Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is
designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
right in. So this morning I'm going to be speaking
on faith. the matter of faith and I'm going to
continue to build from where our Apostles have
laid a foundation for us especially concerning
faith and there are some few things I'm going
to lay as a foundation for these two weeks first
Timothy chapter 6 verse 10 first Timothy chapter
6 verse 10 it says for the love of money is a
root of all evil for which some have strayed
from the faith so the faith that there's a possibility
that others will stray away from the faith in
their greediness and pierce themselves through
with many sorrows but you oh man of God flee
these things and pursue righteousness godliness
faith love and patience gentleness it says fight
the good fight of faith which means that in faith
there is a fight hallelujah there is a fight
and we're going to understand what is that fight
what is that fight says fight the good fight
of faith lay whole of eternal life to which you
were also called and have confessed the good
confession in the presence of many witnesses
so if we are to fight the good fight of faith
we have to understand who are we fighting what
is the context of the fight of faith you know
we've been thinking about the victory that we
have in Jesus Christ but here we see Apostle
Paul is telling Timothy to fight. Fighting here
is an analogy for what Timothy is expected to
do. So I will be laying a foundation on this
topic, the enemy of our faith, because it's crucial
for us to understand who the enemy is. In Ephesians
chapter 6, in Ephesians chapter 6 verse 12. Ephesians
chapter 6 verse 12. It says, for we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood. So first of all, the
fight that we are fighting is not against a man.
All right? We are not fighting a physical fight.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
but against principalities and against powers.
So our enemies are spiritual. Hallelujah. Our
enemy is what? Is spiritual. but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of darkness
of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness
in the heavenly. Hallelujah. Because we are spiritual,
our fight or our wrestling is not against a physical
being. First current second Corinthians writer
chapter 10 verse 3 to 5 it says for though we
walk in flesh The flesh here speaks of our physical
body though. We walk in the physical body We
do not war against according to the flesh So
our method of war or our method of fight is not
in the physical So at the end of this we'll be
able to understand what kind of fight are we
called to fight? Who are we fighting? And how
are we to fight? In fact, where are we to fight
the fight? Where are we to fight the fight? How
are we going to fight this fight of faith? For
the weapon of our warfare. What do we use to
fight the fight of faith? For the weapon of our
warfare are not physical. They are not carnal.
But mighty in God. For what? For pulling down
of strongholds. Casting down arguments and every
high thing. So this will give us a glimpse of
what we are fighting. Alright? Casting down what?
Arguments. And every high thing that exalts itself
against what? Against the knowledge. The knowledge
of God. And bringing every thought into captivity
to what? To the obedience of Christ. to the obedience
of Christ. So let's settle that we are not fighting
your village enemies. Our fight is not against
the government of your country. Our fight is
not against anybody you don't like. But we are
fighting. The fight of faith is a spiritual fight.
But as I said today, I'm just going to lay a
background and then build up a niche. John chapter
14 verse 12 the theme for the year John chapter
14 verse 12 to 14 says most assuredly I say to
you he who believes in me the works that I do
he will do also and greater works than this he
will do because I go to my father and whatever
you ask in my name that I will do and the father
that the father may be glorifying the son If
you ask anything in my name, I will do so we
established throughout The five months and in
this church that God's plan for us God's plan
for us is to do greater works and We also say
that we are divinely appointed for these greater
works Each and every one of us that is a believer
has been ordained for these greater works that
Jesus Christ is saying in this verse And these
greater works are actually the works Jesus himself
did from verse 12 give me verse 12. He says the
work I do right says The works that I do he will
do also and greater than this will he do And
the work Jesus did, we said, Elaron, if you've
been here, to build a context for those who have
not been around with us, we said that this work
includes the things that Jesus did when he was
here on earth, the things he did, and also the
things that he taught. His actions, his purpose,
and teaching, that is his ministry. In Acts chapter
one, verse one to three. Acts chapter one, verse
one to three. will give us a highlight as Dr.
