Understanding the Faith For Greater Works (Part 8)

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right in. Second Corinthians 13 verse 1, it says,

2 Corinthians 13:1

this will be the third time I'm coming to you

by the mouth of two or three witnesses. Every

word shall be established. I've told you before,

and foretell, as if I were present the second

time. And now, being absent, I write to those

who have sinned before, which means that in this

church, especially the Corinthian church, there

are those who are living in sin or who have sinned.

He says, I write to those who have sinned before

and to all the rest, that if I come again, I

will not spare. Since you seek a proof of Christ

speaking in me who is not weak towards he but

mighty in you verse 4 For though he was crucified

in weakness Yet he lives by the power of God

For we also are weak in him, but we shall live

with him by the power of God Towards you now

look up and look at verse 5 importantly it says

examine yourselves examine yourself as to whether

you are in the faith examine yourself some translation

will say test yourself examine yourself whether

you are in the faith this sentence or this first

sentence in this verse you know Will imply that

Because of course he's written to believe us

Hallelujah is written to the church when we look

at the context in from chapter one. Let's let's

respond to chapter one First second Corinthians

up to one From verse one. He says Paul an apostle

of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timothy

our brother To the church, so he was writing

to a church to believe us the Church of God which

is at current with all the saints who are in

all Achaia who are all in Achaia so he's writing

to the Church of God which is at current all

the saints who are in Achaia and when we go further

in even from chapter 13 verse 11 further we see

making comment to prove that he's writing to

believers. Yes, finally, brethren, brethren means

that he's writing to people that are of the faith,

that are in the faith. Finally, brethren, farewell,

be complete, be of good comfort, be of one mind,

live in peace, and the God of love and peace

will be with you. Greet one another with a holy

kiss, verse 13, all the saints greet you, the

grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,

The communion, that means this would have fellowship

of the Holy Spirit. That means they have fellowship,

the koinonia of the Holy Spirit with all, be

with you all. That is, it is with them. It's

not actually a prayer, but an affirmation of

what their identity is. But then verse five is

looking like a contrast, right? It says, examine

yourself. as to whether you are in the faith

which will will bring us to the possibility that

a man can be born again okay a man can be born

again but you know his life can be so that's

what you say as one who is not in the faith because

examine yourself as to whether you are in the

faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourself

that Jesus Christ is in you unless indeed you

are disqualified? In the Amplified, these are

the Amplified Classic, it says, examine and test

and evaluate your own selves to see whether you

are holding to your faith and showing the proper

fruit of it. Hallelujah. So a man can be in faith,

a man can be born again, a man can have the Spirit

of God, you know, and then his life might be

showing contrary, you know, to his identity.

It says examine and test and evaluate your own

selves to see whether you are holding to your

faith and showing the proper fruits. Yes. and

showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove

yourselves, not in Christ. Do you not yourselves

realize and know thoroughly by an ever -increasing

experience that Jesus Christ is in you unless

you outwit your counterfeits, disapprove on trial,

and reject it. Hallelujah. So it's possible for

us who are in Christ Jesus, okay? That when we

examine ourselves, by our conduct, by our actions,

by the expressions of our daily living, it's

possible for us to see that there are elements

in our lives that we are not walking in faith.

That we are not allowing our life to portray

the life that God has developed or created in

us, the life of faith. So, What I just want to

do, maybe laying a foundation, maybe we will

not go deeply into it because of time and the

planning of the teaching, is to try to bring

to our notice some of the things that are hindrances,

or some of the things we can say, some of the

enemies, I will say, of our faith, of the faith.

All right? What can enable a man, what can make

a man in Christ to begin in the faith, But, you

know, in his conduct, he ended up living in the

flesh. It's very possible. Hallelujah. James

says something, James 1 verse 2. James 1 verse

James 1:2 James 1:2

2. Now, I want to also make us know that, you

know, having faith, or being a man of faith does

not immunize us from the possibility of living

in doubt. Now I've mentioned two important things,

you know, faith and doubt. James chapter one

verse two. From verse two to verse eight. Just,

my brethren, count it all joy. When you fall

into various trials, when you fall into various

trials, knowing that the testing of your faith,

what does it produce? It produces patience, okay?

