Faith for Evangelism (part 4)

Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is

designed to uplift and strengthen you in your

walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until

the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive

right in. Alright, today we will continue from

where we stopped on Sunday. And we will be dealing

with... Still faith for evangelism, right? Still

be dealing with faith for evangelism. And we

will consider some conduct, actually, or some

pains that causes men to be weak in their faith,

or some indicators. Let's use the word of the

researchers. Indicators or factors that we can

see and... can point to weak in faith or weakness

in faith. So things that we can see that points

to weakness in the faith of a believer, things

that we can see. So it means that when you are

checking yourself, right, when you're checking

yourself, these are the things you must always

check. Or when you see these signs, you should

begin to seek your faith to be strengthened,

right? Seek that your faith be strengthened.

The body of Christ is established by Christ that

we might strengthen each other. And one of the

things that people really want to do or that

we might find ourselves doing in the body of

Christ is to believe that you can survive alone

or to believe or see things. uh that are taking

place in our lives and we we do ignore them or

take them for granted or just you know uh see

them as no problem right means that we don't

check ourselves well or even when we check we

don't call ourselves to action by seeking us

our faith to be strengthened so when we see these

things that we are going to highlight out now

it means that we should seek our faith to be

strength we should talk to a brother talk to

a sister talk to a pastor right and say sir i

see myself being weakened because of this circumstance

and therefore i seek your encouragement and you

know when we come to cathartismus uh believers

meeting holy ghost meeting one of the things

that happens there is that we are strengthened

in faith Right. Your fears are brought before

your face and the power of God that has taken

away the worries is made manifest. So let's quickly

check a few scriptures. So we're talking about

things that indicate that a believer is actually

weak in faith or signaling that you need help.

Right. You need help. So let's put the first

scriptures. Acts chapter one. Acts chapter one.

I'm just going to call all of the scriptures

and I'll be going on. So, chapter 1 actually

is the beginning of how the apostles began to

gather. They were together. Acts chapter 1 from

Acts 1 · chapter mention

verse 19. Let's read from verse 19. And as it

was known unto all dwellers at Jerusalem. In

so much more as the feud is called in the proper

tongue, that is to say the feud of blood. For

it is written in the book of the Psalms that

let his habitation be desolate and let no man

dwell therein and his bishopric let another take.

Therefore of these men which have accompanied

with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went

in and out among us, beginning from the baptism

of John unto the same that he was taken up from

us, must one... be ordained to be a witness with

us of his resurrection. And they appointed to

Joseph called Barsabbas and who was son named

Justus and Matthias. And they prayed and said,

Thou Lord, which knowest the heart of all men,

show whether of these two thou hast chosen that

he may take part of this ministry and apostleship.

from which Judas by transgression fell, that

he might go to his own place. And they gave forth

their lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and

he was numbered with the eleven. He was numbered

with the eleven. So what are we picking here?

Now you realize that in verse 24, they prayed,

right? They prayed. And in verse 26, They casted

lots. Okay? So, more or less, having two combinations,

right, of things to discern the will of God.

So, they prayed and they casted lots. Good. Now,

let's go to Acts 13, verse 1 to 3. Let's see

Acts 13:1–3

the difference in the conduct of the apostles.

Now they were in the church that was in Antioch,

certain prophets and teachers, as Barnabas and

Simeon, that was called Niger, and Lucius of

Cyrene and Minyan, which had been brought up

with Herod the Tetrarch and Saul. As the minister

to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said,

Separate me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work

whereunto I have called them. And when they had

fasted and prayed, they laid hands on them, them

away now two different scriptures are this one

talking about someone coming into the work of

ministry right and this other chapter 13 also

reveals someone who is also going for the work

of ministry right so we see these two uh scenarios

almost very similar more like ushering people

into the work of ministry and we see that the

first part in act chapter one they prayed and

the casted logs. But in Acts chapter 10, they

Acts 10 · chapter mention

just prayed, fasted and prayed, and they sent

them forth. Right? Now, the first thing we must

know is that when they said the Holy Ghost said,

it's not a voice from heaven. Okay? Because from

the scriptures, we know how the Holy Ghost speaks.

