LIVING BY FAITH

Text: Matt. 7:7-11

I.    When we really have faith, we talk like it.  The faith we have is always based on a promise of the Word of God.  Faith that doesn't have a verse of scripture behind it, is not faith at all, but simply what we think or hope.

A.  Acts 3:6 - There was no evidence that the man would walk, or that God would allow him to walk.  But Peter and John truly believed that God would enable him to walk, therefore, they seeing the impossible spoke like it was already so.

B.   Heb. 11:7 - Noah believed what God told him, therefore, he moved with fear and build the ark to save his family and condemned the world.

C.   Matt. 12:13 - The man with the withered hand stretched forth his withered hand because God told him to.  Anything God commands us to do we can do because His Word will not return void.

II.   Keep on asking.

A.  James 5:16-18 - Elijah praying earnestly 7 times.  See I Kings 18:41.  Elijah is a man subject to like passions as we, therefore he is just like we are.  What he did by the grace of God, we can also do by the grace of God.

1.      Before Elijah prayed, he told Ahab the rain was coming.

2.      What would have happened if Elijah had failed to pray seven times, but had quit on the sixth prayer?  What happens to us when we fail to continue praying for the victories God can give?

B.   II Kings 5:13,14 - What would have happened if Naaman hadn't dipped in the River Jordan seven times?  He wouldn't have been healed.  It wouldn't have been God's fault, but Naaman's because he didn't believe God.

C.   Matt.  17:20,21 - The disciples couldn't cast out the devil, but Jesus could.  It was because some things are not done easily, but only by much prayer and fasting.