Activating God's Promises Through Faith and Trust

Devotional

Day 1: Faith as Active Trust in God

Faith is more than mere belief; it is an active trust in God that leads us into a realm of confident rest. This rest is a sign of our trust in God, and when we find ourselves anxious or fearful, it is a call to return to His word and presence. Faith is the key that activates God's promises in our lives, allowing us to live in the fullness of what He has for us. When we are grounded in faith, we can experience peace and assurance, knowing that God is in control and His promises are true. [35:18]

Hebrews 4:10-11 (ESV): "For whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel anxious or fearful? How can you actively trust God in this area today and enter into His rest?

Day 2: Encouraging Ourselves in the Lord

The story of David in 1 Samuel 30:6 teaches us the importance of encouraging ourselves in the Lord and seeking His guidance. In times of distress, David found strength in God, which led to the recovery of all that was lost. This act of faith and reliance on God is a powerful reminder of His faithfulness and the importance of turning to Him in challenging times. By encouraging ourselves in the Lord, we can experience His guidance and restoration in our lives. [01:01:08]

1 Samuel 30:6 (ESV): "And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God."

Reflection: Think of a recent challenge you faced. How can you encourage yourself in the Lord and seek His guidance in similar situations in the future?

Day 3: Living Under a Better Covenant

We have a better covenant than the heroes of the Old Testament, with Jesus living inside us. This empowers us to overcome any challenge and live in the fullness of God's promises. The presence of Jesus within us is a source of strength and victory, enabling us to face life's difficulties with confidence and hope. By embracing this truth, we can live boldly, knowing that we are equipped to handle whatever comes our way. [01:02:27]

Hebrews 8:6 (ESV): "But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises."

Reflection: What is one challenge you are currently facing? How can the knowledge of Jesus living inside you empower you to overcome it?

Day 4: Abraham's Faith and Our Inheritance

Abraham's faith was counted as righteousness, and God's promise to bless him extends to us as well. We are called to live in the fullness of God's blessing and purpose, trusting in His desire to see us succeed. As heirs of this promise, we can embrace our identity in Christ and live with the assurance that God is for us and desires to bless us abundantly. This understanding should inspire us to pursue His purposes with confidence and joy. [01:17:05]

Galatians 3:29 (ESV): "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."

Reflection: How can you live in the fullness of God's blessing and purpose today, knowing that you are an heir of His promises?

Day 5: Identity Rooted in Christ

Our identity is rooted in Christ, not in our circumstances. By shifting our gaze to Jesus and beholding His love, we can live in the reality of our redemption and experience the transformative power of His presence. This shift in focus allows us to see ourselves as God sees us, leading to a life of freedom and purpose. Embracing our identity in Christ empowers us to live authentically and confidently, regardless of the challenges we face. [01:04:29]

Colossians 3:3-4 (ESV): "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."

Reflection: In what ways can you shift your focus from your circumstances to your identity in Christ today? How might this change your perspective and actions?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound power and significance of faith, particularly how it activates the promises of God in our lives. We began by reflecting on the power of Jesus' blood, which purchased everything we need for life and godliness. This understanding should lead us to live in the fullness of what was accomplished on the cross, not missing out on any promise or truth that God has for us. We celebrated the miraculous provision for our church camp, highlighting the faithfulness of God and the generosity of our community.

We also heard a powerful testimony from Mike, who shared his journey through a recent health crisis. His story reminded us of the importance of listening to God's voice and trusting in His promises, even in the face of adversity. Mike's experience of healing and restoration is a testament to God's faithfulness and the power of prayer.

In our exploration of Hebrews 4:3, we were reminded that faith activates the promise and brings us into a realm of confident rest. This rest is a gauge of our trust in God, and when we find ourselves anxious or fearful, it's a call to return to His word and presence. We were encouraged to act in faith, knowing that our actions activate God's promises in our lives.

We also delved into the story of David in 1 Samuel 30:6, where David encouraged himself in the Lord during a time of distress. This act of seizing his strength and seeking God's guidance led to a full recovery of what was lost. We were reminded that we have a better covenant than David, with Jesus living inside us, empowering us to overcome any challenge.

Finally, we reflected on the life of Abraham, the father of faith, who believed God and was counted as righteous. This belief led to God's promise to make him a great nation and bless him. We were encouraged to see ourselves as heirs of this promise, called to live in the fullness of God's blessing and purpose.