It's not like a voice from heaven. It's not like

an angel entered and was, you know, flapping

the wings and then saying some word. It means

that someone gave a word. And that giving of

a word is what is presented as the minister and

pastor. The Holy Ghost said, it means from one

of the believers there, the word came and it

separates me, Barnabas and Saul, from the world

where I have told them. So someone gave a word,

a direction for the ministry of Barnabas and

Saul. Do we see that? so it means only because

the holy spirit speaks through the believers

right they were ministering uh in that situation

and then what we saw there was that they just

fasted and prayed and they sent them forth without

casting lots right so casting lots was used as

the means by which they could discern what god

was saying right what god was saying so we can

see that the disciples or the apostles grew from

that revelation or from that position where prayer

and something to where prayer and that is it.

So they grew from where prayer and casting of

blood to a place where they just prayed and ushered

people into ministry. And therefore we can see

that at this point, There's the level of ignorance

that was exercised. They didn't know that this

casting of blood was not to be carried out again.

So there's a level of ignorance that made them

walk in that. Because the prayer in verse 24

was sufficient for them to pick someone. It was

sufficient for them to pick someone. So we can

say that at the beginning they had some level

of weak faith. But as they grow in their understanding,

some of these conducts like casting of law was

taken away. And as you would bear a testimony

that this never happened again in the book of

Acts. This never happened again in the book of

Acts. And progressively we see that. So we can

see ignorance is one of those things that can

actually affect the conduct of a believer. It

can affect you if you don't have a revelation

of God's word. And that is why we pay attention

to every bit of... the scripture like we pay

attention in this church as much as we can to

each verse that you don't miss out in any revelation

of god you don't miss out in any rebel so see

uh ignorance there as one challenge now let's

see uh another one we can just write the scriptures

down because we already discussed them on sunday

acts 11 act 11 showing the same thing uh From

Peter's conduct, right? Showing the same thing

for Peter's conduct. Just write Acts 11. Acts

11. Then Romans. Romans 14 and 15. We're not

going to go through those ones again because

we have taught them and explained them on Sunday.

What was happening in these two places was, for

example, in Romans. 14 and 15, is that there

was no sufficient knowledge among the people

that says, well, we shouldn't eat food sacrificed

to idols. So it means that their faith was weak.

It was explained as weak in faith because they

didn't have the full knowledge and understanding

that nothing should be rejected. Nothing should

be refused, but should be received with thanksgiving.

So we see that the lack of knowledge in that

place, and we see that it's ignorance as well.

in 11 we find that as well in the corner of peter

and we saw paul correcting right as we read from

galatians uh paul correcting so scriptures just

reflects ignorance in the revelation of jesus

right and then a revelation comes from paul the

same thing so as a believer what we can see is

that if we don't understand Right? If we walk

in ignorance, it will be difficult to be strong

in faith. So, when we are teaching every part

of the scripture, line by line, is because we

don't want to miss anything. Right? We don't

want to miss anything. That is why we teach and

we pay attention to the word of God. Now, the

thing is that sometimes, certain part of the

scriptures... right certain part of creatures

might look as if they are not of presence of

present application let me put it that way that

is not uh that is not the goal or that's not

the goal of the bible in terms of trying to make

that everything that is being taught like is

now now you have to apply no it is that you grow

in the knowledge you keep increasing in the knowledge

the growth and the knowledge is the goal So it's

not like, oh, we are teaching you now and we

want you to go out to just go. No, you cannot.

You can find certain teachings that you would

apply on the floor and certain teachings that

you would come to later in the future in your

life. Do we get it? So the main emphasis of teaching

the scriptures is that you grow in that knowledge.

So no knowledge is, no knowledge is, how can

I put it? No knowledge is insignificant while

it's being taught to you. Every knowledge is

significant. So the emphasis is that you pay

attention, right? You pay attention. So don't

ask, why are we teaching this? Why are we learning?

