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. I know, see, in the daily life of the
believer, this is the contention we have every
single day. The fight we fight every day is a
fight to believe what God has said concerns us,
concerns our lives, concerns everything that
has to do with us. And we are faced with challenges.
We are faced with trials. We are faced with temptations.
We are faced with contrary opinions. We are faced
with contrary doctrines and teachings. We are
exposed by the media. We are exposed by every
opportunity with information. that seems to speak
contrary to what God has done, that seeks to
speak contrary to what God has done in us and
what God is doing in us. Hallelujah. This is
the daily fight that the believer fights. Amen.
That we walk in that which God has done for us
in Christ Jesus. That we walk in the realities
of the things that God has made available for
us in the Spirit. Of course, we flip through
the pages of scriptures every day and we see
these things, we are taught these things. We
are taught about our identity. We are taught
about all that we have in the spirit. But oftentimes,
we don't see this in reality in our lives. And
it's not because they are not in us. Hallelujah.
It's not because God has not achieved these things
for us or in us. But rather, we find ourselves
faced with challenging information that seems
to either discredit what God has done or give
us an opinion that is contrary to what God has
done. Hallelujah. 1 Timothy 6, verse 12. 1 Timothy
6, verse 12. Paul speaking to Timothy, he says,
fight the good fight of faith. Hallelujah. Now,
I want you to understand that, first of all,
he's writing to someone that, number one, is
a believer, is a Christian. He's addressing a
young believer and a minister of the gospel.
And what he's saying to him is to fight the good
fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life, to
which you were also called, that is, he has been
called into eternal life, and have confessed
good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
And Paul is calling him to fight a good fight
of faith. To fight a good fight of faith. And
each and every one of us are faced with similar
situation every single day. In case you don't
know, we always emphasize this, that the day
you become a believer is the day that you enter
a battle. And the battle is not a battle for
your salvation. It's a battle... for you to live
in the reality of what God has achieved in Christ.
Hallelujah. That you begin to see all that God
has achieved for you in Christ, has made available
for you in Christ, manifest. So for Paul and
Timothy, Paul is telling Timothy to fight the
good. It means there is a fight for the faith
that we have professed. There is a fight for
the faith that we have professed. and have received
in our hearts and daily as we as we as we live
the christian life it's expected that we realize
that we understand the context of the fight that
we are faced with every day now if you don't
know that you are fighting a fight then it simply
means that you are living in defeat so it's equally
important for us to understand that there is
a fight and it's not just a fight but it is a
good fight of faith hallelujah There is a good
fight of faith. And from this text, the word
fight is translated from a Greek word. Let me
spell the Greek word. A -G -O -N -I -Z -O -M
-A -I. Agonizomai. And it means to struggle,
right? It means to struggle in literal sense,
you know, to compete for a prize. that's one
of the variation of the meaning of the word in
the greek to compete for a price and this word
agonizomai can be used figuratively to mean to
content with an adversary to content with what
with an adversary and opposition to content with
an adversary and another way to which this word
is used in a generative case to endeavor to accomplish
something you know to endeavor to accomplish
something to fight to label to you know, fervently
strive to achieve something. But in this context,
the writer here to Timothy Paul is using this
word fight in a figurative sense. That is for
him to contend with an adversity. Fight simply
means he's contending with an adversity. Fight
the good fight of faith. Lay hold of an eternal
life to which you were also called and also have
confessed the good confession in the presence
of many witnesses so what paul is saying is this
see you've professed faith in christ jesus before
many witnesses you believe in jesus christ and
as a matter of fact you are living in the realities
of what god has done in christ jesus and as a
young minister as a young believer you must fight
the fight of faith And we must understand that
we have also a fight of faith to fight. Paul
later on will say in subsequent chapters in his
writings still to the same person, Paul will
later on, you know, will say that he has fought
the good fight of faith himself in 2 Timothy
4 verse 7. You see where he's making comments
and making an example of himself. 2 Timothy 4
verse 7. 2 Timothy 4 verse 7. Or let me read
from verse 6. I've already been poured out. As
a drink offering. And a time for my departure
is at hand. And this is his testimony. What is
his testimony? I have fought the good fight.
