Radical Faith

[0:00] Welcome. Thank you for choosing to listen to another faith-building message by Pastor David Entry. Faith comes by hearing and by hearing the Word of God.

[0:12] May your knowledge of Jesus Christ increase as you listen. Be blessed. The beautiful thing is this month is a month of violent faith or radical faith.

[0:24] What is violent faith? Violent faith is the faith that the one practicing the faith has become so determined that in face of all odds, they still choose to hold on and believe God's Word.

[0:40] That's radical faith. Even when everything around you is speaking contrary to what Word of God you are believing, you choose that I'll still hold on to the Word of God.

[0:51] I'll still hold on to the Word of God. I believe God is faithful and His promise is yes. His promise is amen. You hold on to the Word of God. That is radical faith.

[1:02] Radical faith. It is the kind of faith that our father Abraham had. The Bible said that those who are of faith, the same are blessed with believing Abraham.

[1:15] Galatians chapter 3 from verse 7, 8 and 9. Those who are of faith, the same are blessed. So if you can walk by faith, then you should know you are walking in the realm of Abraham.

[1:28] You know what? Some people came to Jesus and they wanted to challenge Him about the resurrection. Some Sadducees in Matthew chapter 22. And it's also in Matthew.

[1:38] And then when they came to Him, they said about the resurrection. Before you believe in the resurrection, people would die. And some people, they told him a story about some family, guys who died.

[1:51] And then seven brothers. This one married your brother and sister. When you die, in those days, the tradition is when you die and you don't have a child, you are a man, you don't have a child with your wife, your brother will marry your wife and produce children for you.

[2:05] So you marry your wife and produce children through your wife for you. So the first one married and died, didn't have a child. So the second one had to marry him. He married her.

[2:15] He also died, didn't marry her. The third one married her. He had seven brothers. All the seven married her. And then finally, the last one who married her also died and didn't have a child. So that means they were all her husbands.

[2:29] She was the wife to all of them. Successively. Not simultaneously, but successively. These people, they are married to the woman successively.

[2:42] So this one dies and she married him. Then this one died and married the other one. And so she was legitimately and legally married to all of them, but not at the same time.

[2:53] Now she dies. That's the story they were telling. It wasn't a real story. They were trying to tell a story to pin Jesus down. And then when he said, now the woman dies.

[3:04] And then when the woman dies and the man, all the men are also dead. In heaven, at the resurrection. That's their question. At the resurrection, whose wife shall that woman be?

[3:16] They asked Jesus. So who is going to be? And when they resurrect, who are they going to say? That's the wife of the, this day. This is the wife of the body. All married to her. And Jesus' answer is what I want to say. Jesus said, you err because you do not know the word of the Lord.

[3:32] That's why you are making mistakes. Because the word of God is not inside you. Then he said to them, listen to this. You like this. He said, have you not read from the book of Moses that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

[3:45] He is the God of the living, not the God of those who are dead. And when God said this to Moses' names, that I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Abraham was dead.

[3:55] Isaac was dead. Jacob was dead. But he didn't say, I was the God. He said, I am. Which stands to imply that even though they were dead, they were still alive. That's what he says.

[4:08] God appeared to Moses. And he said that I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But Abraham is dead. Isaac is dead. Jacob is dead. And he said, I am the God. Why are they? The people you are talking about.

[4:19] He said, even though it looks like they are not around, they are still around. And I'm still their God. And we understand from scriptures that these men were men of faith. Yes.

[4:30] They walk with God by faith. There is no future for the one who does not walk by faith in God. Then you don't, if you don't walk by faith, you are walking by presumptions and assumptions.

[4:43] And assumptions can't guarantee results. The only way any person can receive the promise of God is when you are walking with God by faith.

[4:53] I see your faith growing in Jesus' name. Amen. Now, I want us all to understand, brothers and sisters, that your faith is so crucial.

[5:05] And because your faith is crucial, the only way you can fuel your faith is the word of God. That's the only way. So, that sounds like, you know, if there is shortage of fuel, many cars will not be on the road.

[5:23] That's all. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Now, if there is shortage of fuel, or even, let's say, in a house, most of, some of the boilers, modern day boilers use electricity. If there is no electricity, it means there will not be heating.

[5:36] Yeah. Yeah. It means the house will be cold. And when the house remains cold for a long time, somebody is likely to fall sick. Yeah. You know? So, the sickness, maybe even though it's no electricity that makes the person sick, lack of electricity will result in sickness and somebody be on medication and maybe die.

