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. We've been talking about the enemy
of our faith. The enemy of our faith. Wednesday
we we move ahead a bit and We saw that you know,
there is a fight for faith There is a fight for
faith and when we talk about an enemy we are
not referring to a human being even though yes
The enemy the devil who is the opposition who
is the enemy can walk through men But men are
not our enemies hallelujah Men are not our enemies.
The devil is our opposition. But he can walk
through men. He can walk through the words that
can come through men. He can walk through, you
know, circumstances in our lives. He can walk
through situations. There are diverse ways by
which the enemy can come to us. But there is
a fight for faith. And when we talk about the
fight for faith, we're not fighting to earn our,
or to have faith. We are not saying you should
fight so that you have faith because there could
be a challenge where we are doing something so
that faith will be in our heart. No. We are not
fighting to earn or to have faith. But because
we are men of faith, therefore we fight. We have
fight from the position of authority. We are
fighting from the position of victory. we already
have faith in our heart. So when we talk about
the fight of faith, we are simply saying that
we need to be on God to ensure that what we have
in our hearts, that what we have in us, that
God has created in us fine expression in our
lives daily. 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 12 will
give us, 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 12. Here Paul
was speaking to Timothy. It says fight the good
fight of faith Lay hold on eternal life to which
you were also called and have confessed the good
confession in the presence of many witnesses
Second Timothy chapter 4 verse 7 We see where
Paul himself as an example will tell us that
he himself has fought Second Timothy 4 verse
7 Yes, it says, I fought the fight, the good
fight, the good fight. I have finished the race
and I have kept the faith. Jude 1 verse 3 to
4. Jude 1 verse 3 to 4 says, Beloved, while I
was very diligent to write to you concerning
our common salvation, I found it necessary to
write to exalt you. exhorting you to content
earnestly content earnestly for the faith which
was for all delivered to the saints so we can
see evidentially in scriptures that we have been
called earnestly you know content for the faith
to fight for the faith that has been delivered
to us that has been delivered to us hallelujah
and of course as pastor was praying leading us
in prayer he says that the faith You know the
fight for faith cannot be done carnally because
what we are fighting is not a physical fight
We are fighting a spiritual fight in second corinthians
chapter 10 verse 3 talks about the nature of
the fight that we are not Though we walk in the
flesh We are not We are not fighting according
to the flesh the flesh here speaks about we been
in the human body though we are in the human
body, we don't fight according to the natural
way of fighting. Hallelujah. Then verse 4 goes
on to say, for the weapons of our warfare, what
we use in engaging, you know, this enemy are
not physical, they are not carnal, but they are
mighty, even though they are not physical, even
though they are spiritual, because sometimes
when something is invisible, we seem to assume
that it's not powerful. So these weapons, even
though they are not physical, they are not carnal,
They are what? They are mighty in God. So the
rest, the ability of these weapons working are
in Christ. But they are mighty in God for what?
For pulling down strongholds. Strongholds. Casting
down arguments. So this is how the enemy, you
know, contracts our faith. Arguments on every
high thing that exalt you save against the knowledge
of God, bringing every thought into captivity,
even to the obedience. of christ and then we
said also that the fight of faith is in our heart
first of all is originally in our hearts the
battlefield so to say is primarily in our heart
is in our heart and the bible in the course of
study we will see the scriptures presents the
heart as the core of a man obviously when you
got born again You got born again by receiving
the word of salvation the message was preached
to you And when you got born again, there was
nothing that happens to you physically Hallelujah
when they preach the gospel to you When you are
a bit, you know short We didn't see your size
increase because you are born again You didn't
suddenly increase in height Are we together?
Your skin color did not suddenly change because
you are now born again Your eye colors did not
suddenly change because you are born again But
then there's a transformation that happens in
you that men cannot see hallelujah There is a
spiritual transformation that happened. So that
heart Okay, what the Bible as scribes describes
as that inner man is what we call the heart And
that is where actually this contention for faith
happens that unseen part of you So the heart
is the core of man, not merely that physical
organ that pumps blood to our system. It is a
descriptive term that used to explain where our
motives are, the convictions that we have. We
have convictions in our heart, the intentions
are generated, intentions are established and
from where actions are taken. You know, we read
earlier on in... Now we should guard our heart
with all diligence, because the heart is where
actions originate from. The heart. So, and then
we also establish that both faith and doubt,
because faith and doubt operates in the heart.
