FAITH IN ACTION

FAITH IN ACTION

We will be talking about the call that God gives each one of us to not just talk the talk, but to walk the walk as a Christian which is really putting our faith into action. Faith without works is dead.  People watch what we do even more so than what we say. 

We know of God’s great love for us and that through His Son we are given eternal life and through the example of Jesus we can co-labor with Him so as to be a reflection of Him.  We have been given authority through the inheritance He left us and we can truly become Jesus here on the earth.

The Holy Spirit is the breath of God within us and His main purpose is to point to Jesus and this is done through the spiritual gifts that He bestows on the believer.  These gifts are tools that we can use through the workings of the Holy Spirit to bring others to Him and manifest God’s love to all of us.

PRAYER

Thank You God the Father, for Your love and compassion.  Thank You Jesus for Your love and compassion and sacrificing Your life in atonement for our sins and by whose Resurrection we are assured of salvation and thank You Holy Spirit for Your guidance, power and manifestations that are an important part of our growth in our walk in life.  Heavenly Father, Who in our experience of worship has given us a foretaste of Your Kingdom, nurture deep within us all that it signifies, that it may bear fruit in our hearts and homes; and so extend Your Kingdom and honor Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 

God has a very special blueprint for our lives.  The only way to truly experience God is to experience Him by getting to know Him more through Scripture, prayer, worship and spending special time with Him in prayer which is really a conversation with God and like any conversation we need to be good listeners.  We need to listen to seek God’s voice every day. 

 

We can know God’s will for our lives by walking with God.  We need to cultivate our relationship with God and trust in Him as it says in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.  In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.” (The Every Day Life Bible Amplified version)

We should surrender God’s will to ours and obey what we already know to be God’s will. God has shown us clearly in the scriptures how we are to direct our lives.  We know something is not God’s will if it does not line up with the scriptures and God’s commandments.

When you seek to discover God’s will for your life, pay attention to how He has gifted you.  His plan for you will always be directed to the gifts He has given you.

We have inheritance in Christ.  This was given to us by Jesus when He gave us the Great Commission before He ascended into heaven.  The inheritance Jesus gave us was His authority to heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach the gospel.  

Authority is an important part of the Gospel because we then become emissaries commissioned to do what Jesus did.  An emissary is an agent that represents or promotes the interests of another.  So, in essence, we do re-present Jesus here on the earth and in order to represent Him, we need to have an intimate relationship with Him just as Jesus had with the Father.  Jesus said He only did what He saw the Father doing.  We also need to know His will as written in the Bible.  He has commanded us to do the things He did and greater things we will do because Jesus has ascended to the Father so now it is us representing Him doing His work for His Kingdom on the earth which is to draw all mankind to Him.

One tool that we can use to establish our authority is the Word of God and the armor of God which is our defense against the enemy.  In Ephesians 6:13-17, it says, “Therefore put on God’s complete armor; that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day (of danger), and, having done all (the crisis demands), to stand (firmly in your place).  Stand therefore (hold your ground), having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God.”

We can also find strength and power through the Holy Spirit.  As we talked about in the teaching about the Fire of God, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit gives us special power and strength to live the Christian life exhibiting not only the fruit of the Holy Spirit—peace, joy, love, self-control, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness and faithfulness but the gifts of the Holy Spirit---Word of Wisdom; Word of Knowledge; Gift of Faith; Healing and Miracles; Discernment of Spirits; Speaking in Tongues and Interpretation of Tongues.

How do we put our faith into action?

1.     We need to read the Bible which is B (basic) I (instructions) B (before) L (leaving) E (earth)  

2.     We need to know Who God is and know His will according to His Word.

3.     We need to seek and know God’s will for our lives.

4.     We need to pray.

5.     We need to be Spirit filled using the gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever He chooses to use these gifts through us.

6.     We need to exemplify the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives so others can see God’s love in us.

7.     We need to be emissaries for His Kingdom so that others will come into the Kingdom.

8.     We need to be “doers of the Word.”  In other words we should not just be giving “lip service” but show Who God is by our actions.

BE THE CHURCH!!

The Body of Christ is usually referred to as the Church.  I think Church is really a misnomer because most people think of it as a building or an institution.  Jesus spoke of the Church as “living stones.” Jesus is the cornerstone but not of a building but of a body of believers. 

What do I mean by “be the Church”?  I mean we need to act as Jesus did and go out to the people and minister to them not just sit in our comfortable seats in church and think that we have fulfilled our Christian duty.  We don’t even have to do great exploits.  How about not cutting someone off on the freeway or letting someone else get in line ahead of you or paying it forward for someone who is short a few dollars at the check-out line?

