Where am I on the staircase of faith?
Assenting faith
· ‘I believe that Jesus is the Saviour’
· eg. ‘I believe that Tony is the Youth Pastor’
· ‘Believing that’ is not the same as ‘believing in’
· This kind of faith is a beginning but it is not enough
· Even the demons believe this much — and shudder! (James 2:19)
· 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder
2. Saving faith
· ‘I believe that Jesus is my Saviour’
· Not believing ‘that’ but believing ‘in’.
· Eg Philippian jailer. All he had to do to be saved was to believe (Acts 16:30–31).
· See Romans 1:16–17; Galatians 3:11 ‘Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”’
3. Keeping faith
· ‘I believe that Jesus keeps me day by day’
· Just as we are saved by faith we live by faith
· Confident trust in Jesus to keep us to the end
· He loves, he saves, he keeps, he satisfies
This longing heart of mine
He fills my heart with overflowing
With his love and truth divine
He guides, he guards, he watches over me
He slumbers not nor sleeps
For he is my loving Saviour
And he loves, he saves, he keeps
See Hebrews 10:35–38, ‘Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. [36] For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. [37] For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; [38] but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”’
4. Trusting faith
· ‘I believe that Jesus is with me no matter what happens’
· Confident trust
· Christ is with us in every situation
· See Habakkuk 2:3–4, ‘For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end-it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. [4] “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.”’
5. Miracle faith
· ‘I believe that this miracle will happen in Jesus’ name’
· While all faith is a gift of God,
· By definition, all believers have saving faith
· · See 1 Cor. 12:7–11
Gift of Faith
Short-term
To meet an immediate need
Acts 27:25
25So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me
Long-term
To meet an ongoing need
1 Chronicles 4:10
10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.
Example of Jesus whose faith carried him through to the end
Acts of power
See Acts 1:8. Every Christian is promised power through the Holy Spirit
1. Power to witness (Act 1:8; 4:33)
· Acts 1:8
o 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
· ACTS 4:44
o 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.
2. Power to abound (Rom 15:13)
- 13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you 4/20/2008trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
3. Power to endure (Col 1:11)
- 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully
4. Power to heal (Mark 16:17–18)
o 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
5. Power to overcome (Eph 1:19)
- 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
6. Power to love (Eph 3:14–19)
o 14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
7. Power to handle suffering (Phil 3:10; 2 Tim 1:8)
- PHIL 3:10
- 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
- TIM :1:8
- 8So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,
8. Power to preach (1 Cor 2:4; 1 Thess 1:5)
- 1 Co 2 4
- 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power,
- 1 THESS 1:5
o 5because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.
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