Stretch Your Faith || Bishop Paul Sharp

Faith is the non‑negotiable atmosphere of life with God. Without it, there is no pleasing Him, no forward motion, and no participation in what He is doing. Scripture refuses to treat unbelief as a harmless temperament; it calls it sin—an evil, hardening force that kept a whole generation from entering promise. The call here is simple and urgent: become a believing people who diligently seek God, not casually, but with fasting, unity, and childlike trust. When hearts are soft and faith-filled, God moves. When hearts are skeptical and critical, even Jesus “could do not many mighty works” among them.

This faith is not complicated; it is childlike. It says with Mary and Abraham, “Nothing is too hard for the Lord.” It answers Jesus’ question—“Do you believe I am able to do this?”—with a clear yes. It also refuses the subtle pride of sitting in judgment over God’s word or God’s servants. Instead, it mixes faith with the preached word, and even borrows faith from others until one’s own faith is strong. That is why agreement matters. Jesus promised heaven’s action when two or three agree and gather in His name. Whether in a sanctuary or a checkout line, when two believe together, He is present to act.

Faith speaks. Israel spoke doom and received it; David spoke victory and heaven backed it. Words can usher us either into the wilderness or into the fight where God gives triumph. Testimonies feed this expectancy: a weeping woman receives a prophetic word, then a pregnancy; a scoffer predicts failure, but God builds anyway; an unexpected gift precedes a $48,000 provision in minutes. The pattern is unmistakable—believe, agree, speak, and move. Faith does not wait for perfect conditions or perfect people; it acts because God is able.

This is the growth edge for everyone—young and old, seasoned and new. Ask for the gift of faith. Refuse the narratives of fear, pride, and unbelief. Step onto the field, open your mouth, and align with God’s promises. All things are possible to the one who believes.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Faith alone pleases God. Faith is the only currency heaven accepts. Skepticism dressed up as “discernment” still displeases God because it withholds trust. Diligent seeking—fasting, praying, responding—positions a life under divine reward. Unbelief isn’t neutral; it’s costly. [54:57]
• 2. Unbelief hardens and deceives hearts. Scripture names unbelief “evil” because it slowly calcifies the soul against God’s ways. It twists perception, imagines accusations, and speaks doom that boomerangs back in judgment. Guard your heart; what you say about God’s faithfulness is often what you will live. [62:32]
• 3. Borrow and build with shared faith. When faith feels thin, unite with those who believe and obey. Scripture commends mixing your faith with the faith of leaders and peers who cling to God’s promises. Latching onto living faith will pull you into obedience and into the future God intends. [70:19]
• 4. Agreement invites Jesus’ active presence. Heaven backs what the church binds and looses when two agree under Jesus’ name. Agreement isn’t a slogan; it’s a spiritual switch that turns on divine action. Before praying, invite a clear yes—“Do you believe?”—and watch expectation create room for miracles. [74:33]
• 5. Speak and act with childlike boldness. Faith talks like David before Goliath and moves before conditions improve. Testimony fuels expectation; prophetic words and improbable provisions teach us to expect God now. Your tongue can either starve faith or feed it—choose words that align with promise. [119:24]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [51:51] - Call to reach the lost
• [54:57] - Without faith, no pleasing God
• [60:58] - Knowing God’s ways, not just acts
• [62:32] - The evil heart of unbelief
• [70:19] - Mix your faith with believers
• [74:33] - The power of agreement (Matthew 18)
• [78:45] - Jesus asks: Do you believe?
• [88:41] - All things possible to believers
• [90:47] - Testimony: barren to expectant
• [101:24] - Believing against scoffers; God builds
• [119:24] - Speak like David; faith talks back
• [122:42] - Call to receive the gift of faith

Bible reading

- Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

- Hebrews 3:12–15

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”

- Matthew 18:18–20

“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Observation questions

1. According to Hebrews 11:6, what must a person believe when they come to God, and what promise is attached to diligent seeking?
2. In Hebrews 3:12–15, what words are used to describe unbelief, and what daily practice is prescribed to keep hearts from hardening?
3. In Matthew 18:19–20, what conditions are set for “it shall be done,” and what is promised when believers gather in Jesus’ name?
4. What recurring question did Jesus often ask before acting on a request: “Do you believe I am able to do this?” What stands out to you about that approach? [01:18:45]

Interpretation questions

1. If “without faith it is impossible to please God,” how should one view a critical or skeptical spirit that withholds trust? What makes that posture spiritually costly? [54:57]
2. Hebrews names unbelief “evil” and warns that it hardens through the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:12–13). How does unbelief move from a private doubt into a hard, deceived heart over time? [01:02:32]
3. “The word did not profit them… not being mixed with faith in those who heard” (Hebrews 4:2). What does it look like to unite your faith with the faith of obedient believers instead of standing alone? [01:10:19]
4. Jesus ties heaven’s action to agreement (Matthew 18:19–20). How should this shape the way a group prays—at home, at church, or even in a checkout line? [01:17:50]

Application questions

1. Diligent seeking: What would “diligently seek Him” look like for you this week (fasting, prayer, worship, repentance, responding)? Name one concrete step and when you’ll do it. [55:28]
2. Borrowed and shared faith: If your faith feels thin, whose living faith will you connect with this week? What specific way will you “mix” your faith with theirs (text, prayer call, fasting together, serving together)? [01:13:39]
3. Agreement in prayer: Name one specific need you will bring into agreement with another believer this week. How will you invite a clear “yes” of faith before praying (“Do you believe God can do this now?”)? [01:17:50]
4. Words that align with promise: What common phrases or narratives have you been speaking that feed fear or doom (“It’ll never change,” “We’re finished,” etc.)? What faith-filled words will you put in their place, starting today? [01:10:19]
5. Speak like David: Identify one “Goliath” you face right now. Write a short, faith-filled declaration you will speak daily over it in Jesus’ name this week. Share it with the group. [01:59:24]
6. Testimony fuels faith: Share a time when you saw God do something improbable or impossible (healing, provision, an open door). How will you let that testimony shape your expectation for a current need? [01:34:09]
7. Sow the seed: Who is one person you will invite, serve, or share your story with this week? What will you actually say or do, and when? Remember: we sow; God deals with the soil. [53:10]