We need to be a living, breathing example of Who God is.  How about praying for someone in the grocery store or on the street who seems to be in pain.  Just listen to the Holy Spirit.  He may ask you to do something that you are uncomfortable with.  Joyce Myer once said, “Do it afraid.”  Yes, step out in faith.  You never know how a simple act can affect someone.  Share your faith.  Start with your family, neighbors or wherever you go even if it is a simple, “God bless you.”  

Robert J. Morgan one told the story of a preacher who was approached by a man who wanted to join the church.  “But,” the man said, “I have a very busy schedule.  I can’t be called on for any service, like committee work, teaching, or other such things.  I just won’t be available for special projects or to help with setting up chairs or things like that.  I just want to sit through Sunday worship and then go on about my business.”

The minister thought for a moment, and then replied, “I believe you’re at the wrong church.  The church you’re looking for is three blocks down the street, on the right.”  The man followed the preacher’s directions and soon came to an abandoned, boarded up closed down church building.  It was a dead church---gone out of business.

Let’s not become a “dead” Church but a living, breathing agent of change to bring God’s Kingdom here on earth to accomplish His will.  We  need to live by example and maybe, just maybe, others will see Jesus in us and want to walk with Him and be one of those living stones with Jesus as the cornerstone.

DID JESUS PRAY?

 

                                                                     DID JESUS PRAY?

What is prayer to you?  Is it something that comes naturally to you?  Is it a set of prayers that you pray?  Many say that prayer is simply talking to God.  Did Jesus pray?  It seems kind of strange for Jesus to pray because He is God and man but I think that He showed us how to pray by praying to His Father in heaven.  The Our Father, the Lord’s Prayer is a perfect example.  The apostles asked Jesus to teach them how to pray.

 Matthew 6:9-13 New International Version (NIV) ⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.

Today I will concentrate on how and what Jesus prayed.  I will talk about some instances of Jesus’ prayers documented in the Bible.

I find it interesting that Jesus used the word, “our” to begin the example of how we should pray and continued using collective words.  Could it be that He wanted to emphasize that we are all one in Him? I believe that He wanted to show unity, that we are all made in God’s image.   I believe that this refers to the Body of Christ.

Corporate prayer is so important.  Jesus emphasized this in the Our Father.  We are all linked together in Him because we are His creation and His masterpiece. We are His voice.  Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is within you.  I believe God’s Kingdom came down when Jesus came down from heaven. 

Jesus not only showed us how to pray but He, Himself prayed.  There are many, many, scriptures that indicate this.  Jesus, Who truly is God in the flesh, did have the temptations of the flesh that we all endure.  He was tempted by the devil at the end of his 40 days of fasting and Jesus rebuked Him with the Word of God.  This was not the only time that He was tempted because it says that the devil left and waited for another opportune time to tempt Him.

Jesus set a special time for prayer.

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. ³⁶ Simon and his companions went to look for him, Mark 1:35-36

¹⁶ But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.  Luke 5:16

² One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. ¹³ When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated as apostles.  Luke 6:12-13

Jesus gave thanks.

¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.  John 6:11

Jesus healed the deaf mute.

⁴ He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). ³⁵ At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. Mark 7:34-35

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

⁴¹ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴² I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”  John 11:41-42

Jesus said to have faith to receive and to forgive.

²⁴ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. ²⁵ And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”  Matthew 11:24-25

Jesus cried out in anguish and interceded to be given strength to endure.

⁴⁴ And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Luke 22:44

Jesus interceded for us for protection from the evil one.

¹⁴ I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. ¹⁵ My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.  John 17:14-16

Jesus prayed to the Father for unity within the Body of Christ.

Jesus interceded for us: ²⁰ “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹ that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  John 17:20-21 (NIV all Bible verses)

There are many more scriptures about Jesus praying. These are a few.  The important thing to remember is that if Jesus, the Son of the Living God, prayed, how much more should we pray.  He has set the example for all of us.  Jesus always points to the Father. 

Our words are so important.  Jesus is the Word.  He shows us how to pray in His Word.  This is one in a series of teachings about prayer.

“‘“The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
²⁵ the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’  Numbers 6:24-26

FAITH AND DIVINE HEALING PART 2

FAITH AND DIVINE HEALING   PART 2

In our last segment on healing, we talked about faith and what an important role it plays in healing.  We are made up of body, soul and spirit.  We talked about how sin and trauma can be the root cause of many illnesses and conditions and can wound our souls. 

