House For Revival: God Responds To Our Faith — Ps Pierre Awad (TGA)

Sunday the 14th of September, 6:00PM Gathering, Tauranga Location
Ps Pierre Awad on a Freedom Centre 2025 series — House For Revival Pt 4 “God Responds To Our Faith“

"God responds not to your need, but to your faith. The Canaanite woman received healing for her daughter because of her persistent faith, not her need. The woman with the issue of blood was healed because of her faith, not her need. She was in desperate need, but it was her faith that caught the attention of Jesus and she was healed."

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Freedom Centre is a Five-Fold church that exists to Encounter, Equip and Release.
Led by Senior Pastors Adem and Grace Guneyi.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Uh Pastor Grace actually shared this in the pre-service prayer meeting at the 9 a.m. And she mentioned and then Pastor Adam repeated it. She mentioned that here in New Zealand on the east, obviously on the east coast, we're actually the first church, like when you're talking about the capital city, the global church, we're the first churches that actually rise up, get up, get the church on a Sunday and get to worship, and we get to actually like usher in worship to the Lord. I mean, I just felt that was something really significant, and it really stirred me. So I want to like reiterate that again tonight this evening, man. Like, like how significant, how beautiful that on a Sunday morning, as the church gets up, we are the first ones that get to worship the one and true living God. Like we're the we're the ones that get to worship the one and true living God. We get to worship Jesus, and how beautiful! Like, I mean, I thought about it, and it's like a wave. We we get to start that wave of worship. And in fact, at the 9 a.m. I had this vision, and I saw like a big field, and you know when there's like a fire, and the fire just goes, you know, and I felt like man, that's that's what we get to do here in New Zealand. It's so significant, man. And the most the most amazing thing out of all that is that we have a God in heaven whose name is Jesus, who died and rose again and ascended to the right hand of the Father. We have a God in heaven that receives our praise and worship. We don't worship idols, we don't worship to like our prayers don't hit the ceiling, they go to the one true living God. I mean, come on if you're excited, say amen. How amazing! And to top it all off, here in Toranga, we're like to the uttermost ends of the earth when Jesus told his disciples, go. We're here, like we're we're here in New Zealand in Toranga, it's the uttermost ends of the earth, and here at the uttermost ends of the earth, we as believers get the worship, like we start the church off. I just can't get over it. I'm really excited about it, I must say. We will be first, Africa. 6 a.m. service, let's go. I just feel like it's it's it's really significant. It's so significant, man. And there was a man um named Smith Wigglesworth. Many of you would be familiar, he was a great man of God, a great man of faith, raised countless people from the dead, and and he had a prophetic word about the great South land of the Holy Spirit, and he said there's a revival coming to the great South land of the Holy Spirit. There's there's a revival coming that's gonna sweep through the world, and it's gonna start in Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific. And and it's not, he said it's gonna be the greatest revival ever to take place on the face of the earth. And he said it's it's gonna usher in this revival that's gonna start here at the uttermost ends of the world, it's gonna start here, and it's gonna be a wave that's gonna sweep through the earth, and he said, This revival again, is it there's there's never been a revival like it, it's going to usher in the second coming of Christ. Man, we are in we are in interesting times. We had a great man of God, Charlie Kirk, get shot. And I felt like, man, like the placement of a shot as well wasn't by accident, it was at the voice, and he was a man that stood for the gospel above everything else. He said the most important thing, he was asked about politics, he said the most important thing to him the most wasn't, that's right, it wasn't politics. He didn't even say it was his family, he said the most important thing. There are two things. The most important things is if is is to bring souls to Jesus. And the second most important thing was to make sure that the first one would happen. Like he was not an ordinary guy, he was a general, he was one of one. There was there's there's no one like him. His intellect, his he had dignity, he had honor, he was brave, he was courageous, he was a young man, he was a voice to the nations, and here we are in New Zealand talking about this guy. How many of you have been so deeply affected? Man, I tell you, I've been mourning all week, but I'm reminded, and again in the 9 a.m., man, I've had the Lord speak to me, and he's like that man was like Stephen the first martyr. And the Bible says that Stephen had great wisdom and great faith, and he was filled with the spirit, and as Stephen the first martyr, what he would go and and he would debate, and the Pharisees and the religious people at the time they couldn't argue with him because of his wisdom. Acts 6.3 says he was full of the spirit and of wisdom, and he was a man full of faith in the Holy Spirit, and that they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking. And as Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people, then there arose some from what is called the synagogue of the freedmen, disputing with Stephen, and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced men to say, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God, and they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him, seized him and brought him to the council. They also set up false