Fear or Faith

Sermon Date:  February 14, 2015

Sermon Topic: Fear or Faith

Scriptures: 2 Timothy 1:6, Galatians 2:20, Psalm 103:3, Matthew 28:18, Hebrews 11:6, Luke 10:19, 1 John 4:8, Psalm 91:2, Jeremiah 1:19, 2 Corinthians 4:7, Hebrews 13:5-6

Sermon Notes:

2 Timothy 1:6 - Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

Galatians 2:20 – I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Flesh is dead. We are no longer bound/lead by our emotions. We are grounded in the word of God. Flesh and spirit are constantly battling because the flesh always lusts after the spirit.

Fear is an emotion experienced in anticipation of a danger. Fear shouldn’t be a part of someone living for God. Don’t be afraid.

Fear shouldn’t be a part of our character. We shouldn’t be fearful. Stir up the gift of God. Paul was saying to Timothy that he has the power already but he had to stir it up.

Because our thinking is affected by observation, association and teaching; our thinking is affected by the things we see, the people were around and the teaching we receive. Who are you? Who told you who you were? Was the teaching valid?

To know this we must transform our mind. Unless the transformation occurs we live in a state of never enough. All that I need, God has already supplied. We must develop in love and faith. When we develop in those areas we have faith.

What occurs in my life – I will be victorious. Whenever I’m facing something, I must remember Psalm 103:3 – Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.

Fear will cancel God’s promises in your life. If I’m fearful I’m not trusting God Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. I need to please God. This is my sole objective. When pleasing God is my sole purpose, all will be given to me.

Fear attacks your mental state. Fear paints a picture of you failing. We are motivated to become what we imagine ourselves to be. Fear paints a picture on the canvas of your imagination.

If you accept the image of fear you are accepting a lie. What you don’t know will affect what you believe. Matthew 28:18 – And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. We have the power in heaven and earth.

Luke 10:19 – Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. When you get an image of someone overpowering you, read Luke 10:19. Nothing will hurt you. It may come upon you, but it won’t hurt you.

God didn’t give us a spirit of fear. Fear came from the enemy.

1 John 4:8 – He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. We must love. We can’t put limitations or be selective in who we love.

There are some that you shouldn’t associate with but you can’t hate them. We are delivered from fear. When you are in fear you create a problem by what you say out of your mouth. We must be mindful of what we receive.

As overcomers we must change our conversation. Psalm 91:2 – I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. I will say of the Lord. Remember always that God is in control.

Jeremiah 1:19 – And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee. We get the mentality of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. We must speak to things in our lives.

You’re going to have struggles, but don’t be fearful. The moment where you look like you’re about to be defeated is when your miracle is coming.

Don’t ask God, “Why me?”

Your purpose is in you. 2 Corinthians 4:7 – But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We have treasures in early vessels.

We have assurance and conviction but we must have confidence. Confidence must be expressed in every believer.

You can’t have fear and faith. My faith doesn’t depend on a particular time-frame.

When the enemy wants to do something, he puts a person in your life. When God wants to do something, he puts a person in your life.

Hebrews 13:5-6 – ⁵ Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

⁶ So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. We must have the confidence that whatever we pray for, we shall have. Jesus doesn’t have to do anything else for us.

The Lord is my helper. I will not fear what man can do to me. You have to get your thinking around this passage.

If I’m seeking God for something I won’t covet what others have. Be content with what you have.

Be content – Because he will never leave nor forsake us. With that assurance, I can blindly say that the Lord is my helper.

Every situation – the Lord is my helper.

Don’t worry renounce the spirit of fear, have the confidence to believe that God will take care of everything.

How to Be Content

Bible Study: How to be content

Foundational Scripture: Philippians 4:11

Scriptures: Philippians 4:11, Matthew 17:20, Philippians 3:17 – 18, Philippians 3:19, Philippians 4:11, Philippians 4:6-7, Colossians 3:15, 2 Corinthians 10, Romans 8:28, Philippians 4:11, Philippians 4:8, 1 Peter 5:6-7, Colossians 3:1

Bible Study Notes:

Philippians 4:11 – I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. The secrets to the cure of worry. Meditate on scripture to overcome worry. Worrying doesn’t solve anything in our lives.