But let patience have its perfect work, that

you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Even though of you lacks wisdom, let him ask

of God who gives to all liberally and without

reproach and it will be given to him, okay? But

let him ask in faith, this is how the man should

ask in faith, with no doubting. For he who doubts

is like a wave of the sea driven, tossed by the

wind. For let not that man suppose that he will

receive anything from the Lord. He is a double

-minded man, unstable in all his ways. And I

also want to remind us that this text was written

to believers, all right? That is not written

to people that are not born again, but is an

epistle to who? To believers, which means that

a man that is born again can pray and not receive

the result for the things of which he prayed

for. And the problem is not often with God, all

right? The problem is not with God, but the problem

is coming from the person that is praying because

his prayer, in his prayer, You know, he is not

he has not equipped himself to receive of what

God will give Because he has allowed doubt To

rule over his heart therefore being a hindrance

to receiving that which God Will do in his life

So he says counted all joy when you fall into

various trials, you know, definitely trials will

come there are times in our lives the trial will

come And when trial comes, you know, that target

is to test our faith, to test the authenticity

of the work of God in our lives. Knowing that

the testing of our faith, you know, will result

to strengthening and we see patience manifested.

Hallelujah. So it is important to understand

that a believer, a man that has faith, Cannot

only walk and not only walk and there's a possibility

for him not to only walk in the flesh That is

walking not in faith, but also doubt It's a possibility

in the believer I Wanted to see an example two

examples particularly in scriptures First of

all, we've seen the story of our Peter. Let's

let's go to that story again. Once again in Matthew

Matthew 14 · chapter mention

chapter 14 Matthew chapter 14 Matthew 14 verse

Matthew 14 · chapter mention Matthew 14:22

22 Now having doubt does not mean that the man

does not have faith I want you to hold that thought

very much in your heart. That having doubt does

not mean, okay, that you don't have faith. Hallelujah.

Because sometimes we think that when we are doubting,

you know, then it simply means that, you know,

there's no faith in us. Matthew chapter 14 verse

Matthew 14:22

22. Immediately, Jesus met his disciples to get

into the board. and go before him to the other

side, while he sent the multitude away. And when

he had sent the multitudes away, he went up on

the mountain by himself to pray. Now when evening

came, he was alone there, but the boat was now

in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves

for the wind was contrary. All right, Jesus has

sent his disciples, all of them to go to the

other side, and he himself excluded himself to

pray. And as they were in the middle of the sea,

behold, there was a wave, a wind, waves, wind

that is contrary to the sailing of the boat.

Now in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went

to them and walking on the sea. And when the

disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were

troubled saying, it is a ghost. And they cried

out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to

them saying, be of good cheer. It is I do not

be afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord,

if it is you, command me to what? To come on

the water. Now, I want you to see clearly that

Peter did not just jump into the water, right?

Hoping that some miraculous activity will happen.

You know, sometimes some of the challenges we

face in this life are our own orchestrations.

You know, we are so zealous and we make decisions.

We don't we don't we don't wait on God When it

comes to making decisions, you know, we are praying

before that let every action we take All right,

let every step I take in my life Let every action

I take let every conduct let every decision I

take concerning my life Concerning my home concerning

every in fact every part of your life. God is

interested in every part of your life Sometimes

we often think that God is just interested in

you going to church and doing the work of ministry.

When it comes to the decision of a way to live,

then you know, this is my own personal decision.

No! God is interested in every detail that has

to do with our lives. So every decision we take

must be a decision that is laid by God, by the

Spirit of God. So Peter here did not just...

think an idea within himself and say okay since

Jesus is walking on the waters I can just jump

into the water hoping that the water will float

with him as Jesus was walking on water but he

in his wisdom has to ask Jesus to command him

to come on the water hallelujah now I want to

just bring this to our notice once again that

our life can be like that boat that is on the

water, all right? Our life can be likened to

that boat that is in the water. And at any point

in time, the waves can come upon the boat, okay?

The waters can stare in the sea, and there could

be the possibility or fear to grip our hearts,

all right? But one thing that we must be sure,

is that God is always with us at all times. Okay?

We can be sure, because God is interested in

our lives, is interested in everything that concerns

us. We can be always sure that God will show

up at every point. In fact, God is with us. And

we'll see the manifestation of His presence in

every time. And James says that we should count

it all joy. When what? When we face trials, which

means that trials are very definite. Okay? Trials

are very definite. As we used to say, if you're

not experiencing one, maybe you're just coming

out from one, you're on a break, or very soon

you enter one. But as a believer, trials and

temptations are certain, okay? And persecution

also, because these are the realities of what

the Bible teaches us, right? We face trials,

we face temptations, we face persecutions. can

come in different forms in different sizes and

different shapes and the goal of those trials

those temptations and those persecutions is or

is against what we believe against what we anchor

our life upon it is whether we are we are in

the faith but that shouldn't make us afraid because

we are sure of he who holds us to himself hallelujah

we are sure of the faithfulness of god God is

faithful to us and is able to keep us at all

times. So we can rely on the faithfulness of

God. Imagine the middle of the sea if Jesus has

just maybe left them on their own and to their

feet. You know there was another instance where

Jesus was sleeping in the boat and then something

similar happened. And they run to Jesus, don't

you care that we perish? You know? And then we

see Jesus Jesus, you know reaching the The waves

and they and whatever what happened the storm

And then we see him speaking and then correcting

their own belief hallelujah So we must be rest

assured or we must always remind ourselves of

the faithfulness of God in all times in all season

And whatever we're going to face whatever we're

facing. All right We are sure of the health of

God at all times. Hallelujah But in the case

of Peter, Peter was looking forward to, probably

in his mind, we can see from the text, he was

asking for a word from Jesus. All right? A word

from Jesus. If it is you, ask me to come. Okay?