Just go. Just learn it, right? Learn it, note

it down. Learn it, note it down. Learn it and

note it. So you are growing in grace. You are

growing in the knowledge of Jesus. So take away

every ignorance. Take away every form of conduct

that reflects that. Now let's go to Matthew 16,

Matthew 16:8

verse 8. Let's see some scriptures from the Gospels,

right? 16, verse 8. Now let's start from verse

5. And when his disciples were come to the other

side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then

Jesus said unto them, Take heed. and beware of

the living of the pharisees and of the services

and the reason among themselves saying it is

because we have taken no bread which when jesus

perceived he said unto them all ye of little

faiths why reason ye among yourselves because

ye have brought no bread do you not understand

yet do you not yet understand neither remember

the five loaves of the five thousand and how

many baskets yea took up neither the seven loaves

of the four thousand and how many baskets yea

took up how is it that ye do not understand that

i speak it not to you concerning bread that ye

should beware of the living of the pharisees

and of the sadducees then understood they how

that he had begged them to beware of the living

of bread uh sorry Then understood they how he

bid them not beware of the living and dead, but

of the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

So you see Jesus also called, you know, their

lack of understanding little faiths, their lack

of their ignorance to think that it was about

physical bread rather than Jesus was referring

to the teachings and doctrine of the Pharisees

as bread. Mark 8, verse 17. Similar scripture,

Mark 8:17

same rendition. Still talking about ignorance

when it comes to the teaching of the Pharisees

that is misinterpreted by the disciples. Verse

17. He said, and when Jesus knew, he said unto

them, what reason? You see, why reason ye? Because

ye have no breath. Perceive ye not. perceive

ye not yet neither understand have ye your hearts

yet hardened having eyes see not and having ears

hear not and do not remember what when i break

the five loops among five thousand how many basket

full of fragments took it up they said unto him

they say unto him twelve and when the seven among

the four thousand how many baskets full of fragments

took it up they said seven and he said unto them

how is it that ye do not understand right you

do not understand and in matthew he called it

little faith right he calls it little faith so

we can see this as one of the things that can

actually affect believers faith i can affect

uh believers for example i can give you an example

uh you probably have gone out and you had preached

to people and you have seen that although they

are believers But they hold on to certain things,

right? Some of you come here, you begin to ask

questions. Are they really saved? Well, some

of them are saved, right? For example, people

who believe in using elements as the presence

of God, right? Using natural things as the presence

of God. Or people who believe in taking the Bible

literally and practicing it literally, right?

You can see a lot of weakness of faith in that.

When I mean practice literally means, for example,

some people believe in taking Holy Communion

and that is the blood and the body of Christ,

right? Things like that. Now, those are expressions

actually of weakness of faith because it does

not come with the revelation. In the revelation

of that, we understood that we don't have to

practice that. So in such practices, you can

see, okay, these people are weak in faith and

that's ignorance. And we too, sometimes, we can

find ourselves in that. Now, let's move to the

second one. The second one, the first one we

just dealt with is ignorance, not having sufficient

knowledge, not working in sufficient knowledge.

Fear, anxiety, and doubt, right? Fear, anxiety,

and doubt. Fear, anxiety, and doubt, right? It's

a signal, it's a pointer to the fact that you're

weak, right? You're weak at that point in time,

pertaining that situation. Right? You are weak

at that point in time pertaining that situation.

There are situations that comes to you like your

faith just, you know, you're like, no, this one,

it doesn't get to you. Right? You're very strong

like, oh, this situation is going to pass. You're

holding on to the word of God and you're moving.

You're moving without doubt. But there are certain

situations, you know, that when they touch you,

right, or you find yourself in such situations,

fear, anxiety, and doubt sets in. Right. Fear,

anxiety, and doubt. Now we can see Matthew 6

Matthew 6:30

verse 30. Matthew 6 verse 30. It's a word for

Matthew 6:30

if God so clothed the grass of the field in which

today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven,

shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little

faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What

shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or wherewithal

shall we be clothed? Now we see that worrying,

anxiety about what to eat, what to drink, is

also regarded as little faith here, right, in

Matthew. 6 verse 13. So things in the natural,

Matthew 6:13

talking about things in the natural, needs in

the natural can actually become a circumstance

by which we are weak in faith. We are little

in faith. So it means that when those things

come, you need someone to encourage you. You

need to talk to someone before it drags you away

from the doctrine of Christ. We have seen people

where the needs, the natural needs, let them

away. Right? And you see that they lost their

salvation. No, they didn't lose their salvation.

People who have believed, walked with Christ.

Right? But because of the natural needs, because

of needs, they are drawn away. Right? They are

drawn away. We see Demas, right? We see Demas

as an example. Right? We see Demas as an example.

We see John Mark maybe as an example as well.

Right? As examples of people, of course, them,

as the Bible says, they loved the world, right?

