The Holy Spirit

Faith (Cont.)

Study 11

Last week we looked at faith, and when you except Jesus you do it out of faith.

We also saw that faith would bring others to Jesus or increase their knowledge or understanding of Jesus.
In I Cor, 12:9 we determined faith was more then just the believing in Jesus Christ, it's used to increase people's faith or understanding of Jesus.
We also looked at an example of faith used by Joseph, and by his faith in God, he was able to withstand the wrong done to him by his brothers, causing him to be sold as a slave then thrown in jail for something he didn't do. The outcome of all of this was to fulfill God's purpose for him.
We also saw that we can be as Joseph waiting for God's promise to us, by waiting on His timing and way to do things, not our own.

This week let's look at a couple more examples of the gift of faith and apply them to being used in the church.

First off you will notice in:

I Cor. 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

That the gift of faith and healing are in the same sentence, almost in Paul's same breath as he spoke (or wrote).
This is not by coincidence or mistake, faith and healing do go hand in hand.

Matt 9:27-30 27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" 28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you." 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, "See that no one knows

it."

Here we see 2 blind men came to Jesus wanting Jesus to heal them. Notice in verse 28 Jesus asks, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" and they answered, "Yes, Lord."

You see Jesus had faith that they would be healed, but He wanted them to believe in Him.

Let's look at another example

Mark 2:4-5 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."

Here we see men bringing in a paralytic (paralyzed man) to Jesus to be healed, we also see that they had to tear a hole in the roof to get him to Jesus.
Jesus saw their faith, not the faith of the paralytic. (Verse 5)
Here is an example of the church ministering to another person. The man couldn't get to Jesus on his own, and I'm sure they cared very much for this man to do this for him, even willing to tear a hole in someone's roof to help him.
In the church there are always people in need, we should go out of our way to bring them to Jesus for what they need.
Sometimes they can't come on their own, so we as brothers and sisters should minister to them, and as we do, Jesus will be glorified. Let's look at the end of this story to see just that happen.

Mark 2:11-12 11 "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

Notice they "glorified God" . So will people as we minister to them as Jesus told us to do.

Turn to:

Mark 5:35-43 35 While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe." 37 And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38 Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. 39 When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping." 40 And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. 41 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." 42 Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. 43 But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

Notice in here Jesus say's, "Do not be afraid; only believe."
Faith is not fear.
Faith knows God will come through just as He promised.
Also notice in verse 40 it says that they laughed at Jesus. Was this one of Satan's ploys to try to stop Jesus?
Has anyone ever laughed at you because of your faith in Jesus?
Remember Jesus' words, "Do not be afraid; only believe."
Sometimes we may be in church and sense the Lord telling us to go to someone to minister to him or her. You may not even know why.
And as we see Satan trying to stop Jesus by others laughing at Him, he will try to stop you to. Maybe he'll say, "Don't do it, it's only your imagination" or "you can't do anything" . Don't be persuaded by Satan.
Do what the Lord is calling you to do, by FAITH.
Do you know anyone that said, "The Lord told me to do this and I made a fool of myself."
No, if the Lord tells you to do something HE will be glorified.

Do you have to be right there with a person to minister to them?
Do you have to lay hands on someone, or speak to him or her face to face?
Do you have to been seen to give to someone in need?

Turn to:

John 4:46-53 46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe." 49 The nobleman said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies!" 50 Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, "Your son lives!" 52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." And he himself believed, and his whole household.

Here we see Jesus has healed someone without even going to him or her. Was God glorified? I would say an absolute "YES"!
We can do the same. We can pray for others.
It would be very good to be on a prayer chain at your church if you're not already; or pray for others daily on the prayer page.
You will be giving in secret, and the Father will reward you openly.

Turn to:

John 9 1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." 6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. 8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?" 9 Some said, "This is he." Others said, "He is like him." He said, "I am he." 10 Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?" 11 He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed, and I received sight." 12 Then they said to him, "Where is He?" He said, "I do not know." 13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see." 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them. 17 They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet." 18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" 20 His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 "but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself." 22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." 24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner." 25 He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see." 26 Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?" 27 He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?" 28 Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. 29 "We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from." 30 The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 "Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 "Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 "If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing." 34 They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?" And they cast him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" 36 He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?" 37 And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you." 38 Then he said, "Lord, I believe!" And he worshiped Him. 39 And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind." 40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?" 41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains.

This is my favorite story in the bible. Jesus heals a man born blind.
The man is questioned over and over about it, and finally he asks, "Do you also want to become His disciples?"
Even though this man could not see, he knew without a doubt that he was healed, and he had faith in a man named Jesus (see verse 11). A man he never saw.
Do people question you over and over because of your faith in Jesus? Ask them, "Do you want to believe also?"

James 2:14-18 (NLT) 14 Dear brothers and sisters, what's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can't save anyone. 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, 16 and you say, "Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well"--but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, it isn't enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn't show itself by good deeds is no faith at all--it is dead and useless. 18 Now someone may argue, "Some people have faith; others have good deeds." I say, "I can't see your faith if you don't have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds."

If you have the gift of faith you will do things to show your faith.
Remember it says not only to believe in Jesus, but also to confess with your mouth

Romans 10:9-13 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

Confession is proclaiming your faith in Jesus. Don't be afraid, even Jesus who knew exactly what He was about to go through, knew by faith that he would be risen from the dead.
Sometimes we are going through tough times, but Jesus will be our great reward in the end.
Sure it may be hard right now. But remember to keep your faith in God; He will never let you down. He may not answer in the way you want Him to, but He will always be right there with you!
Is your faith not what it should be right now? Pray, "Lord increase my faith" as the apostles did in:

Luke 17:5 And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."

Yes even the apostles needed their faith increased, and they walked with Jesus for 3 years.

Now as the Lord increases our faith, let's use that faith to minister to the church!

My desire is to say this about all of you who do this study.

Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

Your homework is to read Hebrews Chapter 11 the faith chapter, then go out and start using the faith that God has given you to minister to others.
You may not feel full of faith right now.

Heb 11:1a Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,

Or even see it right now

Heb 11:1b the evidence of things not seen.

Let God do it, just be His vessel.

Maybe your not His vessel yet.
Have you gone through the study this week knowing that the Lord is speaking to your heart?
Calling you by name saying, "Believe in me by faith" .
Now is the time for salvation. Don't turn away from the Lord any longer.
Just pray this simple prayer in faith and you WILL be saved.

Pray,
Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I ask you to forgive me for my sins. By faith I believe that you have forgiven me, and even though I can't see you, I believe also that you are the Son of God who died for me.
I thank you for forgiving me, now fill me with your Holy Spirit and may I go tell others about what you did for them, and me.
I ask this in Jesus name, AMEN!

If you just prayed this prayer you are now a Christian. Welcome to the family of God.
E-mail me so that I may rejoice with you.

Next weeks study will be on the gift of Healing.

God bless you all, thank you for your prayers, and remember to go to the Prayer Page to pray for others.

There are also praise reports that you need to thank the Lord for in the Prayer Page!

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Who is the
Holy Spirit?

What the
Holy Spirit does
in our lives.

What the
Holy Spirit
does in
our lives
(part II)

Prayer

Prayer
(part II)

Intro to
the gifts of
the
Holy Spirit.

Intro to
the gifts
of the
Holy Spirit
(part II)

Intro to
the gifts
of the
Holy Spirit
(part III)

Intro to
the gifts
of the
Holy Spirit
(part IV)

Word of
Wisdom
& Word of
Knowledge.

Faith