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What to Do When Your Faith Isn't
Working
Listen Online to MP3!
 Faith
or Fiction: Part 1 [Mp3: 48.4 mg]
Faith
or Fiction: Part 1 [Mp3 Format - 66.9 mg]
Scripture Study:
"Examine, test and evaluate yourselves to see whether or not you are in the Faith - And, that you are showing the proper fruits of it! Test and prove yourselves..." [2 Cor 13:5 Amp.]
• Why Doesn't My Faith Work?
• How Come God Hasn't Healed Me?
• How Come I am not Healed?
• Why Doesn't God Heal Me?
• Why isn't God Supplying My Needs?
• How Come My Needs aren't Met?
• How Come I'm Not Prospering?
• Why Doesn't God Answer Me or My Prayers?
These are the questions that so many Christians are asking? And, the answer is found in
the Word of God.
A Simple Test:
The quickest way to find out whether or not we are in the faith - is to see if we are
showing the results that the Word of God promises us when we
are in faith.
If we are not seeing the results (proper fruits) - then it must only be one of two reasons because Gods Word never fails!
• We are not acting in accordance with what scriptures say
• What we believe is incorrect
Lack of Corresponding Actions:
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." [Jms:1:22]
"Don't you understand that faith without works is useless and produces no results?" [Jms:2:20 & 26]
"Whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty (the Word of God) , and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." [Jms:1:25]
Very often the problem lies in the fact that although what we believe about the Word of God is correct - we fail to put what we believe (our faith) into
action by actually doing what the Word of God says to do - and it is because we fail to
act as we should that our faith produces no results!
Incorrect Information:
"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, and waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:... So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." [Isa:55:10-11]
God has promised that HIS Word will never fail - and that it WILL produce the results that He said it would.
Unfortunately - for most Christians, it is because of what they
believe that they are not seeing the results. Instead of believing what the Word of God
says - they have instead embraced religious, denominational and traditional teachings about various subjects (healing - prosperity - baptism of the Holy Ghost - etc) - and this is why they are not seeing the results promised.
We must understand that God is not obligated to act in accordance with anything other than what He has
said in His Word - And if what we believe is
not correct - (something other than what He said) then we will never see any results no matter how desperate we may be.
Nullifying God's Power:
Can we (as men) really nullify the power of God to
work in our lives? According to the Scriptures we can!
Notice the results of embracing religious teaching instead of God's Word.
"....laying aside the commandment of God, you (instead) hold the tradition of men.... : And, you reject the commandment of God (His Word) , and instead keep your own tradition.... "You make the word of God of
no effect through your tradition(s)..." [Matthew Chapter 15 • Mk:7:13]
What happened here is that those folks who thought that they were religiously following the Word of God were instead embracing
men's ideas instead of God's
Word - and in doing so they removed any power that could have produced the results they needed.
• Power to heal
• Power to Prosper
• Power to Deliver
• Power to Protect
• Etc.
Faith or Fiction
"Examine, test and evaluate yourselves to see whether or not you are in the Faith - And - that you are showing the proper fruits of it!
Test and prove yourselves..." [2 Cor 13:5 Amp.]
We are told to examine - test - and to make an evaluation of whether or not we are
seeing the results that God's Word promises when we are in faith (believing correctly - and acting in accordance with His Word)
We are told in this scripture that it is possible for us to test what we believe and to
prove if what we believe is correct by seeing if it WORKS!
If it doesn't - then we need to change what we think and believe and make sure that any changes that we do make come into agreement with the
Word of God.
"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (His Word) and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of
Christ" [2Cor:10:5]
Faith or Folly:
How foolish is it for us to continue to believe and do the
same thing - even when we have not had the "proper fruits" or results promised by the Lord in His Word ?
If we have not had success with what we have done in the past - or the way we have done it,
then why would we think that we will have different results this time.
"As a dog returns to his vomit, so (does) a fool return to his folly." [Prov:26:11]
Yet, despite the foolishness of such actions, I have seen so many dear brothers and sisters continue to embrace some spiritual
sounding doctrine that has never produced the results they desperately need - even when the Scriptural
Truth is told to them.
These individuals fall into the category that Jesus was referring to when He said that they
reject the Word of God and instead hold on to their
religious tradition.
Speaking of the Israelites - Paul the Apostle said of them:
"For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but
not according to knowledge." [Rom:10:2]
The problem that Israel had was not that they didn't love God - or want to serve Him or have His Word.
The problem was that - even though they had they word of God (Like so many of today's Christians) - they refused to accept it for what it
said - and to follow the instructions as they were
written! (They decided to add their own interpretation and to do things the way they thought they should be done)
And they had the same results that most of today's Christians have: Nothing!
• No Healing
• No Power
• No Prosperity
• They are still living paycheck-to-paycheck
• No Deliverance
• No Protection
• Etc...
Just Like the Pharisees:
Like the old Israelites - It is not because most
Christians don't love God - or want to serve Him.
It is simply because they have been taught some religious, denominational or traditional teaching that has made the Word of God of
no effect and robbed them of the God-Given inheritance that comes with Salvation thru the Lord Jesus Christ.
"But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation..." [Heb:6:9]
Praise God - there are things that accompany Salvation!
Most Christians are not even aware that there
are other things that accompany salvation in
addition to eternal life! And, we will never - ever- see these things manifested in our life unless - and until we
realize and understand that if we are not seeing these things - then it MUST be because
we - (Not God) - are at fault.
Therefore - no matter what our need may be - it is important to understand - and believe - that Jesus
paid for it - and it belongs to us!
Yet, in order for us to see it manifested we must first go to God's Word and LEARN the TRUTH - and then second -
apply what we learn with corresponding actions.
3] Through Others as They Are Moved By the Holy Spirit:
"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." [2Pt:1:21]
These things are included in the Scriptures for an example to us of how God Does things.
"Now all these things happened to them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." [1Cor:10:11]
Notice that when someone prophesied - it was not by 'will of men' - but rather by inspiration of the Holy Ghost (as they were moved by the Holy Ghost) - And although there are those who believe (incorrectly) that prophesy is 'not for today' - Prophesy is in fact an essential part of the church (or should be anyway).
We Know (or should anyway) the When the Holy Spirit speaks, He is actually speaking the Word of God (is He not?). Therefore when one speaks by inspiration of the Holy Spirit regarding a situation - that person in in fact: prophesying.
Error Versus Truth:
The truth is that EVERY Christian can - and should - prophesy: But only as they are moved by the Holy Spirit.
"For you may ALL prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted." [1Cor:14:31]
Notice that the Word of God states very clearly that ALL may prophesy. Notice also the REASON for prophesying:
"that all may learn, and all may be
comforted."
The reason why there is so much confusion and error about this is because too many have run off spouting nonsense out of their heads - instead of by inspiration of the Holy Ghost!
This has led to false doctrines, divisions in the church, arguments, and strife - not to mention false 'predictions' of Christ's return, erroneous 'words from God' as to what the 'so-called' prophet tells a person to do - etc! All because instead of being moved by the Holy Ghost - they blabber out of their heads!
Doing it God's Way:
Brothers and Sisters, if you have not seen the "proper fruits" (or results) that God Himself has promised to us in His Word - then Examine yourself - See whether or not you actually believe what the Word of God says, or if you are instead holding to some traditional or denominational ideas.
When we actually take the Lord at His Word - and act in Faith towards what HE has said - that is when we will begin to see the manifestation of His mighty power at work in our life!
Listen Online:
Faith or Fiction
Part 1 [MP3 41.7mb]
Listen Online:
Faith or Fiction 2 [MP3 66.9mb]
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