Understanding the Faith for Greater Works (Part 2)

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. Welcome to church this evening. It's

a blessing to have us once again. to fellowship

together in the world and to enjoy the blessings

therein in the world. So my desire is that we

pay attention and be patient with me as we go

step by step. It's very important that you pay

due diligence to everything I say and And build,

you know, how we build is we build step by step.

You know, and by the time we reach the destination

that I think is required, we'll be able to have

a comprehensive understanding of the things that

we have. We've been discussing all the things

we've started discussing. So, as we all know,

I don't think there's anybody new today, but

if there's anybody new or listening to this,

you know, For the first time in the recordings

for the year, our theme has been Greater Works.

Greater Works. And it's found in John chapter

John 14 · chapter mention

14. John chapter 14. John chapter 14 verses 12.

John 14 · chapter mention John 14:12

John chapter 14 verse 12. Please, I don't want

John 14:12

you to be distracted by anything. Let our attention

be in one place, alright? John chapter 14, from

John 14 · chapter mention

verse 12 to 14. Most assuredly, I say to you,

that he who believes in me, the works that I

do, he will do also, and greater works than these.

he will do because I go to my father. And we

began on Sunday discussing a topic, understanding

the faith for greater works. We said that from

what we can derive from this text, faith is very

important to doing great works. And for us to

walk in what I would call the promise of God

in this verse, it is essential that we understand.

Without understanding faith, the kind of faith

we are talking about, it's difficult for us to

live out the promise or the instruction is a

promise as well as an instruction to us. It would

be difficult for us to live it out. So that is

my goal in trying to help us to understand the

faith. for greater works. And I want to be very

contextual in my conversation here. You know,

we're talking about biblical faith. Are we together?

So whenever we're discussing faith, I'll take

the context of our conversation is within the

Bible, is within the Word of God. It's within

the provision of the Word of God. So we said

from on Sunday that the promise of doing greater

works is for the church era. Isn't it? which

we mean it is by the Spirit. And it is a work

of faith. So even those whom Jesus was speaking

to, the apostles that were listening to him,

Philip, Peter, and others that were asking him

questions, you know, him speaking to them or

Jesus speaking to them was revealing to them

a reality that will happen in the church era.

When I mean the church era, I mean at the resurrection.

Because the resurrection and the ascension of

Christ give birth to the church. Are we together?

So it is they who are in the spirit or who are

of the spirit of God that can do great works.

And we saw also similarly Jesus communicating

the same thing or something similar in Mark chapter

Mark 12 · chapter mention

12. Mark chapter 12 from verse... Mark 11 rather

Mark 12 · chapter mention

from verse 12. Mark 11 from verse 12. And yeah,

12 to 14. And then I jump as well as we did on

Sunday to 20 and 24. Now the next day when they

had come out from Bethany, Jesus was hungry.

And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves,

he went to see if perhaps he will find something

on it. When he came to it, he found nothing.

but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

In response, Jesus said to it, Let no one eat

fruit from you ever again. And his disciples

heard what he said. Now, verse 20. In response,

verse 20. Verse 20? Yes. Now in the morning,

as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried

up from the roots. And Peter remembering and

said to him, Rabbi, look, the fig tree which

you curse has withered away. So Jesus answered

and said to them, have faith in God. For assuredly,

I said to you, whoever says to this mountain,

be removed and be cast into the sea and does

not doubt in his heart. but believes that those

things he says will be done. He will have whatever

he says. Therefore, I say to you, whatever things

you ask, when you pray, believe that you receive

them and you will have them. Hallelujah. So equally,

what Jesus is saying here, what Jesus is speaking

in this passage is also in line with what we

saw in John 14, verse 12. what Jesus is teaching

John 14:12

is the work of faith. What faith does, okay?

What faith does in and through the believer and

not necessarily how faith comes. We'll look at

it on Sunday, hopefully, how, you know, faith

comes to us. He's generally talking about, you

know, how faith works, the activity of faith.

Now, we say that Mark 22, From our study, I'm

not going to go back to what we said on Sunday

or study, you know, it's better rendered as have

the faith of God or if you have the faith of

God, you will be able to say to this mountain,

be moved. And based on our conversation is that

faith comes from God. Hallelujah. Faith comes

from God. And God is the origin of faith. That

is what we... established on Sunday. That faith

does not come from man, but this faith for these

greater works or for great works comes from God.

And God, by His infinite mercy and grace and

love for us, His children, who believe in the

message of salvation, God has worked in us. Hallelujah.

He has worked in you. He has worked in me. His

faith So we have all it takes to do greater works.

So now the faith we have, we have faith in us.