I have finished the race. I have what? I have
kept the faith. Hallelujah. So Paul here is saying
that he has fought the good fight. I have finished
the race. I have kept the faith. So Paul here
establishes that he has fought that particular
fight of faith. And of course, he has come to
a closure, or let's say to the end of his course
for the walk. What walk? The walk of faith. And
this walk of faith is what all of us have been
called to, all of us believers. As long as you
believe in Jesus Christ, you've been called into
this, this walk of faith. And he went on to say
that he has kept the faith. Now, the context
of Paul's communication here, if you look critically,
is about the preaching of the gospel. All right?
It's about the preaching of the gospel. Keeping
the faith here has to be with the sound doctrine.
Because in his communication to Timothy, in the
previous verses we read, and even now, the context
of what he has kept is a faith, the sound doctrine.
Hallelujah. Now, Apostle Jude also will use a
similar word. Jude 1 verse 3. I'm trying to build
a case for us to see and also to be reminded
that we have a fight to fight daily. And listen,
we are not fighting from a place of defeat. Amen?
We are fighting from the place of victory. What
we are doing is that we are bringing to manifestation
that which Christ has won for us. Jude. Verse
3 to 4. Yes. Beloved, while I was very diligent
to write to you concerning our common salvation,
he calls it a common salvation, I found it necessary
to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly.
Here's what contend. To contend earnestly for
the faith which was once for all delivered to
the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed
who long ago were mapped out for this condemnation
on the women who turned the grace of god into
lewness and denied only lord god and our lord
jesus christ hallelujah again content you see
the word fight for the faith content for the
faith is something that you have to do on a daily
basis and here judy speaking concerning some
men that have tripped into the church into the
body of christ And they brought in another conversation
contrary to the faith. Now, the reason why you
must contend for the faith is because there is
an opposition to the faith. Hallelujah. There
is an opposition to the precious faith that you've
been given. And you are the one responsible to
contend, to fight, to preserve, to protect, and
to bring into manifestation. Of that which God
has given you as a gift. So, Jude here is saying
that they must contend because in verse 4, there
is an opposition that has risen for the sake
of the faith. There is an opposition that has
risen because some men here have clipped into
the body of Christ, the family of God, and they
are bringing in information that is contrary
to the faith. Therefore, it is necessary that
the believer must what? Must contend. Contending
simply means that you are rejecting what they
are bringing and you are upholding what you've
learned. You are protecting what you've learned.
You are believing what you've learned. You are
practicing what you've learned. You are not practicing
anything contrary to what you've learned. That
is how we contend for the faith. So, contend
here is a word, epagonizomai. e -p -a -g -o -n
-i -z -o -m -a -i let me spell again e -p -a
-g -o -n -i -z -o -m -a -i and it's from the
same word as fight for the faith as we saw earlier
on you know from the same word as fight it means
to content endlessly it just emphasizes the the
the effort that you have to do as an individual
remember on sunday I tried to make some basic
clarification about the fact that the believer
has faith. Hallelujah. And I tried to make a
clarity concerning some of the misconceptions
that we may have found in the book of, I think,
in the book of James, right? Concerning works.
Okay? Now, when we are saying you're contending
for the faith, you are not trying to do something
to end something. Hallelujah. You're only bringing,
or you're only bringing to manifestation that
which God... in christ has done hallelujah so
the content content here the contending here
is to honestly honestly effortly you know ensure
that you are protecting that which you have and
also we see from this context also in the book
of jude here the context is about the gospel
the message which the believer must content for
because as i said earlier on there is an opposition
hallelujah the devil is against what you believe
in the devil is against your status as a believer
and all he desires every single day is that you
will not manifest hallelujah the devil doesn't
doesn't worry yes he has lost you already a believer
he cannot undo that which have been done in you
but one thing that the enemy will ensure he makes
sure he doesn't you don't do is to bring to reality
your identity Hallelujah. And all that you are
is found within the pages of the gospel. So you
see here, some people will come with a different
message. Why will they bring a different message?
