Sunday Message Summary, 21 May 2023
When the disciples of Jesus could not deliver the boy who had a mute spirit, the reason why the boy was not cured was not because of GOD, but because of the disciples (Matthew 17:14-18 NKJV). As Christians, we often point the finger at GOD when rightfully, the finger should be pointing at us. It was not the will of GOD that the boy was not cured. GOD wanted the boy to be healed. Not everything has to do with God’s time being “the best time”, but sometimes we use that as a cover for failure. Like the blind men whose eyes were opened by Jesus, it will be to us according to our faith (Matthew 9:27-30 NKJV). We must learn to discern between our lack of faith and God’s will. Like the disciples who failed publicly and went to their master privately (Matthew 17:19-20 NKJV), the onus is on us to be serious about our faith, growing in it, and acting on it.
We must grow in faith (2 Peter 1:5-10 NKJV). Growth in faith is growing in the spirit. Growth in faith means holistic growth. Growth in faith is growing in the fruit of the Spirit, growing more and more in the knowledge of our LORD and Savior, Jesus. If we are not growing in the faith, we can do nothing in the spirit, but when we grow in faith, we will not be found wanting and we will be neither barren nor unfruitful. If we grow as believers, we will not fail because if we grow in faith, we grow in victory (1 John 5:4 NKJV). Even the anointing operates at our level of faith growth. If we are not growing in faith, we are short-sighted, our revelation is limited, and our eyes remain dimmed. Faith does not come by hearing human eloquence, but faith grows as we feed on the Word of GOD (Romans 10:17 NKJV). The Word has everything that we need for growing (1 Peter 2:2 NKJV). Even Jesus had to grow on the Word like all of us.
We need the kind of faith that is aggressive. When we understand what the will of GOD is, we must fight our way through. We must outlast the devil because the grace of GOD is available. GOD will not deny us what He has already made freely available to us. Faith works when we are convinced and confident beyond any shadow of doubt (Romans 8:38-39 NKJV). When we are unstable, faith cannot operate because faith is a principle, and we cannot circumvent principles. He who doubts is not anchored, fixed, stable, nor steadfast (James 1:6-8 NKJV). When adverse situations come, many Christians are sabotaged by their own doubt, and they stumble and fall (Matthew 13:20-21 NKJV). It took little faith for Peter to walk on water, but it took doubt to sink (Matthew 14:28-31 NKJV). When we are still doubting, we are not yet convicted nor confident. The blind men whose eyes were opened were fully convinced, to the effect that they were insistent, and they kept following Jesus (Matthew 9:27-30 NKJV).
We ought to learn how to deal with doubt. Firstly, we should not go by what we see, hear, taste, touch, and smell (2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV). What is on the outside will never agree with what we believe on the inside, so we must not allow our external circumstances to overthrow what we believe. It is when we continue steadfast that we will eventually see the outside changing. Furthermore, we need good relationships with people who always speak into our lives. When Jesus healed the paralytic, it is the faith of the friends of the paralytic that Jesus saw (Mark 2:3-5 NKJV). The people we surround ourselves with matters. Finally, we must fix our minds and thoughts on the Word. Faith operates when we are convinced.
Faith works when we are convinced and confident beyond any shadow of doubt.
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