not forget, he was a regular guy just attending church, minding his own business, and God tapped him on the shoulder.

• I honestly believe that God is using Nehemiah to show us just how vital, faithful, hard working believers are to His plan.

• Nehemiah is one of Israel’s exiled and is a slave to king Artaxerxes and he’s people have been freed to go back home, but things aren’t going well, there’s no vision for restoring Jerusalem, so Nehemiah fasts and prays.

• Nehemiah 2:1-4,NLT- Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad in his presence. 
• So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.” Then I was terrified, 
• but I replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” 
• The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?”

• Now watch the favor of the Lord Nehemiah finds himself in.
• Think about it, the king just told the slave he would help him.

• Nehemiah prays and the king gives him all he requested, sending him on his mission according to the hand of the Lord on him.

• Nehemiah 2:17-18,NLT- But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” 
• Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king. They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work.

• And one of the first things Nehemiah does with his assignment is challenge everybody to show their faith with their actions.

• One of Nehemiah's finest qualities is that he consistently expresses practical, everyday faith.

• He rolled up his sleeves and did whatever it took.

• Nehemiah 6:3,AMP-  "I am doing a great work and cannot come down."

• Galatians 6:7-9,NKJV-  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for WHATEVER a man sows, that he will also reap. 
• For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 
• And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in DUE SEASON we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

• Im sure you’ve heard or even said the phrase, “You’re acting just like your father”

• Ephesians 5:1,AMP- Become imitators of God, copy Him and follow His example, as well-beloved children imitate their father.

• Jesus said, if you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Father.
• It’s the Father in Me that’s doing the work.
• The things I do, you can do also.

• Jesus’ prayer in John 17, Father, that they all may be one, as You, are in Me, and I in You; that they may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

• 2 Corinthians 5:17,NKJV- If anyone is IN CHRIST, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

• Christ isn’t Jesus’ last name, In Christ means in the anointed One and His anointing. Born into a new world, a new way of living.

• This is why Paul told us, “The life I now live, I live by faith.” In other words, I’m living with an divine expectation, a conviction that everything God’s word says I am, I can have, I can do is a reality in my life.

• A revelation we’ve got to be more open to is the fact that God only sees us in our new creation, the old one is gone. He sees us from an eternity perspective.

• This is why Ephesians teaches us to pray, Father, enlighten our soul so we can comprehend what you’ve already done for us.

• Our challenge is, growing in our faith to the place where our soul no longer relies on this physical realm to confirm spiritual realities.

• Understand, born again doesn’t just mean access to Heaven someday, it means citizen of Heaven, heir to the Kingdom, appointed ambassador of our King, assigned here to establish His Kingdom.

• This is why Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11, Imitate me the same way I imitate Christ. 

• Hebrews 6:12,NKJV-  So that you do not become sluggish, imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

• When Jesus told us to follow Him, or imitate Him, He meant watch how I do it, then do it.

• Here’s the thing, imitating Him means we have to stop living as if humanity is all there is. Because at the end of the day, as long as we’re comfortable living without more of God, we will.

• 1 John 4, As we take up permanent residence in God, we live in Him and God lives in us, our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s.

• Our father wants us to succeed at being His body in the earth. He wants us acting just like Him. Imitate Him like little children.

• 3 John 1:2,NKJV- Beloved, I pray that you may prosper (succeed) in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

• God knew He would be working through regular people like you and me. This is why He gave us a Bible full of ordinary people living extraordinary lives as they put their trust in God and take that next step of faith.

• Think about it, God has enough faith in us to call us, to give us inspired dreams, ideas, plans, purposes; He's simply asking us to have the same faith in Him.

• In Romans, Paul prays that we will overflow with a confident expectation by the power of the Holy Spirit in us.

• Keeping a God inspired, confident expectation will keep us from letting go of our faith every time things don't just fall into place. Leading us to actually becoming less independent, and more God dependent.

• After all, He is El Shaddai, The Almighty

• And if our Father told us to live a certain way, made in His image and likeness, lets leave here today with a renewed attitude. With a little divine expectation.