witnesses who said, This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us. And all who sat in the council looking steadfastly at him saw his face as the face of an angel. We go for we fast forward, and Stephen says this, you stiff-necked that stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. You always resist the Holy Spirit as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers' fathers not persecute? This man was a man of faith, he was a man of courage, he was a man of righteousness, and he stood, he did not care, right? Anyway, which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the just one, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers who have received the law by the direction of the angels and not kept it. And when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father, and said, Look, I see the heavens open, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord, and they cast him out of the city, and they stoned him. And you gotta think, man, like we lost this guy, Charlie Kirk, a great man of God, the biggest voice to the generations. And you can feel how helpless and hopeless in that time, like, man, there's no one that can replace him. There was no one that could replace Stephen either. Christianity was spread first and foremost by the blood of Jesus. You see, when the enemy thinks like to everyone else, death is lust, but to us to believe in Christ, man, death is just the beginning. And Christianity was spread throughout the nations, and here we are to the uttermost ends, because of Christ who died for us, because of the disciples, because of Stephen, one by one, the disciples were murdered. But here we stand proclaiming that Jesus Christ is the way and is the truth and is the life and that there's no other way. It's true, the enemy has overplayed his hand. And in London, in England, millions are marching the streets now. I know a lot of you know over the last few months, Islam has been taking over these European European countries, especially England. But now the church is rising up because there was a man that dared speak the truth and stand up against the the demonic realm of the whole transgender and abortion and same sex, and he didn't speak hatred, he just spoke with truth, but the enemy could not stand it, and just like Stephen, his wisdom, he had so much wisdom that they they couldn't come against him, so they kill him, but his blood speaks hallelujah! And millions, and I want to remind you as well when when Stephen was martyred, they got his clothes and they dropped it where at the feet of Saul Paul, the greatest apostle. They dropped it at his feet. I was speaking to Stephen earlier on, and it's like they dropped the mantle, the cloak. And where the enemy thought, man, ah, we got Stephen. And everyone was like, Oh man, we lost Stephen, we lost Even, but there was a man in the crowd, his name was Paul. And again, I just want to remind this man that we are not on the losing side. Hallelujah. We belong to the king, and I want to echo what Pastor Adam said. Now is not the time to shrink back. Now's the time to go, now's the time to go harder than ever. We cannot tolerate the lies, but we do it in truth and love. And I just want to say I'm so grateful that I've come to a church here with two amazing pastors that stand for the truth that don't care if people say that don't care if people make podcasts about them. I'm so grateful. Honestly, I'm so grateful I've come to a church where our leaders are strong, man. Where they won't compromise the word of God. Oh man, now it's it's like I'm excited. I'm excited. Hey, I'm excited. Persecution is coming. Yes, it's true. No, no, it's true. Pastor Adam mentioned it. Persecution is synonymous with Christianity, except in the West, but it's our turn. But the church in the West, we've gone so cold and so woke that you know what? Maybe we need a bit of persecution, man. To wake us up from our slumber. I want to remind us, man, that like like it's time now, it's time to share the gospel, it's time to tell your friends, it's time to tell your family. Like, you have a phone, you have a phone, we have social media, and it's it's it can be a wicked thing, but it can be a powerful thing. In fact, we all have a platform, begin to share scripture, begin to tell people, man. Now's not the time to have the fear of man anymore. We need to have the fear of God. Now's the time, and we are in revival. Hallelujah. We're not praying for it to come anymore, we are in revival. Something has shifted, something shifted, man. I I I also feel I just feel it in my spirit. Now's the time. We cannot shrink back. God bless him, man. What a what a what an amazing voice, what an amazing example. And it's it's it's time for us now to pick up the mantle, amen. And and and you know what, it's it's like for the this this um series of faith that we've been in. And yes, it's been a it's we're building up for the vision offering to have a forever home. Um and that that's like it's phenomenal. If if we think about what we get to be a part of, like we get to put our hands in our pocket to stretch, to sacrifice, right? And and give to something that's gonna have eternal reward. Like even now, I encourage anyone that that that that wants to help at the church building, man. Come and see me after. Well I'll put you in a group chat. I'm I'm telling you, if you don't come and help, you're missing out. I I I really mean that. You gotta think of the children of Israel when when when they built the temple, like they would have told their children, man, we you you see that temple, you see the gold, you see the furnishings, you see the timber, you see the linen, you you you see it all. We we we built that, we were a part of that. You know, Solomon, when Solomon built the temple and the presence of God come that the 120 priests couldn't stand anymore because the presence was so thick. Man, people gave to that, people built that, and it's it's an