[5:55] You know, sometimes when the weather is so cold, very old people end up dying. Yeah. Out of cold weather. So, the point I'm making is, when the word of God is not flowing into your life, the resultant effect is you can't have faith.

[6:10] And if you don't have faith, the promise of God can't be fulfilled in your life. And eventually, Satan will take advantage of that and say, you see, you say you are believing God, but I'm not doing anything. He said, I believe, I believe, nothing is happening.

[6:23] You have to fuel your faith by the word. That is why this year, every day, there is something we are reading. We are reading from the scriptures every year, the whole of the year.

[6:35] And I want to encourage everybody. You are not doing it for your mother, your father, your brother, your sisters, even though they will benefit from your work of faith. You are doing it for your own life, for your own future, for your own marriage, for your own health and safety.

[6:51] And I believe it shall be well with you. Amen. He said in Galatians, Galatians chapter 3, verse 7. 7. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

[7:06] He said, who are the children of Abraham? Those who are of faith. Now, those who are of faith have been recognized as the descendants of Abraham. So the promise that was made to Abraham automatically kicks into your life.

[7:19] The promise of the blessing of God. Verse 13 and 14 says, Christ has redeemed that from the curse of the Lord. Having become a curse for us, for it is written, curse is he who hung on the tree.

[7:32] Everyone that hangs on the tree. That's verse 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come upon us, the Gentiles. Gentiles are people who didn't come from Abraham. Who are not descendants of Abraham.

[7:44] But the Bible says that Christ died on the cross so that those of us who believe in Christ, guess what? You are not just believing in Christ. You are believed into blessings.

[7:54] You believe into blessings. I want to encourage somebody that your faith at this crucial time of your life, working by faith is non-negotiable.

[8:05] Wow. Non-negotiable. It's a necessary requirement. Wow. When you work by faith, you pray by faith. Forgive by faith. You forgive by faith.

[8:16] You love by faith. You read your Bible by faith. Yeah. You do church work by faith. Wow. Yeah. In the book of John. John chapter 8, verse 47.

[8:28] Listen. It said, he that is of God, hears the word of God. Ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. So, he said, people who don't like the word of God, it's because they are not of God.

[8:43] It's there. Jesus said it to John chapter 8, verse 47. He said, he that is of God, hears God's word. If you are of God, you will hear God's word.

[8:56] And I know you are of God in the name of Jesus. Amen. So, back to, in fact, since I'm in John, let me read. John chapter 8, verse 39. They answered and said unto Jesus, Abraham is our father.

[9:08] And Jesus said unto them, if ye were Abraham's children, you will do the works of Abraham. So, those who are in the line of Abraham, they do the works of Abraham.

[9:21] God's word. Because God is the God of Abraham. He's not even the God of Caris. Yes. He is the God.

[9:31] The God of Abraham has become the God of Caris. That's why we follow. But he's first of all the God of Abraham. So, if you leave the Abraham out, I think you are missing a point. And what makes him the God of Abraham is the faith Abraham operated in.

[9:46] Yes, sir. It's the faith Abraham operated in. What I'm saying is that we need to operate by faith. This is a month of violent faith. Radical faith.

[9:57] Be radical about your faith. What do I mean? Be non-compromising. So long as God's word is concerned. Yes. Keep fitting and fixing your eye.

[10:08] Your gaze. Your focus on the word of God. This is how you operate. I seen it in the Bible. And this is what it means in the Bible. That's a tusset for me. If this is what the Bible is saying, that's a tusset for me.

[10:20] That's a tusset. I don't care what anybody thinks. It is not based on. Some people, they are walking by faith because they had a dream. Listen. Having their dream. Having their vision. Even receiving a prophecy from a man of God.

[10:32] It is not as authentic as discovering it from God's way. Read your Bible. And when you see that this is what the Bible is saying.

[10:43] Radical faith says, I'm staying on it. I'm walking by it. I'm standing on it. And I'm not sinking. Even if it looks like I'm sinking, I still believe God. I believe God.

[10:54] I believe God. I believe God. I believe God. I believe God. Amen. That means you are going to work.

[11:05] But you know that it's God who provides for you. Yes. You are taking your medication. But you know it is God who heals you. When you hear that they said things are happening to everybody.

[11:18] This is happening to people. This is happening to people. Take precaution. But know that it's not a precaution that guarantees your safety. It is the word of God. It is your faith in God that is guaranteeing your safety.