Alright? Faith and doubt, of course, and subsequently
unbelief. operates from the heart. So if faith
operates in the heart, and we can also see doubt
in operation in the heart. Doubt can lead to
unbelief, and unbelief is sin. It's sin. Unbelief
is unrighteousness. Unbelief is disobedience.
But it starts from what? From doubt. Doubt on
its own, all right, is not sin, but when given
a place, it results to sin. Hallelujah. So we
see also that doubt operates in the heart, okay?
And sometimes when we hear you speaking, when
we hear your speech, we can sense doubt in your
speech also. And sometimes in your actions, we
can see doubt in your actions. So as much as
faith is operational in the heart, also doubt
and unbelief can operate in a similar place.
Hallelujah. So it is therefore necessary that
we study more and understand the operations of
doubt. How does doubt operate? How can we counter
doubt? How can we live daily in victory? Living
daily in victory is actually living daily above
the doubts that arises in our hearts. And I want
you to know, for the account of the faith you
have, doubt must come. We will see it later.
Hallelujah. For the fact that you are a man of
faith Automatically as we said earlier on you've
been enlisted into a life of war And that war
is the war of faith to ensure that what God has
done in your heart Finds expression and the devil
is not interested in you Expressing that which
God has done in your heart that which God has
done in you He's not interested In fact, the
devil is not necessarily threatened by you coming
to church. The devil is not threatened by you,
you know, being in teams and groups in church,
attend all the meetings, so long as you will
not apply what has been taught, so long as you
will not express what you've been taught, so
long as you will not have understanding. He blinds
the eyes of men that they may not understand
the truth. God because when you come to the light
of what God has done you come into the light
of what God is doing You will have expression
in your life. You begin to walk in the light
of what God has done So what the devil does is
that he counteracts the truth He he he brings
information that comes against the truth hallelujah
So as we said alien on faith comes by hearing
the word of God. All right in Romans of the 10
verse 17 will establish to us that you know we
confess with our heart Romans 10 verse 17 says
so then faith comes by hearing and hearing by
the word of god when we hear the word of god
we have faith hallelujah also doubt comes from
hearing another message the same way by which
faith comes in so also is the same way by which
doubt comes into the heart of a man Doubts come
also by hearing another message doubt has to
be communicated Hallelujah in fact as a believer
you have not been given the spirit of fear You've
not been given an ability to doubt You got the
spirit God has given to you is a spirit of sound
mind which means that the believer is naturally
a man of faith The believer is natural not a
man of doubt So it simply means that doubt must
be communicated Doubt must be communicated from
words and from a message from from from ideas
from thoughts hallelujah Doubt has to be communicated
Faith precedes doubt that is to say faith comes
in before doubt comes on later on Doubt comes
when the word of faith has been given or the
word of faith has been received Doubt comes into
your heart when the word of faith has been received
or the word of faith has been given then doubt
will come in order to counteract the faith that
has been given by the word of God As we establish
several times a doubt having a contrary opinion
to what the word of faith has said. Doubt is
what? A contrary opinion. Having a contrary opinion
to what has been said. To what the word of faith
has said or is saying at the moment. Hallelujah.
So to doubt is to have a contrary opinion. Okay?
So you cannot have a contrary opinion about something
that has not been said or done. Until something
has been said until something has been done there
cannot be a contrary opinion to read So contrary
opinion will come for the sake of what has been
said or for the sake of what has been done So
something must be said or done before we can
see You know we can see doubt So doubt cannot
stand alone All right doubt cannot exist alone
Just as darkness cannot stand alone All right
Darkness without light there will be no darkness
Hope you know that so for the fact that lie there
is light there is darkness so as much as doubt
cannot stand alone as Darkness cannot stand alone
without light There must be faith before doubt
can come or operate Hallelujah. So what we are
establishing is that doubting comes externally
Doubt comes external of the believer it comes
externally From the believer. Hallelujah. Now,
let's look at some examples from scriptures the
first You know instance where we see doubt in
operation is in Genesis chapter 3 Genesis chapter
3. Let's turn to Genesis chapter 3 And let's
read from verse 1 to verse 7. Then we will see
how doubt operates Now the serpent was more cunning
than any beast of the field which the Lord God
had made and he said to the woman Has God indeed
said you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
And the woman said to the serpent, we may eat
the fruit of the trees of the garden, but the
fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the
garden, God has said, you shall not eat, nor
shall you touch it, lest you die. Then the serpent
said to the woman, you will not surely die. For
God knows that in the day you eat of it your
eyes will be opened and you will be like God
knowing good and evil So when the woman saw that
the three was good for food and it was pleasant
to the eyes and a treat desirable to make one
wise She took of his fruit and ate. She also
gave to her husband with her and he ate verse
7 Then the eyes of both of men both of them were
opened and they knew That they were naked and
the syphilis together and made themselves coverings
hallelujah now, let's go back to verse 1 The
Bible says the serpent came the serpent is actually
a figurative expression of the opposition of
the enemy Satan The serpent here It's referring
to the devil or Satan. Revelation 12 verse 9.
