WEBVTT 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:04.400 Hi, my name is Michelle Steele. 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:10.080 Pastor Phillip and I want to thank you for listening to this message from Life of Faith First. 00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:16.800 We have more resources available to help you build your faith and bring your world by the Word of God. 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:22.800 From our website, lifeofffaith.net, you can connect to our YouTube channel. 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:26.320 Watch the live stream feed from our church services. 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:29.679 Access books and downloads in our web store. 00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:36.799 And discover more about Life of Faith Church, producing like city, state, nation, and world. 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:39.759 Visit lifeoffaith.net today. 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:45.679 Let's go to Hebrews 11 today. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:49.840 And we've been looking at this uh over the last few weeks. 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:54.560 Well, this will be the 13th week of this. 00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:57.759 Oh, the core values of the believer. 00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:16.879 And uh when I was uh I was on a trip and and I was at Brother Moore's church in Branson and there and uh the Lord during that service gave me these core values of the believer, seven core values of the believer. 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:24.640 And uh we've dealt with them uh three of them in depth. 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:42.480 The core values of the believer put the word first place, determined to walk by faith, refuse to be critical, determined to be thankful, determined to walk in love, determined to be led by the Spirit through the inner man, and refused to be double-minded. 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:52.000 And we've dealt extensively with putting the word first place and determining to walk in love, and now we've centered up on determining to walk by faith. 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:54.480 Determining to walk by faith. 00:01:54.560 --> 00:01:58.000 There's so much that that we could say about faith. 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:05.280 But number one, it's important, especially for a church like us, that we preach and teach faith consistently because that's the vision. 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:07.760 That's what the Lord told us to minister. 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:13.919 Uh he said in the summer of 1996, he said to me when he said, Turn to Hebrews 11, 3. 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:22.400 And it says, Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which uh were created did not come from things which do appear. 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:29.039 He said, The vision for your life and ministry is to build people's faith and frame their world by the word of God. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:40.479 And uh he said to me, uh, this this was a number of years ago, uh, when what they called the seeker-friendly movement was was really beginning, it was really gaining traction. 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:46.080 And you know, I was seeking the Lord, not about if I was doing the right thing, but you know, there were things that we should change. 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:48.560 I don't want to miss out on anything God's doing. 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:56.800 And uh I went to the Lord and asked him what we should be doing, and he said to me, He said, You preach the pure word of faith in the manner that you learned it. 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:02.960 That's what you do, and so that's what we've uh uh uh endeavored to do, that's what we'll continue to do. 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:06.319 And uh so it's it's it's crucial. 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:12.800 We we made the statement Wednesday night, you know, faith is not something that you can afford to be caught dead without. 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:13.360 Right? 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:17.840 Because the Bible says in the book of Hebrews, chapter 11, these all died in faith. 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:20.000 They all died in faith. 00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:20.639 Right? 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:23.039 Faith is not something I can do without. 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:27.360 Faith, uh, my pastor said it this way faith is not nothing. 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:28.240 Right? 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:30.719 Faith is not nothing, it's something. 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:32.400 And that's important. 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:36.879 But in so many churches that you go to, people say, well, you got to walk by faith. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:47.120 And here's what they think walking by faith is walking blindly, bumping into a lot of stuff, and somehow, some way, God's gonna get you through it by faith. 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:50.000 But nothing could be further from the truth. 00:03:50.319 --> 00:04:03.919 Because the Bible says, the Bible says you live by faith, and that word means that you order your life by faith, and that you walk by faith, and that you see by faith. 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:17.439 So seeing with the eyes of faith is not being blind and not knowing where you're going, it's seeing things, seeing, everybody say seeing, seeing through the eyes of faith. 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:21.040 And then the other idea of faith is that faith is just waiting. 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:22.879 Faith is just hanging on. 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:24.879 Tie a knot and hang on. 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:26.480 That's not faith. 00:04:27.360 --> 00:04:29.199 Faith is a bridge. 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:34.879 Faith is a foundation, faith is a standing on, not hanging on. 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:39.519 If you're in faith, you're not hanging on, you're making progress. 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:48.800 You can't be stationary doing something that, by its very definition in the English language, is a verb, an action word. 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:51.680 If you're in faith, you're doing something. 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:53.279 You're moving forward. