Today you are going to receive a word of faith , a Word that can change your life and the circumstances you are living, but the Word will only work if you also work.
As you put into practice the Word you’ve heard your life is going to be changed and you are going to experience miracles !
But we need to put the Word into practice.
How many of you know that faith is important?
This chapter in Corinthians gives us some insights into faith. 2 co 4:17, 18 , and 5:7
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
2 Corinthians 5:7
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (We live by faith not by sight)
The bible says we are going to be people of Faith not people of Fear !
We do not walk by what we see and let it dominate and defeat us but instead, we listen to the promises of God! What we are hear is greater than what we are see.
Faith is so important! The definition of faith according to the bible is not what you see !
We could see this clearly at the time Jesus cursed the fig tree but nothing happened.
The disciples might have asked, Why did Jesus pray?
They walked away and came back 24 hours later and the bible said , that same tree was withered up from the roots !
If you are looking from the outside with your physical eyes, prayer is not making a difference.
But at the very moment Jesus prayed, the invisible root of that fig tree was withering up and dying – even though it looked like nothing was happening. That’s how faith works!
Faith is trusting God. Having faith don’t mean you’ll have all the answers but it means you are moved by faith !
The bible said Abraham left his home not knowing where he was going !
We want to know everything, we want to have every question answered before we move , but that’s not how faith in God works.
I don’t care how religious you are or how much you know the Bible !
God said if where you are is not demanding you to exercise your faith, then you are not pleasing Him because God loves to see His Word being trusted in!
Don’t let what you see block what heaven is trying to tell you!! You have to listen to heaven!
We walk by faith not by sight
Romans 10:17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God
So, don’t go by what you see but go by what you hear. Because what you hear from the scripture and from moments like this that we are having right now is what will help you overcome troubles when they come!
You cannot walk by what you see around you but by what you hear from God.
The prophet Elijah was in a famine and yet he chose to listen to God instead of looking at the situation around him !
1Kings 18:41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for I hear the sound of abundance of rain.”
If Elijah had gone by what he was seeing , everything was drying up and dying. There was nothing left!
But he did not go by what he could see ! He listened to heaven’s Word !
He said , I hear something different from what my eyes are seeing.
I hear something that CONTRADICTS what I see!
This is what faith does !
Faith doesn’t just look at the facts and says: Maybe I should give up
Faith looks at the hard circumstances that look impossible to overcome and is still able to hear a word of victory.
You will never hear heavens talking defeat, you will never hear heavens telling you to give up.
You will never hear God saying : this is impossible!
You will never hear heaven say that kind of stuff.
Elijah said : I hear the sound of abundance of rain right in the middle of a famine! He could see with his eyes people dying but at the same time he could hear abundance of rain ! That is faith!
Just as an example : image you are in a rugby or football match. You’re losing really bad. The more you’re losing , the more the fans are shouting louder and louder because they believe you can win !
Question : Are you responding to what you see or are you responding to what heaven is saying?
You need to decide : are you going to live by what you see or are you going to live by what you hear !
Matthew 4:4
Man shall not live by bread alone ! (Bread is your need , what you can see)
But from every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God !
Faith comes by hearing, not seeing!
We walk by faith not by sight! (What we can see)
That’s why you can look at the crazy things that are happening in the world and not let them drive you down or take you away from your purpose.
The challenge is to get the news from heaven , from the word of God , that is another world !
Because heavens always says that everything going to be all right !
God is not nervous about what’s going on in this world , all the violence , politics, economy, all that is going on in the news!
He is the king of kings , the Lord of lords , He has the control and He says: I’m going to take care of my children and my people .
Maybe you are before a a situation that seems there’s no way out but you have to keep your ears open to what heaven is saying to you. You’ll see that what heaven has to say to you in greater than the situation you are SEEING.
This is the reason you’re here in church , because here you are going to hear something from heavens !
This is the reason , when you come to church , you have all kind of problems but you start worshiping , you start praising God loudly
When you are praying, when you are worshiping God you have to do with your eyes closed
Do you know why ? Because you cannot look at the circumstances you are living in!
My brothers and sisters we have a faith that overcomes the whole world !
But I need to go by what I hear and not by what I see !
The bible is always saying the Good News in a World of bad news !
John 16:33 (ASV)
“In the world yo will have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
You have to get cheerful in this depressed world.
When we get together, we’re like fans in a stadium, sometimes there’s a lot of defeat , pain , sadness, problems , people around us might seem anti religion, anti- God , anti-bible. But we are supposed to be cheering!
Im going to be cheering! I’m not let this stuff control my soul !
The Joy of The Lord is my strength!!