If it is you, ask me to come. At every point

in time, There is a word that God will definitely

give us and will lead us in every point in time,

in every single, you know, challenge and temptation

and trial, whatever it is that we will face.

And sometimes what God will tell us as a point

in time, okay, may be different from what He

will tell us in another time. So we must be very

sure to know at all times, understand what God

wants us to do at every point in time. There's

a word that we will receive for every season

of our lives. And that is what will enable us

to navigate through all the challenges and the

trials that we'll face in our lives. And Peter

received an instruction to come, right? And we

see from the verse, which verse is it? Yes, verse

29. So he said, come, that is the word at that

moment, come. And when Peter had come down out

of the boat, what happened? He walked on the

water to go to Jesus, right? So, He actually,

you know, oftentimes when we read this story,

the first, the most glaring part of the story

for us was the fact that Peter was sinking. And

we don't really give, I will not say, we're not

really, we're not giving him credit, but we forget

the fact that Peter actually walked on the water.

All right? We see him walking on water at the

word of Jesus. So the word of Jesus that says

come, and in moving obedience to the word, enables

him to begin to walk on the water. So he started

by faith. By the word of God, he was able to

walk on the water. The next verse, verse 30.

But when he shifted his attention, but when he

saw that the wind was by a stress, he was afraid.

So what happened? When the focus shifted from

what Jesus said, When his focus shifted from

Jesus to what? To the circumstance around him.

When his focus shifted from Jesus Christ to the

wave, to the challenges, to the trials, to the

temptations, something came into his mind. He

was afraid. Alright? Something happened to him.

Fear came in. So instead of faith, what do we

see? We see fear. And the difference here is

on the focus. What was his focus now? His focus

was no longer on Jesus and what Jesus has said,

but his focus shifted to what? To the circumstance,

the environment, the trials, the temptations.

And sometimes, you know, we do similar. All right?

We shift our attention to what God has said,

the promises of God, all the Word of God concerning

our lives, the prophecies we've received. the

hands that have been laid upon us. From every

catatismas we've heard prophecies, what have

been given to us almost every Sunday, every cell

meeting. For the moment temptations and trial

comes, it seems as though we are not working

by prophecies, by promises, and by the word of

God. Because we quickly shift our attention to

what? To the challenges, the circumstances around

us. I'm beginning to think, what happened? He

cried out saying, Lord, save me. And immediately

Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him and

said to him, Oh, you of little faith, why did

you what? So why did he begin sinking? Because

there was doubt in his heart. All right. There

was doubt in his heart. So the same person that

was able to walk by faith will see that doubt

did what? Doubt came into his heart. All right.

So having faith or rather been made of faith

does not immunize us from the possibility of

doubt. Even though he received the word of faith

that enables him to walk on water, he actually

started in faith. We can see clearly that evidently

that he started in faith, he walked on water,

but later doubted because his attention shifted

from Jesus to the water, to the storm, to the

waves that is on the sea. Also there's another

example in scriptures example of Abraham Romans

Romans 4:18

chapter 4 verse 18 will give us a testimony about

Abraham. Here's a positive example Romans chapter

Romans 4:18–20

4 verse 18 to 20 Alright, let me read from verse

16 or verse 13. For where there is no law, there

is no transgression. Verse 16. Therefore, it

is of faith that it might be according to grace,

so that the promise might be sure to all the

seed, not only to those who are of the law, but

also to those who are of the faith of Abraham,

who is the father of us all. As it is written,

I have made you father of many nations, in the

presence of him whom He believed. That is Abraham

believed, right? Believed God. Who gives life

to the dead and call those things which do not

exist as though they exist, they did. Verse 18.