They bring a different message so that they will
sway away people from believing what has been
taught, which is true. From practicing what has
been taught, which is true, to another doctrine,
which there is no another doctrine. Hallelujah.
To practicing things that are contrary to what
has been taught. to what has brought it into
salvation so you the believer must what must
content for for that which you've been given
hallelujah so what is the faith we have in our
hearts as we see on sunday and previously that
faith is operational in our hearts okay faith
is operational in our mouth hallelujah and we
emphasize also that faith should be operational
in our conduct so wherever it is that we need
to see the operation of faith we are called to
fight the good fight of faith hallelujah because
in our mind in our hearts or say our mind or
our heart the devil will ensure that he puts
something in our mind that is contrary to what
god has in the gospel so the fight of faith is
for us to bring Into manifestation. And also
to allow that which God has worked in us. To
come into display. Hallelujah. So this fight
of faith is not you alone. It's not for you alone.
It's not fighting as an individual. Amen. We
are fighting together as a community. Philippians
1 verse 27. Philippians 1 verse 27. Only, give
me verse 26, then verse 27. That your rejoicing
for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by
my coming to you again. Only, which means that
he was speaking to a community of people. He
said, only let your conduct be worthy of the
gospel of Christ. Let your conduct be what? Be
worthy of the gospel of Christ. This is actually
living by faith. Hallelujah. This is actually
living by faith. Your conduct is worthy of the
gospel, is living by faith. Living by faith is
not just having something in your heart alone,
okay? But it's bringing it to manifestation.
So only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel
of Christ, so that whether I come and see you
or I'm absent, I may hear of your affairs, that
you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind,
and use the word here, it is similar to fighting.
which is similar to contending, striving together,
okay? Striving together for the faith of the
gospel. Remember what the apostle was saying
about community, about other believers. Amen.
Striving together for that faith of the gospel
that we've received. Hallelujah. So the fight
of faith cannot be done in the flesh. Even though
we are confronted daily, as I said earlier on,
in the natural. In our daily lives, we cannot
fight the fight of faith in the natural way.
Amen? The confrontation is natural. Are we together?
The things that comes against what we have in
our heart, they are physical things. But the
way we fight them is not in the physical way.
I just explained. Corinthians 10 verse 3. Let's
look at that text. 2 Corinthians 10 verse 3.
Though we walk in the flesh, we saw it last on
Sunday. It says, for though we walk in the flesh,
for though we are in the physical, for though
we are in the natural, okay, we do not walk according
to the flesh. For the weapons, and it's what
we use, for our warfare, against those things
that comes for our faith. Okay? For the weapons
of our warfare are not what? Are not physical.
But even though they are not physical, they are
not things we can see, they are very mighty in
God. For what? For pulling down strongholds.
Okay? What are these strongholds? Casting down
arguments. I told you before that what is in
your heart? The things that will come forward
in your hearts are arguments. Okay? That message
that those people are preaching in Jude are arguments.
Are we together? They are bringing arguments.
Casting down arguments. And everything that is
exalting itself is making itself more prominent
against the knowledge of God. Against the knowledge
of God's word. Against everything that God has
said concerning you. Against everything that
God has said concerning the believer. Bringing
every thought. This thought can come from any
direction. This thought can even come from good
counsel. This thought can even come from supposedly
place of love. Every thought into captivity to
the obedience of Christ. Ephesians 6 verse 12,
obviously, will tell us that, you know, for we
are not wrestling against what? Against human
beings, okay? But against principalities, all
right? So even though we know that it is a natural,
they come in a natural, but the software behind
that operation is what? It's supernatural. Are
we together? The person that will come and preach,
The first gospel to you. The force behind that
is supernatural. We wrestle against principalities,
against powers, against rulers of what? Of darkness
of this age. Against spiritual hosts of wickedness
in the heavenly. So, Paul made mention of wicked
and ungodly men who oppose him in 2 Thessalonians
3, verse 2. And that we may be delivered. From
what? From unreasonable and wicked men. But how
will they be delivered? By prayer. All right?