Luke was writing to Theophilus's former, the
former account I made of Theophilus of all the
things that Jesus began both to do, doing by
his actions and also to teach until the day in
which he was taken up after he through the Holy
Spirit had given commandments to the apostles
whom he had chosen. To whom he also presented
himself alive after his sufferings by many infallible
proofs Being seen by them during 40 days and
speaking of the things Pertaining to the kingdom
of God the things pertaining to the kingdom of
God so the summary of what Jesus did and Taught
all the actions he took the things he did can
be summarized as the things What things the things
that concerns to the kingdom of God? And the
things that concern to the kingdom of God are
spiritual things. As we affirm every Sunday here,
if you are regular with us, that we are kings,
what are we? That we are prophets, right? We
are priests, and that we work with the message,
we work with the ministry, and we affirm that
we work with the office of Jesus Christ. So what
we are saying invariably is that in the place
of Jesus, We take our own ministry This means
that Jesus Christ Rather that works that he did
on the earth the ministry of Jesus Christ Was
not concluded All right What he did was not a
conclusion but that the foundation has been laid
for us and From where he did and what he did
and obviously we see what the Apostles right
they did us as well setting an example for us
for us and then we also walk in the same light
so these are the things that we will do the things
pertaining to the kingdom but the foundation
by which any man will walk in what Jesus did
we see in verse 12 is by faith he who believes
in me that is faith is a foundation faith is
the very important You know foundation that Amanda
will do the work of Jesus Christ Must have almost
work in the only way that a man can do the greater
works is by faith So believing in Jesus means
the man Must be born again. Hallelujah That man
must be born again. Not only that but also the
man is alive and sustained by faith The man is
alive and is sustained. The life which is lived
is sustained by faith. Romans 1 17. Romans 1
17. Romans 1 17, yes. For in it, the righteousness
of God is revealed from faith to faith. As it
is written, the just shall live by what? By faith.
So the way the believer will live, the man that
has been made righteous, The man that have accepted
the truth concerning what Jesus Christ has done
will walk continuously by faith. So the way we
come to Christ is by faith and how we live our
life is by faith. So the believer is a man of
faith. These are the things that we've already
established. Alright? The man that is in Christ
is a man of faith. So the man that is in Christ
does not lack faith. Amen? Does not lack faith.
He has the faith in him. He has the faith of
Christ in him. to do what God has called him
to do. Everyone who is born again does not lack
faith. Faith is part of the believer's identity.
Alright? Faith is our identity. And when we look
through scriptures, faith is presented in scriptures
as a normal way the righteous person who lives.
When we talk about the man that is righteous,
we're talking about the man that is in Christ.
Hallelujah. So faith is a lifestyle of that man.
Galatians chapter 2 verse 20 emphasizes the life
that the righteous man will live. Galatians chapter
1 verse 20, chapter 2 verse 20, sorry. I have
been crucified with Christ. This is Paul's confession.
He says, I have been crucified with Christ. How
was he crucified with Christ? By identification.
What Christ has done by his faith in Christ,
he identifies in what Christ has done. It is
no longer I who live All right, it is no longer
I who live but Christ lives in me and The life
which I now live the life which I now live in
the flesh that is the life I live in the physical
my daily living The life I live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved
me gave himself for me so the life that the believer
lives is a life that is sustained by faith also
we see in second Corinthians of the five or seven
second Corinthians of the five or seven we walk
by faith and not by sight all right we walk by
faith the walks that we walk in in the physical
The inspiration of the life of a man that is
in Christ should be by faith Not just in some
space of our life, but every part of our life
must be influenced by faith and Not by what is
physical by sight Romans of the 12 verse 3 Romans
12 verse 3 says for I say through the grace given
to me to everyone who is among you Do not think
of himself more highly than he ought to think.
But to think somberly, as God has dealt to each
what? To each. Who are they each? Every believer.
A measure of faith. Hallelujah. So every believer
has a measure of faith. Now we will not ask,
is this small faith or low? more faith is a large
faith or some some people have a quantity of
faith we're going to explore that in the course
of this teaching but what we can settle from
this verse is that everyone has what has a measure
of faith so the believer is not lacking faith
all right all right the believer has faith 2nd
Peter 1 verse 1 2nd Peter 1 verse 1 Simon Peter
a born servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ
to those who have obtained What have they obtained?
like precious faith with us By the righteousness
of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. So Peter
is saying that like us You have received a precious
faith with us by the righteousness of God So
every believer has received faith 1st Thessalonians
chapter 1 verse 1 to 3 Paul Silvanus 1 verse
1 to the S. Paul Silvanus intimately to the Church
of the Thessalonians in God and the Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace
from our God, the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We give thanks to God always for you. All making
mention of you in our prayers. What are they
praying for? Remembering without ceasing your
work of faith. All right, that is the entire
church, their walk of faith. Their walk of faith.