We have faith in us and the faith we exercise

is a gift that God has granted us. The faith

of God we have in us. The goal is to show to

us that God is a source of our faith and that

we already have the faith of God in us. Therefore,

we are prepared or we are equipped in all ways,

you know, to do the greater works that you have

called us to do. Oftentimes, you know, when it

comes to the issue of doing works or greater

works or performance or doing anything, ministry,

preaching the gospel, healing the sick, you know,

or even living out rightly, oftentimes think

that it is an effort that we put in. For example,

now we want to do the work of ministry as important

as fasting is, right? We go into 40 days of fasting.

Fasting and prayer, which is very essential.

I'm not in any way downgrading and in any way

saying fasting is not important. It's an important

Christian discipline. But oftentimes, if we don't

fast and pray, we think that we can't teach the

word of God, all right? We can't heal. For example,

now you are in a place where somebody, maybe

there's a demonic manifestation, right? And as

a child of God, you're supposed to do what is

necessary. What do you do as a child of God?

You cast out the devils, right? But sometimes

we think that there's a special exercise we need

to do. First of all, we need to have fasted,

you know, 40 days and we're in the mood. You

know, by the fasting that we fasted, then we

now have the required faith in order to do that

which God has enabled us to do. So there's a

lot of emphasis, emphasis on human effort, emphasis

on what you can do, emphasis on your discipline.

Now, we are not calling you to a life of indiscipline.

But what we are telling you is that God has created

everything in you. The ability in you. The power

is within you by the power of the Spirit of God

that lives in you. The faith that is in you,

God has worked out perfectly. The believer has

no faith issues. Are we together? The believer

does not have a faith issue. The believer has

all it takes to do all that God has created him

to do. The believer has everything it takes to

do all that God has recreated him in Christ to

do. We are his workmanship. Workmanship simply

means we are his masterpiece. We are the perfection

of the creation of God in Christ Jesus. So we

have all sufficiency. Hallelujah. We have only

text to do what God has called us to do as believers,

as Christians, as those who are of the household

of faith. So we ask the question, what about

the text that says without faith, it is impossible

to please God? You know, and oftentimes, as we

always will say, we assume, That the faith to

please God comes from us. The moment we don't,

you know, activate the faith towards God, we

don't please God. But we forget that our identity

is that of faith. We forget that we have already

pleased God in Christ Jesus. We forget that God

has already created in us the ability, not only

that we are going to please God, But we have

already pleased God in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah.

Positionally, the believer has pleased God. So

what we see us doing is a product of what God

has already done in us. Amen. So let's turn to

Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11 from verse

1 to 6. We read this passively on Sunday. Now

faith is a substance of things hoped for, the

evidence of things not seen, for by it the elders

obtain a good testimony. So the elders obtain

good testimony because of faith. By faith we

understand that the walls were framed. Which

walls? The walls, are they different walls? The

walls were framed by the word of God so that

the things which were seen were not made of things

which were visible. By faith Abel offered to

God a more excellent sacrifice. A more excellent

sacrifice? Or rather we will say a more excellent

offering? than Cain, through which he obtained

witness that he was righteous. God testifying

of his gifts. Now you see, that sacrifice is

a gift. Means that Abel offered a gift. Sacrifice

will mean that he offers something for something,

but it's a gift he offered. Through it, he been

dead. Yet, speak right, by faith Enoch was taken

away. So that he did not see death. And was not

found because God had taken him. For before he

was taken, he had this testimony. There is a

testimony. And the testimony is that he pleased

God. Verse 6. But without faith, it is impossible

to please God. For he who comes to God must believe

that he is. And that he is. the rewarder of those

who diligently seek him. Hallelujah. And then

we asked, or rather we saw that the context of

this conversation is from chapter 10, all right?

Because the Bible was not written in chapters.

It was not written in verses. It was a letter.

Even though the chapters and the verses are important

to help us to identify part of scripture, But

the chapter in all this, the verses of scriptures

are not an inspiration of the spirit of God.

All right. They are not an inspiration of the

spirit of God, but they help us. Sometimes if

not properly used, they can mislead us. So we

say that the conversation did not start in chapter

11, right? Right from chapter one, the conversation

started. But particularly speaking of faith,

we see in verse 35. In verse 35 to 39 of chapter

10. Give me Hebrews 11 verse 35. No, rather Hebrews

Hebrews 11:35 Hebrews 10:35

10 verse 35. Hebrews 10 verse 35. Therefore,

Hebrews 10:35

do not cast away your confidence, which has great

reward. For you have need of endurance, so that

after you have done the will of God, you may

receive the promise. And the next verse explains

this promise. For a little while and he who is

coming will come, our Lord tarry. Now they just

shall live by what? By faith. They just shall

live by what? By faith. And I ask, how does a

man become just? In God's sight. How does a man,

how is a man justified? A man is justified by

what? By faith. So now the just shall live by

faith, by faith. But if anyone draws back, my

soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of

those who draw back to partition, partition,

partition, but of those who believe to the saving

of the soul. And we said these verses were a

reference of Habakkuk 2, verse 3 -4. Habakkuk

Habakkuk 2:3–4 Habakkuk 3:2–4

3, verse 2 -4 was where the writer of Hebrews,

got his text from to explain. And in the original

text, particularly verse 4, you know, I mentioned

that in the Septuagint Bible, the faith here

is not talking about the faith of the person,

but it's talking about the faith of God. Alright?