• What if it was said of us, “You’re acting just like your Father?”

• Today-Da-Day   start seeing yourself attempting that dream, getting that breakthrough, overcoming that sickness, walking in victory.

• Stop living just to avoid failure and disappointed.

• C'mon, you're born from Heaven, made in the image of your Father. So stop thinking and saying you can't, that there's no way out of your situation, that you've messed up too many times.

• And when everything around us is screaming, not this time;  here's one of thousands of promises from God reestablishing our hope. Empowering us to stand our ground.

• Isaiah 40, The Lord is the everlasting God, He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

• David said, God arms us with strength and makes our way perfect, giving us His shield of victory. Anointing us with the oil of gladness, surrounding us with His favor. And at His right hand are pleasures forever more.

• Real, God inspired faith is built on promises from our Father, just like these. And when we yield to them, it gives the Holy Spirit something to work with, transforming us into His very own image.

• Romans 8:29,MSG- God knew what He was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love Him along the same lines as the life of his Son.

• We’re supposed to be conformed to the image of our Father.

• Ephesians 5:1,AMP- Become imitators of God, copy Him and follow His example, as well-beloved children imitate their father.

• Here’s the thing, A father’s love, well it’s a fathers love!

• Proverbs 3:12,NKJV- For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just like a father does a son in whom he delights.

• Charles Stanley wrote, “God loves us just the way we are, but He also loves us enough not leave us that way.”

• Psalm 139:16,NIV- Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 

• If that's the case, then according this scripture, He saw this day. Think about it, He saw today just as clear as the day He formed us.

• What if more than anything, our Heavenly Father is patiently waiting for each of us to take the next step in the life He's already seen we could have?

• Think about this, how often do you even consider this kind of living?

• Ephesians 1:4-5,NLT- Long before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. 

• Remember, imitate God like little children imitate their father.

• Here’s the thing, imitating God is not just passively waiting for Him to do His miracles, while we continue doing life the way we've always done it.

• Imitating is basically following. And that what Jesus told us to do. It’s actually how our life in Him is discovered.

• You’ve heard me say this many times, watching is not the same as following. Following requires doing.

• When Jesus started putting His team together, His recruiting line was very simply, "follow Me and I'll make you fishers of men."

• Jesus told His followers, "You did not choose Me, I chose you that you should go and bare fruit."

• Here’s the thing, He’s still asking us to follow, to imitate Him. I can’t help wondering if we’ve made it too easy for believers to simply hang around watching Jesus instead of following. Instead of imitating.

• God gave us three simply principles for success in the "In Christ" 

• Psalm 37:3-5,AMP- Trust, lean on, rely on, and be confident in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed. 
• Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. 
• Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. 

• Trust, Delight, Commit

• Coach John Wooden would always say, "You've got to apply yourself every day to be better, it won't just happen."

• What if more than anything, our Heavenly Father is patiently waiting for each of us to take the next step in the life He's already seen we could have? To simply imitate Him.

• Galatians 6:7-9,NKJV-  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for WHATEVER a man sows, that he will also reap. 
• For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 
• And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in DUE SEASON we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

• We can’t forget that everything pertaining to God’s Kingdom operates under this principle of seed time and harvest.

• Something every Christian has to evaluate is just how consistent we are at sowing into our God given vision?

• At the end of the day it’s our responsibility to make room for Kingdom of Heaven realities, allowing them to be the primary influence in our thinking. How much Kingdom exposure do you get?

• Matthew 13, Jesus tells us thekingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, a man took and sowed in his field…

• Matthew 17:20,NKJV- So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

• God’s not finished with you. He’s eternal! You know the old saying, “Those who can’t do, teach?” As we get older we may not be able to do all the things we used to do, but never forget that as we mature in the Lord, we become these living dispensers of revelation for the next generation.

• Or in the words of Jesus, “Out of your spirit will flow rivers of living water.” (Good in, good out!)

