FAITH AND PATIENCE

 

1      Introduction

 

Luke 8:15  “Good ground are they, which in an honest and a good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

 

·         God desires your life to be productive, fruitful.

·         Parable of sower – the key to being productive = seed – Word of God.

·         Word of God – enables you to access God’s supernatural resources.

·         Many hear the Word of God but are not productive, not fruitful.

·         Need to:

i)      Keep the Word (2722) = to hold fast, seize, retain

ii)     Patience (5281) = to maintain a positive, cheerful attitude and persevere through difficulties

 

·         Hebrews 6:12  “… through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

·         Through (1223 Strongs) = the channel or instrument used.

·         Promises, dreams, word from God only achieved through faith and patience.

 

2      Choose Godly Influences – Don’t Follow the Crowd

 

Hebrews 6:12  “Be not slothful, but followers of them who … inherit the promises.”

·         Slothful (3576 Strongs) = sluggish, slow                   (cf Proverbs 26:13)

·         Slothful = something that has lost its momentum, lost its speed.  Candle that once burned brightly but lost its fire.  Water that once was hot but now lukewarm.  Person that is weary, slow, heart not in it, passive, neutral.

 

·         How do people get this way?

i)              Negative people influencing them

ii)             Negative report

iii)            Struggles and delays

iv)            Disappointments Ž discouragement Ž unbelief

 

Hebrews 3:12-13  “Take heed, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief …”

·         Depart = withdraw.

·         Exhort one another = call near, call back to place of faith.

·         We need others to stir up faith, confidence.

·         Be followers (3402 Strongs) = to be an imitator, mimic.

·         Command! Ž there is something you can do about this!

·         Ž there is responsibility to take.

·         Follower Ž look at the life of men of faith who patiently endured and obtained God’s promises.

 

·         Example:  Abraham – sustained his passion, zeal, fire.

·         Follow men of faith – allow them to stir, rekindle fire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3      Choose to Believe God’s Word – You Have Need of Faith

 

Hebrews 6:12  “… through faith …”

Hebrews 11:1  “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for …”

·         When you choose to believe the Word of God, stand on the Word with all your heart, faith arises.

·         When the word of faith arises in your heart a seed conceives within.

·         Example:  Baby – conceived but there is delay, growth, process to birth.

·         Baby can miscarry or be aborted or grow to full term.

·         Period when life changes, stretches, attitudes change.

Habakkuk 2:3  “For the vision is yet for an appointed time … thought it tarry, wait for it.”

·         People assume because heard from God it will happen quickly.

·         People wait, do nothing, wait for special experience – nothing happens.

·         Appointed time (4150 Strongs) = to fix a time, an appointment.

·         During the delay, faith is tried – put to the test.

·         Will I believe my circumstances, what I see?  Will I believe the Lord?

·         During this time your soul can become lifted up, doubt, question!

Hebrews 10:23  “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promised.”

 

·         Hold fast (2722 Strongs) = seize, possess, retain strong grip on.

·         Profession (3671 Strongs) = to confess, speak something.

·         Wavering (186 Strongs) = without bending, becoming sick, turning to flight.

·         Don’t stop believing, don’t stop speaking Word of God because you become sick.

·         God is faithful – His very nature, cannot lie, fail.  Must choose to believe.

 

4      Choose to Rejoice in Difficulties – You Have Need of Patience

 

Hebrews 10:36  “You have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.”

 

·         Need (5532 Strongs) = to require, place demand, to furnish what is needed.

·         Patience (5281 Strongs) = to maintain positive cheerful attitude and persevere through difficulty until reap results.

·         Patience is not passive – violent take the Kingdom Ž effort.

Hebrews 10:32  “Call to remembrance …”

·         In the midst of turmoil you must still your mind and emotions and refocus thoughts.

·         Remember Ž decide to focus thoughts on when God first spoke.

·         Remembrance = recall back into mind something from past.

·         Recall good memories, Gods victories.

·         Example:  Nehemiah 4:14 – remember the Lord.

·         Example:  Psalm 77:11 – I will remember the works of the Lord.

·         Remember what God said “illuminated” – photizo – to shine rays of light.

·         Your dream, word from God is alive in your spirit – remember, stir it up.

·         As you refocus on it and rejoice, fresh strength comes to fight.

·         Affliction = emotional pain or suffering, battle in soul.

·         Endurance = not just trudging along but choosing to rejoice in midst of emotional suffering and perseverance in doing will of God.

·         Hebrews 10:36  After done will of God – receive the promise.