Let's establish Revelation 12 verse 9. Revelation
12 verse 9. So what I'm trying to say is that
serpent is not literally a snake, but is a figurative
expression of Satan, of an opposition. So the
great dragon, verse 12 verse 9. Revelation 12
verse 9. So the great dragon was cast out Okay,
look at how Revelation explains it that serpent
of old Okay, the serpent of old the serpent of
old is a serpent in Genesis chapter 3 called
the devil and Satan Hallelujah. So the old serpent
is what is a devil and Satan Who deceives the
world, the whole world? So we see that what the
devil does or what the serpent does is deceit.
He deceives the whole world. He was cast to the
earth and his angels were cast out with him.
Hallelujah. Also 2 Corinthians 11 verse 3, trying
to establish that that serpent is figuratively
expressing Satan. But I fear lest somehow As
the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so
your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity
that is in Christ. So what we see in the serpent
or in Satan is the walk of deceit. Alright? And
deceit happens in the mind. Happens in the mind.
And the devil or the serpent or the snake has
not retired from his walk Amen and what he's
does today is the same work of deceit We see
where Jesus Christ was talking today to the Pharisees.
He called them brute of liars Evil right evil
men that when they speak they speak their language
The language of their father the devil who has
been a liar from the beginning who has been a
liar from Genesis 3 hallelujah, so This is actually
the one who deceives. So we will see from Genesis
3 verse 1 that the serpent came on the account
of what? What brought him? He came on the account
of the plan, on the account of the purpose, on
the account of the program of God for humanity.
God has an agenda for humanity. and the plan
and the purpose of God was communicated in words
of instructions given to Adam without the instructions
without the plan and the purpose of God without
the intentions of God the intentions of God were
communicated and are still communicated today
in words and he came and he said has God indeed
said verse 1 has God indeed said And sometimes
it comes to us like a harmless question, even
to us. Doubts sometimes come to us in forms of
what? Harmless questions. You know. Some of you
will come to us and you receive an instruction.
And you say, oh, I'm still praying about it.
It's not wrong to pray about something. But sometimes
you're not actually praying about it. You're
actually doubting. What has been said? Hallelujah.
So, it comes sometimes like a harmless question.
Has God indeed said? Has God indeed said? And
sometimes these harmless questions can come in
form of harmless jokes. Alright? Concerning what
God has said. In a form of harmless songs. Come
on, it's just entertainment. It's just a real
All right, it's just a harmless comedy Okay,
but what is the goal of that? What is the goal
of that? Let's look at verse 2 and verse 3 Genesis
verse 2 verse 1 verse 2 and verse 3 and the woman
said to the serpent in reply We may eat the fruit
of the trees of the garden But of the fruit of
the tree which is in the in the midst of the
garden God has said you shall not eat no shall
you touch it lest you die So we can see clearly
the woman engaging the devil But in her engagement
of the devil She has knowledge Hallelujah Does
she has knowledge? She has knowledge about what
God has said She has the knowledge of what God
has said So what is telling us right now is that
for the sake that you have knowledge, right?
Knowledge does not immune you from what? from
the strategies, from the schemes, from the plan
of the enemy. For the fact that you have knowledge,
the devil will come for the knowledge you have.
Hallelujah. So, she knows what God says. And
what way did God say it? He said it in chapter
2 verse 15 to 17. Give me Genesis 2 verse 15
to 17. Then the Lord God took the man and put
him in the garden of Eden to tent and keep it
And the Lord God commanded the man saying of
every tree of the garden you may freely eat But
of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
you shall not eat for in the day that you eat
of it You shall surely die. This was the word
of God. Hallelujah She is not ignorant of what
of what God have said. All right She's not ignorant
of the Word of God. So as I said, the knowledge
of God's Word, knowing the Word of God, having
the head knowledge, having been able to memorize,
sometimes we memorize scriptures, even teaching
it, all right, does not immunize us against the
assaults of the enemy. But what preserves us
is actually Applying the word, allowing the word
to be true in our lives, in our conducts. Applying
the word will make you victorious against the
enemy of your faith. So some of you will say,
I know. I know. You know, but we can't see it
happening. I know what the word of God has said
about my life. I know the instruction of God
concerning my life. It's not about you knowing,
but it's about what you know. What you know,
what you know. seen actively in your life. Hallelujah.