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:56.879 It may not be as fast as you want, but it's moving forward. 00:04:57.120 --> 00:04:58.720 Faith is never static. 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:00.879 Faith is never at a standstill. 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:07.040 Faith is always achieving, faith is always possessing, faith is always taking. 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:08.319 Hallelujah. 00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:13.839 The only time the children of Israel got in trouble is when they would start complaining and stop. 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:20.079 Every time a person stops, faith becomes inactive. 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:21.600 Amen. 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:28.800 And so the religious idea that a lot of people have about faith, well, we're just going to hang on till the going on comes on. 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:31.439 Hang on to what? 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:33.839 What are we hanging on to? 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:36.399 Amen. 00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:41.439 You know, there's a lot of religious colloquialisms that people quote, and it has nothing to do with the Bible. 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:44.079 It's actually detrimental to your faith. 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:49.360 You know, my grandmother, my father's mother, she used to make this statement all the time. 00:05:49.439 --> 00:05:53.120 Well, you know, it's like the Bible says cleanliness is next to godliness. 00:05:54.720 --> 00:05:56.399 Well, that's a good thing. 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:00.480 I like being around clean folk. 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:04.800 But here's the thing it doesn't say cleanliness is next to godliness. 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:06.079 That's not a scripture. 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:10.319 I was talking to a guy, uh a gentleman the other day, a friend of mine, and this is not a criticism. 00:06:10.399 --> 00:06:12.879 He's a friend of mine, and we were talking about things. 00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:14.560 And I made the statement to him. 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:20.560 I said, you know, I believe like you that just a schedule, every human being needs a schedule. 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:21.439 Right? 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:24.000 They they need a schedule to tell them what to do. 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:25.439 I believe that. 00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:32.000 And and he said, Well, yeah, you know, it's like the Bible said, I don't mind is the devil's workshop. 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:33.680 The Bible doesn't say that. 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:37.519 It's true, but the Bible doesn't say it. 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:41.600 It's just a religious colloquialism. 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:43.279 Amen. 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:46.480 You follow me? 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:52.160 And so they take it over and they take that to faith as well. 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:56.160 And you'll see people they'll say, I'm in faith, and you say, Well, what are you doing? 00:06:56.240 --> 00:06:57.120 I'm waiting on God. 00:06:57.199 --> 00:06:58.399 That's not faith. 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:01.279 Faith is not waiting on God. 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:04.879 Faith is taking what God said is already yours. 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:06.560 That's faith. 00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:07.360 Amen. 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:10.240 Now, are there times that you're waiting in faith? 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:16.639 Yes, there are times that you're patiently waiting in faith, but your faith is working. 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:19.920 While you sleep tonight, your faith is working. 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:23.600 While you work tomorrow and your job, your faith is working. 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:24.959 Hallelujah. 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:28.879 And so that's what we want to look at today. 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:34.639 Uh uh We've dealt with the Abel being the sacrifice of faith, Enoch, the walk of faith. 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:35.839 We dealt with that Wednesday. 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:39.279 And this time around, we're going to deal with the work of faith. 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:41.360 Noah, the work of faith. 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:43.839 In Hebrews 11 1, notice what it says. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:52.000 It says, now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence, the proof of things not seen. 00:07:52.480 --> 00:08:01.199 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:09.120 Now notice this that it does not say that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things that do not exist. 00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:14.079 It says it's the evidence of things that you don't see yet. 00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:16.560 Not that they don't exist. 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:33.039 See, to understand how faith works and to understand how God thinks and how the Word of God works, you have to understand that everything that God has for you was completed from the inception of the world. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:35.200 It's already been done. 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:38.240 Already been done. 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:41.519 So what you need exists. 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:44.720 God doesn't have to create it. 00:08:45.840 --> 00:08:50.960 God does not have to create your finances, they already exist. 00:08:51.919 --> 00:08:55.440 He doesn't have to create your healing, it already exists. 00:08:55.759 --> 00:08:58.480 He does not have to create a way for you. 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:00.159 I know we use that sometimes. 00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:01.519 Well, the Lord will make a way. 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:02.480 He's already made a way. 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:04.159 It's up to me to find it. 