It states that, but the righteous One by my faith

shall live. And I gave us instances of translations

that particularly interpreted this verse correctly

and accurately. And we also saw some texts such

as Romans 1, verse 17, that also quoted from

Romans 1:17

that same Habakkuk. Romans 1, verse 17 says,

Romans 1:17

For in the righteousness of God is revealed.

From faith to faith. And the context here is

that the writer here is describing two kinds

of righteousness. Two kinds of righteousness.

One righteousness that comes from the effort

of man, which we will call the righteousness

by works, and that which is from God, which is

a product of what? Of faith, which is a gift

from God. So for in it, the righteousness of

God is revealed from faith to faith. The righteousness

of God is what? From faith to faith. The just,

as it is written, the just shall live by faith.

And we know exactly, particularly, what this

faith is. Which faith, specifically, this is

talking about. Galatians 3, verse 11 also. Galatians

Galatians 3:11 Galatians 3:11

3, verse 11. Galatians 3, verse 11. But that

Galatians 3:11

no one is justified. Okay? That no one is justified.

By the law. The law has to do with performances.

The law has to do with what humans will do. The

law has to do with the performance of men. But

that no one is justified by the law in the sight

of God is evident. For the just shall live by

what? Shall live by the faith. Particularly,

we talk about the faith of God. So we concluded

that it is by the faith of God that the heroes

of faith, the people we call the heroes of faith

in Hebrews 11, that it is by the faith of God

that they did the mighty works that they did.

That they did. Hallelujah. So Hebrews 11 verse

Hebrews 11:1

1 says, Now faith is the substance of things

hoped for. Right? Faith. is a substance of things

hoped for. So which faith are we talking about?

The faith of the men that have lived before us.

Because he's trying to describe the effect of

faith in this man's life. All the activities,

all the works of faith in their life. Now, oftentimes

we try to clarify that the Bible is not an English

dictionary. Okay? Where when you're looking for

words, you go to the Bible to get the meaningful

words. So, Hebrews 11 .1 is not an English definition

of faith. But rather, it is a description of

what faith does. It's important that we note

this. Alright? The verse shows what faith does.

The works of faith. The description of or faith,

or what I would say, the activities of faith

in men. It says, faith is a substance of things

hoped for. The conviction about what they have

not seen. The conviction about what these men

have not seen. It is a substance of things. And

oftentimes, we also think that the things we

are talking about here are material things or

our wants. or the things we want for ourselves.

For example, my school fees. So, because I have

not seen my school fees, so I use this verse,

and I say, faith is a substance of things not

seen. I have not seen the school fees. But of

course, we trust God, and we exercise our faith

in God, alright? Perceiving things. But contextually

here, the things here, he's talking about the

men. Abraham, okay? Enoch, Abel, and all of them.

And the things I've not seen, listen, it's not

talking about material things. Alright? The verse

here is not, the faith here is not talking about

material things. Because if it's material things,

Abraham was rich even before God called him.

Alright? So it wouldn't be talking about material

things. Faith is a substance of things hoped

for, the conviction about what they have not

seen. It is a substance of things. You know?

Hebrews 11, 14 and 16 talks about, talks about

it, gives us an explanation. Hebrews 11, give

me verse 14 of verse 16. It says, For those who

say such things, declare plainly that they seek

a homeland. These are the things. This is the

explanation of the things that they hope for.

That they seek a homeland. And truly, if they

had called to mind that a country from which

they had come out, they would have had opportunity

to do what? To go back. But now they desire a

better, okay? So what they have not seen is something

better. They desire a better, a heavenly country.

Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their

God, for he has prepared a city for them. So

what they see is something beyond them natural.

God spoke his word to them concerning what he

will do. And they believe the word of God. And

the Bible says it accounted to them as righteousness.

So their faith, or rather faith here, gives present

substance to something that is in the future.

The sense here, when I mean the sense, I mean

Those that the Hebrew is speaking about, the

saints had nothing but the promise of hope. The

promise of God to hope for. Okay? They have nothing

tangible, but they believe the word of God. Invisible

evidence of the Messiah, but yet they believe.

Now, these promises were so real to the Old Testament

men, that they build their entire life on. If

you read Genesis 12, you see that God spoke to

Abraham. And Abraham believed God and what? And

he moved. He left his family. He left everything.

And then he embraced the word of God. And he

moved. who see that some of them were willing

to die for the sake of the word they receive.