Who? Talking about Abraham now. Look at the example

now. Who? Talking about Abraham. Contrary to

hope. In hope, belief. Contrary to hope. In hope,

belief. So that he became the father of many

nations. According to what was spoken, there

was a word that was spoken, all right? Just as

in the case of, let's say, just as in the case

of Peter, a word was spoken. So also to Abraham,

a word was spoken. So shall your descendants

be, all right? And not being weak in faith, Abraham

was all weak in faith. How did we know that he

was all weak in faith? He did not consider his

own body. Okay? That means he didn't bring to

remembrance. He didn't look at the frailty of

his body. For example now, if you give me a word

right now that I'm going to play on the 17 football

for my country. I mean, I have every evidence

to doubt your words. Because I'm over twice that

age. So there's no possibility that I will make

the under -17 squad of Nigeria, if by just looking

at me they will disqualify me. Right? Now, carry

that context to the context of Abraham, who had

not been weak in faith. He did not consider his

own body already dead. Since he was about a hundred

years old, imagine he was about a hundred years

old, right? And there was a promise him that

his own will have a son. And also what? The deadness

of what? Of Sarah's womb. What himself? And the

impossibility. How old was Sarah? Huh? Help me,

how old was she? When the word came, yes, the

promise. 80 what? 89? 90? Let's even say she's

60. Miracles can happen. But somebody in the

80s in this 70s 80s and then a promise came even

how she loved when the angel said She was going

to give her she loved But look at Abraham The

Bible says he didn't consider the deadness of

his body There's a possibility to doubt. There's

every evidence, right? There's every logical

evidence without the promise of God It's every

logical evidence to doubt what God have said

The deadness of Sarah's womb was an issue Was

20 He did not waver. Look at what the Bible says.

He did not waver at the promise of God through

what? Through unbelief But was strengthened in

faith giving glory to God hallelujah So We quickly

just see our Abraham believe God as a scar but

I can tell you that there's every possibility

not to believe God's word Biologically is impossible

for that to happen biologically speaking But

God said it and what happened? He didn't allow

the natural factors the evidence, you know, some

people tell you let's speak facts right facts

and faith, sometimes when you begin to consider

facts, then you will not live by faith. Hallelujah.

So there's every fact needed to prove, to make

Abraham doubt the promise of the word of God.

But the Bible says he didn't waver, right? Against

all impossibilities. He did not doubt the promise

of God, even though he was dead in his body.

And also we see the issue of Sarah's womb. So

from these two examples we've seen, Peter, for

example now, you know, he doubted because he

shifted his attention toward the environment,

to the situation. And we see an example of Abraham

who, against all odds, hold onto the word and

the promise that came from God. So we can deduce

that to act upon Doubt is a choice everyone must

make. All right? It's a choice that everyone

must make. Noun. I said it several times that

we came into Christ by the exercise of our will.

All right? And even now that we're in Christ,

our will have not been taken away. We still have

the ability to do what? To exercise our will.

And every single time as we live, we are confronted

with situations, with circumstances, with facts,

with proofs, with evidence that will warrant

us to doubt the promise of God. We are confronted

with trials, with temptations, with difficulties

that will warrant us to doubt the promises of

God, to doubt the Word of God, to doubt what

God has said concerning us. But we have a choice

to make. And the choice lies in the exercise

of our will. Whether we are going to hold on

to what God has said, regardless of what the

noise is about, regardless of what the surrounding

the facts are saying, or we succumb. So we can

exercise our will by allowing doubt to control

our decision and actions or do the opposite and

allow faith to stand strong. For example now,

we keep telling you every day you have the Spirit

of God in you, you can lay your hand on the sick.

Right? And sometimes when you look at the nature

of the person's sickness, when you look at the

nature, when you look at the person's age, how

long the person have been sick. Sometimes we

don't need to even investigate and get facts

for signing the sickness. Sometimes we want to

know what kind of sickness is it? Is it HIV?

Is it hepatitis? So we build an archive of facts

and then we begin to work on those things. Things

that can limit us from what? From acting in faith.

So we can exercise our will, align doubt to control

our decisions or actions or do the opposite and

allow faith to sound strong. Peter in the case

of the example we saw did not create, he didn't

create the circumstance around him right. He

was not responsible for the storm nor did he

do anything to make the waters you know to increase

the the the the bias trustness. But he had a

choice and his choice was to fix his gaze on

Jesus. What Jesus said come to fix his gaze on

Jesus, come or turn away looking at the stormy

waters and then begin to sink. In the case of

Abraham, Abraham had a choice to do what? Abraham

did not create the all -age for himself at that

moment, right? Because sometimes, you know, we

can begin to look at our situation and look at

the situation as our own creation. Abraham did

not create his circumstance nor the barrenness

of his wife, but he had the choice to hold on

to the promise of God or allow doubt to conquer.

So, can a Christian doubt? Yes. Is the Christian

a doubter? No. In the same way, a man can walk

in the flesh and yet be born of the Spirit. The

same way a man that is full of faith can also

allow doubt to do what? To control his action.