Give me verse 1. Verse 1. Yes, verse 1. It says,
finally, pray for us. That what? That the word
of God or the word of the Lord may run swiftly
and be glorified. Just as it is with you. Verse
2. And that we may be delivered from unreasonable
men. Unreasonable and wicked men, for not all
have faith. Hallelujah. For not all have faith.
So there is an opposition to the prosperity of
the word. There is an opposition to that word
that is a word of faith. And the way Paul was
asking for help is not by bringing bodyguards.
It's by praying that there will be deliverance
from this set of people. So to fight or contend
for the faith, we must understand the nature
of this fight. Okay? Where the fight is fought
and the weapons for the fight, we must understand
the nature of this fight. We must understand
what this fight is all about. We must also understand
the enemy and his devices. Okay? We must understand
the enemy and his devices. And we must not be
ignorant of them. 2 Corinthians 2 .11 says that
we are not ignorant of what? Of the devices of
the devil, of the enemy. Let Satan take advantage
of us. Speaking to a church. For we are not ignorant
of what? Of the devices. So the enemy, the devil,
has devices. He has methods. He has schemes.
He has technology by which he... He operates
in order to what? To sabotage the work of God
in our lives. And God has given us the ability.
Hallelujah. He has given to us the power, the
will, to ensure that we bring to nothing the
plan and the work of the devil. He has given
us authority. He has given us power to do what?
To bring to nothing the plan and the works of
the enemy. So we can fight the spiritual war
by, by using physical means we've said around
this fight okay of faith is located in our hearts
first and foremost all right let's begin from
the heart first of all we see it in the heart
we've seen that primarily faith operates in the
heart of man and in our words and of course in
our actions Romans chapter 10 verse 9. How we
come to know Jesus Christ and accept and be part
of the family. Romans chapter 10 verse 9 and
10. That if you confess with your mouth the Lord
Jesus Christ and what? And believe where? Where
do you believe? You believe in the heart, right?
You confess it's in your lips and it's in your
heart. What do you confess and what do you believe?
that god has raised him from the death you will
be saved verse 10 for with the heart with the
heart all right what happened one believes unto
righteousness and with the mouth what happened
confession is made into unto salvation so we
can see the operation of faith in the heart and
also in the profession of a man hallelujah 2
Corinthians chapter 4 verse 13. We're just trying
to betray the fact that we'll find faith in operation
in the heart and also in our words, in our mouth.
And since we have the same spirit of faith, according
to what is written, I believe. And therefore,
what do I do? I speak. We also believe and therefore
we speak. So there's a believing that is in the
heart. And then, of course, we see the profession
that is in words. Acts 11, verse 23. Mark 11,
23. For surely I say to you, whoever says to
this mountain, be removed and be cast into the
sea and does not doubt. Where? Where does he
doubt? In his heart. So where does doubt operate?
Doubts operate in the heart. All right? Equally,
what beliefs, where does faith also operate?
Faith also operates where? In the heart. So it
seems to me that the heart is a place where either
faith will operate or doubt will operate. It
depends on what is given chance to operate. But
beliefs, that those things he says will be done,
he will have whatever he says. Amen? So, Just
of a sudden you begin to have a story in your
heart that a brother besides you needs to be
laid hand upon to be healed. And suddenly you
turn and you look at the person by your left
and you're by your right side. If I lay hand
on this person and he doesn't get healed, what
will happen? Then you begin to doubt. Pastor
Carson is smiling because he knows what I'm saying.
Then you begin to doubt, all right? And then
you don't lay hand on him. What has happened
at that moment? Faith wants to manifest. but
doubt. So there's a conflict where we cannot
see with our eyes, but there's a war happening
in your heart. Faith and doubt. And whatever
you allow to manifest will take the place. Hallelujah.
So we have a responsibility always to do what?
To allow faith to have expression through us.
Amen? So what does the Bible say about our hearts?
What does the Bible say about our hearts? Firstly,
we saw that a man is born again from the heart.
Salvation is from the heart, alright? Romans
10, verse 9 and 10, we saw that a man is born
again from the heart. The changes are, of course,
we don't see with our physical eyes. It's in
the heart of that man that the man becomes born
again. That is a spiritual part of that man.