They loved things of the world. We saw John Mark,

of course, left the field where they were working

together with Paul. And then later, somehow,

somehow, found his way back to a place where

he was ready to go out again. So we can see that

the things are natural can actually cause our

faith to be weak. And it's because we are on

this earth and... It can cause our faith. Now

we go to Matthew 8, 26. Matthew 8, 26. Another

expression by which Jesus emphasized and called

the faith of people working with him, little

faith. From verse 23. And when he was entered

into a sheep, his disciples followed him. And

behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea,

insomuch that the sheep was covered with the

waves. But he was asleep. And the disciple came

to him and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us,

we perish. And he said unto them, Why are ye

fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose

and rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was

a great calm. But the men marveled, saying, What

manner of man is this, that even the wind and

the sea obey him? Even the wind and the sea obey

him. So again, in this scenario, we see fear,

we see anxiety. we see fear we see anxiety fear

and anxiety even while jesus was with them so

this is also regarded as weak in faith regarded

as you know lead of faith you know it's like

someone regularly coming to church hearing the

word but still working in fear and anxiety right

here in the world but walking in fear and anxiety

so this is not ignorance in that sense but you

know right christ is there you know what scripture

says Yet, emotions, natural emotions, overthrow

the word of God in your mind. In your mind, right?

The word of God is overthrown by the natural

emotions that you give expression to. Matthew

Matthew 14:31

14, verse 31. So it's also called, we can experience

those things as we go daily. And when we see

them, we should know what to do. And immediately,

Matthew 14, verse 31. And immediately Jesus stretched

Matthew 14:31

forth his hands and caught him and said unto

him, O thou of little faith, careful didst thou

doubt. And when they were come to, okay, so we

can read from verse 27. But straight away Jesus

spake unto them, saying, Be of good care, it

is high, be not afraid. And verse 28, Peter answered

him and said, Not if it be thou. So, it's talking

about... peter uh in this case as well seeing

the kids in the natural i'm beginning to doubt

beginning to doubt and it's also called little

faith right it's also called little fear and

we see fear anxiety we see doubts in that circumstance

doubt in desert can these things happen to believers

while they walk on it yes but should a believer

walk away and say i don't need help when these

things happen or not admit it no You shouldn't

say you will not. There's a brother actually

in church that someone called me, and I'm sure

I will inform the pastor about it. I don't know

which of these stages, but I know one of these

is happening to him, and he's almost going to

no faith. He's abandoning the gathering of the

brethren. He's walking away from the meetings

that we're holding and all of that. And I believe

that it's a matter of fear, anxiety, and doubt.

And a solution is for him to stay in his room

and not go out to meet anybody. That's a solution,

right? Thanks to the believers that are around

me, that are around him, that are calling us

and say, sir, I know you are his pastor. This

is the circumstance of things. No believer should

do such a thing. It's because you don't understand.

At that point, he's weak in faith. But I'm sure

if you even ask him, he will say he doesn't even

know what confidence in faith is, right? I hope

he should be here today, he will be here today

to listen and be able to diagnose himself. Now,

the next thing we find is actually confidence

in self or confidence in self, right? It's also

an expression that a person is weak in faith,

actually. Confidence in self, right? In self,

in your own ability. Confidence in self, in your

own ability. Luke 22, verse 32 to 33. Luke 22,

Luke 22:32–33 Luke 22:32–33

verse 32 to 33. Luke 22, verse 32 to 33. So you

Luke 22:32–33

can just read from verse 30. We can start from

verse 30. That ye may eat and drink at my table

in my kingdom, and sit on thrones, judging twelve

tribes of Israel. And the Lord said, From 31.

Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have

you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have

prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. And

when thou art converted, printing thy brethren.

And he said unto the Lord, verse 33. He said

unto the Lord, Lord, I am ready to go with thee

both into prison and to death. And he said. I

tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this

day before that thou shalt tryst deny that thou

knowest me. And he said unto him, and he said

unto them, when I sent you without paws and feet

and shoes and ye lacked anything, right, lacked

ye anything, and they said nothing. So what we

see here, right, while we continue, if you also

continue, you'll see that in verse 36, he said,

then said he unto them, go now. He that hath

pause, let him take it. Okay, I think we don't

need that part. So it just goes to the point

where Peter actually had believed that he could

actually swallow Christ based on his own strengths

and his own confidence. And although Christ was

still wanting, he said, well, I'm seeing something

that certain desire to save you. But he said,

well, I can go with you anyway. I can put my

life down on you. Yet Christ was warning, was

giving that warning, saying, this is what is

about to come. And did he fall into that? Yes.

He fell into that because he believed that he

could have been able to follow Christ, even to

the point of death, follow him to the prison.

And we see that that did not take place, and

he realized it at the end. We see here is more

of confidence in self, confidence in self. can

actually point to weakness in faith, confidence

in self. So we can pay attention to ourselves.