They have strong conviction. They have strong,

you know, conviction in what the word of God,

in what God said to them. In verse 39 and 40,

we will see, they believe in a promise of what

they did not receive. Look at verse 39 and verse

40. Verse 39 and verse 40. He says, and all these

have, having obtained a good testimony, Their

testimony is true faith did not receive the promise,

all right? God having provided something better

for us, that they should not be made perfect

apart from us. Hallelujah. So they did not receive,

right? But they believe. They did not receive,

but they believe. They believe the word of God.

The Bible said they died in faith. Verse 13.

Verse 13 says they died in faith. These all died

in faith, not having received the promises, but

having seen them from afar off, were assured

of them, embraced them, and confessed that they

were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. So

we see that by this faith, right? The elders

obtained this good report. They obtained good

report. The elders obtained a good report. Of

course, we know who these elders are. Referring

to, you know, the kind of people we see in Hebrews

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

chapter 11, in Israel, and listed in subsequent

verses, we see they had a good report. For example,

Abraham. Abraham in Genesis 15 verse 6. Genesis

Genesis 15:6 Genesis 15:6

15 verse 6. I was saying. And he believed in

the Lord. He believed in the Lord. After God

had spoken to him. And he accounted it to him.

That is God accounted to him. As righteousness.

We will see it explained in Genesis. In Galatians

Galatians 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3. Hallelujah. Verse 3 of Hebrews 11.

It says, through faith we understand that the

worlds were framed by the word of God so that

things which were seen were not made of the things

which do appear. And oftentimes, as again, the

worlds here, we interpret it as a universe. And

I try to look at the context. First of all, contextually,

the communication here is not about creation.

He's not speaking about creation. He's talking

about the work of faith in the life of these

men. All right? And we saw earlier the description,

or rather the source of this faith. And even

the words in this text, I mean, in the Greek,

is the word aeons. It says true faith, we understand.

And this word worlds does not mean that God created

the earth. That is what I want to stress here,

by faith. But it is by faith that we understand.

The word worlds or ages here in some translations,

ages, is translated from the word aeons. Aeons

is different from the word cosmos. And I want

us to note clearly, in the course of our, what

do you call it, cell teachings, we discuss the

issue of the end of the ages, isn't it? And what

did we say are these ages? The word aeons translated

from the ages, the foundation of the world, right?

What did we say is the explanation of that particular

word? What did you say was it? Aeons? Hmm? Who

forgot him? Huh? Huh? Okay, we're talking about

the end of the age, especially Matthew 24. Hmm?

Hmm? What? The word age, not the N. We're talking

about the word age, aeons. What does it mean?

Time, all right? Time, okay? What? Era, right?

So I'm much, much convinced, right, that the

words here, aeons, listen to this carefully,

is speaking specifically about the generation

of these men. Through faith, we understand that

their walls were framed by the word of God. God

spoke a word, right? They believed the word of

God and their reality, right, was followed by

the faith of God. Hallelujah. So that the things

which were seen were not made of the things which

they saw or the things that appear. So the word

worlds or ages in verse 3 was translated from

this Greek word aeons, which means a time or

a period. And this contextually, when examined,

I say it clearly, will mean the time or the generation

of the elders. That is, in the time of Noah,

right? In the time of Abraham, in the time of...

of Abel, for example, that is an aeons, right?

That is a time, a time frame. So, for example,

in Hebrews 1, verse 1 to 2, we see that God,

Hebrews 1:1–2

who has sundry times and in diverse manners,

spoke in time past. What time past? How to do

it? Specific communication of God at different

times and in different seasons to different people.

Are we together? So God, who at sundry times

and in diverse ways, diverse manners, spoke in

time past unto the fathers by the prophets. So

the means by which God spoke to that generation,

that particular eons, right, is by the prophet.

Had in these last days spoken unto us by his

son. So in our own generation, in our own time,

God speaks to us by who? By His Son, by Jesus

Christ. Alright? So I see consistency in that

communication even in Hebrews 11 verse 3. Each

Hebrews 11:3

dispensation has a revelation of God. So verse

3 is talking about the dispensation of time for

every person as we mentioned in Hebrews 11. I

will see that each of their experiences in their

dispensation as seen from this text is defined

by faith. By faith. It's defined by faith. The

experience is defined by faith. By faith, verse

4, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice

than Cain. through which he obtained a witness.

That witness is also the word testimony. He obtained

a testimony that he was righteous. God testifying

of his gifts. And through it, he being dead still

speaks. So we see consistently that the testimonies

they receive is a testimony of faith. They believe

in the word of God. They believe in the promise

of God. And it was an account to them. a testimony

that they were righteous men. Genesis chapter

Genesis 4:1–7

4 verse 1 to 7 speaks of the times of Abel and

Cain. Let's look at it briefly. Now Adam knew

his wife and she conceived and bore Cain and

said, I have acquired a man from the Lord. Then

she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now

Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller.

of the ground. And in the process of time, it

came to pass that Cain brought an offering of

a fruit of the ground to the Lord. So who first

offered? Cain first offered, right? Abel also

brought of the first of his flock and of their

fat. And the Lord respected Abel, right? The

Lord has respected Abel and his offering, but

he did not respect Cain. And it's often, and

Cain was very angry and his countenance fell.