So there is a walk, what you do of faith, and
there is a walk that you live of faith. So your
walk of faith, labor of love, and patience, all
this, our walk of faith, labor of love, and patience
of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight
of our God and Father. Hallelujah. So we have
the faith to do that greater works those greater
works we lack nothing all that we need has been
supplied by god to us to do greater works today
hallelujah so pastor reminded us last week that
the believer can be weak in faith amen so the
idea of weakness in faith obviously is not a
god problem all right it's not a problem from
god it's from it's from man it's from us So the
believer can be weak in faith And when person
was teaching us about the faith for evangelism
Of course, which is the same fear that we're
talking about the greater works. The work of
evangelism is a greater works, you know the The
things of the spirit that we teach and practice
are the things that encapsulate the greater works
He gave us some two important explanations last
week about feet of the believer and I quote he
says to be weak in faith refers to the conduct
of the believer that does not acknowledge all
that is found in the scriptures did I quote you
right sir all right let me confirm he says to
be weak in faith so we are establishing that
the believer does not lack faith all right but
the believer can be weak in faith and he said
to be weak in faith Refers to the conduct of
the believer the way the believer live his life
That does not acknowledge Which means that every
way we live our life as we read from scriptures
that we live by faith every activity that we
do Should acknowledge all that is found in the
scriptures Should agree with what is found in
scriptures and I strongly agree with this explanation
So it means That everything that the Bible says
about the believer's life. Alright? About the
life of a believer. About the man who is in Christ.
Everything that the Bible has said about the
life of the believer is true. And evidently seen
in our lives daily, now and always. That whatever
truth that we can see in scriptures, that concerns
our lives, that concerns the expectation of God
for our lives, that concerns our identity as
men and women of christ it is true and we should
see the evidence of what god has said daily in
our lives last week pastor also said that growth
in faith is when we see the revelation of god's
word we acknowledge it and we put it into practice
that is growth in faith all right we see Through
scriptures the revelation of God's Word We acknowledge
it and we practice what the word says then we
see faith Manifesting greatly in our lives. So
it therefore means that if the Bible says for
example That the believer is eternally forgiven
don't have the three verses for example. Let's
let's look at that one of the realities All right
John chapter 3 verse 16 That speaks about how
we it says for God so loved the world that he
gave his only begotten Son Whosoever believes
in him should not perish or have eternal life
So it simply means that if we have belief in
what the scripture says Then we have eternal
life This should be our truth. This should be
our conduct should reflect this reality that
we have eternal life because we believe in Jesus
Christ as the scripture says. For example, now
in Mark chapter 15 verse 16 that speaks about,
you know, the great commission. Mark chapter
16 verse 15 to 18. Mark 16, 15, sorry. Yes, yes
And he said to them go into the world and preach
the gospel to every creature so we see this as
a commandment to believers that they should go
into the world and To make disciples of every
creature to preach the gospel to every creature
Yes of assisting he who believes and is baptized
will be safe but he who does not believe will
not will be condemned and These signs will follow
those who believe so if these signs as a scripture
will say right will follow those who believe
in my name there were cast out demons so this
should actually be our realities all right this
should be our realities because this is what
the word of god says this is what god has revealed
to us in his word they will speak with new tongues
you know one of the challenges we have with some
of the people here when we we're speaking in
tongues we're trying to lead them to speak in
tongues is that they are not aware They are not
aware that they should speak in tongues. They
are not aware that it is their privilege in Christ
to speak in tongues. And when you become aware
of this reality, then what we ought to see is
that you practice what is your reality. Hallelujah.
So the revelation of God's truth in these texts
and many other things that we can see from the
Bible, which will come by a rightly interpretation.