When we carry out this conduct, when we see ourselves

working in this, we can caution ourselves and

say, I think I'm believing so much in self rather

than in what Christ can do through me, in what

Christ can do through me. And we talked about

it, it was read on Sunday when Pastor Victor

was praying that, I think he talked about it,

he mentioned it, that, Paul himself had certain

things he could be confident about when it comes

to the flesh, right? And he gave a profile of

himself, yet he understood that all this is garbage

for the excellences of knowledge of Christ, right?

So what we see there is that his believing is

not in self, but much more. So we can say he's

strong in faith. He's strong in faith, having

that understanding that he would not have confidence

in the flesh. Now, let's see again the last one.

The last one. The last one, then we will check

a particular example in the Bible. Offenses is

also a signal of weakness in faith, right? Offenses,

when you hold on to offenses. When you hold on

to offenses, it shows that you're weak in faith.

When you hold on to offenses, it means a brother

offended you and you refuse to forgive or you

refuse to fellowship with the brother. Now, Luke

Luke 17:1–10

17, verse 1 to 10. Offenses. Luke 17, verse 1

Luke 17:1–10

to 10. Then Jesus said unto his disciples, unto

the disciples, it is impossible but that offenses

will come. But woe unto him to whom they come.

It were better for him that a milestone were

hanged around about his neck and cast into the

sea than that he should offend one of these little

ones. Take it to yourself. If thy brother trespass

against thee, rebuke him. And if he repents,

forgive him. And if he trespass against thee

seven times in a day, and seven times in a day

turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt

forgive him. And the apostle said unto the Lord,

increase our faith. And the Lord said, if ye

had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might

say unto the sycamore tree, be thou plucked.

up by the roots and be planted and be planted

in the sea and it should obey you but which of

you having a servant uh having a servant or feeding

a cattle will say unto him i and by when is come

from the field go and sit down to meet and will

not rather say unto him make ready where which

i may stop and get up thyself and serve me till

i have eaten and drunk in an apple thou shall

eat and drink Don't he thank the servant because

he did the things that were commanded him? I

true not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have

done all those things which are commanded you,

say, we are unprofitable servants, and we have

done that which was our duty to do. We have done

that which was our duty to do. Now we see that

Jesus was talking about offenses here. He was

talking about offenses here. And then they said,

increase our faith. Increase our faith. So it

means that when we hold on to offenses, it reflects

being weak in faith. It reflects so much of our

weakness in faith. If we find it difficult to

forgive someone. Now imagine someone who finds

it difficult to forgive another person. A brother.

A brother. At what point would they believe that,

or at what point would they find it necessary

that forgiveness should be given to outsiders?

And the second forgiveness I mean is that at

what point would they find it necessary to preach

the gospel? Because the preaching of the gospel

brings forgiveness to men. Do we get it? So if

your brother who is in the same faith with you,

you find it difficult to... Forgive the brother.

How much more or to what extent can you go out

and preach that people may receive forgiveness?

So offenses is also one of those areas that we

see that the believer can actually be weakened.

So you should be someone who forgives very easily.

You forgive people. You don't hold on to offenses,

especially when it has been. It has followed

the manner at which the Bible says we should

deal with offenses. It means you have spoken

to the pastor, you have spoken to the brother,

right? You have spoken to the pastor, you have

spoken to the brother, you have spoken to the

church, you have been called upon. You should

forgive. You should forgive. It shows that you

are strong in faith, right? It shows that you

are strong. So, exercises of forgiveness, right,

is showing strength in faith. It's showing strength

in faith. So we can say that we don't need an

angel to tell us if you are strong or weak in

faith, but we can see it from your conduct, right?

So when people approach you, when your pastors

approach you, when a brother approach you and

is having a conversation with you, we can know

whether you're weak in faith or not. We can know

who you are forgiving, who you have not forgiven.

We can know if you're agreeing in the word or

not. We can know. if anxiety is there and the

job or the responsibility of the believer is

to seek help right is to seek help and in seeking

help what do we do we grow in seeking help we

we grow it therefore means that in our conduct

we can see that now let's go to a study of a

man of god right i'll call him man of god that

was weak in faith right but the bible explained

the part of his life and told us that he actually

became strong in faith, right? He actually became

strong in faith. Now, just the same way we see

the apostles from Acts chapter 1 across to 11,

Acts 1 · chapter mention

right, or 10 thereabouts, there is increase in

the revelation. Ignorance taken away. They became

strong in faith. Their conduct also changed.