So the Lord said to Cain, why are you angry?

And why have you your countenance fallen? If

you do well, how do men do well? If you do well,

will you not be accepted? How do we get accepted

before God? How is man accepted in Christ? By

faith, right? And if you do not do well, sin

lies at the door and its desire is for you. But

you should do what? You should rule over it.

So the offering of Abel was done in response

to faith. So the testimony that Abel received

was not because he offered. Are we together?

Oftentimes in our Bible schools or Bible Sunday

school, they taught us with pictures the different

offerings they brought. All right. And they will

say, okay, Ken brought something that is rotten.

Okay. And Evel brought something that is alive

and is beautiful. I mean, this picture will not

communicate effectively what really happened

there. One brought offering in faith, out of

faith, the other out of works, that is in unbelief.

All right. Let's look at Genesis 4 .4 in the

Good News Translation. Let's see. Good News Translation.

It says, Then Abel brought the first lamb born

to one of his sheep, killed it, and gave the

best part of it as an offering. The Lord was

pleased with Abel. Alright? The Lord was pleased

with Abel and his offering. So we saw or we will

see that God was pleased. Okay? How can a man

please God? Except by what? By faith. Abel pleased

God first. Then his offering was accepted. Alright?

It was not his offering that made God accept

him. But rather that he pleased God. Alright?

And then his offering was accepted. But Cain

did not come by faith. So his offering was not

accepted. Let's see how John commented on this.

Ephesians chapter 3 verse 11. 1 John 3, verse

Ephesians 3:11 1 John 3:11

11 and 12. For this is a message that you heard

from the beginning, from Genesis. We should love

one another, not as Cain, who was of the wicked

one and murdered his brother. And why did he

murder his brother? Because his works, okay,

his works were evil. You see, his works were

evil and his brother's works righteous. How does

man work the work of righteousness? Righteousness

is a gift. Hallelujah. So that comes by the faith

of God. When we believe the word of God, God

said it, right? We accept what God said. We have

faith and we please God. So Hebrews 11, 39 to

40. And all of this, though they gained divine

approval, I'm reading from Amplified. Though

they gained divine approval through their faith,

through faith, they did not receive the fulfillment

of what was promised because God had us in mind

and had something better for us. so that they,

these men and women of authentic faith, okay,

they are of authentic faith, will not be made

perfect, that is, completed in him, apart from

us. And we continue the reading in chapter 12.

Therefore we also, okay, therefore we also, since

we are surrounded by so a great cloud of witnesses,

now the witness is here. speaks of all these

people and their exploits. Right? Now, we're

not saying that, oh, they're in heaven cheering

for us. Come on, come on, come on. No, that's

not the picture here. But since we have these

examples of men that in their time, all right,

they believed God. And we see through their lives,

you can read through all, you see, even Rahab.

Rahab that we know, her name, the only name we

know is Rahab. And her son named her Lord. Okay?

She believed the message. What did she believe?

She believed that God was going to save the nation

of Israel. She believed the word of God's salvation.

All right. And she was listed among the heroes

of faith. What about Samson? And all and all

and all of them that we'll see in the Old Testament.

So the cloud of witness is here referring to

all these people. And it says, let us. let us

like verse 2 looking unto Jesus therefore we

also since we are surrendered by so great a cloud

of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and

the sin which so easily ensnares us and let us

run with endurance the race that is set before

us looking unto Jesus okay 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 at the right hand of the throne

of God. He says, let us. A specific set of people

reading. Right? Those to whom the epistle was

written to. And of course, an extension to us.

Let us. Let us lay aside. So faith begins in

Jesus, right? And it ends in Jesus. Jesus is

a boundary of our faith. Outside Jesus, we don't

have faith. Outside Christ and what he has done

for us, we don't have faith. There is no faith

for us. The essence and the substance of all

truth is Jesus Christ. That was what they saw

from afar and they believe. That was what God

presented to them in types and in shadows, in

activities, in diverse manners, in diverse ways,

in different, even in the works of the law. Moses

embalmed it with the truth about the reality

of Christ. So the essence and the substance of

all truth is Jesus Christ. Faith is perfected

in him, in Christ. Faith is all self -generated.

It comes from God. The faith of the Bible comes

from the person of Jesus Christ. It comes from

the revelation of Jesus Christ. It comes by hearing

of the word of God, the message of God. The message

of Jesus Christ. Romans chapter 10, verse 17.

Romans 10:17

Romans chapter 10, verse 17. It says, so then

Romans 10:17

faith comes by what? By hearing. We're going

to spend quality time on this text on Sunday.