absolute honor. It'd be your greatest honor that you'd be able to put a nail in a wall, use a broom to sweep up some dust or whatever it might be to bring your God-given skill, your ability to come and help with the building. Because I'm telling you, there's gonna be a generation that's gonna come over. You see that building, I have built that, you see that building, I have fund that, and the thousands of souls that we will see in glory one day as a result of what is gonna happen under my mastery. You'll be able to say, I was a part of that. You see, it's great because we get to give to something that's so much bigger than us, that's got eternal destiny, eternal reward. Look, we're believers, we're different to the world, we're different, and we should be proud of it, we should be confident of it, we are different, we are different, we're born again of incorruptible seed, we're brand new, man, and we belong to Jesus. We belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, and right now He's actually watching us, He receives our praise, He receives our worship. Amen. I've got to transition now somehow. Transition into my word. Thank you, yeah. I forgot to start my timer. That's that's that's a trouble. We've been talking about faith anyway, faith is great. And um actually, there's a story I'm gonna skip that. I'm gonna get into my word because time is running out fast. But the main point of my message today, it's not the title sermon or anything like that, is that God responds to faith, but not your need. God does not respond to your need, but God responds to your faith. I'm gonna say it again. God responds not to your need, but God responds to your faith. Somebody say amen. Say he responds to my faith. Hey, that's something good. Amen. We know like like it's it's Pastor Adam preached Hebrews 11:6, for without faith it's impossible to please God. For he who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he's a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. There's something that pleases God that gets God's attention, and it's faith. The Canaanite woman, which I'm going to be speaking about a little bit more in depth, right? Many Gentiles had needs in the area, but she received because of her persistent faith. The woman with the issue of blood, right? Again, there was a lot of need. But what happened? She got healed because of her faith. If only I could touch the hem of his garment, it was her faith, it wasn't her need. If she didn't approach Jesus, she would not have been healed. She was in desperate need. She was in desperate need, but it was her faith. It was her faith that caught the attention of Jesus and brought healing. Amen? Blind Barnamaeus, he cries out in faith, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. And guess what happens? He receives his sight. If he doesn't cry out, guess what happens? He remains blind. The paralytic man lowered through the roof, Jesus saw their faith. Hebrews 11:6, again, without faith, it's impossible to please God. James 1 67, but let him ask in faith with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a what is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For let no man, for sorry, for let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. He is double-minded, unstable in all his ways. Matthew 21, and whatever you whatever things you ask in prayer, believing you will receive. Mark 9, the demon-possessed boy, the father brings him to the disciples, and and and and they they pray, but we know the story, nothing happens. And Jesus comes along, and this father who's desperate brings his boy to Jesus. Persistent man. He brings the boy to Jesus and he said, Jesus, I brought my son to your disciples, but nothing happened. See, my son, he he's he's demon-possessed, and he throws himself in the fire. And Jesus says, You faithless generation. Oh faithless generation. That was a long step. How long shall I bear with you? And in a word, cast out the demon, and the boys at once healed. It's faith. It's faith that catches the attention of God. Again, it's not your need, it's faith. Needs were everywhere, but miracles flowed where faith was present. Needs were everywhere, but miracles only flowed where faith was present. But as believers, man, this should excite us. We should have great confidence in this. You see, we were saved by grace through faith. It's faith. It's faith. It's what grabs the attention of God. You need a miracle, you need faith. If it was our need, then all would be healed. All would be saved and all would be delivered. Is that true or not? If it was your need, it's sometimes we go to God and we're like, we're just begging him, begging him, but it's like he's like, man, where is your faith? And we think we're gonna like emotionally strong arm him, so we like we've got it all wrong. No, it's not funny. We we've got it all wrong. Like we don't, we, we, we're not supposed to beg him, we're supposed to, as children of the most high God, as blood bought, filled with the Holy Spirit, like we're different, and we're supposed to approach the throne room of grace with confidence because of the blood of Christ, and and and pull on that hemp and and and declare in faith. There's a great story in the Bible, it's a Matthew 15, 21 to 28. And I want to focus on this passage and sort of pick it apart a little bit because I feel like it really it really um teaches us a lesson about persistent faith and great faith. Amen. Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, son of David, my daughter is severely demon-possessed. But he answered her not a word, and his disciples came and urged him, saying, Send her away, for she cries out after us. She comes up to him and she says, Have mercy on me. Have mercy on me, O Lord, son of David, and my daughter is severely demon-possessed. It's not just demon-possessed, severely demon-possessed. But he answered her, not a word. Doesn't give her attention at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, Send her away for she cries out after us. Jesus, man, his cheek is draining it. Get rid of her. Like, send her away. She's crying out after us. Lord, come on. You see, in the Gospel of Mark, that same story, it talks of Jesus going there and he doesn't want to, like, he's trying to go there in secret. And this woman, this Canaanite woman comes to Jesus and she's like, she's desperate. She's like, son of David, have mercy on me. My my daughter, she's demon-possessed. And he ignores her. And then the disciples say, Jesus, come on, send her away, send her away. I need you to imagine what that would have been like for this woman. Like you need to understand, she was a Canaanite. And she was a woman. She had no place and no right to be there. In that time. Like she's a she's a gentile, a Canaanite. Like we're talking about the enemies, the enemies of Israel. They cry out, send her away. She cries out, you know, they say send her away, for she cries out after us. But he answered and said, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And here you you automatically think she he turns to her and he says that. But that's not what it says. The disciples say, send her away, and he says to them, I was not sent except to the house of Israel. He doesn't even give her attention again. You imagine what this woman would have felt like. Put yourself in her shoes. She goes in, there's men everywhere. Jews. She knows she's not supposed to be there. She cries out to Jesus. She's like, oh, she's prepared it. She goes in there. Lord, have mercy on me. Son of David. My daughter's demon-possessed. Surely he's gonna like, he's gonna give her what she needs, and he just ignores her. The disciples say, get rid of her. He turns around and he just answers them. I wasn't, I haven't come for her, I've come for the last house of Israel. Then she came and worshipped him, saying, Lord help me. I love that. It doesn't say that she came and begged him. The writer here specifically says that she came and worshipped him. And here we get to see that worship isn't only on a Sunday. Worship is our absolute reliance and desperation for him. She goes to him and she Matthew here says, then she came and worshiped him, saying, Lord help me. That's what worship was. Lord help me. Sometimes I feel like man, we get saved and we're so dependent and reliant on God for our salvation, knowing that when we take our last breath, we're in safe hands and we're going into glory. But then like we we start to fight and try to take things on in our own hands. But man, we have we gotta be a people that are always reliant on him. We never move away, and here he sees it as worship. You know, when you're reliant on the master, when you're reliant on Jesus, when you're going to him knowing he's the only one, man, he sees it as worship, it's worship. So she worships him, says, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It's not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs. I think, my goodness, what? And she says, Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master's table. Not even the crumbs that get handed, the crumbs that fall accidentally. Even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from the master's table. And Jesus answered and said to her, O woman, great is your faith, let it be to you as you desire. And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Again, you have to understand this, like Jesus. I'd done some research, right? From Jerusalem to Tyre and Sidon, here in this place, it's actually Lebanon, modern-day Lebanon. And Sidon is actually called a place called Seda, it's the south of Lebanon, and it's literally 10 minutes from my village in Lebanon. Right? Shu Habubs. They had Hammus there, 100%. Right? It was about between 160 to 180 kilometers away from Jerusalem, and if they walked 25 to 30 Ks every day, it would have taken them between six and eight days to get there. Like it was really out of the way. You just need to paint the picture, right? And and so they they they leave from Israel and it takes them six to eight days, and they get to um Tyrant Sidon. And again, you understand these are the Canaanites. And the Canaanites weren't a select group of people, it was the land of Canaan, and it was like the Hibite, the Hib, the Jebusites, the Hibites, what are they? Someone help me. No, not the Boshibites. The Hippieites, what are they called? The Hipposites, someone help me. I'm struggling, can't you see? Adam, come on. All the Iites, you know what I'm talking about, right? The Canaanites, the Hebusites, the Jebusites, I don't know, the Hittite, the Hittites, there it is. I done it on my own there, no help. Hittites, Jebusites, Canaanite, all of them like were in this area, and it was in like you don't understand. Joshua was given the instruction, go and take the land of Canaan, drive them all out. Drive them out, destroy them, have nothing to do with them. They were a wicked people. Yeah, you have to understand, they were a wicked people. They weren't just idolaters, but they they they they they worshiped gods like Baal and Asherah. They they were into um like rituals, uh, ritual sex and and um and child sacrifice. Like it was, it wasn't, they weren't a nice, they weren't a great people. if that makes sense. Sounds familiar actually, doesn't it? Side note. Side note. You know um the Baphomet. Yeah? You know the Baphomet is actually a transgender god. Anyway. Trying to paint a picture here that this woman was like like when Jesus said it's not good to give um you know the the the children's bread to the dogs like that was a derogatory term that the Jews called those people. They called them dogs. They called them dogs. Jesus says like he tried he dulls it down a little bit he says he little dogs. I really believe he was like he was testing his disciples and it was a real like it was a training exercise for his disciples there. And this woman again she's got no