Whenever we are taught, we are interpreted the
scriptures through proper Bible teaching. These
things should be our reality and our conduct
should be seen reflecting this truth The whole
council of God's word should be our reality daily
The way we live our life the way we conduct ourselves
in society The way we conduct the way we make
decisions the things that influence our decisions
should be The realities we see in scriptures
Hallelujah So believers are called To examine
themselves if they are in the faith number one.
We've seen an idea of weak faith Okay, and we
are seeing that the that the believer has fit
again in scriptures. We'll see also that The
Bible tells believers believers not unbelievers
believers to examine themselves If they are in
the faith, but we said that the faith is not
a problem for the believer All right, so why
would Paul for example now in second Corinthians
about 13 verse 5 to 7 call on Christians not
unbelievers to examine themselves if they are
in the fit Examine yourself as to whether you
are in the fit, but these are believers Test
yourselves. Do you not know yourself that Jesus
Christ is in you? Unless indeed you are what
you are disqualified But I trust that you will
know That we are not disqualified Now I pray
to God that you do not evil Not that we should
appear approved, but you should not Do you should
do what is honorable? Though we may seem disqualified
hallelujah what 13 talks about exam exam examining
yourself Examine yourself if you are in the feet
What does it mean to examine if you are in defeat?
The believers are called to evaluate themselves.
All right, the Christians in Corinthians are
called to examine themselves To see whether their
profession All right, their profession that is
their confession what they have professed with
their lips To examine to examine their life to
see if their confession what they have professed
and their daily work align with the faith they
have in Christ. So also to us daily we are called
to do or to examine if what we have said concerning
us we are born again we believe in Jesus Christ
does our life our daily living our experiences
align with the truth that we profess with our
lips. Because faith is not invisible in his act
in his activity hallelujah wherever there is
faith there will be an activity Okay, wherever
there is faith we see an activity if you read
through Hebrews and exploit of the of the of
the of the the cloud of witnesses Hebrews 11
we see how faith influences their action and
what they did the great works they did Not only
that we live daily by faith, but we do even the
work of ministry by faith so faith is not invisible
in its activity the manifestation of faith becomes
evidence it becomes an evidence all right how
can we know that you are a believer how do we
know that you are a christian by your fruit what
will happen we'll know who you are and who you
are hallelujah so it becomes necessary that we
what that we give expiration that our life and
our conduct should always align with our profession
of faith. So a believer's life should display
the evidence of faith through his conduct. As
you look at your conduct, your character, your
obedience, and even in ministry, we should see
that you are a man of faith. Of course, faith
may begin in the heart. Okay? But it becomes
visible in conduct in our actions and in the
work of ministry We have seen that faith is located
in our hearts and in the mouth for example in
Romans chapter 10 Romans chapter 10 verse 9 how
we become born again Romans chapter 10 verse
9 and 10 We see faith in two places Faith active
in two places that if you confess with your mouth
the lips the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart
that God has raised him from the dead, you will
be safe. For with the heart, what happens? A
man believes. Faith is exercised in the heart,
onto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession
is made unto salvation. Hallelujah. So we see
the activity of faith in the heart of a man,
and also in the words of his profession, the
confession he makes. We see the operation of
faith in the heart, and also in the mouth but
most importantly faith must be seen in our daily
action amen it's not only in our hearts it's
not only in our words what we say and what we
believe should be seen in our activities our
heart what we have inside what we believe in
and the things we say with our lips to align
with our daily actions and what we do faith must
be seen In our daily activities. All right, so
why don't we see fits in our daily activities?
It's not that we don't believe hallelujah. It's
not that we don't believe it's not that we don't
know They think so we off as we see in scriptures
So what is that enemy? What is that obstacle?
All right, what is that obstacle that restrains
us from putting our fit to action? That is what
we're going to be dealing with in the course
of this teaching James of the two, let's look
at this text. James of the two verse 14. James
of the two verse 14. Let's read from verse 14.
It's gonna be a little bit long reading. Then
this text is one of the texts that has been misunderstood
or misinterpreted concerning faith and actually
works. Okay, let's read verse 14 to 26. What
does it profit, my brethren, if someone says
he has faith but does not have works? Can faith
save him? Here's a big question. Can faith save
him? If a brother or sister is naked and desist
of daily food, and one of you says to them, depart
in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not
give them the things which are needed for their
body, what does it profit? Alright, what does
your faith what advantage is your faith? That's
what the verse is saying Thus also Thus also
by faith but is safe if not If it does not have
works is what is dead That is is ineffective
But someone will say you have faith and I have
works show me your faith without works And I
will show you my faith by my works You believe
that there is one God. All right, you do well.