We'll understand how we receive faith. Somebody

said, are we now saying that the unbeliever does

not have faith, well, if the unbeliever has faith,

that is not the kind of faith we are talking

about here. It's not the faith of Jesus. If he

already has faith, he doesn't need the faith

of Jesus. Because faith comes by hearing and

he has to hear. And what will he hear? The gift

of faith. And that makes him an unbeliever. A

man is only an unbeliever when he's presented

the message and he rejects it. That's what makes

him an unbeliever. That's where he exercises

his will and his own choice to not receive what

God has given. So, faith is in Christ. The understanding

of the scriptures comes from the person of Jesus

Christ. Because it says, faith comes by hearing,

right? So the understanding of scriptures comes

from the person of Jesus Christ. John chapter

John 1:45

1 verse 45. We see where Jesus was speaking.

John chapter 1 verse 45. It says, Joseph, which

John 1:45

means that what Moses wrote in the law, right,

was communicating Jesus of Nazareth, the son

of Joseph. Luke 24, verse 44. Luke 24, 44, we

Luke 24:44

see where Jesus summarizes. Then he said to them,

these are the words which I spoke to you while

I was still with you, that all things must be

fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses.

and the prophets, and the Psalms, concerning

who? Concerning me. So revelation in the midst

of revelation comes from the person of Jesus

Christ. All biblical faith, if we say, the faith

that we know, or the faith that we have in Christ,

comes from the same source. Okay? There are no

different sources of faith. 2 Corinthians 4,

2 Corinthians 4:13

verse 13 speaks of, The same spirit. 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 4:13

4, verse 13. And since we have the same spirit

of faith, according to what was written, I believe

and therefore I spoke. Now remember when Jesus

said today, Jesus was speaking in Mark 11, verse

Mark 11:12

12. If you have the faith of God, you shall say.

Are we together? That is to say, faith empowers

the mind to speak. Okay? You have faith in your

heart. Alright? Faith should also be far away

in your mouth. Are we together? That is, what

you say should align with the reality in your

heart. So oftentimes, there's a divergence between

what we have in our heart and what is on our

lips. So we don't see. The realities of the things

that we ought to see. Since we have the same

spirit of faith, according to what is written,

I believe. So when you believe, you do what?

You speak, I spoke. We also believe and therefore

we speak. Now the emphasis is that same spirit

of faith. Now whatsoever is out of faith, we

see the Bible will describe it as sin. Okay?

I'm just pointing out scriptures. Generally,

in the Epistles, it speaks about faith. Whatsoever

is not of faith, the Bible calls it sin. Okay?

Whatsoever is not of faith, the Bible calls it

sin. Romans chapter 14 verse 23. Whatever whatsoever

Romans 14:23

is not of faith is sin. Romans chapter 14 verse

Romans 14:23

23. But who doubts? It's condemned if he eats.

Talking about eating, washings and some ceremonial

things. All right? Because he does not eat from

faith. For whatsoever is not from faith, the

Bible calls it what? We call it sin. Now, be

patient. Don't worry. We'll come to details of

this later on. Faith is called the faith of God.

In the epistles, Romans 3, verse 1 to 3. Romans

Romans 3:1–3 Romans 3:1–3

3, verse 1 to 3. What advantage then has a Jew

or what is a prophet of circumcision? Much in

every way chiefly because to them they were committed

the oracles of God. For what if some did not

believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness

of God without effect? All right? Will it make

that faithfulness? It talks about the faith of

God. Will it make the faith of God? Can you give

me the all King James? The all King James, yes.

Say, for what if some did not believe? Shall

their unbelief make the faith of God without

effect? All right? Speaking of the nation of

Israel, their unbelief does not make the faith

of God void. And then we'll see in scriptures,

that same faith of God is called the faith of

Jesus Christ. And we are justified by the faith

of Jesus Christ. Galatians chapter 2 verse 16,

Galatians 2:16

the old kingdoms. Galatians chapter 2 verse 16.

Galatians 2:16

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works

of the law. The works of the law speaks of what

a man does. The works of the law speaks of what

originates from man. The works of the law speaks

of what the effort of man produces. So, knowing

that the man is not justified by the works of

the law, but by faith of who? By what? By the

faith of who? How is a man justified? By the

faith. The faith of who? His faith. By the faith

of who? Of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed

in who? In Jesus Christ. That we might be justified

by the faith of who? Of Christ. So the faith

is of who? It's of Christ. And not by the works

of the law. For by the works of the law shall

no flesh be justified. Okay? So we are justified

by the faith of Christ, of Jesus Christ. So anything

you can trace to you is works. By works shall

no man be justified. Any faith outside what Christ

has done, It's dead. You know? Faith is a noun.

Okay? Faith is what? It's a gift. Not a verb.

