LOOK AT FAITH JUST ONE MORE TIME.
Rev. Peter Tuchyna
Mark 11:12-14 , Mark 11:21-26 ;
John 14:1 , John 14:11-12 ;
Mark 11:12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it,
he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the
sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have
whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have
them.
25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive
you your trespasses.
26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than
these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
The Bible makes it very clear that faith is not dependable upon the creativity of man, or his special talents and abilities.
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Faith is: Attribute – imparted by God.
Jude 3 – contend for the faith, which was once delivered unto the saints.
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It is a gift of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:9 .
Faith is a channel, a means to deliver a promise of God, and to make it workable in someone’s life.
Hebrews 11:6, without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that
he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
James 1:6-8 , without faith is impossible to receive anything from God.
From time to time we are exposed to questions why God allows disasters, pains, tragedies, violence, crimes etc.
In the book of Luke 4:21-28 , the Lord Jesus is presenting a very interesting and important principle.
The prophet was there in the midst of God’s people, but nobody from Israel came to him and asked for God’s
intervention in spite of the knowledge, that the Lord was with him. Nobody asked, believing God for anything so the Lord
could not answer.
Faith is not dependable upon circumstances, emotions, feelings, intellect or social status.
Faith is dependable purely upon the Word of God, because God said so and he is trustworthy, keeping his promises
from generations to generations.
He is the author and finisher of our faith – Hebrews 12:2 . There is only one Lord, one faith,
one baptism – Ephesians 4:5 .
It is God, which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure – Philipians 2:13 .
Apostle Paul is declaring in Eph. 2:10 – for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which
God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Hebrews 11:1 , is describing the faith as the substance (tangible), evidence of things not seen.
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Faith is the cause to believe in the existence of God.
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Faith is the cause to believe in a personal God.
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Faith is the base for the desire to know God and to have a personal relationship with him.
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Faith is essential for forgiveness and the remission of sins.
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Faith is accompanying the receiving of the Holy Spirit.
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Faith is a must to have eternal life.
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Faith is necessary to receive any provision and promise from God, whether wisdom, physical, emotional healing,
change in relationship, behavior, deliverance from bondage, sin, low self esteem, self condemnation, hindrances
etc.
Faith is always tested!
Some did not see the fulfillment of their faith in the physical sense; yet they did not compromise.
Faith is put to tests through tests, trials, and persecutions. The purpose is to know ourselves and also to have visible
testimony for others.
Tests are exposing the true motive serving the Lord Jesus. 1 Timothy 6:5 is revealing that godliness is not physical or
financial gain.
Trials do separate shallow believers with head knowledge only, from true believers with a deep personal
relationship with God.
Matthew 13:5 is a parable about the condition of the man’s heart. Verse 20 - he that received the seed into stony places,
the same is he that heareth the word receiveth it with joy, yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when
tribulation or persecution ariseth, because of the word, by and by he is offended. The true believer is faithful to god,
because God is faithful.
Ephesians 6:10-13 , – be strong in the Lord. Put on the whole armor of God.
It is false doctrine to presume, that you will not be exposed to spiritual war. Why otherwise would the Lord command
you to put on the whole armor of God?
Revelation 12:11 , and the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed,
which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 6:12 , for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, therefore take unto you the whole armor of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
You are a child of God and this is the reason for the enemy to challenge you, to attack you and to try to destroy your
faith in God. There is no retreat. The heavy attacks of the enemy are the indications anyway that we are a threat to him.
You better get ready for your personal challenges. Hide the Word of God in your heart – not in your head. In the time
of trials, your head will definitely not help you. You better learn, learn very quickly how to pray, how to intercede, how
to prevail! James 5:13 , James 5:16 ;
The empty chairs during the services and more empty chairs during the prayer meetings are the indication that many
children of God are not taking seriously the relationship with God and are doing very little in the preparation for their own
personal battle. If you do not see the need and are unwilling to pray and to intercede with others and for others now,
how can you expect others to pray, to intercede and to sacrifice on your behalf when you will need it the most? And you
will need it!