Verse four and verse five, Genesis four and verse
five. We will see how the enemy comes in and
sowing a seed, sowing the seed of doubt. But
he did not, no, Genesis three, verse four and
five. Look at what the enemy did. Then the serpent
said to her After knowing what that the woman
knows what God have said. All right Testing to
know what she knows. Then the serpent said to
the woman you will not surely die You will not
surely die For God knows that in the day that
you eat of it Your eyes will be open and you
will be like God knowing good and evil So what
is the Satan saying? He's saying that what the
God is lying God said the day you eat of it,
you will surely die, but the devil is saying
what you will not surely die So he's either God
is lying or Satan is lying but we know that God
is true. Hallelujah. The word of God is true
And that is how Satan comes to us subtly measuring
what we know Okay, measuring what we know on
how our understanding and then he brings in a
countering opinion concerning what we've been
taught concerning what we've learned concerning
the things we've even practiced because up until
now Adam and Eve were in the garden and they've
not touched the fruits of evil and what of the
knowledge of good and evil hallelujah so god
said something the devil also said something
so we see that both doubt and faith is communicated
by words and what satan said is not something
new but something opposing what god said okay
what satan said here is not something new but
actually in line with what god has already said
counteracting it opposing it he went further
to misrepresent the plan and the purpose of god
for humanity what is god's plan and purpose for
humanity God's plan and purpose from the beginning
in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 is that humanity is
to be in God's image and to have dominion. God
in his plan and purpose is that humanity will
be in God's image and have dominion on the earth.
And that was communicated in Genesis chapter
2 verse 26. Let's look at what God said in Genesis
chapter 2 verse 26 also. Genesis chapter 2 verse
26 Genesis 226 Genesis chapter 2 Yes, I read
Did I Okay, so that's Genesis 2. Okay, Genesis
1, sorry. Sorry. Genesis 1, 26. Then God said
after, you know, his plans, then God said, let
us make man in our image according to our likeness.
And if you've been in church here for a while,
you know that we've taught that that image there
is what? What is the image? God's plan is a man
will be created to represent God. that image
is talking about representation all right so
god said let us make man in our image according
to our likeness let them have what dominion okay
over the birds dominion over the fish of the
sea over the birds of the air over the cattle
over all the earth over every creeping thing
that creeps on the earth so god created man in
his own image In the image of God he created
him male and female he created him. So man and
woman are what? Are the image of God. Alright?
Then God blessed them and God said to them be
fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and subdue
it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea. Over
the birds of the air and over every living thing
that moves on the earth. And God said See I've
given you every herb that yields seed which is
on the face of all the earth and every tree whose
food yields seed to you it shall be for food
also to every beast of the earth to every breath
of the air to everything that creeps on the earth
in which there is life I have given every green
herb for food and it was so then God saw everything
that he made and indeed it was what it was very
good It was very good. It was perfect so every
evening and the morning and The morning with
the sixth day hallelujah, but we see the devil
coming toward to counter the plan and the purpose
of God Because he knows that if Man will go against
what God have said man will what will not walk
in the plan and the purpose of God for his life
That is why Satan is interested in what you have
in your heart So long as he will bring doubt
So long as you bring a counter opinion so long
as He will counter the knowledge you have about
you About what God has done in Christ for you
about what you should be doing in Christ. You
will not function You will not be able to express
the life that God has created you for So long
as you be chasing other things You'll be chasing
money You'll be chasing fame. You'll be chasing
all sort of things that are not what God has
created you for He's satisfied in fact, he can
even give you money You know, they will prosper
people. You don't know He prospers his own The
devil can even make you what he can make you?
popular if it's popularity you're looking for
So long as you will not be that image of God
has created you to be So long as you will not
be representing God on earth Hallelujah So it
is important. We understand the enemy the enemy
of our faith Does not want us to walk in God's
plan and his purpose for our lives At this moment
the devil has planted his seed of doubt true
words he spoke to leave right It is not true
This is the woman said this is what God said
But he said this thing that God said is not true.