This is right But even the demons believe and
what did they do they tremble But do but do you
want to know all foolish man we are not foolish
here, but it's speaking to a certain kind of
men That faith without works is what is dead.
All right It's dead Was not Abraham our father?
Justified by works when he offered Isaac his
son on the altar Do you see that fit was working
together with his works fit and works and By
works fit was made perfect And the scripture
was fulfilled which says Abraham believed God
which is fit and he was accounted to him for
righteousness And he was called the friend of
God. Verse 24. You see then that a man is justified
by works. Very critical. We're going to explain
this. What does it mean? And not by faith only.
Likewise was not Rahab the harlot also justified
by works when she received a messenger and send
them out another way. For as the body without
the spirit is dead. So faith without works is
what? Is death also. So as I said, Aaron, some
Christians interpret these verses as teaching
that salvation involves faith and work. That
is to say, for you to be born again, all right,
it must be a combination of faith and works,
what you do. Without the works, then you are
not born again. While many Protestants argue
that the works are not a condition for salvation,
okay? That the works are not conditions for salvation,
but the evidence of a genuine faith. And one
of the greatest reformers, Martin Luther, He
described this epistle of James because of this
particular this verse he described the book of
James as an epistle of straw that is That is
the epistle believing is is empty that his emphasis
is on works appear to be in in conflict with
Paul and his teaching on justification by faith
so he sees in his own understanding he sees this
book of James as is not carrying anything weighty
because it goes against the teaching of Paul
which speaks about faith as a means of salvation
only. Now the central question for us is whether
James, do James and Paul contradict? It's very
important. Are we saying that salvation is by
works and faith or salvation is by faith alone?
This is very important for us. Hallelujah now
in James 2 verse 14 I want us to read in the
King James version James 2 verse 14 and also
we're going to read on some some other translation
What does it profit new King James, please new
King James is okay What does it profit my bread
and if someone says he has faith but does not
have works, can fit, saved him. I want us to
read that sentence in the NLT. Yes, thank you.
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if
you say you have fit, but don't show it by action,
all right? But don't show it by action, by your
action. Can that kind of fit save anyone? In
the New King James or in the King James translation
or some other translation says can faith save
you? All right, what we see here in the NLT in
the NLT It says can that kind of fit? All right
that that kind of fit the definite article that
Redefines the content of that text. All right
So he's speaking about a particular kind of faith.
And what is that kind of faith? That kind of
a faith is a faith that does not have action,
that does not produce result. Amen? He says,
what good is it, dear brothers and sisters? If
you say you have faith, but don't show it by
your actions, this faith that does not show it
in action, can this kind of faith save anyone?
In the Amplified, give me the Amplified Bible.
And let's remain in the amplified amplified.
Yes What is the benefit my fellow believers if
someone claims to have faith But has no works
good works as evidence Can that kind of faith
save him? No a mere claim of faith No, that's
a certainty answer. This is by the interpreters.
He says no a mere claim of faith is not sufficient
The new faith produces good works. Hallelujah
Now James is not questioning whether faith is
safe saves. We must understand the conversation
in this verse But whether that kind of faith
saves that kind of faith that is explained the
faith that does not have works can that kind
of faith saves The emphasis falls on the definite
article as I said earlier on There's some translation
some translation some English translation or
meat If you read it in the Greek right it has
the definite article there which points to specific
kind of faith that already has been described
in the preceding words it says what is the benefit
my fellow believers if someone claimed to have
faith but has no work as evidence now can this
kind of faith save him what is the benefit of
this kind of faith What is the benefit of this
kind of faith? So when we look at the Greek translation
of this particular verse The definite article
in the case that James is not rejecting the salvation
by faith All right, because he has a particular
if you look the previous verses He's talking
about the life of the believer the man that is
already born again Indicating that he's not rejecting
salvation by faith but distinguishing between
true. All right, what is true? Living faith and
empty profession of faith He gave an example
even angels say that they believe that there
is existence of God. Does that mean that they
have faith? Even demons, sorry not angels, even
demons believe in God. All right, so This is
not the kind of profession of faith that brings
life So James assumed that salvation comes through
faith yet argues genuinely that faith Inevitably
produces visible evidence in the life of a man.
