OVERCOMING HINDRANCES TO WALKING IN FAITH

Feed your faith, starve your doubt, HEAR FROM GOD.

Is there anyone here who doesn’t struggle with doubt? Do you struggle with uncertainty about decisions you need to make? Are you one of those people who don’t think the Lord has ever spoken to them? Do you understand the difference between real faith and presumption? Do you struggle with double mindedness? Tonight we’re going to leave with a better understanding of the way out of these dilemmas. You’ll also have the opportunity to share how you found that way out.

Last Sunday we were taught a great Biblical definition of the the word believe. I looked it up in Strong’s online, the Greek word is pisteuō. It is translated:

believe (239x),	be committed unto (1x),
commit unto (4x),	be put in trust with (1x),
commit to (one's) trust (1x),	believer (1x).
be commit to one's trust (1x),

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walking-in-the-spirit

I think we can say that for most Christians, all the verbs listed in this definition are beyond doubt or question concerning the love of God and our salvation. But there is so much more to life, beyond those two things, where the struggles I just listed get very real. There are things in our minds and hearts that can be inhibitors to believing, inhibitors to clear decision making that is based on knowing where the Master is leading. Doubt, presumption and the lies of the enemy are probably the top 3. If Jesus is the Lord of our lives than we have to continuously follow His leadings, we must consistently be walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh.

Think about what it took for you do the actions listed in this definition concerning accepting salvation and God’s love. Take this a step further concerning the other most important commitment in life – who you marry. Anyone going into full time ministry, especially foreign missions, must be able to say that they believe God has called them to whatever that ministry is. An intellectual decision will never get anyone there.

To take the actions of believing is often referred to as “steps of faith” So this begs the question, where or how did you get such faith in something or someone that you would stake your life on it? Sometimes it takes a SUDDENLY from God.

Acts 2:2   Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.

3   Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.

Did you ever have a suddenly when in prayer? Suddenly you had knowledge and wisdom about from God, you know you should do something, perhaps outside your comfort zone. Talk about Grace Episcopal

John heard from the Lord that day in Patmos. Part of this “Suddenly” was a direct instruction to:

Rev.1:11   It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches…

Obviously he did what the Lord instructed, we’re reading and studying it now, 2,000+ years later. John understood that the Lord was the leader of his life and he knew that his leader loved him. I’ve said for many years that it is imperative that we, as disciples of Jesus, learn to hear His voice so we can follow where the Master is leading us.

Rev. 1:10 emphasizes the need for us to live in the spirit. There are countless verses with this same admonition. We need to be in the continual communication with God in whom we have our life, our being. God most often communicates with us at the heart level, in the spiritual realm. We are constantly making decisions and we should want His direction in everything. Sometimes His leading does not make sense to us because we it evaluate carnally or without our Father's infinite wisdom.

There are many forks in life’s road; we need Father to let us know which way to go. Spectacular manifestations however, are the exception, not the usual way God speaks to our heart.

Isaiah 30:21   Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.

Such spectacular events were rare in the lives of the great prophets or the patriarchs, or any other Bible characters. They were few and far between in proportion to the ages of these people of great faith. I have had a few such experiences, although not as dramatic as John’s, and each has changed the direction of my life, or sometimes just my day. Elijah’s experience was very different and it shows this beautifully,

I King 19:11 Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake;

12       and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

13       So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

We see, from in these encounters with God, that John and Elijah experienced the spectrum of God communicating with people. It is as vast as there are different people. How wonderful it is when suddenly we just know that we know that we know something. We experience that special something from God, that gentle nudge in our Spirit, that gentle touch on the heart that is His leading. We understand that the Lord makes ordinary grace for ordinary life stuff, and extraordinary grace for those extraordinary situations. God communicates with us in just the right way at just the right time.

These extremes from the lives of Elijah and John are examples of men who heard from God in a personal, life changing way. They heard what God said at the heart level and they believed. Sometimes we experience this while reading the Word, or in church, or when fellowshipping with other believers in Christ centered conversation, or more often just in our time talking with God. You are probably familiar with the following verse,

Romans 10:17   So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

That’s what it takes for you to have that personal first hand faith, the personal conviction April talked about Sunday. The Lord will provide direction your for life, or just wisdom to deal with a particular situation.

OK, let’s edify each other with some testimonies. Write in the comments area below about some time in your life when you “Knew that you knew that you knew” the Lord spoke something to your heart, you believed and acted on it. What was your SUDDENLY like. Maybe it was something pretty dramatic or simple but, importantly, it met your need. Maybe you stepped out in faith and exercised any of the Gifts of the Spirit or you were convicted of some area of your life you needed to repent of.