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:06.960 The way's already been made. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:08.639 Right? 00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:13.200 But we sang songs in the church over the years. 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:14.639 The Lord will make a way somehow. 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:16.000 What you mean, somehow? 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:18.320 The how was Jesus. 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:19.840 That's how he made a way. 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:22.480 He made a way when Jesus went to the cross. 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:24.879 I know those things sound emotional. 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:26.399 They make us emotional. 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:27.919 They make us shout. 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:29.759 Oh, the Lord will do it somehow. 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:31.279 What you mean, somehow? 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:34.159 We got to take that somehow out of it. 00:09:34.480 --> 00:09:34.799 Right? 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:36.960 The Lord's already done it. 00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:38.960 Amen. 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:42.080 So he said those things already exist. 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:44.000 Say it out loud. 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:47.600 What I have need of already exists. 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:50.080 It's mine by faith. 00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:56.080 See, faith is maybe I can't see it yet, but it's there. 00:09:56.720 --> 00:10:01.039 See, to be convinced of something, it already has to be there. 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:05.600 To be convinced, it already has to be there. 00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:14.159 That's how the Holy Spirit cannot convince you that something is yours if what He's convincing you is yours doesn't exist. 00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:17.759 Amen. 00:10:19.039 --> 00:10:24.879 I've heard people say, you just use your faith, and by the time you get there, God will have already created it. 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:25.600 No, no. 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:28.720 Faith is taking you into what God's already created. 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:35.120 If you're here and you need a better job, you need a better paying job, it's already there. 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:36.559 It already exists. 00:10:36.720 --> 00:10:38.799 Somebody wants to hire you. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:41.759 You've got to walk into that by faith. 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:44.559 You've got to step into it by faith. 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:46.240 Amen. 00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:48.720 Do you see that? 00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:52.960 If there's things that you need in your family, it's already there. 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:54.639 The door's already open. 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:56.960 The things are already being made ready. 00:10:57.200 --> 00:10:58.639 We just got to step into it. 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:00.480 I don't see it yet. 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:02.639 Amen. 00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:08.399 So it doesn't say it's the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things that do not exist. 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:10.159 It says you don't see them yet. 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:11.519 That's why it's a walk of faith. 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:13.759 That's why faith has to be a lifestyle. 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:16.799 You can't pick and choose what you use your faith on. 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:18.639 You got to live by faith. 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:21.200 Everything you do is by faith. 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:22.879 Amen. 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:24.559 Everything that you do. 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:28.559 Paul said in 2 Corinthians, 1 Corinthians, he made this statement. 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:31.279 He said, We're passing our time in faith. 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:35.759 He said, we don't yet see those things that are going to be. 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:37.919 But we what do we do? 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:39.919 With patience, we wait for it. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:41.759 And then he said, What in parentheses? 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:44.639 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:46.960 Amen. 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:53.360 So I don't see all those things that are laid up for me, but they're there. 00:11:54.559 --> 00:11:55.519 Hallelujah. 00:11:55.840 --> 00:12:00.960 And he said, I've got to be a spiritual man that can receive those things. 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:02.000 How do I receive them? 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:03.120 By faith. 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:05.120 Amen. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:13.039 So faith is that spiritual force that contacts God. 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:17.360 Faith is not a message, it's not a camp, it's not a house, a car. 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:19.440 Faith is a lifestyle. 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:20.879 Amen. 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:25.679 And don't get me wrong, I like my company, my company of faith. 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:27.440 But faith is not just a company. 00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:28.960 It's not just a camp. 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:32.240 It's not a message, it's a lifestyle. 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:36.799 I've had people say to me, Well, you're one of those faith guys. 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:40.879 Guilty, absolutely guilty, but it's not those faith guys. 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:42.720 It's faith as a lifestyle. 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:47.600 Every person is supposed to live their life by faith, every believer. 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:48.480 Amen? 