Their conduct changed. The kind of, the way they

deal with believers changed. The way they understood

the Bible changed. The way we relate with Gentiles

changed. The way they seek the direction of God

also changed. From casting load to much more

the things of the Spirit, walking in the direction

of the Spirit. So we see that in the Apostle

book. Let's check Abraham's life a little bit

and see some parts of his life. Now, the main

scripture that we should start with is Romans

18, verse 22. Romans 4 verse 18 and 22. Romans

Romans 4:18 Romans 4:18

4 verse 18 and 22. so shall thy seed be. And

being not weak in faith, he considered not his

own body now dead when he was about a hundred

years old. Neither yet the deadness of Sarah's

womb. He started not at the promise of God through

unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory

to God and being fully persuaded. that what he

had promised, he was able also to perform. And

therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Now, it was not written for his sake alone that

it was imputed to him, but for us also, to whom

it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that

raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. who was

delivered for our offenses and was raised again

for our justification was delivered from offenses

and was raised again for justification so up

until verse 25. so what we saw here is that there's

something abraham did or there's at a point in

his life where the bible says and therefore it

was imputed to him as righteousness right something

was imputed to him as righteousness now that

part by which it was imputed to him as righteousness

is the part that we want to trace that before

that time right where the times where the promise

of god that was spoken to him where he thought

that he himself could fulfill it where the times

are such right so we can start with genesis 12

Genesis 12:1–3

verse 1 to 3. so we're just going to go through

genesis a little bit and then see. Genesis 12,

Genesis 12:1–3

verse 1 to 3, which is the instruction of God

for him to live and follow, right? For him to

live and follow. And now, the Lord has said unto

Abraham, get thee out of thy country and from

thy kindred and from thy father's house unto

a land that I will show you. And I will make

thee a great nation and I will bless thee and

make thy name great and thou shall be a blessing

and now bless them that bless thee and cause

them that cause thee and indeed shall all the

families of the earth be blessed so abraham departed

as the lord has spoken unto him and lord went

with him and abraham was 75 years old when he

departed right when he departed now this is where

god began to speak to him and of course this

is the first time god is speaking to him and

telling him you become the father of all nations

so you become the father of uh all through you

all the families of the earth will be blessed

right through you all the families of the earth

will be blessed you will be a great nation and

i'll bless thee bless uh and make thy name great

and that shall be a blessing so we see that god's

plan and its communication to abraham at this

point in time was clear right it was clear of

what god wants to do uh through him but let's

see uh verse 15 let's say verse 15 let's see

verse 15 and let's see some considerations that

took place now verse 15 says verse 15 from chapter

15 sorry genesis chapter 15 from verse 1. this

Genesis 15 · chapter mention

is after these things the word of the lord came

unto abraham genesis 15 verse 1 in a vision saying

Genesis 15:1

fear not abraham i am thy shield and thy exceeding

great reward And Abraham said to the Lord, God,

what will thou give me, seeing that I go childless?

And the steward of my house is Eliezer of Damascus.

Now, the first thing we see here, or what we

see here, or the first option for him was the

steward of his house. that god might do what

he wanted to do or what he has spoken through

his steward so the problem is you have said it

you will do it but can you use this steward since

i go childless now we see that in that sense

and we see that in this place we can say well

the word of god that he had received in genesis

Genesis 12 · chapter mention

chapter 12 right was not what was on his lips

right he said through you All the nations of

the earth were blessed. And now, he himself is

saying, well, can you use Eliezer? I believe

what you will do, but maybe through him. Or maybe

through this person. And Abraham said, Behold

to me, thou hast given no seed. Verse 3. And

lo, one born in my house is my heir. So, who

will inherit all his house? His servants. So,

he's saying, since it is the servants, that is

there at this stage, at this point in time, can

you do it through these servants? And we say

that the word in Genesis 12, verse 1 to 4, or

Genesis 12:1–4

3, was not on his lips, right? Was not on his

lips. Now let's check chapter 16. Just move to

the next chapter as well. Chapter 16. Now let's

read from verse 1. I said, now Sarah, Abraham's

wife, bear him no children. And she had an unmade,

an Egyptian whose name was Agur. And Sarah said

unto Abraham, behold, now the Lord restrained

me from bearing. I pray thee, go in unto my maid.

It may be that I may obtain children by her.

And Abraham acting to the voice of Sarah. And

Sarah, Abraham's wife, took her girl and made.