They're what? Pistons. So, believing is a work

of faith. Galatians 2 verse 20. We see also,

Galatians 2:20

number one, it says the faith is of faith of

God. We've seen it that the faith is a faith

of Jesus Christ. And here we see he's also putting

it that the faith of the son of God. I am crucified

with Christ. Okay. I am crucified with Christ.

Not that you will be crucified, but you are already

crucified with Christ. Identification. Nevertheless,

I live. All right. I live. Yet not I, but what?

But Christ liveth in me. Okay? And the life which

I now live, which means that every single thing

you do henceforth is what? And the life which

I now live in the flesh, in the natural, alright?

I live by the faith of who? Who sponsored the

life you live now? Huh? The faith of the son

of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

So what should energize our works today? But

the things we do, all right, how we conduct ourselves

must be he in us. Are we together? Must be he

working in us. So the greater works we're going

to do. Who energizes? Who is walking through

us? Christ walking through us. Are we together?

So, we see the faith of the Son at work in us.

We see the faith of Christ at work in us. Christ

lives in us. Therefore, we live by the faith

of the Son of God. It's a gift given unto us.

Now, this faith is based on the love that God

has shown unto us. Isn't it? Further on, we see

in chapter 5, verse 6 of the same Galatians,

that it's because of love. Galatians chapter

Galatians 5:6

5, verse 6. Not that we did anything to earn

it, but it's because of love. For Christ, King

James, for in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision,

what is done, and, alright, availed anything,

nor all circumcision. But faith, which worketh

by, which is worketh by what? By love. Which

worketh by love. And in Colossians 2, verse 11,

Colossians 2:11

we'll go on to say that we are who we are by

the faith produced in us by the power of God.

Colossians 2, verse 11 and 12. Colossians 2,

Colossians 2:11

11. In who also ye are circumcised with a circumcision

made without hands, which means that it is not

a circumcision, it's not a natural activity,

right? But in putting off the body of sins of

the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, verse

12, buried with him in baptism, wherein also,

wherein also rather, We are risen with him through

what? Through the faith. Now look at the faith

clearly. Through the faith of the operation of

God. The faith is what? Is of the operation of

God. Who had raised him from the dead. So we

see that this faith is of the operation of God.

We are who we are. By the faith that is produced

in by the power of God in us. Hallelujah. Ephesians

Ephesians 3:10

chapter 3 verse 10 talks about the boldness that

we have access with confidence. And the boldness

we have is not because we have faith on our own.

Ephesians chapter 3 verse 10 to 12. It says to

Ephesians 3:10–12

the intent that now unto the principalities.

and powers in the heavenly places might be known

by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according

to the eternal purpose which he proposed in Christ

Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and

access with confidence By our faith. By the faith

of Him. Are we together? By the faith of Him.

By the faith of Him. Now, we are not in any way

saying that we don't have a responsibility. We're

going to come to that subsequently. But what

I am emphasizing from Sunday and today is that

the source of our faith is God. It's that our

faith is a gift. Hallelujah. So it puts us in

a place of rest that we can live in the rest

of God. Okay? In the Sabbath of God. Alright?

That we don't begin to measure, do I have faith

or I don't have faith? Alright? So we all begin

to say, let's go out and preach. You know that

you have all sufficiency to go out and preach.

When we say lay out on the sick, you begin to

know that you have the ability to lay out on

the sick. Because God is in you, working out

his will and his purpose. So what we see expressed

through you is obedience in alignment to his

word. Hallelujah. So that is the emphasis. That

the faith for greater works comes from the gift,

or rather it's a gift that we've received in

Christ. Let's see what Paul was saying in 1 Timothy

1 Timothy 4 · chapter mention

4, verse 1 to 16, talking about, you know, let's

leave this one because it's going to take time.

James 2, verse 1, but you can write 1 Timothy

James 2:1 1 Timothy 4 · chapter mention

4, verse 1 to 16. He talks about faith as a teaching,

all right? The four teachers were taking people

away from the teaching of Christ. So he talks

about the teaching of faith, all right? So you

can read that one. But James 2, verse 1. James

James 2:1 James 2:1

2, verse 1. James 2, verse 1. It says, My brethren

James 2:1

have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. have

not the faith of God, alright, again, have not

the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord

of glory, with respect of Christ. He's talking

about partiality. Okay? What the emphasis that

I want to see from that verse is that James is

speaking concerning this faith. That this faith,

right, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.

That the faith is actually of the Lord Jesus

Christ. Alright? We can read in order translation.

So, the believer, okay, the believer is counted

faithful in Christ. The believer does not need

to do so that God will say he is faithful. God

has found us faithful, has founded us faithful

in Christ. Therefore, he has entrusted us in

order to do the works that he has called us to

do. 1 Timothy 1, verse 11 -12. You know, oftentimes

1 Timothy 1:11–12

we think that faithfulness is when we are faithful.

Okay? Faithfulness is where you are faithful.

