It Shall Come to Pass

God’s word is true and can be believed and trusted no matter what.

Summary

People often beg God to do something for them which He has already done when Jesus died on the cross. God’s word has many promises for us, but we need to believe them so that they will become real in our lives. Renewing our mind with God’s word is the key to believing God and receiving what He has for us.

Outline

1. Revisit last week’s message to stir things up.

   1. Please take what is going to be said the right way – God is love, and that is the foundation of it all.
   2. The reason we have different denominations is because we gather around a message rather than around the presence of God. Where the presence of the Lord is there is fullness of joy and there is freedom.
   3. We often reduce what the apostles said to doctrines rather than as invitations. Scriptures are meant to bring us into a personal relationship with Jesus.
   4. The message is an invitation to walk with God.
   5. Numbers 21 – the serpent of brass lifted up on a pole – when people beheld it, they lived. It required faith, faith in God’s word.
   6. IT CAME TO PASS – that all who looked upon it lived and did not die.

2. Hebrews 2 – through death, Jesus destroyed the power of death and delivered us from bondage.

   1. Fear will subject you to bondage – for the devil to oppress you.
   2. Most of the NT is written in the past tense – because God did something.

3. The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has delivered us from the law of sin and death.

   1. God has provided a way to set us free from the law of sin and death.
   2. That law operates under the law of faith.
   3. God’s word separates the world and sets people apart for God.

4. God’s word is truth, no matter what external appearances may be.

   1. Too often the church thinks like the world – according to God’s word we should think, act and be different from the world.
   2. If we build our house on the word, although the storms of life come, that house will remain standing.
   3. So much of our success is us standing on and believing God’s word.
   4. Often we want to blame God for things in our life when the problem is that we have not stood on the word of God.
   5. God sent us His word so we would bear fruit – Jesus is the word – without Jesus we can do nothing.
   6. “God said what He meant, and meant what He said, and has the power to back it up.”

5. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 – People received the word of God not as the word of man but as it actually is, the word of God and it then works in those who believe.

   1. It is not only receiving it, but it is believing it – believing it to the point that they act upon it.
   2. Transformation comes through renewing our mind, based on the Word of God. – The church should not think like the world, but we often do.
   3. If we would change the way we think, we will change the things around us.
   4. The only thing that gets rid of doubt and unbelief is teaching, and renewing our mind through the word of God.
   5. God confirms His word with signs following – if they do not, then the word is not actually being preached.

6. 1 Peter 2:24 – quotes Isaiah 53 – “by his stripes we were healed.” To see this requires a renewing of the mind.

   1. Went to someone given 2 days to live – was greeted with “why won’t God do anything?” He has, when He died on the cross.
   2. The man was in a coma, and George spoke to Him and ministered for about an hour and a half. Said to the man “say the name of Jesus.” He began saying it louder and louder until he began to yell it. He came out of the coma and went home the next day.
   3. There is a perspective that has to get in our minds that if God’s word is truth, then we have to begin to think that way.
   4. People are often trying to get God to heal them, when the truth is that He already did it on the cross.
   5. In Christ we are healed, and sickness is the devil trying to put it on us. It changes our perspective that we can worship God because He has already healed us.
   6. We are called to resist the devil being steadfast in the faith. Christ has given us authority to cast out devils and to heal all manners of sickness and disease.
   7. We need to renew our minds to allow God to work in us.

7. At one point the disciples were unable to deliver someone brought to them.

   1. Jesus found out the situation and was upset at his followers that they could not do anything.
   2. He immediately took care of the situation.
   3. The disciples asked why they could not do it – Jesus’ response was their doubt and unbelief.
   4. Where most people miss it in exercising faith – Romans chapter 10 – it needs to be in both our mind and in our mouth.

8. Mark 11:23 – whoever says to a mountain to be removed and cast into the sea believing in their heart will have it. This passage mentions believing once and speaking 3 times. It is in the speaking that miracles happen.

   1. George had this experience personally when he injured his back.
   2. He had someone lay hands on him for healing, and didn’t feel or experience anything, but began confessing what God’s word says.
   3. About a week after believing God’s word rather than the pain in his body, he awoke completely healed.
   4. If you do what God tells you to do, God will be faithful and do what He says.

9. 2 Peter 1:2ff- If we are having trouble with peace, we are either lacking knowledge or focused on the wrong knowledge.

   1. He has already given us all things pertaining to life and godliness.
   2. If He has already given it, we do not need to beg God to give it to us – we need to change the way we think and receive it from God.
   3. Anything that tries to exalt itself above Jesus we are called to cast down.
   4. It is through the promises of God that we become partakers of the divine nature.

10. We need to get to the place where we believe God’s word over everything else.