So what is he bringing? He's bringing an opinion
that is contrary to God's opinion. To God's opinion.
Alright? God expressed his plan through words
to man. And then we see the attack of the enemy
attacking the understanding. You know, understanding
of man. And that is what he does even to the
believer. blinding our minds from coming into
the light, the full light of what God has done.
What the devil does, his strategy is to ensure
that he blinds you from what? From having an
understanding, from having a full grasp of what
God has done. So long as you will not understand,
so long as the knowledge, your mind is not communicated
what has been done in the spirit, you will not
walk in it. John 12 verse 40 we will see where
you know talking about the devil give me John
12 verse 40 yes 40 40 John 12 verse 40 says he
has blinded their eyes and what what did he do
he hardened their hearts so who hardens their
heart the devil He has blinded their eyes and
hardened their hearts, lest they should see with
their eyes, lest they should all understand what.
Where does understanding come from? It comes
from the heart. Lest they understand with their
heart and turn so that they might be healed.
Second Corinthians chapter four verse three.
Of course we read. Arguments, okay? Opinions,
alright? Even if our gospel is veiled. The gospel
has to do with what God has done the gospel has
to do with the plan and the purpose of God But
even if that plan and a purpose of God for humanity
is veiled. It is veiled to those who are perishing.
Why? verse 4 whose mind whose heart whose mind
the God of this age the God of this world Has
blinded who do not believe so because he blinded
their minds. Okay They could not believe the
words of God or the plans of God communicated
in words. He has blinded Right who do not believe
lest the light of what the gospel of the glory
of Christ Who is the representation of God who
is the image of God should shine in their hearts?
To shine in their hearts for we do not preach
ourselves But Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves
your born servants for Jesus Christ sake the
message and of course we'll see where Paul will
be praying for the efficient trust in Ephesians
chapter 1 verse 15 often times that the eyes
of their understanding be what be open okay why
will he pray for their eyes of understanding
say therefore also after I've heard of your faith
because they have faith their eyes of their understanding
must be open of your faith in the Lord Jesus
and your love for all the sins okay Verse 16
do not cease to give thanks for you making mention
of you in my prayers What is he praying for them
that the god of our lord jesus christ the father
of glory May give you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation the same spirit is of the same spirit
of wisdom The same spirit of revelation in the
knowledge of him in the knowledge of him that
what? That the eyes of your minds the eyes of
your heart the eyes of your understanding might
be enlightened that you may know What is the
hope of his calling the calling has to do with
the purpose of God for you the hope of his calling
That are what are the riches of the glory of
his inheritance in the sense all talking about
the work of God And what is the exceeding greatness
of his power to us all who believe according
to the walking of his power Which which he walked
in Christ when he raised him from the dead and
seated him at his right hand in the heavenly
hallelujah So we see here consistently that what?
That the enemy wants to blind our eyes from the
reality of what God has done. He comes with opinions
and the essence of that opinion is that we will
subscribe to the opinions of Satan as against
what God has done, as against what God is doing.
Therefore we choose what the devil is saying
that is unbelief and we are doing unrighteousness.
Hallelujah. So let's look at verse 6. Genesis
chapter 3 verse 6. Let's see the reaction of
what the enemy says. Look at what he did. The
first part of verse 6. So when the woman saw
that a tree was good for food, okay? That it
was pleasant to the eyes and a tree desirable
to make one wise. At this point, she is what?
She is judging. Okay? At this point, she is operating
in doubt. She's beginning to look at what God
said and what the devil said. And she's beginning
to examine what the devil said. This tree is
actually good for food. This tree is actually
pleasant in the eyes. This tree is actually desirable
to make one wise. And she is judging and distinguishing
between what God has said and the new information
the devil has presented. And then we will see
doubt fully in operation in our hearts. She took
off its foot and what? And ate. She only gave
it gifts to her husband with her and he ate.
She has concluded and believed the words of Satan.
All right? Her unbelief is demonstrated in her
eating. All right? She believed the Word of Satan
against what God have said. She acted on her
own will, right? Because when you're judging
you're using your will to judge. So it's not
something that happens. Listen, whenever you
go against God's Word. Whenever you go against
God's Word, okay? It's not a mistake. It's a
calculated plan. You calculated. You thought
about it. You planned how you would do it. And
you executed it. So there's always a timeline.