[11:30] I am telling you. The Bible says that they that know your God will be strong. Hallelujah. I see the word of God protecting and preserving. Finally.

[11:41] It's still in the line of faith. I want to share some. This scripture is from my heart. In Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1. Most of us know that scripture already. Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1.

[11:53] It says that now faith is the substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtain a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.

[12:07] So that the things which are seen were not made of things which are not seen. It says that by faith the elders obtained a good report. Amen.

[12:17] Do you know what would report the testimony? Anybody in the Bible who had a testimony. They had it by faith. Yes. And your case is no different.

[12:29] Amen. Because God is the God of those who walk by faith. By faith. Amen. He said God is the God of Abraham. He said God is the God of Abraham. Of Isaac.

[12:40] He is not of the God of the people who are dead. He is the God of the people who are walking by faith. Amen. And He will be around. So by faith the elders, all elders obtain a good report.

[12:51] Okay. And then He said by faith. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. By which even though He is dead, He is still speaking. You don't have to be there to defend yourself always.

[13:08] Wow. Walk by faith. God will find means to defend you even in your absence. Amen. Amen. Even in your absence. God. God's faithfulness will defend you.

[13:20] Amen. God's mercy will speak for you. God's power will preserve you. In the mighty name of Jesus, everybody shout Amen. Walk by faith.

[13:34] Sister, I know things have been hard. Are you worried about your job? Don't be worried. Trust God. Trust God. Are you worried about your accommodation? Don't fear.

[13:46] I'm not saying don't do anything and sit down and cross your legs. What I'm saying is do everything you are doing and don't be afraid. Trust God. Yes. Trust God to take care of you.

[13:59] Trust God to protect you. Amen. Trust God for your studies. Those of us who are studying, trust God for your studies. Trust God for your children. Trust God for your marriage.

[14:12] Amen. Things have been rough. Things have been funny. Trust God for your relationship with your mother, your relationship with your father, your relationship with that child of yours. Amen.

[14:22] Trust God. Trust God. Amen. Trust God. Be great of faith in God. Don't wait for conditions to change before you start saying, I know it will be okay. No. Once you have the word of God, you know it will be okay because God will say so.

[14:37] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Believe in God's word. Strong word. This is what Paul said. I know in whom I have believed. I know it.

[14:48] And I am persuaded. I am persuaded that what I have committed to him, he's able to keep. Amen. Don't be afraid, my sister. Don't be afraid, my brother. Your future is very colorful.

[15:00] Your future is peaceful. Your future is glorious. Amen. Your future is glorious. Amen. Abraham never ended in shame. You will not end in shame.

[15:11] Amen. Amen. Yes, Lord. Amen. You will not end in shame. Amen. People will not have the opportunity to say, oh, sorry. Oh, sorry. They will only say, wow.

[15:22] Wow. Hallelujah. Amen. They will say, wow. Wow. Wow. Amen. You are blessed. Amen. In Hebrews chapter 11, as I was reading, let's jump to verse 17.

[15:37] Verse 17 says that, Hebrews 11, 17, by faith, Abraham, Abraham, the same Abraham, by faith, Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac, and he that had received the promise, offered up his only begotten son.

[15:56] Wow. That sounds like God. Mm-hmm. Offered up his only begotten son. You see, the problem and the challenge was not when Abraham offered Isaac.

[16:07] That wasn't the challenge. Now, jump to, if you have your Bibles and you can open it, let me show you this that I'll come back and finish here. Is somebody receiving something? Yes.

[16:17] We are. Listen, don't make your Christian success story be the responsibility of others. Wow. Work it to yourself. Work it. By faith, by faith, by faith, stay on his word, trust his word, follow his leading.

[16:34] Amen. It doesn't matter where you live. God is no respecter of persons. Yes. Amen. Now, in Genesis chapter 21, verse 12, I like this. When I saw it, I said, hey, so this one is in the Bible.

[16:47] It's amazing. Genesis chapter 21, verse 12, and God said to Abraham, you see again, God said to Abraham, let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the land.

[17:00] This is when Sarah, Abraham's wife, said, Ishmael and the mother should leave the house. You know, women don't like that kind of competition. Let Ishmael go. No rival. No rival.

[17:11] Yeah, no rival. Abraham, I know Ishmael is your son and you love him. That was Abraham loving. But Ishmael was persecuting Isaac. Ishmael was persecuting and some translations say, verse 9, he was mocking Isaac.

[17:25] Verse 9 says that, and Sarah saw that the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. Mocking.