• Luke 6:45,NKJV-  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

• The challenge most of us face today is that we get so busy, so occupied with the cares of this world, circumstances, life and it clouds what God is wanting to show us. (Parable of sower)

• Here’s a reality Christians have to come to terms with, God actually expects us to live beyond our humanity, to be one of His faithful.

• Being faithful with our faith, demands transformation. This is why Jesus made statements like, “If you can believe, all things are possible for you.”

• Remember, Jesus told us, from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

• Everything about God and His world was spoken into existence. God’s original plan for words wasn’t just communication, it was creation.

• Here’s a thought, what if we stopped using our word to describe our situation, and start using them to change our situation? 

• Seriously, if we’re going to be the faithful of the Lord, it starts with the little things. (Mustard seed) small adjustments, small decisions, small steps of faith. 

• A big one is our tongue, after all James tells us it’s the rudder of our life. Our words are the fruit of the seed that’s in us. So starting now, on purpose set the course of your life, line your words up with your vision.

• I think we all need training and discipline in the language of faith.

• Job 22 says, You will decide and decree a thing, and it will be established for you; And the light of God’s favor will shine on your ways.

• Time for a little vision prophesying. Seriously, why do you think James tells us, cursing and blessing should not be coming out of the same mouth.

• The Psalmist teaches us, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” 
• “Let the weak say, I am strong.”

• Roman’s 4 reminds us that God is the God who calls things that be not as though they are. Ephesians tells us to imitate God like little children.

• Maybe this talk is a simple reminder for all of us to take a fresh look at the importance of out words. Remember, from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

• Here’s the deal, every believer has to start somewhere, and usually it’s with one small decision, the another… (Mustard Seed)

• Luke 16:10,NLT- “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.”

• Luke 19:17,NLT-“Well done! the king exclaimed. You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.

• He went on to teach us that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing would be impossible for us.

• Stop thinking you’ve got to have this great faith. Real faith, as small as a mustard seed can move mountains.

• This is why God told us not to despise the day of small beginnings. Just like a seed. Remember, the kingdom of heaven is like a seed.

• At some point we’ve got to acknowledge this reality, God told us His ways are different. All His promises, His covenant comes from a world we can’t see in the natural. And it’s only through faith that we bring them into this world.

• God rarely asks us to take giant leaps of faith, usually He’s simply encouraging us to take small, everyday steps discovering our life Jesus.

• What we have to understand is, not only is God a faith God, Corinthians tells us He is the faithful God. Bottom line, there’s absolutely no other way to experience a life in Him outside of faith.

• Hebrews 4:2,NKJV- Indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith...

• What we have to understand is that our born again nature is built to live according to what He says, not according to our intelligence. 
• Jesus’ mother summed it up perfectly when she told the workers, “Whatever He says to you, do it!”

• His Word is truth, it’s eternal, spiritual, the written image of Himself.

• Jesus not only instructs and encourages us in how we are to live an anointed life, He demonstrates it. This is why He tells us, the righteous are to live by faith.

• Romans 3:3-4,NKJV- What if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar...

• On the other side of us saying yes to God, there will be uncertainty, opinions, challenges, fears, obstacles we have to overcome. Maybe the question each of us has to answer is, which part of His word do we actually believe?

• Like He said, it all starts out like a seed, then grows to greatness.

• Proverbs 4:18,NLT- “The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.”

• Psalm 68:19,NKJV- “Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits”

• If we honestly believe God daily loads us with benefits, we should get up every morning actually counting on them?

• It’s those little steps, little adjustments that keep us moving closer to our purpose.

• Every Christian’s gotta get this, our new lives can only be found in Him, willfully giving our lives to Him is the key to our success.

• What parts of your life are you still holding on too? Unwilling to trust Him with it?

• Remember, God rarely asks us to take giant leaps of faith, usually He’s simply encouraging us to take small, everyday steps discovering the life Jesus died that we could have.

• He daily loads us with blessings.

• But until we come to the place where we honestly acknowledge and accept the Bible as Jesus actually talking to us right now, the things Jesus tells us will stay some mysterious impossibility.