Verse 9 says that if you confess with your mouth
the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart, that
heart, the word heart in the Greek is the word
kardia. K -A -R -D -I -A. And it is figuratively
used here. We're not talking about the heart
that pumps blood. We're not talking about your
heart that is pumping blood. But it's a figurative
statement here, the heart. figuratively means
the truths or the feelings sometimes you see
interchangeably the mind it is that affective
center of your being that your core of a man
that has the capacity of what of of making choices
moral preference the heart and in the bible the
word card here is mentioned over 800 times in
the scripture But never will we see it referring
to any literal or physical part of our body that
is pumping blood. That is, the heart is only
used figuratively, right? It's oftentimes used
in scriptures figuratively. Figuratively for
what? For that particular part of a man that
is the core of his being. So the Bible presents
the heart as the inner core of man. So that is
where the fight happens. That is where the battle
happens. That is where, you know, this... Conversation
happens. The heart of a man. Not merely the physical
organ or emotions. The word heart is descriptive.
It's a descriptive term that is used to explain
a person's motives. That's the way your motive
is. You know, your conviction is found in your
heart. Your persuasion. You see, you have to
come to a place of persuasion about a certain
thing. That's when doubt does not work again.
For example, now, I know that I cannot come to
Pastor Emmanuel and tell him, Pastor Emmanuel,
Jesus is not God. And then he will begin to wonder.
He has reached a place of persuasion that there's
no amount of doubt that can come and convince
that Jesus is not God. Hallelujah. So also, all
of us, that we should come to a place of persuasion
concerning everything that God has said concerning
you. concerning everything that the word of God
says about us, about what we should do, about
how we should live our life, we must reach to
this place of persuasion. And our persuasion
is in our heart, not only in our lips, on our
lips. If what we say on our lips, the songs we
sing, we dance to, are actually the things that
we have persuasions in our heart about, then
we will see our conduct, what we do. will reflect
the persuasions of our hearts, also the things
that we see on our mouths, hallelujah, in our
lips. So we see the scripture repeatedly places
emphasis on the heart, on the heart of man. For
example, in Proverbs 4, verse 23, Proverbs 4,
23, will teach us a very important thing. Proverbs
4, verse 23, it says, keep your heart with all
diligence. For all of it springs the issues of
life. I want you to give me this in NLT. Do we
have that? Yes. It says, guard your heart above
all else. Why? For it determines the course of
your life. Your heart determines the course of
your life. Whether your life will go left or
your life will go right, your heart is the core.
so if your heart is a central processing system
of your body of your life so you have the responsibility
not that someone will come and got your heart
for you you will do what will got your heart
that is the fight of faith you have a responsibility
to do what to lay a guard on your heart because
that is the way many think that's the way the
core of a man is from it we see the course of
your life Hallelujah. 1 Samuel 16, verse 7. We
see when the prophet came to anoint and he said
something concerning David. 1 Samuel, give me
1 Samuel 16, verse 7. He said, but the Lord said
to Samuel, don't judge by his appearance because
there's a way we can judge people by their appearance.
Don't judge by his appearance or height. So I
have rejected him. The Lord doesn't see things
the way you see them. People judge by outward
appearance, but the Lord looks at what? Where
does the Lord look at? He looks at the core of
the man, the invisible part that we cannot see
with our physical eyes. Hallelujah. That is where
the battle for faith happens. Matthew 12, verse
24. Matthew 12, verse 24. Conviction is in the
heart. Persuasion is in your heart. All right?
Even, you know, to receive by the Spirit is from
your heart. It says, How can you, being evil,
right? Where does that evil nature come from?
Can you, being evil, speak good things? Evil
is from the heart. How can you, who are evil,
speak good things? For out of the abundance of
the heart, what will happen? The mouth will speak.
Okay? So if the heart is good, what will happen?