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:54.639 Faith is that spiritual force that deals with the spiritual. 00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:57.759 It deals with the spiritual. 00:12:58.080 --> 00:12:59.279 Hallelujah. 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:10.399 Just as our five senses deal with the natural world, faith is that spiritual organ, that spiritual hand that we contact the spiritual world with. 00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:13.360 That's why 2 Corinthians 5.7, we quoted it earlier. 00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:16.159 It says, for we walk by faith. 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:23.200 One translation says, through faith, we're ordering our manner of life, not by something seen. 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:28.080 So I conduct my life by faith, not by what I see. 00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:33.279 Now that doesn't mean I ignore what I see and deny what I see. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:36.960 It means I don't order my life by what I see. 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:47.679 To put it very simply, if I go to the doctor and the doctor says you have a potentially deadly disease, I don't leave the doctor's office and plan my funeral. 00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:50.399 Right? 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:52.720 I'm walking by faith. 00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:57.279 I'm ordering my life by faith, not by something seen. 00:13:57.440 --> 00:13:58.720 So I don't deny that. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:03.440 They found it, it's there, but I'm not planning on going anywhere. 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:05.919 I'm planning to live. 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:06.559 Why? 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:11.440 Because the handbook of faith says, I will not die, but I will live. 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:14.480 Is that right? 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:18.080 And so that might be how you have to answer people. 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:19.919 Well, what'd the doctor say? 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:22.480 I'll not die but live. 00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:25.759 Well, no, the doctor didn't say that, but I'm saying it. 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:32.879 See, I'm not I'm not ordering my manner of life by what I can see. 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:36.799 I don't deny what I can see. 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:40.720 I'm just not ordering my life by it. 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:46.480 That's why denial hurts people's faith. 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:50.559 It hurts their walk of faith and their walk in the Word of God. 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:57.679 Because if the doctor says you have this and you say I don't have it, what's there to operate your faith on? 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:02.639 See, you don't have anywhere to go. 00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:07.120 Amen. 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:15.279 I was helping a person one time and they went to the doctor and they got they got the diagnosis that there was cancer throughout their body. 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:20.240 And they and they told the the doctor that was giving them the report. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.000 They said, Oh, I don't have that. 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:25.039 See, they thought that was faith. 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:28.320 That wasn't faith, that was denial, that was mental assent. 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:33.759 Well, the well, they don't want to agree with the report. 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:37.440 Listen, you don't have to agree with it, but you can't deny it. 00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:41.360 I will not agree that that will take my life. 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:43.279 I will not die but live. 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:47.600 But I can't disagree that it's there. 00:15:49.679 --> 00:15:55.840 Faith responds to what is seen, it doesn't deny what is seen. 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:57.360 Amen. 00:15:58.240 --> 00:15:59.039 Say it out loud. 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:04.000 My faith is not intimidated by my circumstance. 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:09.039 See, you don't have to treat faith with kit gloves. 00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:13.440 You don't have to treat faith like something out of shatter if you drop it. 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:16.320 Faith is the workhorse of the kingdom. 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:19.840 It's the work truck of the kingdom. 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:25.440 It can haul whatever you put on it with no trouble at all. 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:26.720 You just, you right? 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:30.320 Charles Caps, you say you've got to have faith in your faith. 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:42.720 Remember he went, he went to Lystra and him and Barnabas, and they were ministering there in Lystra, and it says there was a man there that was a crippled from his mother's womb, had never walked. 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:54.960 The same heard Paul speak, and Paul, steadfastly beholding him and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, Rise up on your feet and walk. 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:55.759 Right? 00:16:55.919 --> 00:16:57.759 And he rose up in front of all of them and walked. 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:01.759 And Charles Caps would say, It seemed like the man didn't have faith in his faith. 00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:04.640 Didn't have faith in the faith he had. 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:07.279 Hallelujah. 00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:10.319 Said out loud, I've got faith. 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:13.759 My faith works, my faith is working. 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:17.920 My faith will always work in Jesus' name. 00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:20.640 Hallelujah. 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:24.480 And so whatever comes, faith answers the door. 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:28.559 Whatever comes, you meet it with faith on the front end. 