• This is why James reminds us that we have to be doers, not just hearers, deceiving ourselves.

• His Word is eternal, spiritual, the written image of Himself. This is why He tells us in Numbers, I am not human, I cannot lie.

• At the end of the day, it simply comes down to this, exactly what do you believe. Because the same way we receive Christ is how we live in Him.

• This is why we have to understand, it’s our responsibility to make room for Kingdom of Heaven realities, allowing them to be the primary influence in our thinking.  Can you honestly say you’re there?

• At some point, Christians have to come to terms with the fact that God actually expects us to live beyond our humanity, to be one of His faithful.

• Being faithful with our faith, demands transformation. This is why Jesus made statements like, “If you can believe, all things are possible for you.” Let’s get this settled.

• After all, we are new creations in Christ. Designed to live out of a different world right in the middle of this one.

• Philemon 1, The sharing of our faith becomes effective when we acknowledge every good thing that Christ has put in us.

• Deuteronomy 9:1-3,MSG-  Attention, Israel! This very day you are crossing the Jordan to enter the land and dispossess nations that are much bigger and stronger than you are. 
• You’re going to find huge cities with sky-high fortress-walls and gigantic people, descendants of the Anakites—you’ve heard all about them; you’ve heard the saying, “No one can stand up to an Anakite.
• TODAY KNOW THIS: GOD, your God, is crossing the river ahead of you—He’s a consuming fire. 
• He will destroy the nations, He will put them under your power. You will dispossess them and very quickly wipe them out, just as GOD promised you would.

• The Canaan mission represents leaving the old, overcoming sometimes the seemingly impossible, it’s going into a new place, a new mind set, a new way of living. 
• Canaan boldly declares that God has and always will be the force surrounding and empowering every believer willing to follow Him.

• Today-Da-Day!! It’s time for us to be a little more intentional in our thinking, our faith, our actions, let this story of our ancestors inspire us to make our minds up. To ask God to give us a intentional mind.

• Paul really brings this revelation home in his letter to the Ephesians when he instructs us that it’s up to us to put on our brand new God fashioned lives.

• Canaan makes it very clear, we’ve got to let go of the old and trust God to take us into the new. And it all starts with an intentional mind. Seriously, make up your mind!

• You know when the apostle Paul tells us to not give any place to the devil? Guess where that starts? Leave here today with an intentional mind.

• “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”

• We’ve got to understand that what we think on continually becomes the dominate influence in our lives.

• 2 Corinthians 10,MSG- The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. 
• We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, 
• fitting every loose thought, emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ.

• Something every Christians has got to come to terms with is the fact that we’re made in God’s image. But because of free will, it’s our responsibility to make room for faith inspired thinking. In other words, renew our mind.

• This is why He told us to take control of our thoughts, to actually bring them into obedience with Christ. Canaan is waiting. Make your mind up, you’re letting go of the old and going in and taking the new God has for you.

• Remember last week in Matthew 6, Jesus tells us, “take no thought” He actually says, “Take no thought, saying” I’m convinced, every Christian needs training in the language of faith.
• Here’s the thing, an intentional mind produces intentional speaking.

• And I realize these are spiritual realities that will contradict the things of this natural world, and this is why we have to become people of faith, which means we have to do things God’s way.

• Practice seeing yourself the way God’s word describes you.

• Think about it, right now, what kind of in Christ image do you have?
• Don’t kid yourself, wrong thinking leads to wrong believing.

• What’s your thought life look like? What occupies the most space in your thinking? 

• Do you honestly believe that according to Jesus, Isaiah, Paul, and so many other patriarchs, that the more you think on what God says, the more transformation is happening?

• Hebrews 12, We run with endurance the race God has set before us by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith...

• Is it possible that we could get to a place in our walk with Jesus that the cares and trials of this world no longer have the power to sideline us?

• Why not let God inspire our thinking, empower us to be more international with our thought life, to the place where we see from His perspective?