It transforms a life of a man So works do not
end salvation rather is It reveals it shows the
evidence of the fact that a man has believed
now, let's look at verses 15 and 16. Let's let's
be lobby the understanding in the amplified verse
15 and verse 16 he continues he says if a brother
or sister is without clothing and lacks food
for each day verse 16 and of one and one of you
says to them go in peace with my blessings keep
warm and feed yourself but it does not give the
necessity for the body what good does that do
what benefit is that So we see here that James
gives a practical example of what faith does,
what faith does. Hallelujah. I said earlier on
that wherever there is faith, there is what?
There is activity. All right, there is activity.
So this is what faith does. So James gives us
a practical example of that kind of faith mentioned
in verse 14. A faith that is prophesed but lack
action. All right, a faith that is prophesed
but lack action. He describes someone who sees
a needy brother or sister and not only offer
an only offer kind words such as go in peace
and be warmed and filled Without providing help.
So we see the James is asking they says what
good is that? So the point is that words without
action are what are unprofitable hallelujah what
you profess without an action is what is unprofitable
there's no profit in that kind of action likewise
faith that is only verbal spoken out faith that
is only verbal produces no visible evidence is
empty and ineffective hallelujah look at verse
17 verse 17 of that verse so too faith If it
does not have works as an evidence, right? It
is by itself dead. What does that dead means?
It means it is inoperative and ineffective. All
right? So if there is a faith in you, okay, we
should be able to see the operation of that faith
in your conduct, in your action, in your daily
activity, what you do. Hallelujah. So we see
him continue with the argument. by stating that
faith by itself does not, you know, that without
work is dead. So what it means here is that faith
that exists only as a profession by just laying
claim. Oh, I believe what the Word of God says.
I'm a new creator and we don't see the evidence
of it. It is unprofitable. Look at verse 18.
Verse 18 you continue to build the case, but
someone may say you claim to have faith And I
have good works Show me your faith your alleged
faith With a works if you can and I will show
you my faith by works. That is what I do If you
have faith Show evidence of it How do we show
evidence of the faith by the actions we do the
things we do? Hallelujah, so we see the emphasis
is not showing fit It's not Just to say okay.
I have fit but rather The fit has to be examples
to show in our actions and our conduct therefore
works are not the basis for salvation, right?
But the evidence of a genuine fit saving fit
that is seen in your life as you have We should
be able to see the evidence in your life. Look
at verse 19 verse 19 It says you believe that
God is one, you do well. To believe that. The
demons also believe that. They shudder and bristle
in awe, filled with terror. They have seen at
this, they've seen the wrath. So in verse 19,
it shows that correct doctrine alone, all right,
let me say this carefully and you hear, correct
doctrine alone, right does not show the proof
of what you know okay to have correct doctrine
to be taught correct doctrine you know some people
if you have opportunity to share you know you
can say the right things because you've been
taught So here James points to the confession
that God is one and the evidence of that where
he got that from is in Deuteronomy chapter 6
verse 4 Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 4 And he
says that you do well by that but then he adds
even the demons even the demons they know about
the existence of God Hallelujah So his point
is that demons possess right knowledge. They
know God who God is. Alright they know that God
is God and he exists they have the knowledge
of God and even response emotionally yet they
do not obey him therefore genuine faith is more
than just intellectual belief it's just more
than just you know or you have the knowledge
of who God is you know the knowledge of God's
word you know okay I should speak in tongues
for example you know okay I can heal the sick
you know okay I can I can do I'm called to do
the work of ministry that's knowledge about what
God has called you to do But without doing it
your faith is ineffective Hallelujah So in verse
20 he gave an example with Abraham as as an example
and of course we look at in verse 26 He gave
an example with with rehab James uses Abraham
as an example to show that genuine faith is proven
through obedience Abraham was counted righteous
because he believed God All right, but that but
that fate was later demonstrated and brought
to maturity when he offered in his action of
offering. Hallelujah. So it's not because he
offered that God counted him faithful, no. It's
in his obedience that we see that this man has
faith. So when James says a person is justified
by works and not by faith alone, he means that
true faith is shown to be genuine through action.