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:31.599 You don't wait to get in faith. 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:35.440 You're in faith and you let faith answer the door. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:38.319 Oh, hallelujah. 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:40.400 Am I helping you? 00:17:40.720 --> 00:17:48.640 That's how you that's how you uh order your manner of life is through faith. 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:51.920 That's how you order your manner of life. 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:59.839 People that walk and live by faith don't wait until things are overcoming them to try to work their faith. 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:03.599 They may be too far behind. 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:16.480 If you're not exercising your faith every day, let's use the subject for health, where health is concerned. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:23.279 Getting the word out into the air, putting those scriptures out in the air, declaring that over your body. 00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:31.359 If you're not doing that every day, and then you get a bad report, and now you need a miracle. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:37.839 My faith has not been built to keep my healing, to keep myself strong. 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:39.200 Now I need a miracle. 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:41.839 Do I have faith for a miracle? 00:18:43.839 --> 00:18:51.440 If I'm ordering my manner of life by faith, I'll be in a position to answer that situation. 00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:54.720 Hallelujah. 00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:55.839 Do you see that? 00:18:56.079 --> 00:18:58.160 See, you learn a few things over the years. 00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:12.880 And I've watched people, and this is not a criticism, they don't regularly exercise their faith where these things are concerned, and then they need a miracle and they need it now, and they don't have the faith to get it done. 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:17.200 Oh, hallelujah. 00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:20.880 Do you see that? 00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:29.359 And he said, if I'm ordering my manner of life by faith, see, I gotta know how faith works. 00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:32.240 Many believers don't understand how faith works. 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:35.039 Look at look at John chapter 16. 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:38.079 John chapter 16. 00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:50.960 And while you're going to John 16, let me let me help you with this. 00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:54.720 Don't ever try to convince somebody else that you have faith. 00:19:55.519 --> 00:19:57.359 Your faith is personal. 00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:01.359 It doesn't matter if somebody else thinks you have faith or not. 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:06.960 I'm not declaring the word for anybody else to hear it. 00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:09.440 I'm declaring the word for me to hear it. 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:12.480 Amen. 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:16.400 When somebody comes up to me and says, How you doing, I say, healed doing fine. 00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:19.200 I'm not saying that so they can think what a faith giant I am. 00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:21.039 That's what I believe. 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:24.160 Amen. 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:26.480 I guess you could answer like Zig Ziggler used to. 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:27.440 How you doing, Zig? 00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:29.599 Super good, but I'll get better. 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:31.599 Amen. 00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:33.759 See, this is important. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:41.119 So when you say to somebody, I'm healed, I'm well, I'm whole in Jesus' name, if that's what you say, you're not saying it for them. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:43.680 You're saying that because you really believe that. 00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:46.720 I really believe I'm healed and whole and well. 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:48.720 Amen. 00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:56.079 So, so so whether somebody else thinks I have faith or not is irrelevant. 00:20:57.119 --> 00:21:00.880 It's what I believe, because my faith is personal to me. 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:03.599 John 16, verse 7. 00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:14.400 Jesus, speaking about the Holy Spirit, said, Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away. 00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:23.119 For if I do not go away, the comforter, the helper, the advocate, will not come unto you, but if I depart, I'll send him unto you. 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:25.200 And when he has come, he will reprove. 00:21:25.359 --> 00:21:27.200 That word reprove is convince. 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:32.240 He will convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. 00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:34.880 Now you may say, what's that got to do with faith? 00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:38.319 Because it's telling us how the Holy Spirit operates. 00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:44.880 The Holy Spirit comes and begins to convince people of things. 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:51.119 You know, when you were born again, we talk about I was convicted of my sins. 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:52.400 Well, what does that mean? 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:56.480 It means this simply that you were convinced that you were a sinner. 00:21:57.759 --> 00:21:59.759 You might have known it before, but you weren't convinced. 00:22:01.920 --> 00:22:16.480 And sitting in that service or talking to that person or watching that broadcast, listening to that radio program, whatever it was, however it was when you got born again, here's what happened: the Holy Spirit convinced you that you were a sinner that needed Jesus. 00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:19.759 Right? 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:21.279 And what did you do? 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:25.920 You believed in your heart and confessed with your mouth that Jesus was Lord. 