Today we will continue to discuss healing and go through a process of prayer and healing steps so you can obtain healing in your body, soul and spirit.

Healing Prayer for a Wounded Heart  (Katie Souza)

Jesus, I repent for any sin that may be the root cause of this illness

I put the blood of Jesus on it

I forgive anyone that has sinned against me

I put the blood of Jesus on it right now

I plead the blood of Jesus over it right now

I also decree that any sin from my ancestors

Through my blood line is washed by the blood right now

In the Name of Jesus

It is being removed now in Jesus’ Name

I receive the blood of Jesus in my soul

I have been risen to new life

Through the resurrection and the power of the blood

Of Jesus Christ my soul is renewed

I am being strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in my spirit

My soul is being filled by the blood of Jesus with Dunamis power

I receive it now   I receive it now

My body is being healed by the blood of Jesus

Dunamis power is healing my body and my soul

I receive it now   I receive it now   Amen

Just rest in the presence of the Lord.  Let His presence give you peace and tranquility as you yield to His healing power.  Receive it now.  Receive it now.

In this next phase of our presentation we will talk about 5 steps to healing.

FIVE STEPS TO HEALING

In these next 5 steps we will partner with you to pray for your healing.

1.     What do you need?  (ex. Healing from a disease or ailment?)  or Where is the pain in your body?

2.     Listen to any special instructions God may want to give about how to pray.  Is there any unforgiveness or bitterness, that may be blocking the healing?  Is there any trauma that may have been a root cause of the condition?  (ask for healing in that area)  i.e.  divorce, car accident, etc.

3.     Pray and welcome the Holy Spirit’s presence and compassion to descend upon the person.   “Holy Spirit, thank you for Your presence.  Fill ________

with Your presence and healing power.”

4.     Command the healing, speaking directly to the body and have the person being prayed for lay their hand on the spot.  Then the person prays, “I command, in the Name of Jesus, that this pain leave the body.  I command in the Name of Jesus that this infirmity leave the body.”  I command in the Name of Jesus, for this hurt/soul wound to be healed.”

5.     Test any part of your body by doing something you could not do before.  (i.e. move your arm, leg, any area of your body that you could not move before or felt pain) (“How to Release God’s Healing Power Through Prayer” Mark Virkler, Gary S. Greig, Frank Gaydos)

If you are not healed right away, pray again a second time and if necessary, maybe a third time.  Celebrate any measure of healing.  Remember, healing is not always instantaneous but may be over a period of time.

You can pray this prayer by yourself.  You can pray for yourself.  If you would rather have another person pray with you and for you, invite a friend to pray for you.

PRAYER

Father, trusting You and standing firmly in faith I decree:

The illness and/or condition is being healed by the resurrected power and the blood of Jesus Christ right now.  You are being filled with His power right now.  Excellence of soul.  Your physical body is being healed too.  I take authority, in the Name of Jesus over any spirit of infirmity in your body or soul and I rebuke it in the Name of Jesus and I command it to leave and n ever return in Jesus Name.

In the Name of Jesus you are being delivered from guilt, bitterness, addictions, and infirmities.

As your soul is being healed, it is becoming excellent.  Power is going to your soul and body which are being healed by the power and blood of Jesus Christ!!

Your soul and body are being healed right now in the Name of Jesus, in the Name of Jesus, in the Name of Jesus.  Your body and soul is being healed right now in the Name of Jesus, in the Name of Jesus, in the Name of Jesus.

HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR HEALING (Charles & Frances Hunter’s Book, “How to Receive and Maintain Your Healing”)

1.      Keep thanking Jesus after you are healed.

2.     Give your testimony of your healing.

3.     Practice forgiveness, reconciliation and release.  We need to reconcile, forget and let go.

4.     Practice good health habits.

5.     Meditate on God’s Word daily.  Speak the Word of God out loud.  Remember, faith comes by hearing.

6.     Claim and possess your healing.  It is yours.  God gave it to you.  If fear or anxiety or doubt or pain comes back tell the devil to “GET LOST!”  “I am healed in the Name of Jesus!”

7.     Constantly speak words of faith.  “I am healed in the Name of Jesus.  Don’t let doubt dictate your belief even when others may try to cause you to doubt.

8.     Trust and obey God.  When we trust and obey God---to do what pleases Him—then we will experience blessings, and this is one of the greatest ways to keep your healing.