We have overcome the world. We can’t define contentment apart from the behavior it produces. Some live in denial. Denial will always reject correction. Get out of denial.

You can’t correct a problem if you’re in denial. When you condone other bad behavior you’re in denial as well. We arrive at the place of contentment by making a decision, become established in the decision and meditate on it. Confessing God’s word gives us the power to change our focus.

Faith coupled with confession empowers believers. Matthew 17:20 – He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” We enter into this area of having faith with this scripture in mind. Making a faith confession and I won’t be moved by circumstances and situations in my life. I’m going to meditate on the word of God day and night.

I’m not going to speak about my circumstances. I’m going to talk about the answer. If I keep talking about the problem, I’m giving life to the problem, not to the word of God.

Never allow your circumstances to create the vision for you. Don’t allow your problems to prophesize to you.

When I do that I move out of the place of contentment. It requires a disciplined effort. The thoughts, emotions and actions of the flesh will have you investing in everything else, but the word of God.

There are 5 things that will pull you from your place of contentment:

1.     Problems – If I’m focusing on the problem, I’m not focusing on the answer.

2.     Persecution – comes to discourage you and try to get you to give up.

3.     Passions – threatens the focus of your faith. If we allow them to become dominant in our lives it threatens our focus and purpose. It threatens how we function and how we respond to things.

4.     Pleasures that lead to sinful distractions – there are pleasures that aren’t sinful but our participation in it leads to sinful distractions.  

5.     Situations, circumstances and associates – those who are not living godly lives aren’t good for us because those relationships lead to sinful distractions. Philippians 3:17 – 18 – Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. ¹⁸ For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. They only want to satisfy their flesh. Their minds aren’t on living godly lives. Philippians 3:19 – Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. We should mark them and live godly lives before them to that I can continue to let my light shine.

Don’t participate in it, no matter what it is. It’s not that you don’t have a relationship with them, we must set an example.

If you’re not careful, you can be in the spirit of contentment and relapse back into the old lifestyle. You must discipline yourself. When relapses occur, we forget about the price that was paid for us. Christ died for us. He suffered and died for us.

Relapse occurs when we forget the misery and pain that occurred before we were saved. The old life has no joy, peace or contentment. You don’t want to relive that. If I forget about that completely, relapse will occur.

When we think we can live independent of God’s word, we deceive ourselves.

Philippians 4:11 – I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. Contentment is a learned procedure. It’s not automatic. We learn to be content through the daily problems and situations in life. It must be taught.

When we are content – we won’t be covetous. It doesn’t matter what everyone else has. We don’t covet that.

When I’m content – I won’t be tested to be competitive with my brothers and sisters. If you get something new I’m not envious or jealous.

Before salvation we received information about what’s right and wrong. You must ask yourself the question of who did you receive the understanding of who you are? What was their motive in telling you who you were?

Some who tell you who you are, don’t know who they are because they follow the worlds standards. That says in order to be important you need stuff (cars, houses) It’s false though, because you can have all of the stuff in the world, and not be content.

To whoever you surrender the right to define who you are, controls your destiny. They will define who you are and what you can do.

You must know who you are. Knowing who you are gives you the keys to the kingdom.

God made us and it’s up to God to define how we function in life. We have a purpose – for every purpose there’s an assignment. In order to get to contentment we must take the definition of our worth and value out of the hands of people.

People may think they know you but they don’t really know you. God has a plan for us.

Cure for worry:

1.     Philippians 4:6-7 – Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Verse 6 is a command. Just like though shalt not…In order to get to that place of being careful for nothing, I must be content. In everything I must pray. From the smallest issue to the serious, I must pray. I can’t worry because it solves nothing. If you worry you are borrowing troubles that can’t be paid back.

Worrying is sinful – worry produces fear which is counter-productive  to the word of God. Every time you worry – verbalize the scripture. Philippians 4:7 - And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Peace of God – in verse 6 we see the command – verse 7 we see the promise.