Amid, right? The Egyptian after Abraham and dwelt

10 years in the land of Canaan and gave her to

her husband Abraham to be his wife. And he went

in unto Agur and she conceived. And when she

saw that she had conceived, her mistress was

despised. I got to read that again. And when

she saw that she had conceived, her mistress

was despised in a heist. And so I said unto Abraham,

my wrong. Be upon me. I have given my maid into

thy bosom. And when she saw that she had conceived,

I was despised in her eyes. And the Lord judged

between me and thee. But Abraham said unto Sarah,

Behold, thy maid is in thy hand. Do to her as

it pleaseth thee. And when Sarah dealt hardly

with her, she fled from her face. She fled from

her face. Now again, another... alternative,

right? The word of God, not in the mouth of the

husband, not in the mouth of the wife. And we

see that in this case, right? The word of Genesis

1 to 3 or 1 to 4 was also not in their mouth

and they were working in a way by which they

seek to fulfill what God wants to do. And this

became an example in Galatians, right? An example

in Galatians while Paul was talking about and

talking to believers who had started in the spirit,

believing the scriptures, and people bringing

circumcision onto them. And this was used as

an example of, you know, of works that is away

from faith. So, but let's see what happened from

chapter 17. Right, from chapter 17. From chapter

17, verse 1. From chapter 17, verse 1. What happened

in chapter 17? God again appeared and revealed

himself and spoke his word, right? Spoke his

word to Abraham. And when Abraham was 99 years

old, sorry, 90 years old and nine, the Lord appeared

to Abraham and said unto him, I am the Lord,

I am the almighty God. Walk before me and be

that prophet. Now make a covenant between me

and thee. He will multiply thee exceedingly.

And Abraham fell to his face, and God talked

with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant

is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many

nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called

Abraham, but thy name shall be Abraham. For a

father of many nations I have made thee. Now,

this is exactly what was spoken in Genesis 12,

Genesis 12:1–5

verse 1 to 5. And I'll make thee exceedingly

fruitful, and I'll make nations of thee. and

kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish

my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed

after thee in their generation, for an everlasting

covenant to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed

after thee. And I will give unto thee, to thy

seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a

stranger, the land of Canaan, for an everlasting

possession, and I will be their God. And God

said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my commandments.

thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and

thy seed after thee in their generations this

is my covenant which ye shall keep between me

and i see now what we see here right what we

see here is that god started reiterating what

he has said right god started reiterating what

he has said in genesis chapter 12 verse 1 to

Genesis 12:1–2

2 to abraham again right he started reiterating

genesis chapter 12 to him meaning that restating

Genesis 12 · chapter mention

now was it the first time that god is stating

this no right so it means that when the word

of god comes to someone and there is doubt or

anxiety there is need to treat it with the same

word of god that has been spoken so there is

no new any new revelation that would treat the

weakness of faith than that which is already

revealed There is no new revelation that will

treat the weakness of faith than that which is

already revealed. There is no new revelation

that will treat the weakness of faith than that

which is already revealed. So God began to explain

to him and explain and teach him once again.

All right. So this reiteration of God's statement

is what Abraham started believing and changed,

right? Changed his pattern of bringing alternatives

to what God wants to do. Do we get that? So when

the revelation of God increases in a man's life,

right? When God reiterates what he's about to

do, when we return back to the word of God, it

strengthens us and takes us away from what our

alternatives are so from here we saw that there

was actually no point in time where he began

to think of an alternative again and if you read

romans romans says at 100 so if you go back to

romans 4 romans says ads we can check right we

can go back to romans 4 because in chapter 90

chapter 17 he says he was 99 years old right

chapter 17 he was 99 years old and if you go

to romans 4 again romans 4 from that verse we

will see conversation he said who against or

believe in him that he might become the father

of many nations According to that which was spoken

to all the saints. Now verse 19 says, And being

not weak in faith, he considered not his own

body dead. When he was about a hundred years

old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb,

he staggered not at the promise of God, full

unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory

to God. So Paul writing, picking Genesis 17,

and the conduct of Abraham from that moment,

he called it being strong in faith. He called

it being strong in faith. Verse 17 says it was

about 99, and Romans 4 says it's about 100. It

means within that same period, which we can point

to chapter 17, that from then henceforth being

strong in faith he glorified god right and being

fully persuaded means that something was spoken

to him verse 21 of romans was said something

was spoken said being fully persuaded that's

what he had promised he was able to perform away

from what abraham himself would do so it means

that when we observe his life at this point we

can say he's now fully persuaded of what god

wants to do that he himself god will do it so

we can say he's an expression of a weakness of

faith when he considered eliza it was a as a

weakness of faith when he considered ishmael

right to see uh to be the hair of what god will

do So, it means that we ourselves must pay attention,

right, to how we walk. Now, when we come to Galatians,

Galatians actually now explains it, right? Galatians

now explains it and use that example, use Acts'

example as someone of the bond or someone of

the flesh. So, Galatians 4, Galatians 4, 21.