saving faith is never alone it is expressed in
what in a life of obedience so as we hear the
word as we are taught the word as we reveal our
identity as we are revealed about who God is
what he has done what he's doing and what he
intend to do through our lives and what he's
doing in our lives is expected that that should
influence our daily lives of course verse 25
we see him mentioning rehab as an example Okay
Like Abraham Rehab has shown to be justified
by her works. How when the spies came to Jericho
And they told her about what God will do or what
God is about to do through the nation of Israel
Her action of saving them protecting them is
an act of faith. We see in Hebrews chapter 11
So James used two different examples Abraham,
Rehab, as we saw in the text, to be justified
by her works, not in any, you know, acceptance
before God, but in demonstrating the reality
of what she believed, right? Through faith. So
why would James use Rehab? Rehab is a Gentile,
okay? Rehab is not part of the nation of Israel.
He used Abraham and also used Rehab. To show
that regardless of your background Okay, regardless
of your background whether you are of of the
nation of Israel or a gentle as possible You
know if I has been teaching us We all when we
have the faith of God we will see it expressed
in our action So it shows clearly that regardless
of background or status Genuine faith is always
evidenced by action It's not just by merely profession
But it reveals itself through the act of obedience
as we believe Okay, we often see that what we
believe produces a result and that result is
the action that we take daily our lifestyle our
character our Mindset is changing and that mindset
change, you know informs the way we take our
actions daily So it's not to come to church every
day and then be receiving word Okay, it's not
to be coming to church every day and receiving
knowledge How much of that knowledge have you
put to work? How much of the information that
you've gathered the Riley divided word of God
in itself does not work on his own So your faith
was we put to use was we practicalize that's
how we see the profitability of that fading you
So he concludes in verse 26. He says, for just
as human, the human body without the spirit is
dead. So faith without works, that is obedience
is also what? Is also dead. That dead talks about
uselessness. It's useless. All right? For as
the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also
faith apart from works is dead. Using an analogy
of life, a lifeless body for example, a body
without life. James explains that works are to
have, works are to faith as breath is to our
body. Alright? As breathing is to our physical
body, so also our actions work towards faith.
So works and faith work together. Are we together?
You believe and you come into salvation, all
right? And then that salvation you receive gives
you the ability, the empowerment to do what?
To do greater works. Hallelujah. So the reason
why we have to lay this foundation is when we
begin to emphasize on works, you will know clearly
that scripturally there is an expectation on
you. The word you've received inside of you must
show, must be, must be evidence. Okay? And when
there is no evidence of this, then we can say
that you are not grown. Because the growth of
a believer is seen in how much, alright, is seen
in how far. It's not in how much of scriptures
you know. It's not in how long you've been a
believer. It's not even in how much you can teach.
In fact, it's not even in how much you can speak
in tongues. It's not in how much you can pray,
how many hours you can pray, how many, you know,
Bible scriptures you can memorize in your head.
It's not by how many church services you've attended.
It's not by how many teams you belong to in a
church. It's not even by how many degrees you've
acquired in theology. But do we see the evidence
of this faith in your character? Okay? Because
there must be a demonstration of this faith.
There must be an evidence of this faith. Because
the faith we receive is a faith that has life
in it. And that life influences what we do in
the natural. So as we go about our normal day
and our normal activities and our normal, you
know, jobs and whatever we do, can we look at
your life? And we say truly this man is a man
that has faith in Him. In the circumstances you
face, because daily we are faced with situations,
we are faced with circumstances, can we believe
the reality of God's Word concerning every experience
we have in our daily life? That is the walk of
faith. Do we live in obedience to what the Word
of God says about us? Do we live in obedience?