2.     Colossians 3:15 – And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the peace of God rule in your heart. This verse tells us that the peace of God ruling in our heart is a choice. It is up to me. If I’m worrying – I’m not letting the peace of God rule.

I’m focusing on the problem if I’m worrying. Renounce all worry by thanksgiving. Let your requests be known.

Set your mind to be content. As a man thinketh, so is he.

When the thoughts come, use your spiritual weapon. 2 Corinthians 10 – (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) - you have a weapon.

We must stand on the word. Since this is a spiritual battle going on. It’s a war between flesh and spirit. Circumstances and situations want you to worry and focus only on it.

Our weapons aren’t carnal. Worry, if you allow it to be a focus it will build a stronghold in your life. Tormenting over something that will likely be a blessing if it comes. There are times when blessings come disguised as a problem.

It may look, feel and smell like a problem, but Romans 8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

So even when you’re experiencing tough times, it’s working for my good. Words are spirit and life. Speak peace and life into circumstances. When you’re lead by the spirit you can’t allow circumstances to lead. You must believe in God’s word. Philippians 4:11 – Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. That’s what I learned through experiences and trials. Cast down imaginations.

Don’t allow your mind to wander. Take control of your thought life. Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Notice that nothing negative is there. Only think on the good things. Cast down those thoughts.

Don’t worry about tomorrow. Those who aren’t saved, worry about tomorrow.

There are birds and animals that wake every morning and they’re not worried. Why should I be in fear?

If it snows to the door, not one sparrow will starve. That’s the God we serve.

Do you ever see a dead bird? You are a royal priesthood. A holy nation. Why are you worried.

1 Peter 5:6-7 – Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: ⁷ Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Don’t hold back anything. Cast all cares upon God. When I submit it to God – no matter what happens. He cares.

When the thought comes to mind, remind it that you gave it to Jesus.

It takes faith. We walk by faith and not by sight. Put on the whole armor of God.

Colossians 3:1 – If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Seek those things above. Set your affections on things above. Don’t worry about the stuff on earth. There is no lack in our lives. There is no inefficiency in the God we serve.

Fire the Flesh

Sermon Date:  February 8, 2015

Sermon Topic: Fire the Flesh

Scriptures: Galatians 5:16, John 14:26, Ephesians 1:3, Galatians 5:22-23, John 16, Romans 8:12-14, Proverbs 23:20, 1 Corinthians 9:27, Joshua 1:8, 1 John 4:1, Psalm 18:32, Proverbs 28:6, 1 Corinthians 15:33,

Sermon Notes:

Galatians 5:16 – This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. You have to fire the flesh. The lifestyle of a believer. What do we look like to the world? A kingdom lifestyle can only be achieved when we use the power to live holy. The power to live holy is the work of the holy spirit. When people receive God at that very moment the holy spirit takes residence in their lives.

John 14:26 – But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. We as saints of God have power.

We don’t use the power, but we have it. Consider a new car with a speedometer of 180 but the driver never goes above 30 miles per hour. You have the power; why not use it.

When we are not walking in the spirit we will fulfill the lust of the flesh. Bad attitudes and weird thoughts indicate that you are not walking in the spirit.

There is no defeat when you are walking in the spirit. We can overcome any obstacle or temptation. When we are lead by the spirit all of heaven is at our disposal. Ephesians 1:3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Heaven is at our disposal.

Walk in divine health.

Our understanding of healing is far below God’s ways. Our ways aren’t his ways. Don’t worry about things. When you ask God for it, be willing to accept the answer. God answers our prayers, just not in the manner that you may want it to be answered.

When we receive God we receive the fruit of the spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. When I’m lead by the spirit my attitude, speech and actions demonstrate my willingness to do God’s will and to do it immediately.

We must obey God immediately because the scripture says that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. We must take delight in the agreement with God’s law. We must meditate on the law of God.

We must love the word of God.

1^st step is walking in the spirit – be aware of the conflicts that you’re involved in. Negative thoughts that are nourished will produce a stronghold in your mind. Submit yourself to God – resist the devil and he will flee. This demonstrates the power that we have.