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:29.759 So what was the next step that you took after the Holy Spirit convinced you? 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:31.680 A step of faith. 00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:34.880 You took it by faith. 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:36.559 Amen. 00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:37.599 I don't know about you. 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:43.279 When I got born again, there were no trumpets, there were no fireworks, there was no heavenly choir. 00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:45.759 Oh, none of that. 00:22:46.160 --> 00:22:46.640 Right? 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:50.000 But boy, I took it by faith that I'm saved. 00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:51.680 Amen. 00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:56.559 Now listen, if you had one of them run and jumping conniption fits, praise God. 00:22:57.119 --> 00:22:58.079 I love it. 00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:00.160 I am Pentecostal. 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:01.839 We're known to run. 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:04.319 Hallelujah. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:07.200 Glory to God. 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:09.359 Got to keep your running shoes on. 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:14.559 But you take it by faith, whether you run or not, you take it by faith. 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:18.640 See, if I asked for a show of hands, how many felt saved when you got up this morning? 00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:22.400 There might be some people that would raise their hand because they had a special feeling. 00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:25.680 That doesn't mean you were saved, because you had a feeling. 00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:32.640 You might have got up this morning and when your feet hit the floor, your head followed and hit right between your legs, right? 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:35.680 You didn't necessarily feel saved. 00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:38.799 But you didn't just give up. 00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:40.480 Decide, I'm not going to go to church. 00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:41.920 I don't feel saved. 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:46.480 No, I'm going to get dressed and go to church because I am saved. 00:23:49.039 --> 00:23:51.440 See, this is how faith works. 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:56.480 The Holy Spirit will convince you of something. 00:23:57.119 --> 00:24:03.440 And once he convinces you, then you have a witness that something's true. 00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:07.039 The Holy Spirit will convince you of something. 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:10.799 And once he convinces you of something, now you have a witness. 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:22.480 Right? 00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:27.839 And it said by doing that, he obtained witness that he was righteous. 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:31.200 He had a witness that he was righteous. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:33.839 I have a witness that I'm righteous. 00:24:34.079 --> 00:24:34.480 Right? 00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:39.440 The blood of Jesus is a witness in the heavenly holy of holies that I'm righteous. 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:43.759 It's bearing witness that I'm the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. 00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:45.519 Amen. 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:50.319 Don't ask any old religious know at all if you're righteous or not. 00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:52.319 Go to God and ask him if you're righteous. 00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:54.400 And the blood of Jesus will answer that. 00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:54.720 Why? 00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:56.799 And it will convince you of that. 00:24:57.359 --> 00:24:58.000 Amen. 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:00.799 Look at Romans 9:1. 00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:13.920 So when the Holy Spirit will convince you of something, and once he convinces you, then you have a witness that that something is true. 00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:17.759 You know, I always think about my pastor's testimony. 00:25:17.920 --> 00:25:19.119 And you know his testimony. 00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:23.039 When he got saved, he was uh in the wholesale liquor business. 00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:27.039 And by his own testimony, he said I was my best customer. 00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:37.440 And he would always say, you know, I was the most dangerous kind of alcoholic because I didn't lose my job and beat my wife and spack my kids, you know, right? 00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:39.279 But here was the thing. 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:46.319 You know, he got saved, and of course he went home immediately and poured all that liquor out and got rid of it. 00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:47.279 It was gone. 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:50.480 And then he began to ask the Lord, you know, now, Lord, what do I do? 00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:52.240 He said, I sell liquor. 00:25:52.319 --> 00:25:53.200 What do I need to do? 00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:55.839 And the Lord said, No, don't keep quit your job yet. 00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:58.880 He said, I don't have anybody going into them places. 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:04.480 And so he kept going into those places, right? 00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:08.079 Liquor stores and bars and all these places. 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:12.799 And he told the story of going to a convention that he went to every year. 00:26:13.119 --> 00:26:18.880 He said, I went to that convention and I'm saved, and I'm filled with the Holy Ghost. 00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:19.839 Right? 00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:28.720 And he said, I'd go to the meetings that I had to go to, and then I'd just spend my time in my room reading the Bible and praying. 00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:30.559 Everybody else would be out drinking. 00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:31.920 How do you do that? 00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:33.680