Matthew 10:24 , Luke 6:40 the Lord is saying that the disciple is not greater than his master. Peter was in prison and
the church prayed. Paul was in prison and the church prayed. Paul asked the saints to pray for him. Are you greater than
them?
People of God feel the heat of the fire.
Moses and the Egyptian Pharaoh.
The command to destroy the boys was real. By faith of Moses’ mother, his life was spared.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
They were thrown into midst of the fiery furnace. It was 7 times hotter than standard. The heat killed instantly the deliverer.
The head knowledge did not help them. The personal relationship with God and uncompromising faith and loyalty to God,
moved God to deliverer them.
Daniel.
Was thrown into the lion’s den, maybe headlong. God allowed it to happen. He wasn’t exempted from the wrath of his
enemies.
His love, irrevocable dedication and faith in God, brought deliverance and consequences to his accusers, who died in the
same den, Daniel was delivered from.
Mardocheus and Hamman.
The gallows were build, the decree was proclaimed, the grave was dug for Mardocheus. People were informed that not
only Mardocheus, but also entire Israel is finished. Israel will be destroyed and buried. The day was already set.
The unbendable faith of Mardocheus toward God moved God to rescue him and his nation. His accuser was executed.
David – Goliath.
It was a real challenge. A real threat of extinction. It wasn’t a dream. A real army came against the Israel. Entire Israel
trembled.
It seemed that there was no way out. Just a slaughter and slavery. God allowed it to happen. Israel and the enemy
recognized alike, that in natural there was no way out. Davis had personal relationship with God. He loved God. He
sang the songs of love and worship to God He believed God and he trusted him. He build the relationship with God
before the trouble came. Whatsoever he’s done, it was done in the name of the Lord. The battle wasn’t fiction. Nor a
dream. It was real. If David would not have had faith in God, the entire Israel would suffer. God delivered Israel by
David, because David had faith in God.
We could talk about Joseph, Gideon, Samuel, Elijah, Elizeus, Jehu and false prophets of Baal and how Jehu conquered
them and Jezabel in the name of the Lord. There is a beautiful story of faith when Joshua conquered Jericho.
There are glorious stories of victory through faith in the lives of the apostles, John the Baptist, Stephen, apostle Paul
and others.
Do not think that you will be spared of the attack of the enemy as a child of God. Your tomorrow’s victory or defeat is
dependable upon your preparation for that battle today. God knows his own.
Where do you stand today with Jesus? Where are you at right now? Without the Holy Spirit you won’t make it. You will
become a casualty. It is certain. Your wound will be fatal.
You need the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life working right now. In the spiritual battle we may get hurt. God
made a provision for us. We can call upon His name. We shall lay the hands upon the sick, wounded, hurt, and they
shall recover.
Mark 16
These signs shall follow them that believe. In my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues…
nothing shall hurt them.
Let mockers, unbelievers, and shallow worldly compromisers, build their gallows, dig the graves, and talk about death,
to divide the possession they think they shall get. They are preparing it to themselves. The Word of God is forever
settled in heaven and does not change.
God allows his children to through the fiery furnace, lion’s den, valley of the shadow of the death, trials, persecutions,
challenges, oppositions, fiery battles – but he delivers them out of it because of His promise and their faith
Psalm 34:19 .
Check your faith today, even right now. Without faith in Jesus there is no victory and deliverance.
Do not allow the pride, which is the tool of the enemy to rob you of the presence of Jesus and eternal life.
If you need to repent – repent. If you need to be baptize in Jesus name – be baptized. If you need the Holy Ghost,
repent and receive it. If you need a healing come closer to Jesus and receive it. If you have any other needs call on your
brother in the Lord
and pray according to Matthew 18:19 . I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing
that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father, which is in heaven.
Malachi 4:2 , but unto you that fear my name, shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye
shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall.
2 Chronicles 7:14 , if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek my face,
and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, amen.