place to be there. She's a Canaanite she's unclean she's considered she's a she's a dog right in the eyes of the disciples and to the Jews but she's persistent man and she's got a daughter who's severely severely demon possessed. And she's like I don't care what he says like I'm gonna get my breakthrough I'm gonna get my I'm gonna get the deliverance and I feel like we can learn so much from this woman I feel like actually you gotta think as well here it says like you ask yourself the question how did she know how did she know he was the Messiah Lord have mercy on me son David how did she know that she's 160 to 180 Ks away from Jerusalem. There's no Instagram there's no social media there's no mobile phones but like Matthew says Matthew earlier in in Matthew chapter 4 it says news about him spread as far as Syria now Syria is like northeast of Israel but further up further away like news of Jesus spread everywhere and it got to this place this little village in modern day Lebanon where this Canaanite woman has been desperate because her daughter was severely demon possessed well of course she is if they're doing child sacrifice and all the rest of it right like they're in a dark place and this woman has heard about Jesus she's heard about this Messiah he's doing miracles like like people are getting healed people are getting delivered people are getting set free she's heard all the stories news traveled I think it's a beautiful illustration I think could you imagine we were a people of faith I mean we are a people of faith but could you imagine like we just went for it that we laid down the fear of man and that we just stepped out in faith every single time like we just had bold courageous faith that we'd preach the gospel wherever it would go anyone that was sick man would be healed if they were next to us people far and wide would come but it wouldn't just be to a church like why wouldn't they be coming and knocking like I heard I heard I heard stories about this person that lives in such and such and I've come to your house because my daughter's demon possessed like my I my I've broken my arm or my arm is this or my my my baby has died like I've heard I've heard what God is doing here. Imagine like but why not? Jesus says in John 1412 he who believes in me and the things I will do will do even greater things that's the Bible argue away with it as you want we're called to follow Jesus and re and and and replicate his life and she's here again she goes to Jesus and he ignores her have mercy on me son of David the disciples say man Jesus get her out of here Jesus calls her a little dog and she says Jesus I just need a crumb I just need a crumb and Jesus marvels at her faith he says oh woman great is your faith whatever you desire is done and her daughter at that very hour is delivered and I want to make the point that the most severe demon the biggest demon the biggest devil the biggest adversary the biggest darkness man it's just a crumb from Jesus man just a crumb just a crumb just a crumb from Jesus and I feel like a lot of the times we're in need and we go to God and we're like that's it you know or we we receive like a prophetic word or I'm just gonna go for it now and we we we whatever whatever that might be I'm gonna go tell my unsaved family and they reject us and we just shy away we get disheartened we get disappointed like what would you do if you were in that moment even now as a believer if Jesus returns and we go to him and he just ignores you man we'd shy away that's it oh no Lord we need freedom prayer we need all the things but this woman had great faith and she was a Canaanite but I just want to remind us all man this evening we're not Canaanites do you hear what I'm saying like this Canaanite woman who was an enemy to Israel who was considered unclean received what she wanted like we're the children of God do you know what I mean like we're not like yes we can learn from her to have persistent faith to keep going to not stop but we're not we're not Canaanites in fact we're not even the children of Israel John 1 says to those who believe in him to those he give the right to become children of God we are now children of God Hebrews says that we can step into the most holy place it requires faith when we stand to our feet it requires great faith persistent faith unending faith I'm gonna go I'm gonna keep going I'm gonna speak and I'm gonna keep speaking I'm gonna pray for that sick person I'm gonna keep praying regardless of what I see regardless of what happens I'm gonna keep going those unsafe friends and family members that have that have just that have told you to get stuffed and f off and all the rest of it I'm gonna keep telling them I'm gonna keep praying for them I'm gonna quit keep believing for them those that reject you man I'm gonna keep going I've received the prophetic word and it hasn't come to pass but I'm gonna keep going I'm gonna keep knocking I'm gonna keep seeking nothing's gonna stop me and as we've been speaking about faith I really feel like this evening what we're gonna do as a worship team praise uh sing sorry if you need healing in your body if you need deliverance as a worship team begins to worship I want you to come forward if you need breakthrough if you need a miracle man like tonight is your night to touch the hem of the garment tonight is your night man if that's you if you need breakthrough come forward if you need healing come forward man if you've got oppression if the devil's got you come forward tonight tonight and in fact what I want to say you know what I was really challenged about this this passage is this woman comes for a daughter it's like the the the centurion that that we heard about this morning he comes for his servant if you know someone that needs healing if you know if you know someone that needs saving if you know someone that needs deliverance man come forward come forward in faith and we're gonna pray we're gonna believe