Good things will come out. Alright? If the heart
is evil, what will we see? Evil things will come
out. So if you are good and you are speaking
evil things, is there no confusion there? You
are a believer, which means that you are a good
person. God has made you good. But every time
we hear what we hear from your words are not
faithful words. It means that there's a disconnection
somewhere. There's a corruption somewhere. Luke
chapter 6, verse 45. Luke 6, verse 45. All these
two texts reveal that what comes out of a person's
mouth proceeds from what fills his heart, from
his nature, from his identity. A good man, what
happened for him? Out of the good treasure of
where? Of his heart, his core, his being. Out
of the treasures of his heart brings forth good.
Okay? Out of the treasures of his heart, what
happens? He brings out good. And an evil man,
out of the evil treasure of his heart, brings
forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart,
his mouth, what? His mouth speaks. So the heart
is very, very vital in the direction. You see,
there's a place we're going to read about words.
We're going to look at words. How powerful words
are. The apostle used to make emphasis about
words. The gem to talk about words. The tongue
is what? It's like fire. That's how we describe
it, right? And if you know how to use it, the
Bible says you eat the fruit of it. But what
you say must be faith -filled words. Hallelujah.
For you to be able to benefit from what? From
the treasures of what are in God's word. So we're
not talking about the tongue yet. The tongue
will be another discussion, all right? The tongue
will be another discussion. We're talking about
the heart, where the battle is, where the fight
is. and when we come to begin to analyze how
we can sport of faith and see the manifestation
of those that we speak hallelujah so there the
heart therefore describes the inner man do we
agree we've seen that the heart is a cold man
and and in romans 2 29 paul speaks of the circumcision
that cannot be seen outwardly romans chapter
2 verse 29 romans 2 29 Paul speaks of the circumcision
that cannot be seen outwardly, but takes place
in the heart that shows that God's work is done.
But he is a Jew, right? One who is one inwardly.
So the argument of Paul here is that a Jew is
a Jew in the heart, not just by outward appearance.
And circumcision is that of where? Of the heart.
Alright? So circumcision is an analogy for what
God will do in the heart. Physical circumcision.
Paul is using it here as a figurative of what
God will do in the heart. The cutting off of
the flesh, which has to do with what? The separation
of the spirit. The engulfing of the spirit in
man. In the spirit. Okay. He says, but he is
a Jew who is one inwardly. And circumcision is
that of the heart. In the spirit. So circumcision
is done in the spirit, not in the letter. Whose
praise is from men? Not from men, but from God.
Hallelujah. 1 Peter 3, verse 3. Also we'll see
a writer here speaking about the hidden person
of the heart, linking it to the inward spirit
life of man. Give me 1 Peter 3, verse 3. So we're
just trying to build a case concerning the issue
of the heart and where we face opposition and
how we can deal with that. It says, do not let
your adornment, talking about the women here,
do not let your adornment be merely what? Hard
work arranging of hair, doing makeups and doing
your nails, wearing golds or putting on fine
apparel. Rather, let it be what? The hidden person
of the heart, which means that there's a part
of you that is called the heart. That is the
real you. That is you. That is a man that is
born again. Hallelujah. The real person of the
heart with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle
and a quiet spirit, which is very precious, very
precious on the side of God. Hallelujah. So we
have established that faith and doubt, all right,
operates, can operate. it operates in the heart
faith and doubt where do they operate they operate
in the heart therefore we must guard our hearts
or diligently diligently the activity of doubt
can be found in the heart can be found in the
heart mark chapter 11 verse 23 we read it earlier
on the word doubt Doubt, yes. For surely I say
to you, whoever says to this mountain, be removed
and be cast into the sea and does not doubt in
his heart. So where does doubt happen? Doubt
happens in the heart. So what does it mean to
doubt? Now we understand what the heart is, right?
That is the core. That is the real you. That
is the you that we know. That by the spirit we
know. Doubt occurs there. So what is doubt? What
is doubt? Now the Greek word for that doubt is
diacrino. D -I -A -K -R -I -N -O. Diacrino. And
it appears in the New Testament many times and
carries an important idea about a person. Diacrino.
It means to... To separate. Another way. The
word can mean many things in scriptures. So I'm
just going to call. It's rendition in scriptures.