Do we allow the life of God has given us? All
right, the believer come alive by faith and the
believer lives by faith So to examine ourselves
whether we are in defeat is to examine Do my
life align with my profession? Do the activities
I take every day, even in church, the sacrifices
of leaving your home, joining a team, coming
to church. It's not to just come out here and
be socializing, no. It's that there will be an
evidence in your life that will show that indeed
this man has something in him. This man has something
in him that must be seen Okay, that must be seen
So what we want to explore is why or what is
the reason that we are not seeing this effective
in our lives What is this what is the reason
why we are not exercising what we already have
what is the reason why we don't see these expressions
in our lives Alright, why do we not express these
things in our lives? Faith in our hearts, in
the things we say and where, and also in our
actions. Okay? And I can tell us now that we
don't lack faith in our hearts. And you've been
in church for a long time, we'll find words of
faith in your lips. In the songs we sing, alright?
In the things we say, in our prayers. But faith
must leave our hearts and the words in our lips
and be seen in our conduct and in our actions
If not, then the faith we have is what is not
profitable All right. We are not doing the call
the greater works of God is calling us to do
We are not exercising the faith in evangelism
so my prayer is that every one of us will understand
why we have this limited expression in our lives
of the faith we have and how by the help of God
we can deal because earlier on we read that what
that we are not fighting against what this fight
of faith listen let me tell you this because
you have faith right That is the reason the devil
Who is our? Adversary is coming for is coming
for that thing is to ensure that that thing that
you have does not what does not manifest Being
a believer is already a life of war let me say
this you are already in war And you're not in
war against governments against people know you
are in war against the devices of the enemy And
the plan of the enemy every day is against the
faith that you have. Of course, he knows he has
lost you as a believer. Now, we're not speaking
to a man that is not born again here. We're speaking
to a believer. The enemy is arranging every method.
He's inventing new methods to ensure that what
you have does not manifest. In the things you
hear, in the things you see with your eyes, In
the realities that happens around you in your
family in your life as an individual He ensures
that you have you have you have another understanding
of of what is happening around you and Then you
don't believe what God is saying Hallelujah But
we have all it takes to overcome hallelujah,
we are not helpless. Amen We're not helpless.
We have the spirit of god We have the word of
god the weapon by which we will deal with the
divisive enemy are not are not natural Their
spirit and the spirit of god is the word of god
has given us And we're able to withstand the
adversary the enemy Who is coming for what god
has placed in us? And let me tell you brothers
and sisters god is not the one that will fight
it for you. Amen God jesus said it is finished
on the cross We sing every day we have the victory
All right. So what we ought to do is to put the
victory to use Amen To put the victory to function
The enemy has been defeated By what Christ has
done the enemy has been defeated We see where
Paul is telling Timothy the spirit you have is
not a spirit of fear All right But the spirit
of war of some mind which means that God has
given you the ability to withstand the devices
of them because we saw a lot on that that we
will fight against against what? In In second
Corinthians of a 10 verse 3 given that takes
again second Corinthians of a 10 verse 3 Says
for we work For though we work in the flesh as
mortal men We are not carrying on our spiritual
warfare according to the flesh and using the
weapons of man. All right The weapons of our
warfare are not physical weapons of the flesh
and blood our weapons are Divinely powerful for
what for the destruction of fortresses. We are
in war. All right So, the weapon we have is able
to bring down fortresses. Fortresses are the
stronghold of the enemy. Okay? We are destroying
what? Sophisticated arguments. The weapon of
the enemy are arguments. And every exalted and
proud thing that does what? That set is... So,
knowledge. Knowledge. And that knowledge, that
warfare happen in our mind. Hallelujah. by the
spirit and by the word we are coming to see how
we can deal with the devices of the enemy and
how we can put to use our feet and allow our
faith to flourish and be profitable and then
we see God glorified by our lives and we see
ourselves daily living in victory in all areas
of our lives it is not God's desire that the
believer suffers by the enemy but he has given
us victory hallelujah I just want us to just
pray for ourselves, pray for yourself that as
we go through these teachings that you have understanding,
that you are able to handle the devices of the
enemy, that you are realizing that you are in
a warfare and a soldier is not meant to be asleep
daily anticipating the attack of the enemy. Every
single day is an opportunity. The Bible says
the devil moves like a rolling lion looking for
a man to devour. And as a believer we have the
victory in Christ And what we ought to do is
to allow what God has done in us To find expression
in our lives. So let's appreciate God for his
word and for his understanding that we have That
indeed we are men of faith We appreciate you
being here today. We hope you carry this word
with you throughout your week Don't forget to
check the show notes for additional insights.
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Until next time, stay blessed.