We have been called to liberty. We are free. Don’t use the freedom to do crazy things. Just because you’re saved doesn’t mean that you can do what you want.

Fire the flesh. The word doesn’t work for the carnal Christian.

Jeremiah 17:5 – Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. You must understand the real you in Christ. Don’t trust another man. Trust God.

The real you. 1 Corinthians 6:19 – What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? Your body is the temple of the holy ghost. We can’t do whatever we want. Romans 8:12 – Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. If you live after the flesh, you are spiritually dead.

Romans 8:12-14 – to walk in the spirit we need restraints. Flesh is always lusting after something.

Proverbs 23:20 – Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh. Don’t mix with them. When someone’s lifestyle isn’t according to the spirit you can’t mix with them. Whenever you spend time with them you lose your light. As saints of God, who’ve received the power of the spirit, why do you keep going back to what you did before you were saved?

Whatever you did before you were saved is still in the flesh. That’s why some people can be in worship and praise God all day long, but if you cut them off on the road or dent their vehicle in the parking lot, another person will show up.

Carnal Christians can shift. We need restrains. 1 Corinthians 9:27 – But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. We must be disciplined – control the flesh.

You need:

·      Revelation

·      Role model

·      Righteous resolve without full understanding

A student of the scripture is always learning. Joshua 1:8 – This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. I can’t treat the word of God like a buffet table. We must take the whole law of the Lord.

1 John 4:1 – Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. We need a spirit of discernment.

Everybody with a robe is not preaching the gospel. You must know the word of God.

You can’t just take anything.

Be spiritually mature – we are to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God. Early will I seek thee.

Don’t allow anything to get in the way of your time with God.

Psalm 18:32 – It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. God arms me with strength.

Who trusts in his own heart is a fool.

Overcome temptations because temptation will come.

We can’t go thinking we did it on our own. Don’t be puffed up; this is a prime candidate for failure.

Every temptation – remember that God is faithful.

We need a spirit of discernment in order to make moral decisions.

Will this put me in immoral company? You can’t please everybody. You can’t make people do anything that they don’t want to do. You can share the truth with them, but they will do what they want.

Commit it to the Lord. You don’t have to go back and check to see how God is doing while he is working on your problems. You don’t need to set the parameters for God.

Thou he slay me yet will I trust thee.

1 Corinthians 15:33 – Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Be mindful of what you say.

Does this violate my conscious?  We secure spiritual maturity by putting away childish things.

Corinthians – When I became a man I put away childish things. You have the victory right now. You’re an overcomer right now!

Obey God, continually, joyfully and immediately.

There are things that God will allow in your life that you don’t like but you have been ordained to fix.

What you hate, you’ve been sent to correct.

When Jesus says we are the light of the world, we must be the light!

Bible Study - How to Overcome False Beliefs

Date:  February 4, 2015

Bible Study Topic: How to Overcome False Beliefs

Scriptures: Hebrews 10:22, Hebrews 13:5, Hebrews 13:6, 1 John 5:14, 1 John 3:21, Psalm 27:14, Galatians 5:16, 1 Kings 3:13, Matthew 7:24, Hebrews 10:38-39, Galatians 1:6, Galatians 4:8   

Bible Study Notes:

We have the assurance by God that he will do what he says he will do. The just shall live by faith. Faith is our lifestyle and foundation.

Complete conviction and confidence are required. This is how we live our lives. We must overcome false belief.

We have to learn how to cooperate with the plan of God in order to see our purpose.

We must do what’s pleasing in his sight.

Assurance and faith are connected. Hebrews 10:22 – Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Every born again believer has a measure of faith. God-kind of faith means no matter what I see, hear or endure my faith is in God’s word.

Cast aside doubt.

Go to God’s word and say the word of God to any situation.

Scriptures connect. Death and life are in the power of the tongue.

The key is not to allow the thoughts of doubt, disbelief and fear to come in because they cancel out your faith.

Doubt moves you away from your position in faith. If you make a faith confession – never go back and say something counter productive to what you said.