It can mean to separate. Or it means to separate.
It means to distinguish. Diacrino. To separate.
To distinguish. To judge between. Diacrino is
also. discern to discern diacrino also means
hesitate and it also means to become divided
within oneself to become divided within oneself
is a phrase so the word comes from two different
words uh dia and krino dia means true or between
and then krino to judge or to decide to judge
or to decide so to to centrally the idea is to
separate things right separation of things mentally
you know separation of an idea separation of
a thing mentally in order to arrive at the conclusion
that is the idea diacrino okay so depending on
the context this photos can either produce discernment
diacrino it can either produce discernment or
internal division or doubt, what we call doubt.
Based on the context of its application, the
word diacrino can mean discernment or what? Or
doubt. So where does it happen? It happens in
the heart. Between trying to discern, discernment
happens in the heart. Doubt happens in the heart.
So the word diacrino. So we'll see the word diacrino
applied in various contexts in scripture. For
example, number one. Diacrino is used as discernment.
Discernment. Distinguishing correctly. Distinguishing
correctly. That's one of the positive use of
diacrino. It means to distinguish rightly or
perceive accurately. Discernment. To distinguish
rightly or perceive accurately. And we see Paul
use it in text in 1 Corinthians 11 verse 29.
1 Corinthians 11 verse 29. It says, for anyone
who eats and drinks without discerning the body,
eats and drinks judgment on himself. The word
discerning the body, the word discerning here
is actually diacrino. Okay? Diacrino. Paul teaches
our believers must recognize what? Spiritual
realities properly. So in this text, diacrino
means to distinguish truth correctly. To discern,
discernment is not just it's not just suspicious
just suspicion but proper spiritual judgment
so we see the context of the use of the word
here to distinguish properly to discern all right
another application of the word diacrino is internal
division or what we call doubt in in the heart
so the same what we see is application differently
it can also describe what a divided heart james
write about the gems one verse six gems of the
one verse six but let him ask in faith talking
about asking we know what with no doubting without
doubting for he who doubts is like a wave of
the sea driven and tossed by the wind so that
word doubt or doubting is a word like like we
know so this is not just simply meaning you know
without asking questions You know, let him what?
Let him ask in faith with no doubting. For he
who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven
thus and fro. So doubt in scripture is not the
absence of information. Doubt is not the absence
of information. But it is having competing persuasions
within you. Okay? Having what? Competing persuasions.
Two different ideas in your heart. Let me give
you an instance. The word of God says you are
forgiven. Listen to this. The word of God says
you are forgiven. But in your heart, you are
doubting whether you are truly forgiven. So where
is the doubt coming from? It's coming from outside.
It's not your being. Where is the doubt coming
from? It's coming from Satan. So in your heart,
there's a conflict between I am forgiven eternally
and what? And I'm condemned or I'm not forgiven.
So there's a conflict that happens in the heart.
But you have to be taught the word of God, all
right? You have to be trained in the word of
God. We're going to look at how we can fight
that later on. You have to be trained in the
word to know, to reach to a place, knowledge,
okay? To the place of what? Of persuasion. persuasion
hallelujah so James continues in chapter 1 verse
8 he says a double -minded man he is a double
-minded man unstable in all his ways a double
-minded man a double -minded man is a man that
has various opinions in his heart and is dividing
him in between meaning a divided heart produces
what It produces instability in a man. Hallelujah.
So Paul used the same word for Abraham. For example,
in Romans 4 .20, we'll see that Abraham staggered
not at the promises of God through unbelief.
Romans 8, 4 .20, sorry. He says he did not waver.
Some translation would use the word stagger.
He did not waver at the promises of God. He did
not doubt. That word weaver, check the meaning
of the word. He did not doubt at the premise
of God through unbelief, okay? But was strengthened
in faith, giving glory to God. So Abraham did
not become divided internally concerning God's
promise. That's what it means. All right? That
word weaver or staggered, diacrino. Abraham did
not become divided internally in his heart. This
is what God said. okay but this is the nature
of my body so the the the reality of his biology
is contrary to what god is saying but the bible
says that abraham did not work did not stagger
or he did not weaver in faith he did not have
a divided heart even though there is a reality
that speaks against the truth of what god have
said he had external difficulties But inwardly
there is a persuasion in him. Faith therefore
is not the absence of challenge. Okay? This is
what God has said concerning your life. This
is what God has said concerning the believer.