Key Takeaways

1. Faith is not just belief; it is an active trust in God that brings us into a realm of confident rest. When we are anxious, it's a sign to return to God's word and presence, allowing faith to activate His promises in our lives. [35:18]
2. The story of David teaches us the importance of encouraging ourselves in the Lord and seeking His guidance. By doing so, we can recover all that has been lost and experience God's faithfulness in our lives. [61:08]
3. We have a better covenant than the heroes of the Old Testament, with Jesus living inside us. This empowers us to overcome any challenge and live in the fullness of God's promises. [62:27]
4. Abraham's faith was counted as righteousness, and God's promise to bless him extends to us as well. We are called to live in the fullness of God's blessing and purpose, trusting in His desire to see us succeed. [77:05]
5. Our identity is rooted in Christ, not in our circumstances. By shifting our gaze to Jesus and beholding His love, we can live in the reality of our redemption and experience the transformative power of His presence. [01:04:29]
** [64:29]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[29:43] - Power in the Blood
[30:23] - Offering and Provision
[31:13] - Guest Introduction
[32:05] - Travel Challenges
[33:17] - Offering for Guests
[33:53] - Reading from Hebrews
[34:32] - Faith Activates the Promise
[35:18] - Confident Rest in Faith
[36:05] - Tithing and God's Promise
[36:46] - Seed Time and Harvest
[37:31] - Acting in Faith
[38:18] - Prayer for Offering
[39:02] - Crushing Adversity Book
[39:44] - Testimony of Healing
[41:16] - Rugby Player's Journey
[42:00] - Health Crisis and Faith
[43:24] - Emergency Surgery
[45:29] - God's Faithfulness
[46:15] - Time with the Lord
[47:55] - Encouragement and Prayer
[50:05] - Introduction of Ekim
[51:32] - Drawing on the Father
[53:02] - Prayer for the Service
[54:25] - Encouragement from 1 Samuel
[55:11] - Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation
[56:21] - Simple Gospel Truths
[57:02] - God's Desire for Our Success
[58:27] - God on Our Side
[59:09] - Identity in Christ
[61:08] - Inquiring of the Lord
[62:27] - Better Covenant
[63:07] - Righteousness in Christ
[64:29] - Beholding God's Love
[65:05] - Sons and Daughters of God
[66:23] - Encouragement in Christ
[69:00] - Holy Spirit Within
[70:21] - Abraham's Faith
[71:35] - We Already Have It
[72:53] - Obeying God's Instructions
[74:18] - Jesus is Lord of Our Lives
[76:18] - God's Promise to Abraham
[77:05] - God's Desire to Bless Us
[79:02] - Living in God's Blessing

Sermon Clips

Faith activates the promise and we experience the realm of confident rest. Isn't that great? We experience the realm of confident rest. So I don't know about you, but for me, this is a great gauge to see if I'm really trusting in the Lord because if I'm trusting in the Lord, I'm not going to be all anxious and fretful, filled with any kind of worry or fear because faith is trusting in the Lord. So I know sometimes I'm like, oh, you better just get into the word, you better pray in the spirit because you're anxious about this and faith is the rest. [00:34:52]

God says prove me now. Number one, he wants his house to be taken care of, but he said if you do that, you can prove me in this. There's no other, I don't know of any other scripture where God says you can prove me, but in this, he says prove me and see if I don't open up the windows of Heaven for you and pour out a blessing there isn't room enough to receive it. Amen. So what is faith? Faith is an act. It's not just belief, it's an act. [00:36:01]

When you're sowing today, guess what you're doing? You are acting in faith and it says it activates the promise. You're activating the promise every time we give. We should think we're activating the promise. Don't get all religious on me. I would give if there wasn't a promise just because I love God, but God says you prove me, you do this, he said so. Amen. Everybody ready to give? Are you a Believer? Are you a Believer? So when you're giving today, what are you doing? What are you doing? You're activating the promise. [00:37:19]

Jesus said in the world you're going to have tribulation, didn't he say that? He warned us, but he said, but be of good cheer or be of good courage for I have overcome the world. He's our champion. Amen. And Ekim has written this, I haven't gotten to read it. This is not my copy, he gave me a copy, but crushing adversity and you can purchase this just came out, right? You can purchase it on Amazon or on their website. [00:39:23]

The more you turn the faucet on, the heavier it comes. Amen. Amen. So we love you guys and we're excited to be here and I'm ready to see what the Lord is going to do today and this week. And that's it. That's all I got. Amen. Amen. Is that good? Yeah, just stay with me for a second. Father, we just lift up the service. We thank you for what you're going to speak today. May we have ears to hear what you're saying to your church. [00:52:48]

One of the things that's important that has happened to me over the last three years, we got connected with a Ministry. Our pastor and Pastor Daryl knows this very well, that one of the things that we learned in Bible school and I know that he learned as well is there's the Ephesians prayers, Ephesians chapter 1 and Ephesians chapter 3. And one of the things it talks about is we want to have the spirit of wisdom and Revelation. [00:54:30]

The spirit of wisdom and Revelation is for us to have a greater knowledge of him, a greater knowledge of him. And so as we begin to pray that prayer, our pastor told us to do it at least twice a day. So for the last three years, we haven't done it all the way consistently, but over some time we have been consistent to do it enough to where we feel like the Holy Spirit is starting to show us some things. [00:55:32]

The gospel or the word becomes so simple. Does that make sense when I say that? Like something that was deep, it's so radically simple that you're like, duh, I can live this way, right? So I just want to do some, we're going to look at some familiar scriptures today. I just really want to encourage you and I want you to know that it's the father's desire for you to fly and not to fall. It's the father's desire for you to soar and never to sink. [00:56:46]

Imagine God being on your side. Come on, like imagine any circumstance in life. Imagine, just imagine the biggest baddest bully in the world comes against you and you have the Lord Jesus Christ himself on the inside of you, not just on the inside of you, but behind you, all around you, like you got Jesus, the King of Kings and the Lord of lords on your side. Come on, that's exciting. [01:00:13]

David inquired of the Lord. There was all kinds of drama going on, but in the New Testament, in the New Covenant, we have a better Covenant than David. And we know all the things that David did. He killed Goliath, he was acting crazy sometimes with women. David was a man. David had a lot of ups and downs and there was a lot of things that he conquered, a lot of things that he destroyed. But just to know that we have it better than David. [01:02:47]

He became sin for us who knew no sin that you and I, this blows me away, that you and I might be right with God. And it's not based on what I did. Come on, see the enemy will try to make us look at ourselves and make us become self-conscious, but what we want to do is become Jesus conscious and we want to set our face towards him and look at him. [01:03:59]

Behold what manner of love the father has bestowed upon us. See, I want to make it simple. Behold, I'm going to run by, see, behold, look at, gaze at, how about this, just set your affection in a different place. Amen. Behold what manner of love this is. I'm in my meditation place right now, but behold what manner of love the father has bestowed upon you. [01:05:21]

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