We must have an assurance in adversity. Hebrews 13:6 – So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. If you look at, Hebrews 13:5 (Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.), it’s the key to Hebrews 13:6.

When I’m seeking a blessing, I can’t allow myself to look at anyone else and covet what they have.

The word of God has already told me that he can do above and abundantly more than what you want.

Don’t fear man or adversity. Fear is counterproductive to having faith. Jesus says to us not to worry. All of his promises are yes and amen.

We have that assurance and we need the assurance; that we receive what we request, when we pray.

1 John 5:14 – And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: Confidence and assurance in Christ. If we ask anything in his will, he will hear us.

When you request from God you must keep in mind how your actions affect others. If what you request has a negative impact on others, you may not receive it. Have assurance in prayer. 1 John 3:21 – Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. We have assurance, we make our requests known, but we must keep his commandments and do what’s pleasing to God; especially in relation to others.

The assurance comes through our understanding of who God is. We must have the assurance that there will be periods where we have to wait. Psalm 27:14 – Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. While you wait maintain a good character. Don’t get frustrated.

We will have to make radical changes to do the will of God. There are times where the changes you have to make aren’t comfortable, but I must please God, not man.

Pray, seek God, walk in holiness and make radical changes. Galatians 5:16 – This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Making changes to do God’s will requires a lifestyle that doesn’t allow flesh and emotions to enter into our decision-making.

In all our ways acknowledge him.

We must obey God without full understanding. I don’t need for God to make everything planned.

Whatever God says he means. We must obey God. Obedience and love are closely connected. If you are obedient, you love.

I must submit to God and to the authorities on the earthly realms. At work, you must submit yourself to authority.

Christ learned obedience. Obedience and faith go together. When we obey God  - there is a reward for obedience. 1 Kings 3:13 – And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honor: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. Walk thy way to keep they statutes – lengthen your days.

Faith in God will lead you to a good old age. When you keep his commandments and honor God we don’t do anything harmful to our bodies. We must receive what Jesus gives. We must obey God’s word. Matthew 7:24 – Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.

Obey God’s word if you want to overcome obstacles in your life. Obey his word and when the wind, rain and floods come we won’t be washed away. Just because we’re people of God doesn’t mean that the flood won’t come, it means that when the floods do come, we will be able to stand them.

We must line this life of faith based on God’s words. God teaches us the way.

All other routes will end in death, if it’s not the will of God. When we live our lives according to God’s commandments we have the victory.

Discipline yourself. Faith comes by hearing, but so can false doctrine. Be careful what you hear and what you say. Be quick to hear and slow to speak.

Since faith comes by hearing we have to be mindful of what we hear and say. When we face trials – go to God’s word.

We are blessed but when we stay with God’s word, we learn how to live.

Be careful how you relate to coworkers, friends, family and the church congregation, this leads to prosperity. Those who travel God’s way are blessed.

Doubt and murmuring are traps.

Don’t allow that to trap you. We must love each other, pray for each other and go into God’s word. All our choices give an indication of who we decide to be. If you’re not careful you make the wrong choice, consider what you’re dong. Is this what God wants me to do?

We are blessed, abundantly blessed.

Hebrews 10:38-39 - Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. ³⁹ But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. You see the consequence in not living by faith. If you are living by faith, you can’t be a backslider.

Galatians 1:6 – I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.

Our calling is very serious. If we stop we’re not fit for the kingdom.

Galatians 4:8 -  Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. Before we were saved we had faith in things that weren’t Godly. Once we walk by faith, to turn away puts us back in bondage. Being in bondage means that you are yielding to your flesh.

We were delivered; we don’t go back to bondage. Now we walk in holiness and righteousness.

You can get into a backsliding position and end up in trouble.

Walking by faith is key to our salvation, faith in Christ and blessings. We must not have faith and then put it on hold.

The biggest deception is to think that you did it on your own. The flesh has a yearning to do all the things it used to before you were saved. That’s why it’s important to know God’s word.

So instead of adversity taking you back to that place, it should draw you closer to God.