Hallelujah. Now, let me say this as we build

on gradually on this. Doubt in itself is not

sin. All right? Doubt in itself is what? Is not

sin. But responding to doubting is what is self.

That's when sin comes to be. Because to doubt

and to act on the doubt is to go against the

Word of God. And when we live against the Word

of God, then we are living in sin. What does

it mean to doubt? Matthew 21 verse 21. He says,

Matthew 21:21

so Jesus answered and said to them, I shortly

I said to you, if you have faith, if you have

faith, right, and do not doubt, which means that

you can have faith and doubt, okay? If you have

faith and do not doubt, you will not only do

what was done to the fig tree, but also if you

say to this mountain, be removed and be cast

into the sea, it will be done. And whatever things

you ask in prayer, belief you will receive, okay?

So what does doubt means? What does doubt, what

does it mean to doubt? What does it mean to doubt?

Of course, we see in the case of Abraham in Romans

4, Romans 4 verse 19 talks about wavering, okay?

Romans 4:19

Verse 20. Verse 20. Yes, he did not waver at

the promise of God. He did not waver at the promise

of God. So what does that word that? What does

it mean? In the Greek it's called diachrino.

Okay? It means to waver. It means to hesitate

or be divided between two opinions. or be divided

between two opinions. It means to have two opinions,

to have another opinion, all right? To have another

opinion on something or let's say a contrary

opinion. Doubt is uncertainty. Doubt is uncertainty.

It means, it means divided thinking all right

it means having two opinions or being uncertain

now doubt is not exactly the opposite of faith

okay the opposite of faith is what is unbelief

hallelujah and unbelief is a sin all right so

we have doubt and doubt can lead to unbelief.

Okay? Doubt can lead to unbelief. When it becomes

unbelief, that's when we say that you are in

sin because you are going into unbelief. You

are walking in unbelief. Alright? You are living

not in accordance to what the Word of God says.

So you are in unbelief. You are in sin. Alright?

So, doubt is to have double thinking, double

opinion. concerning what has been said. For example,

now in Hebrews 3 verse 18 to 19, Hebrews 3 verse

Hebrews 3:18–19 Hebrews 3:18–19

18 to 19, and to whom did he sway that they will

not enter his rest, but to those who did not

obey. So we see that they could not enter in

because of what? Because of unbelief. So here

the problem was not about doubt But the refusal

to believe in God, okay, the refusal to believe

in God So unbelief goes further than doubt Just

trying to differentiate between what unbelief

is and what doubt is. Alright, so unbelief goes

further than doubt Unbelief is a subtle rejection

of God's Word God said this I said no I choose

to do this And often times the reason why we

move into unbelief is because we think or we

allow the thought, another opinion, the uncertainty

in our heart concerning what God has said. We

begin to calculate what God has said. We begin

to imagine the impossibility of what has been

said. We begin to meditate on the opposite of

what has been said. And then we find ourselves

in unbelief, making a decision not to obey or

not to believe. or not to act in accordance to

what God has said. So where does doubt operates?

Mark chapter 11 verse 21. Where does doubt operates?

Mark 11:21

Where do we see doubt operates? Mark chapter

Mark 11:21

11 verse 21 and 24. Mark 11 21 to 24. And Peter

remembering said to him, Rabbi look, The victory

which you curse has withered away. So Jesus answered

and said to them, have faith in God. For I shall

say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be

removed and be cast into the sea, and does not

doubt where, where, so where does doubt operates?

In their heart. All right? Doubt operates where?

In their hearts. But believe that those things

he says will be done. He will have whatever He

sees. Verse 24 Therefore I say to you whatever

things you ask when you pray believe that you

receive them and you will have them. So doubt

operates in the heart of man. Alright? Doubt

operates in the heart of man. In the heart of

man. And when we talk about heart, we're not

talking about the organ that pumps blood. Alright?

We're not talking about that organ in you that

they can change it, they can... Now these signs

have made it possible for them to replace with

something, right? Is it pacemaker, what do they

call it? Or they can do transplant, carry somebody's

heart and give somebody. That's not what we're

talking about, right? So the heart is figurative

here. It speaks of the thoughts or the feelings,

the mind. where feelings is the mind. In scripture,

the term heart is primarily a descriptive term,

all right? It's a descriptive term for the inner

life of a person, not a physical organ. When

the Bible says the heart of man, like in Jeremiah

Jeremiah 17:9

17 verse 9, Jeremiah 17 verse 9 talks about the

Jeremiah 17:9

deceitfulness of a man's heart. He's not talking

about that heart that palms blow, all right?