People don't fall into sin by accident. People
slide into sin, gradually, gradually, gradually,
and they are in sin. And let me tell you, some
things are planted in your heart that will live
for 10 years, 15 years before they manifest.
Some opinions, some conversations, some thoughts.
Some things you see, some things you hear remain
in you. If the Word of God is not given the place,
it will remain in you in one corner. At the right
time, at the appointed time, it will show forth.
And you will wonder, how did it happen? How did
these thoughts, how did these evil thoughts come
out of me? How did I, I didn't even know what
was over me. Something was over you. We know
what is over you. Hallelujah. So she thought
about it. She considered the conversation. She
gives a reasonable time thinking Looking at how
it will be fruitful for her And she operated
her will right she used her will Against what
God have said and we see her in unbelief in disobedience
in sin The devil comes with opinions The devil
comes with thoughts. The devil comes with contrary,
you know, opinions against what God has said.
And then we ponder over it and we see the execution
of what? Of disobedience. Doubt operates in the
heart. And we have an obligation to fight doubt
on a daily basis. Doubt is communicated through
experiences. Sometimes you had bad experiences
in your life. and it becomes it becomes the driving
force of your life all your decisions are made
out of bad experience as against what God have
said you hold on to what has been communicated
to you by bad experiences you hold on to an opinion
that is not the opinion of God that the devil
have used situations circumstances to communicate
to you and this becomes your truth you know in
this generation people used to say Just allow
let him say his truth There's only one truth.
There's no variation of truth It's either what
you're saying is a lie or is a truth there are
no shades of truth and Truth is founded in what
God have said concerning humanity concerning
us concerning the believer concerning what humanity
should be because he created us and He created
us for a purpose and for a reason And of course
in verse 7 we will see the consequence of that
action. Hallelujah. Let's look at another example.
Mark chapter 9. Mark chapter 9. Hope I will be
able to do this. Mark chapter 9 from verse 14.
And when he came to the disciples, he saw a great
multitude around them and scribes disputing with
them. Immediately when they saw him, all the
people were greatly amazed and running to him,
greeted him. And he asked the scribes, what are
you discussing with them? The scribes were having
issues. There was a conflict with the disciples.
Something has happened. We'll see what happened.
Then one of the crowd answered and said, teacher,
I brought you my son. Who has a mute spirit and
whenever wherever it seizes him it throws him
down He forms at the mouth, gnashes his teeth
and becomes rigid. So I spoke to your disciples
thinking you know that they have solution Since
they've been with you We've even saw with him.
I even had that they casted demons sometimes
back So I brought them to you and I didn't see
you and I saw them and I decided to say since
your master is not here Please do that thing
that you've been doing I spoke to your disciples
that they should cast it out, but they couldn't.
They couldn't cast out the devil. He answered
him and said, oh faithless generation, how shall
I be with you? How long shall I be with you?
Bring him to me. Then they brought him to him.
And when he saw him, immediately the spirit convoked
him and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming
at the mouth. So he asked his father, how long
has this been happening to him? And he said,
from childhood. From childhood. And hopefully
he has thrown him both into the fire and into
water to destroy him. But if you can do anything,
have compassion on us and help us, Jesus said
to him, if you can believe. All things are possible
to him who what who believes Immediately, okay
the next verse verse 25 When Jesus saw that the
people were running together He rebuked the unclean
spirit saying to it deaf and dumb spirit I command
you come out of him and enter into him no more
Then the spirit cried out convokes him greatly
and came after him and he became as one death
as one death so that many said he is dead but
Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up
and he arose and when he had come into the house
his disciples asked him privately they came in
shamelessly privately why could we not cast it
out okay why could we not cast it out so he said
to them this kind can come out by nothing but
by prayer and fasting hallelujah so what is that
kind that can come out only by prayer and by
fasting is that this variation of demonic spirits
has a special you know special effects special
strength that you can only come when you pray
and fast Is it that the disciples do not pray
and fast? That was why they wouldn't cast out
the devil. Hallelujah. Now let's go back to verse
14. Jesus had returned and then he found confession
among the crowds and the scribes and the disciples.