Jesus said : I promised you , if I overcame you will overcome!
What can you hear?
I’m hearing that Jesus is coming soon !
I’m hearing that the trumpet is going to sound !
I’m hearing He is bringing another kingdom !
My hope is not in this world .
Don’t live by what you see , live by what you hear !
It doesn’t matter what’s going wrong in your life because Jesus fixed it at the Calvary!
Maybe what you can see is your child on drugs , you can SEE your marriage is falling apart, you are watching your finances struggle , your body is in pain ,
But you need to listen to heaven !
You look at defeat but instead you hear victory
You look at discouragement but instead you say I’m blessed
These circumstances are temporary !
Maybe it won’t happen today but it is coming tomorrow
If doesn’t happen tomorrow my faith won’t let go until He blesses me !
That’s faith ! Seeing one thing here and listening to something different !
I want to show you in the bible 2 examples of how can you change yourself, your circumstances, your sickness , your marriage , etc
1- The Prodigal son
The prodigal son left his father’s house.
After a period of time he felt ruined, unhappy, he had no more money , he was literally eating pig food , living among pigs .
The bible said : suddenly he came to himself ,
Luke 15:17-18 (KJV)
“And when he CAME TO HIMSELF , he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I WILL ARISE and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,”
He CAME TO HIMSELF and SAID !
The moment you come to yourself, and realise who you really are, it changes the way you talk ! Because you change the way you think !
How many servants in my fathers house are doing better than me….
I’m not supposed to live like this , I’m not supposed to live in pain , I’m not supposed to be unhappy, suicidal, in depression, in suffering, etc
I’m a son of god and I’m living in the middle of pigs !
The bible said : he came to himself !
Coming to yourself means that you no longer define yourself by your circumstances. He realised who he was!
I’m in this circumstance , I’m in pain but I WILL ARISE !
I will overcome this situation, I will be healed, I will dance again , I will live , I will serve God , I will have a good marriage, I will be happy,, I will be a good mother, I will be a good father ,
Everything around Him was dirty, everything was the same but he came to himself and said .
I don’t live by what I see , I’ll live by what I’ve heard before!
It doesn’t matter what’s going wrong in your life because Jesus finished the work at Calvary!
2nd Example Mark 5:25-34
Do you remember the woman who had a blood problem for 12 years ?
She had spent all her money with physicians but she was getting worse and worse!
The bible said she heard that Jesus was passing by ! He was going to Jairus’ house because his daughter was dying.
Jesus passed by and didn’t heal her , in fact , Jesus didn’t see her at all !
Jesus didn’t even know who touched him!
So , what healed her? She said to herself ! She said to herself !
Mark 5:28
“For she said to herself , If I may touch his clothes, I shall be whole.”
She said to herself ! Like the prodigal son when “he came to himself” !
I’m in this circumstance , I’m in pain but I will arise !
I will overcome this situation, I will be healed, I will dance again , I will live , I will serve God , I will be a good father , I will be a good mother !
As I said in the beginning we need to put into practice the word of God
Wake your faith up!
Don’t you go back home like you came in today !
Don’t you walk in there and look at your problem and lose your heart and lose your hope !
But hear what God says about you:
- My God will supply all my needs (Philippians 4:19)
- No weapon formed against me …. (Isaiah 54:17)
- He was wounded for my transgressions and bruised for my iniquities, that’s why I’m here (Isaiah 53:5)
- You can see that you are sick but listen to this : By His Stripes I’m healed (Isaiah 53:4)
- I hear I’m healed according to Isaiah 53:5
- I hear that I’m free according to John 8:36 – if the Son sets you free you are free indeed
- I hear that I’m blessed according to (Deuteronomy 28:3-6)
- I hear that in all these things I’m more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ according to Romans 8:37
- I hear that I’m anointed and blessed ! 1 John :220, Ephesians 1:3
I know I’m seeing one thing but I choose to hear what God said !
It doesn’t matter what’s going on in your personal life you need to shout and cheer , praise loud
Because what I’m hearing is greater than what I’m seeing!
We walk by faith not by sight !
Calvary looked like a defeat but on the third day the stone was rolled away and Jesus rose From death in triumph.
You need to listen to heaven!
If you listen to heaven you are going to see that at the end we Win , We Win
I don’t live by what I see , I live by what I hear !
We need a church that can listen to the sound of heaven right in the middle of Hell
You should believe that God is in the Throne! Death is defeated!
Jesus is alive , He is Lord , He’s the healer , He is the deliverer !
If you believe you’ll see that faith overcomes the world , Faith overcomes sin , faith overcomes the storms, praise the Lord !
God bless you!