Says the heart is deceitful. Above all things

and desperately wicked who can know it? So it

is referring to the inner core of the human personality

The realm where motives and intentions and convictions

are found That is where doubt operates All right

The heart describes a seat it describes a seat

of the belief and persuasion within a person

where there's belief and where there's persuasion

within a person. It is that inner center from

which thoughts, where thoughts are made, where

decisions are made, and it is from that place

that action flows, okay, from the heart. From

the abundance of the heart, the mother will speak,

right? From the abundance of your heart, you

will act. So we don't need to, we just need to

stay with you for a while and we'll know the

content of your heart. We'll know it by the words

that comes out of your mouth. Do you know that

by your words we'll know whether you have faith

or you don't have faith? I mean, subsequently

we will look at how, you know, we can locate,

I've said this the last time, I said we can find

faith way in the heart of a man and also on his

mouth, in his lips, all right? Because from what

is in your heart, we will see it manifest in

what you say. So let there be alignment Okay,

let there be alignment in what is in our heart

and what is on our lips so that we will eat the

fruit of The tongue. Hallelujah. The Bible will

tell us that life and death lies in the power

of the tongue. Okay? So It is important to understand

what that heart is. In biblical anthropology,

this inner conviction is formed through interaction

of the spirit and the mind, which together can

shape a person's understanding and how that person

responds to God. Okay. We're talking about the

heart. So when the scripture speaks about the

heart, it is describing that unseen center of

a person's conviction. and motives rather than

a literal organ. And I want to also bring to

your notice as well, okay? That as much as doubt

operates in the core, the heart of a man, that

is where faith also what? That is where also

faith operates. Romans from the 10 verse five

to 10 will talk about how faith operates in the

heart of a man. Romans from the 10 verse five

to 10. For Moses writes about the righteousness

which is of the law. The man who does these those

things shall live by them But the righteousness

of faith speaks. So the righteousness of faith

has speaks In this way do not say in way in your

heart Who will ascend into the heaven that is

to bring Christ out from there from above or

who will descend into the abyss? That is to bring

Christ up But what does this say? The word is

near you, is in your mouth and in your heart.

So what word? What word? That is the word of

faith which we preach. It's found in the heart,

it's found on the lips. But if you confess, confess

simply means agree. If you agree with your mouth,

right? The Lord Jesus, and believe where? And

believe in your heart. that God has raised him

from the dead, you will be saved. For with the

heart, what happens? One believes unto righteousness,

unto salvation. And with the mouth, agreement

is made unto salvation, okay? Confession, profession,

right? So we know that with the heart, man believes

in unto righteousness. And also we saw earlier

on that doubt also, you know, operates Doubt

is found in the heart and faith is also found,

it can also be operational in the heart. So we

locate faith in two places, a heart and also

in the mouth. Mark 11, 23 again, we say that,

So where do we see doubt? Shall not doubt in

the heart. So whether it is faith or doubt, they

walk through the heart, all right? So if we have

an understanding that doubt and faith will operate

through the heart, it means that we need to guard

our hearts with all diligence, for out of it

flows what? The issues of life. It therefore

means that we have a responsibility over our

hearts. Alright? Faith comes by what? By hearing

of the Word. So how do you think that will come?

By hearing of what? Of what? Which word? Any

word? Except the Word of God. Alright? See? Do

you know that what spoke to Peter was the waves?

Do you know that waves were speaking to his heart?

Do you know that waves is a circumstance that

is speaking to his heart? Probably in his heart,

you're going to sing, you're going to sing, you're

going to sing. You know, sometimes when we're

in trouble, we quickly know what is in your heart.

I'm going to die. I'm going to die. That's actually

what is in your heart. That's what the circumstance

is speaking to you. I'm in trouble, I'm in trouble.

Repeatedly, the confession on your lips is actually

what is dominating your heart, your core. And

what creates fear is actually you listening to

the circumstance, you listening to the trial,

you listening to the situation around you. All

right? So it simply means that we have a responsibility

to do what? To be watchful to what we hear. And

it can come, listen, it can come from a place

of love in court. Doubt can come from a place

of love. It can come in a seemingly, you know,

righteous way. But when you look at it, it's

not in alignment to God's work. It's not in alignment

to what God is saying concerning you, concerning

what you should do as a believer. So whether

it is faith or doubt, they walk through their

heart. And remember, we didn't say the spirit.

right that's different conversation so at a point

of regeneration we see that a man who is not

born again is a child of wrath we've we've said

this over and over again Ephesians chapter two

verse one to three that man is not born again

is disobedient child that is in his heart okay

in his heart that is in his spirit and his soul

because he's not born again but when a man is

born again he has a spirit of faith in him He

has the faith of God. Galatians 2 .20 speaks

about this. We've read it previously. 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 4:13

chapter 4 verse 13. You will see that that man

has a spirit of faith in him. But his mind, his

mind, his heart, his mind or that place of thinking

needs transformation. It needs understanding.

