Hindrances to Faith

It requires faith in order to do what God calls us to do.

Summary

God has given us a mission which requires faith to fulfill.  There are several hindrances to faith which Pr. George deals with to equip us to do what God has called us to do.  The kind of faith we need comes when we dilegently seek to know the Lord.

Outline

1. A vision is going to require faith to get it accomplished.
   1. God will never give you a vision or a prophesy which you can do on our own, it requires faith and trust in God.
   2. The part we play in what God does is the part of faith.
2. What faith is and how it operates.
   1. Hebrews 11:6 – It is impossible to please God without faith – whoever comes to God must believe that He is, and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.
   2. We need to use our faith to diligently Seek God, to seek His love, His presence, to know Him.
   3. There is nothing more important than seeking to know God – all rewards are found by seeking Him.
3. There is a mandate and a vision on this church to reach out to the world.
   1. To do it, we need faith in Him, and faith in His faithfulness.
   2. Romans 3:27 says that faith is a law, and that there are laws that govern it.
   3. There are laws that govern all things, but when they are violated, problems happen.
   4. When a light goes out, we check the bulb, the breaker, etc., yet when things do not work in our lives we often blame it on God rather than check to see if we have broken the law of faith.
   5. When our focus on the Lord is lost, our faith quits operating.
   6. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
   7. Romans 10:6-10 – God’s grace has provided everything, and we tap into it by the faith He provides.
4. The vision given to this church will come to pass as we engage it with faith.
   1. Faith recognizes that Jesus is already risen and reigns.
   2. We often do not fail God by what we believe, but by what we confess with our mouth.
5. Paul called to fight the good fight of faith – this implies that there will be hindrances to faith.
   1. There is power in unity, as we walk in unity, power is released.
      1. We win the battle of faith when we fight as a unified body.
      2. The attitude of gangs is that if you mess with one, you mess with all – think what it would be like if the church was that way.
      3. How much power could the church walk in we loved each other and functioned as one.
      4. Gangs often promise youth what the church doesn’t – a family.
   2. Fight – means to struggle, to compete for a prize – we are called to struggle for sous which are the prize that we are in war for.
   3. It also means to contend with an adversary – to stand against evil.
   4. Jesus told us that the enemy would put up gates to try to stop us, but that we will overcome.
   5. To endeavor to accomplish something – we need to accomplish the vision God has given us.
   6. Faith is not just to save us from hell or to warm our hearts, but to gain ground for the Kingdom of God.
   7. Good means value, worthy, virtuous. The good fight of faith is something worth getting involved in.
6. Mark 7 – If faith operates on what we believe and confess, then what happens if what we believe is not the word of God? Mark 7 talks about the doctrines of men rather than the doctrines of God.
   1. It makes the word of God of no effect.
   2. The word of God holds the universe together and gave us new life.
7. Galatians 5:6 – faith works by love.
   1. God is love – when we get outside of love, faith will not work.
   2. When we violate that law of love, faith shuts down and the power no longer operates.
8. Unforgiveness turns faith off.
   1. Unforgiveness puts us in great bondage.
   2. Unforgiveness is like us drinking poison and hoping the other person dies.
9. Jesus told us to love and do good to our enemies.
   1. That makes no sense to the flesh, but it makes perfect sense according to the character and nature of God.
10. When we believe and obey God, salvation comes.
    1. Faith doesn’t come from the mind but from the heart.
    2. Faith operates in ways that do not make sense to the mind.