Will the external environment always align to
what God has said? No. But does it take away
the reality of what God has said? No. Hallelujah.
Faith is refusing internal division after God's
word has been spoken. Listen, when the serpent
came to Eve, see, this is what happened. He came
to her and he asked her, what have God said?
Because faith will always come for the word,
right? Doubt will always come for the word. Whatever
God has said, the devil will bring doubt. And
the reason for doubt is that you will not be
able to live out that reality that God has said
concerning what you said. As God said. And for
Abraham here, the natural situation can speak
doubt into his heart. The devil can use that
as a device to speak doubt into his heart. And
then he will now doubt the word of God. And when
he doubts the word of God, that is not sin. Doubt
is not a sin. Alright? Remember that man? that
was sinking he screamed and there was deliverance
doubt on his own is not seen but to walk in doubt
is unbelief are we together to walk in doubt
that is now unbelief so can there be conflicting
ideas in our heart obviously every day we have
conflicting ideas but we must be persuaded we
must that's why we must see the fight of faith
resisting the devil and his devices and allowing
the work of god and what god have said concerning
us to find expression daily in our lives hallelujah
so another application of the old diacrino is
is a hesitation hesitation acts of the 10 verse
20 and god was speaking to peter Acts chapter
10 verse 20. Arise therefore, go down and go
with them, doubting nothing. For I have sent
them. Do not hesitate. Do not argue internally
against what God has already made clear. That's
what the revelation for Peter there. So therefore,
doubt is not simply the absence of faith as I've
said. It is often division within the heart.
Okay? It is often the division that happens with
within your heart within my heart a person is
pulled in two judgments you know you're judging
between what god has said and what and what the
other idea is bringing the devil two convictions
or two voices since the heart is a center of
persuasion and decision what enters and occupy
the heart determines whether you will walk in
faith or become unstable Do you understand what
I said? What determines how you live your life
is what you allow to find expression from your
heart. So what enters and occupies the heart
determines whether a person walks in faith or
becomes unstable, living in unbelief. Today you
are there, tomorrow you are down. Tomorrow is
not consistency in your life. Because you are
allowing your heart, you are not allowing your
heart to be influenced by What God has allowed
your heart to be influenced with so that you
will be strong enough, you will be equipped enough
to be persuaded. Persuasion comes by knowledge.
It's not a miracle. It's by knowledge. We can't
lay hands on you to be persuaded. Unpersuadedness
is unbelief. It's a choice. Hallelujah. So, we
must... Know our responsibility. Satan is majorly
at war against your faith. So I close. Satan
is majorly at war against our faith. He majorly
attacks us through circumstances. Circumstances
are orchestrations from the kingdom of darkness.
I mean some evil circumstances will happen and
the devil wants to use that to speak. Louder
than what God is saying. Our experiences, what
we've passed through in life. You know, I've
had some people, they believe that God can never
use them. Even though they are believers. And
that's not true because they've had previous
experiences. So they think that the experiences
they have is stronger than what God is saying.
The word of God is too good to be true about
what the identity is. And if you are here, the
word of God for you is that God is interested
in your life, no matter what you've become in
the past. A man in Christ is precious on the
side of God, and he's a man or a woman that God
wants to use for his glory. So our experiences
in the past should not speak louder than what
God is saying concerning us. You should not speak
louder. Doctrines, teachings that come against
the faith. I just want you to pray for yourself.
That I'm able to guard my heart. Because we come
to realize that, see, this fight of faith is
not, it's not something that is done occasionally.
No, daily, as you wake up, You are confronted
by a devil that is working 24 hours. And his
goal is to ensure that you don't become what
God has made you. And let's just pray for yourself
that you are diligent, that you are contending
for the 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
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stay blessed.