It needs renewal. Okay? Because when you're born

again, your spirit is born again. Okay? But your

heart needs transformation. It needs renewal.

Hallelujah. So we say that faith comes from the

word of God. Romans 10 verse 17. Faith is produced

Romans 10:17

by the word of God. As scripture teaches, faith

comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

However, doubt may arise, okay, because listen,

doubt will arise. because of the word that has

come. All right? Doubt may arise after the word

has been heard. Doubt is often communicated through

circumstances. I gave an example with the circumstance

of Peter, okay? And even to Abraham, doubt may

have spoken to him through the circumstance of

his age. and how Sarah is unfit to give birth.

As a circumstance that can speak loudly than

even words. Doubt can speak from our experiences,

our past experiences. You know, some people have

failed in life to the point that they believe

that they cannot excel. So even when they they

are encouraged to take a step of faith to act.

They don't want to act because they've used the

experience they've had in the past to formulate

a theology that influences their life going forward.

So experiences can be instruments by which doubt

can speak. What we perceive through sense is

sensory. You can say that all these things can

come but from God. So any voice that comes apart

from God will create doubt. Anything that speaks

apart from the word of God will create doubt

in the heart of man concerning that particular

circumstance. For this reason, the apostle will

say we work by faith and not by sight. We work

by faith and not by our senses and not by what

comes externally. Second Corinthians chapter

2 Corinthians 5:7

5 verse 7. Second Corinthians chapter 5 verse

2 Corinthians 5:7

7. For we walk by faith, and not by what? By

sight. That sight there, my reference to not

only what we see with the physical eyes, but

to everything we perceive through, we perceive

through, I would say through our hearts, our

perception of life, our perception of circumstances.

and situation, not only on what we see with the

physical eyes alone. So doubt is therefore an

opinion, okay? Remember, when we're trying to

explain what doubt is, we say it's a diverse,

diverting opinion, right? Another thinking. So

doubt is therefore an opinion communicated by

circumstances, by perceptions, or by the words

of other people around you, okay? Which challenges

the faith that has been produced by the Word

of God? It challenges the faith that has been

produced by the Word of God in the believer If

such doubt is entertained If such doubt is entertained

and accepted because I told you that on its own

is not seen right But if it is entertained and

accepted it can develop into unbelief All right,

it can develop into unbelief Which is the deliberate

refusal to believe what God has said Okay So

what we will see is that faith does not eliminate

the possibility of doubt. All right Having faith

does not eliminate the possibility of doubt.

But it protects the believer against doubt, all

right? But it does not eliminate the possibility

of having doubt in our heart. Especially if we

read Ephesians 6, we're standing there about

where Paul was listing, you know, Yes, so finally

bread and be strong in the Lord and power of

his might Put on the whole armor of God and you

may be able to stand against the wires of the

devil and how does the devil comes By thoughts

by imaginations by deceitful thinking right?

Our mind for we do not wrestle against flesh

and blood but against principalities against

powers against the rulers of darkness of this

each against spiritual course of wickedness in

the heavenly places yes therefore take up the

whole armor of God that you may be able to stand

the evil day having done all to stand stand the

evoke having gathered your waste with truth having

put on the breastplate of righteousness and having

shot your feet with the preparation of the gospel

of peace above all taking the shield of what

the shield of it so what do you do with the shield

of faith which you will be able to quench the

fairy darts of the wicked one Now all those things

is describing actually fit. All right is able

to withstand Or shield us from the influence

of that. All right so faith grows all we say

the believer goes in faith as He continually

focus on Christ as he continually focus on what

the Word of God It enabled him to be strong and

to be established because we're praying for For

us to be established in faith, to be strong in

faith, and how that can come to be is by deepening

our root in the understanding of the Word of

God. So what he can do, deepening our self in

the Word, in the Word of God, in the Word of

Christ, because that's how faith comes, and that's

how faith is sustained by the Word of God. We

expose our self to the Word of God, the Word

of Christ, what Christ has done, what Christ

is doing and what Christ can do. All that he

has accomplished for us, you know, in redemption.

Our mind must be fixed on the truth of what God

has done in Christ. And we'll see our faith strengthen

and develop. There are certain examples that

would have loved us to go but because of time

So What has God said in his word concerning us?