Let's see what the father did. The father came
and then he narrated the story. He explains that
his son, you know, of course we saw what has
been happening with him. Why couldn't they cast
out the demons? I want you to understand that
this is not their first encounter with demons,
okay? In Mark chapter 6 verse 7, the disciples
has previously been given authority over unclean
spirits. Mark chapter 6 verse 7, let's see previous
chapters to this. Mark chapter 6 verse 7, and
he called the 12 to him and began to send them
out two by two. And what did he do? He gave the
12th, he gave them, including Judas, he gave
them power over unclean spirits, all right? He
commanded them to take nothing for the journey,
except a staff, no bag, no bread, no copper in
their money belts, but to wear sandals and not
to put out on two tonics. And he also said to
them, in whatever place you enter a house, whatever
place you enter a house, stay there till you
depart from that place. And whatever will not,
whoever will not receive you, nor hear you when
you depart from there, take off the dust under
your feet as a testimony against them, I shall
say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom
and Gomorrah in the days of judgment than for
that city. So they went out and preached that
people should what? That people should repent.
That people should repent. And what did they
do? Look at what they did, the 12th. They cast
out many demons and anointed with oil as many
who were sick. And what happened? And they healed
them. Hallelujah. So what might have happened
to them? Okay. That they could not be able to
cast out this special demon. Could it be that
they have not seen this type of demon before?
Amen. certainly they must have subscribed to
other information all right certainly they might
have listened to another opinion certainly from
the past experience of this experience they might
have been a counter opinion over what they are
and what they can do probably they've gone through
Facebook if there was Facebook in that time and
they've seen somebody Trying to perform some
things and then they went to the comments. So
all these fake pastors And then that comments
have entered their hearts and they begin to doubt
ah, let me know do you so that they will say
I'm a fake All right, and there's doubt probably
if they watch a reel On Instagram That speaks
negatively about the miraculous and just saying
probably all right Anything may have come. A
contrary opinion can come from anywhere. We can
see that victories of yesterday, alright? The
spiritual victories of yesterday do not replace
the need to walk in faith today. That is the
first thing I want you to understand. Your experience
of yesterday, your victories of yesterday do
not mean that you should not walk in faith today.
Faith must be active now and always Sometimes
we may have strong, you know, we may express
faith in some areas of our lives But surrender
to doubts in other areas it's possible oh When
it comes to believing God for provision because
you've believed God before and you've seen God
done it you believe that God can provide then
suddenly Symptom of sickness comes then you begin
to doubt the God's power to heal it's possible
and What God desire is a consistency consists
consistently your life today tomorrow and forever
that you walk always expressing faith Look at
Jesus's answer in verse 19. He answered it and
said all foolish generation Mark 6 19 all foolish
generation Mark 9 sorry Mark 9 Mark 9 19 After
the situation as we explained to Jesus he said
all foolish generations all faithless generations
So the reason is what is faith is a faith problem
Okay, the reason for the inability to cast out
the devil's is what is a faith issue How long
shall I be with you? How long shall I teach you?
How long shall I be exposing you to truth? How
long shall I keep telling you that I've given
you authority and power to cast out devils? How
long shall I bear with you? Jesus addresses generation
and exposes the atmosphere around the situation.
Doubt. that has resulted in unbelief, have seen
the disciples unable to cast out the devil. Jesus
did not highlight the strength of the demon.
He didn't say, oh, this demon, ah, ah, ah, ah,
ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah,
ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah you have to fast so no
he didn't amplify what the strength of the demon
is not about how strong the demon is okay but
the issue is what is the issue of faith the issue
is the issue of faith unbelief exists in the
disciples all right verse 20 and verse 2 we'll
see you know how the father speaks of the experience
of his son And then he went on to say if he can
do anything His words reveal disappointments
and uncertainty from what has been a repeated
suffering. All right His doubt he's you know,
he's He's in doubt himself Because listen the
man the father of the son have expressed a certain
level of faith, even though he wouldn't you know
have brought The son to Jesus Christ to heal
he believed that Jesus can what can heal that
is why he brought his son But unseen that the
disciples could not perform. What do you think
has happened to his fate? Listen God want to
display the knowledge of his will God want to
display his glory on earth Because of time and
the only way that God can do it is through you
and it's through me We hold the solution to the
problems of our generation We hold the answers
to the questions that our generation is asking
and most at times the questions of our generations
are the questions of identity the questions of
purpose The questions of why am I here? The question
is what am I supposed to do here? And the question
is is wrapped up in the message of the gospel.