You see, I was telling Pastor Oluwadadi, I say,

see, when you go to apply for a job, you look

at your CV. You look at your ability in the past,

in the previous job, whether you were, you ask,

how did you leave the previous job? Some of you

that used to fight with your bosses before you

leave and go to a new job. May the next person

interviewing you not be your previous boss, in

Jesus' name. The system of the world is that

you have to be faithful, all right? And you'll

be given a reward or a tax or a responsibility.

But God, first of all, he met us in Christ. He

marked us faithful before he gave us a responsibility.

Hallelujah. Now let's see 1 Timothy 11 verse

1, 11 rather, where Paul was speaking of himself.

It says, according to the glorious gospel of

the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

And I tell Christ Jesus, our Lord. What did he

do? Who had enabled us, enabled me. For that

he counted me what? He counted me faithful. Then

putting me into the ministry. Hallelujah. So

God counts him faithful. to do the work of ministry.

And this is in line with what God exemplified

in Christ Jesus when Christ came upon the face

of the earth. In Matthew 23, verse 17, we'll

Matthew 23:17

see that at the very baptism of Jesus Christ,

right? There was a word that was given concerning

him. And lo, a voice from heaven saying, this

is my beloved son in whom I am what? I'm well

pleased. Jesus Christ have not even died on the

cross. Jesus Christ has not even healed the sick.

But God's testimony concerning Christ is that

what? Is that I am well pleased with him. Are

we together? So, he lived to prove the righteousness

of God. Jesus Christ on earth lived to prove

the endorsement of God. Now, we are not living

to please God. Alright? That's what I'm trying

to draw home to. We're not trying to live so

that God will try to do our effort, you know,

in order for God to be happy with us. Now, when

we say these things, people say, oh, we are giving

people the liberty to do it. We're giving people

the license to live life officially, right? We're

giving people the license to live a life of sin.

Okay? We are telling you that there's nothing

you can do, all right, to make God happy. Okay?

There's nothing you can do to make God happy.

The reason why God is happy with you is because

you are in Christ. Alright? So what do you do?

You hold on to what? Faithfulness of God in Christ

Jesus. We're telling you that what? There's nothing

you can do to please God except in faith. You

know you're telling people that they must do

in order for God to be happy. We are emphasizing

the efforts that they will do in order to make

themselves happy with God. When you go to preach

Christ to people, when you go out for evangelism,

it's important that you emphasize what Christ

has done. And what is of the one that you're

speaking to is to receive what Christ has done.

Are we together? Is to receive what Christ has

done. And then begin to live. in response to

what Christ has done in his life. Hallelujah.

So because of time, greater works are not produced

by human effort. I'm summarizing everything I've

said. Greater works are not produced by human

efforts, but by the faith that originates from

God and is revealed in Jesus Christ. Greater

works are not produced by human effort, but by

the faith that originates from God and is revealed

in Jesus Christ. Scripture shows that faith is

not self -generated, nor it is a human achievement.

It is rooted in Christ, who is the author and

the finisher of our faith. Now the heroes of

faith, in Hebrews 11, lived, they acted, and

pleased God by faith. How? They trusted His promises,

even when they did not see its fulfillment. This

faith is anchored in Christ, sustained by His

Word, and perfected in Him. We are justified,

speaking about us, we live, and we come alive,

Our work by the faith of the Son of God. Not

by works that originate from ourselves. In Christ,

we are already approved and accepted by God.

And our works becomes a visible expression of

that faith. Therefore, the greater works Jesus

promised are the hard working of his faith. active

in us as we abide in him. Hallelujah. So when

you begin to say we do great works, know what

you are saying. You are giving an expression

to a life that God has put in you. Conclusively,

let us fix our eyes on Jesus. The Bible says

he's a source, right? The boundary of our faith.

We don't stop striving to produce results by

human effort and human strength. Instead, what

we do is that we rest in the finished work of

Christ. We must rest in what? In the finished

work of Christ. Lay aside every self -effort,

unbelief, and performance -based thinking because

always we think that it's based on what we're

doing. that will earn the result that is ought

to be seen. And boldly we live from the faith

already given to you or to us in him. We step

out in confidence when you go out to preach.

Have this assurance in your heart that what?

You go out with confidence. Okay? You speak in

faith. You act in obedience. And trust the one

who walks in you both to will and to do his good

pleasure. The greater works are not ahead of

you, but they flow from Christ in you. Hallelujah.

Walk in him and let his faith find expression

through your life. Let the faith of God find

his expression through your life. What you do

is that you permit God to walk through your life.

Hallelujah. So, what about walks? We see the

place of good walks. But good walks are a function

of what? Of our position and our identity in

Him. Alright? It's an outflow of the life of

God that we have in us. Hallelujah. So, can we

just open our mouth and thank God for this reality?

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

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you care about. Until next time, stay blessed.