Galatians 4, 21 to 31, actually, writes, was

one of the promise, right? So stating that which

God himself will do. And in Romans 4, it was

regarded as strong in faith from that point where

he believed God. And which, verse 24, which things

are allegory for these are the two covenants,

the one that was from Sinai and which generates

to the bond, which is Agar. For the Agar is Mount

Sinai in Arabia. and answer it to Jerusalem,

which now is and is in bondage with her children.

So in this place, if you continue reading, what

we see there is that that was not God's plan.

Ishmael was not God's plan. Ishmael was a man's

plan, was a man's effort. But Isaac was who God

was pointing to. And we know that also beyond

Isaac is Christ. Beyond Isaac is Christ himself.

So we can see these as weaknesses of faith. We

can check the scripture across the scripture.

One thing that is consistent among such examples

as such is that they do not stay in that weakness

of faith. They do not stay. Now we have Gideon

as well making a statement, if God be for us,

what if these things happen to us? We have such

examples. So many examples are such. One thing

that is consistent is that they do not stay in

the place of the witness of the God. They move

on to believe and fully persuaded. So the key

word is that to be fully persuaded that what

God has promised, He will do in your life, in

the ministry that He has called you to do. That's

not about to say, faithfully is He who has promised,

who also will do it. Right? Faith is he who has

promised, who also will fulfill it, who also

will bring it to pass. Now, the one thing that

we can just conclude with today is that also,

when we go for evangelism, okay, to preach the

good news of Christ, it is not you that will

save the man, but it is through you that the

man will be saved do we get it it is not you

that will say so most of the time it's we are

so we can be so full of uh how do i want to say

it's prepare all the words what what should i

say yes it's good but in that you must know that

your communication would be the spirit working

in the person not in the eloquence of your word.

So when we go for evangelism, it's not all about

you trying to save, trying to convince. Yes,

you have to persuade them, you have to explain

the scripture to them, but it is not you who

is saving. So it makes the work easier as you

go to preach. So if you know that this preaching

I'm doing, the Holy Spirit is going to walk through

my teaching, through my explanation of the scripture

to fulfill what he has said. Right? So we're

going to, 1 Timothy 2 verse 4. Let's go to 1

1 Timothy 2:4 1 Timothy 2:4

Timothy 2 verse 4 and just wrap it up on that.

It says, go from verse 1. Let's go from verse

1. I exhort thee that, first of all, supplications,

prayer, intercessions, and giving of thanks be

made for all men, for kings and for all that

are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and

peaceable life in all godliness. and honesty

for this is good and acceptable in the sight

of god our savior who will have all men to be

saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth

and come unto the knowledge of the truth so god's

promise is that he wants men to come to the knowledge

of the truth and he wants all men to come to

the knowledge of the truth and it is taking place

through you so first when you know that this

is what god said this is his desire this is what

it will do your preaching is easy your evangelism

is easy as you go so as you go you are depending

on god's promise to save man not on your promise

to save man okay as you go you are depending

on god's promise to save man and not on your

promise to save man so when we tell you to go

for evangelism we are not telling you promise

us that you would save somebody Or promise us

that someone will be saved through you. There's

nothing like that. But you can be rest assured

that God will save someone through the preaching

of the God. So what we tell you to do is to preach.

Do we get it? So what we tell you to do is to

preach. So there should be no anxiety, worry,

or doubt that someone... What if the person is

not saved? No. What if the person... you know,

does not understand what I'm saying. What if,

what if, there should be none of that? Because

God's promise is that it would save man. Right?

It would save all men. So, when we go out, we

should have this boldness and have this faith

and have this confidence that as I teach, as

I explain the gospel, the Holy Spirit would save

this person. Right? That this person will come

to the knowledge of Christ. So we'll stop here

for now. Can we be on our feet and just give

thanks? We appreciate you being here today. We

hope you carry this word with you throughout

your week. Don't forget to check the show notes

for additional insights. Stay connected with

us through our website or follow us on social

media. If you were encouraged, share this message

with someone you care about. Until next time,

stay blessed.