And you and I are committed with that. Not only
that we are committed with it, but we are committed
with the power to deliver men from the shackles
of the kingdom of darkness. And if the word of
God have said it I believe we can do it. Hallelujah
When Jesus was talking about this can go Only
but by what by prayer and some translation will
say I'm fasting it's talking about their unbelief
This kind of unbelief you have to do seven days
of fasting and prayer So that you will be aligned
with God to the point that you believe the word
of God again Maybe that is your Your testimony
this morning. Are you doubting? Are you beginning
to doubt the Word of God? Oh Sometimes they go
I used to believe I was afraid I know there was
a time I lay hand on the sick and there was healing
Now I don't even believe this healing is it really
true? You need fasting and prayer Hmm time of
communion with God in the world You need teaching
of God's Word. In fact, you need dry fast Put
away the reel you've been watching. Put away
the Facebook that you've been engaging. Put away
the distraction and bring into us things that
distract us. That comment gets contrary opinion,
the devices that when we are not watchful, they
can speak things that are contrary to our faith.
And we hold on to those opinions and we work
in these opinions. Maybe it's time for you to
have a retreat. Or sometimes when I've discovered
that I'm weak in faith, I know that it is an
opportunity for me to spend time with God. I
know that it's an opportunity for me to go to
a brother in Christ to encourage me. I know that
it's an opportunity for me to spend time with
God in the place of prayer and communion until
I believe again. Your man says, I have faith.
Help my unbelief. Is there somebody here that
once God is saying deeply in your heart, Lord,
I believe, but help my unbelief. I'm doubting.
And the only way you can be strengthened, see,
the solution for a weak faith is faith. If your
faith is weak, the solution is faith. And faith
comes only by the hearing of the word of God.
And the way by which you be strengthened is by
the word, is by fellowship with God. is by fellowship
and communion with other saints that the word
of God will become alive to you dispelling the
arguments dispelling the doubts dispelling every
contrary opinion until you find yourself in the
place of conviction until you find yourself in
the place of persuasion oh there are some things
that you you the devil cannot tempt you about
some things because he knows that you are persuaded
hallelujah He knows that you are persuaded. No
matter what you tell me, you cannot convince
me that Arsenal is not the best club in the world.
You know why? I am persuaded. Even if the results
are not saying what it is, I believe. That is
the way we should come to God's Word. Hallelujah.
That we are so persuaded. Alright? That we are
convinced in our heart. Even if we see a result
saying something contrary to what we are seeing,
say I believe what the word of God said. I can
heal the sick. I lay my hands on the sick and
they are healed. Oh, I'm trusting God for supply.
I believe God's supply for my life. The word
of God says it. I believe it. I meditate on it
until life comes inside of me. When you come
to ministry, ministry is a walk of faith. If
it's not by faith, some of us will have packed
out and leave this country. I'm telling you the
truth. The thing is fun to be in this country
for 15 years. Some of us have been here when
kebab was three tiered. Three tiered, you eat
kebab. Good one, not fake. Correct kebab. dollar
was how much 1 .2 1 .5 TL to a dollar we saw
it oh when we see you celebrating the the downfall
of dollar we wept we weep because the glory we
saw before is better than what you are seeing
now but it takes faith to remain committed Even
when we don't know how to do it, even when sometimes
we'll go back and we begin to look at some of
the things we've been teaching, ask your pastors.
We laugh at what we used to teach you before.
We never give up. We hold on to what we believe
and we're convinced, even when we don't understand.
Until we rise up to the place of conviction,
until we reach a place of persuasion. It was
persuasion that brought Abraham to a place that
we call him a man of faith today. Against all
odds his body was saying I am old I'm weak his
wife was at a position that she cannot give birth
But he hold on to the word of God the Bible says
he never stagger at a promise But he believed
that he who promise is able to bring it to manifestation
and we see the reality the evidence of What he
hold on to in Christ Jesus and that is what God
is bringing to you this morning Against the contrary
opinion as against all that the devil is saying
as against every single contradiction that you
will face every single day the moment you put
your you wake up from your bed and you put your
leg on the ground the devil has already arranged
contradictions and you're walking into contradictions
daily in your life in your place of work contradiction
in your place of education contradiction even
in in class you are teaching you want to live
in love you want to express love as a lecturer
but the students are attempting are bringing
contrary opinion against the love that is in
your heart even if you are in business customers
will look at you customers are always right they
bring contrary opinion as against the work of
love but what God expects from you is that the
spirit of God inspires you to live above the
contradiction that you face in your life daily
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
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you care about. Until next time, stay blessed.