Messages
The Force of Faith - Ps Craig Winnington
The Force of Faith - Pastor Craig Winnington
Jesus came that we might have “life and life more abundantly” [Jn10:10]. Remember that “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin & death” [Rom8:2]; yet so many within the body do not live according to what Jesus made available.
Our lives will operate out of 1 of 2 forces: - 1. FEAR or 2. FAITH. To walk according to faith & not fear, is Jesus’ desire for His church. The good news is that we can choose which path we will follow.
Fear comes because of uncertainty in our life & it will propel us towards failure &grip our heart causing us to become shut down. Fear is the product of reasoning when we don’t have an answer for a certain matter. BUT “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” [1Tim1:7] Choose FAITH as your life force – faith is “now” [Heb11:1], it comes out of a certainty, it is the “substance of things hoped for” which is an intense expectation that God’s promises to us are true & we believe this in our heart. Faith is living in what God has given us to live in now & seeing it fulfilled in the future. When the force of faith (victory) is stronger than the force of fear (failure) we will see victory come.
MEDICAL FACT: when fear dominates a life, the immune system function decreases by 50%. BUT medical research also shows that praying in tongues will boost the immune system by 35-40%!!
The woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5:25-34 brings out 3 principles of faith that we must learn to live by. This woman was unclean, depleted physically & financially, outcast from society & had a “grow worst” image on this inside, full of fear. Too many Christians these days have become disconnected from the church, with their life source drained out, weakened & anaemic. She; like many today looked externally for the answer, when she had to look internally. We will be changed from the inside out – God healing hearts by the blood of Jesus!
3 Principles of Faith
(1.) Faith’s Foundation [Rom10:17]– v27 but when SHE HEARD, faith& hope grew inside her. It is not things that we need, it is God & our heart linked to Him. Simply by seeking His face, we will get His provision. [Matt6:33]
(2.) Faith’s Boldness– v28 SHE CAME at first hiding in the crowd & then her faith caused her to push through the crowd in an intense expectation to reach Jesus. Note: the crowd “thronged” in Greek means ‘Choked’ – Jesus the living Word – Read Luke 8 – this life can choke the Word out of us. Remind ourselves of His benefits [Ps103]& praying in tongues [Jude20]to build our faith. Don’t hide in the crowd of anything negative that we secretly carry, bring it to Jesus & allow His deliverance.
(3.) Faith’s Objective – v27 SHE TOUCHED & received as she had believed – v.34 “your faith has made you well” Jesus said. Her hope &image had changed to a ‘I shall be made whole’ image, she changed her confession which motivated her to push through (despite the obstacles) to her answer & she was not disappointed.
Consider this: the world says seeing is believing; but God says believing is seeing. God wants His church to be His operators of faith that would be light (external working) & salt (internal working) of the world. A light in the darkness, showing the way to God & making the world thirsty for God: but fear will cause our light to become dim. Our lives are being read by men [2Cor3:2], so don’t struggle to produce more light, simply stay connected to the source of light – Jesus. He has the victory already won in whatever we need…cast it on Him for He cares for us [1Pet5:7]. Jesus desires to deliver us from struggles that we carry & set us free if we will bring them to Him whatever it is – sin, bitterness, resentment, anger or fear etc. Stay plugged into Him; The Vine, the source of strength & have the Spirit Life that He intended you to have.
SO don’t COME to church each week, BE the church, knitted together in love & faith, taking back ground victoriously…remembering “This is the word of the Lord to (Your name here):‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, 'Says the Lord of hosts.[Zech 4:6]
Much Love
Pastor Stuart & Colleen