• This means taking the time to make room in our thinking for God to inspire our faith. Remember the Psalmist says, be still and know that He’s God.

• Remember, it’s the little things that make the difference. And the majority of the time it’s those seemingly small decisions we make that shape our lives.

• In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus gives us a great picture of how God’s Kingdom operates. How something seemingly so small becomes something very significant.

• Matthew 13:31-32,NKJV- “Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

• Start today with one small decision, acknowledge Jesus as the author and finisher of your faith. The reason inspired thinking is so important for the believer is because our faith goes in the direction of our thinking.

• And for the born-again, our new lives (Canaan) can only be found in Him, willfully giving our lives to Him is the key to our success.

• This is why Paul instructs us that we have to put on our new man in Christ.

• Ephesians 4:21-24 NLT, “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, 
• throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 
• Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 
• Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”

• In Isaiah, God tells us, “I don’t think like you, or work like you. Just like the rain waters the earth, making things grow, so do the words that come out of my mouth. They will do what I sent them to do.”

• Remember what Jesus told us in Matthew, the King of heaven is like a seed. In like he also makes it clear that His word is seed.

• And this is where our faith has to be activated. From an intentional mind. We can’t keep doing things our way and expect to exercise Kingdom of God realties.

• This is why God told us not to despise the day of small beginnings. Just like a seed, which God’s word is, as it begins to grow the fruit will be recognizable in our lives today.

• Remember, God told us His ways are different. All His promises, His covenant comes from a world we can’t see in the natural. And it’s only through faith that we bring them into our world.

• God rarely asks us to take giant leaps of faith, usually He’s simply encouraging us to take small, everyday steps discovering the life Jesus died that we could have. He didn’t take the children of Israel to Canaan the first day.

• One of the most valuable lessons we can learn from our ancestors in the OT is that we will never enter into the life God has for us as long as we refuse to trust Him. Not to mention letting go of the old wilderness thinking or even worse Egypt thinking.

• The is why the first group stayed where they were in the wilderness, wandering through life, never getting to experience the promised life God told them was theirs for the taking.

• At the end of the day, absolutely everything pertaining to the Kingdom of God comes down to faith, what we believe.

• Matthew 9:28-30,NKJV- And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.”And their eyes were opened. 

• Remember, “According to your faith, let it be to you.”

• On the other side of us saying yes to God, there will be fears, uncertainty, opinions, challenges, giants and fortified walls we’ll have to overcome.

• The question is, will you continue wandering in your wilderness of unbelief, or will you take one of those steps of faith and cross over into your Canaan?

• Deuteronomy 9,  Attention, Israel! TODAY KNOW THIS: GOD, your God, is crossing the river ahead of you—He’s a consuming fire. 
• He will destroy the nations, He will put them under your power. You will dispossess them and very quickly wipe them out, just as GOD promised you would.

• Canaan boldly declares that God has and always will be the force surrounding and empowering every believer willing to follow Him.

• Today-Da-Day!! It’s time for us to be a little more intentional in our thinking, our faith, our actions, let this story of our ancestors inspire us to make our minds up. To ask God to give us a intentional mind.

Psalm 46 says, Be still and know... in other words, make the time to allow God to inspire our thinking, our decisions, our vision, our knowing, our faith!

As we unpack this talk, no matter how uncertain, stuck, afraid, hurt, disappointed you may feel, faith inspired knowing is what enables any believer to having done all to stand, we stand. These are the ones God is patiently looking for, The Faithful.

Galatians 6:7-9,NKJV-  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Here’s a little take home for ya, Nobody gets to go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today a make a new ending.

Isaiah said, “I’m about to do a new thing...”

God spoke through Zechariah saying, “How dare any of you despise the day of small beginnings.”

So, regardless of what you have or haven’t done, regardless of the challenges, disappointments and criticisms, let this God ordained, Kingdom of Heaven reality settle into your thinking.  God’s not finished with you. He’s eternal!

I understand, for God there’s nothing new under the sun, but for every believer, this is Isaiah’s point, there’s always going to be a new thing we’re just seeing because God is progressive in His revelation of Himself.