Right, what has God said in our hearts what have

God said in his word concerning us? What has

God said in his word concerning us, you know,

he said that we are loved okay And this is what

God has said, we are loved. Do we allow circumstances

to speak contrary to this that God has said in

His word that we are loved? He says that we are

His family. Do we allow circumstances to speak

contrary to this that God has said concerning

us in His word? The word of God says that we

are in an inseparable union with Him. Do we allow

our experiences and circumstances to speak contrary

to this truth about what God has said? The Word

of God will say that He will meet all our needs,

or He has meet all our needs according to His

riches and glory, or He is able to meet all our

needs. God will supply all that we need, we require.

for life and for godliness. Do we hold on to

God's Word or we hold on to our current circumstance

of lack and hold on to what is speaking contrary

to the Word of God? What has God said concerning

His ability in us that we can do great works

or greater works? Do you allow circumstances

To speak contrary to what God have said concerning

your identity All right Now we can push and have

men converted do allow excuses Circumstances

to communicate a contrary opinion to you to what

God have said in his word The word of God is

saying that we are to change nations for God

right working changed nations by the preaching

of the gospel? Do you look down on yourself?

As Gideon would say, imagine the angel of God

appeared to Gideon. And Gideon would say, oh,

look, I'm the weakest in our clans. I'm this,

I'm that, and that, and then building up excuses.

Do we allow these excuses to speak contrary to

what God has said concerning our assignment?

concerning the faith He has given to us, committed

to us, to share the gospel to the world, to lay

our hands on the sick, to give words of prophecy,

you know, to heal the sick. What has God said

concerning us by prophecies we have received?

Some of us, we have books full of prophecies.

Every single time a brother gave us word, we

are quick to document. And when we go through,

do we allow our lives to be anchored on those

things that God has said concerning our lives?

Now we're going to see further as we go into

the story, how we can shield ourselves from things

that are enemies of the faith. Okay, we'll begin

to talk about them. Our companionship is a challenge.

The things we expose ourselves to listen to every

time can be an enemy. There are many, many things

around us that we can be mindful of. Sometimes

we neglect them, so they affect us. They create

a system within our heart that we don't see faith

expressed in our lives. The words we speak can

be against our identity and the things that God

has called us to walk in. So we must allow faith

to find expression in our heart and our action,

the action feel of faith. What vision has God

inspired your heart to do? Some of us, you see,

God has been giving us insight to what we should

do and some of us are traveling back to our countries

and God has, we have clarity that some of you

when we call you, you have clarity of what you

go back to your country to do. But the moment

you learn from the airport and the warm breeze

of your country blows your face, it washes away

the vision that God has given you and embraces

you into the reality of that nation. So you become

a prayer point. You know, we got to go soon.

We have to eat. You enter Lagos, you are busy

like the Lagosians. When I entered Lagos, everybody

was busy in Lagos. Everybody was moving from

one place to another. I wonder where they are

going to. So we can be caught up in the busyness

of life. And then we neglect the mandate that

God has given us. And then circumstances of life

squeeze us into a position where we begin to

doubt what God has said. See, it's all my prayer.

This will be our own experiences. And I know

I'm speaking to somebody here. This is an environment

that God has used to groom, to train, to empower

you with the knowledge that you've made. See,

we know within the pastorate that any save is

not your destination. So we know that what God

is doing here is to redeploy you elsewhere. So

when people are living here, we are happy that

people are living. because for us, we know it's

a redeployment and there is an expectation, all

right? So we must be able to embrace the calling

and the purpose of God for our lives and walk

in it because we are able because that's what

God has said concerning us. When we shift our

attention from Him, who has promised, we'll begin

to doubt and thereafter disobey, all right? We'll

begin to doubt and thereafter disobey. And may

that never be apportioned in Jesus' name. So

what are the circumstances limiting you from

trusting God? In doing those things He has said

you would do in your life. As I close Hebrews

Hebrews 12:1

chapter 12 verse 1 and 2. Remember doubt and

faith operates in the heart. You are a man of

faith, you are a woman of faith, you must be

diligent. Examine yourself always to see if you

are walking in the faith. When we say you are

walking in the faith, it means that you are walking

in obedience. Alright? You are walking in obedience

to the Word of God. You are responding to what

God has said in His Word for you concerning you,

concerning your conduct as a believer. Therefore,

we also, since we are so surrounded by a great

cloud of witnesses, Let us lay aside every weight

and sin which so easily ensnares us, and let

us learn with endurance the rays that is set

before us. Looking unto who? To Jesus. All right?

The author and the finisher of our faith. Who

for the joy that was set before him endured the

cross, despising the shame, and has sat down

at the right hand of the Father. We appreciate

you being here today. We hope you carried this

word with you throughout your week. Don't forget

to check the show notes for additional insights.

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Until next time, stay blessed.