This is why faithfulness is required, we’re the clay on the Potter’s wheal.

Let’s all of us leave here with a refocused acknowledgement that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Which means it’s time to refocus our believing; one decision at a time, one step at a time, one day at a time. Let God enlarge our vision. (Jabez)

Here’s probably the most overlooked point of Jabez’s prayer, how’s my vision? He wasn’t just asking for more, but to enlarge his ability to receive from God. Think about it, when’s the last time you’ve checked your vision? Be still and know!

Remember, whatever a man sows. How consistent do you sow into your God given vision?

Here’s the deal, there is no silver bullet, even though God will absolutely stretch our vision, give us dreams bigger than we are; (otherwise what do we need faith for?) we still have to take them on one day at a time.

And it starts by being faithful in the little. Remember what God spoke through Zechariah, “How dare any of you despise the day of small beginnings.”

Mother Teresa said, “Our strength lies in being faithful in the little things.”

Proverbs 4:18,NLT- “The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.”

Solomon said, “The end of a thing is better than the beginning.”

Here’s a reality Christians have to come to terms with, God actually expects us to live beyond our humanity, to be one of His faithful, actually living a spiritual life.

Remember, Jesus told us we can’t put new wine in old wine skins. In other words, God’s ways, God’s Kingdom isn’t humanity’s way, and it’s definitely not religion’s way.

1 Corinthians 2:9-14,NKJV-  But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Understand, God’s entire system will go against everything our natural life has grown comfortable with, as a matter of fact, God’s ways will absolutely go against all human reasoning.

This is why Jesus made statements like,”If you can believe, all things are possible for you,” "Whatever you ask for believing, you'll receive it."

But here's the thing, the only way a person starts believing differently is by thinking differently.

And right thinking, Godly thinking is a direct result of time with God, time with His word. The challenge most of us face today is that we get so busy, so occupied with our circumstances, with life and it clouds what God is wanting to show us.

Matthew 6:22-23,NKJV-  The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

What we put in front of us, our spirit is exposed to. Make no mistake, it influences our vision.

Paul helps us with this truth in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians, As we behold His glory, we are transformed into the same image.

Luke 6:45,NKJV-  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Everything about God and His world was spoken into existence. God’s original plan for words wasn’t communication, it was creation.

Remember Ezekiel, “Prophecy to bones” So what about today, who’s God’s voice in the earth? Who’s gonna do the prophesying today?

Paul said, Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, not written with ink but by the Spirit of the living God. What if when Jesus told us to follow Him, that included talking the way he did. Saying the things He said?

According to Proverbs 6, I wonder how many of us are snared by the words of our mouth?

Like Ezekiel , like so many of God’s people, what if we started prophesying our future? Get up everyday proclaiming God’s blessing over you life.

You want to know what you’re gonna be like five years from now? Just listen to what you’re saying?

According to Proverbs, sometimes we need to put a guard over our mouth.

Here’s a thought, what if we stopped using our word to describe our situation, and start using them to change our situation?

Seriously, if we’re going to be the faithful of the Lord, it starts with the little things. It starts with our tongue, after all, James tells us it’s the ruder of our life.

Let me ask y’all, how many of you honestly believe God means what He says? So according to Proverbs 18, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” how about this one? Do we really believe this?

We can’t talk failure, talk the problem, the should’ve, could’ve, would’ve and honestly think we’re being faithful in what He told us.

Galatians 6:7-9,NKJV-  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Remember Psalm 46, Be still and know that He is God.

I get it, making ourselves available to God, to spiritual realities isn't something that comes natural to our human nature. This is where faith comes in. God is absolutely looking for, counting on the faithful.

Jesus actually told us, those faithful in the little will be faithful in much.

And it all hinges on believers embracing this new, different life in Christ. This is why Paul instructs us that we are to put on our new man in Christ.

Those who live spiritual, it starts by setting their minds on spiritual things.

Ephesians 4:21-24 NLT, “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”