[17:36] It was mocking Isaac. Wherefore, she said to Abraham, cast out this woman, this slave, let her leave the house. Abraham to love his son, Ishmael. So he said, no, I can't let Ishmael go like that.

[17:48] He said, let her go. Abraham went to God and said, God, this is what my wife is saying. Verse 11 said, and the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of the son. He loved Ishmael.

[18:00] Abraham was somebody who loves his sons. because it took him a long time to get one. So he really loved his sons. And then God came and God said to Abraham, let it not grieve in thy sight because of the lad and because of thy born woman.

[18:16] In all that Sarah has said unto thee, harking unto her, listen to her voice. God said to Abraham, listen to your wife.

[18:28] He said, your wife said, let this woman live your life. Let this woman live. Let this child go. Abraham left the chance. I can't let this one is my business.

[18:39] I can't let it go like that. God said, Abraham, listen to the woman. And you know why God told Abraham to listen to the woman? Okay. The last line. He said, harking to the woman.

[18:50] Why? For in Isaac shall thy seed be called. The promise I've given to you has not got anything to do with this woman and the child that's going. Your future is in Isaac.

[19:01] So if Sarah said, let the woman go, don't be so worried because the woman is going or the child is going because that child doesn't carry your future. The promise I have given you, what God said he will do for you, he will do it and it's attached to this one.

[19:18] Wow. But you know why we read this one? Look at chapter 22, verse 1. Chapter 22, verse 1 said, It came to pass after all these things that the Lord did tempt Abraham and said unto Abraham, Abraham said, here I am.

[19:33] And he says that, he says, take now, take now, now that you only have Isaac, take now thy son, thy only son Isaac. It wasn't a mistake, he said only Isaac.

[19:43] It means he said, take thy only son Isaac, whom thou lovest and get thee to the land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell thee.

[19:56] Wow. What did we just read? Didn't God say that your future is in Isaac? Yeah. Now he said, go and sacrifice Isaac. Now what? Yeah. What is the problem?

[20:08] God, you said this is where my future is. Now I should sacrifice my future. when you read early, it says, it came to pass that God did test. Your faith will be tested.

[20:21] Hallelujah. A faith that has not been tested is not a radical faith. Wow. I don't know. I don't know. When your faith is tested and you, it is not hinged on any physical thing, anything you see, but it's hinged only on God's word, then we can say that faith is radical faith.

[20:41] Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. You feel weak in your body, but you believe God is your healer. Yes. As you take your medication, you know God is healing you. You know God is healing you.

[20:52] You know God is healing. And you are getting weak but you know God is making you heal. Right. That's what it comes to. When you can't have anything to hold on but God's word and you still hold on to it like everything is okay, that's what we call radical faith.

[21:07] So what am I trying to say? In spite of the things you are not seeing, in spite of the challenges you might be seeing, in spite of what is around you, please, whether there is a challenge, there is no challenge.

[21:19] Whether everything is good or nothing is good. Whether you are happy or you are not happy. Whether things are working for you or nothing is working for you. Please stay on God's word. Don't wait only till things are bad before you say, I'm going to pray by faith.

[21:32] No. No. No. It doesn't work like that. And don't wait when things are good before, okay, now I can't operate by faith. Faith is not a spare time. It's not like a spare time.

[21:43] When you begin to use it when you are in need. It's not a spare time. Faith is the main thing. We walk by faith. We walk by faith and not by sight. Hallelujah.

[21:53] We walk by faith and not by sight. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. I believe, listen, I believe God, I believe God had this word for somebody listening.

[22:13] God put this word on my heart to speak to the church. Faith is not only for especially some people who are exceptionally spiritual or spiritual gurus. You are also a spiritual guru.

[22:23] What makes you a spiritual guru is your choice and decision to walk by faith. Decide to walk by faith. Decide to live by faith.

[22:34] Decide to be a man of faith. A woman of faith. The Bible says, Stephen, a man full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. You must be a person of faith.

[22:45] You must be a man of faith. A woman of faith. So, now, when God came to Abraham and he said, give me your only son Isaac. But God, you said in Isaac shall my descendants be blessed.

[22:58] Now, he said I should give Isaac. What's going on here? So, what's going to happen to my future? Now that you are asking for Isaac, you ask the other one to go. And now you are telling me, give Isaac to me.

[23:09] How? How is my future going to be settled? As I said, Hebrews chapter 11, verse 17. By faith, Abraham, when he was tried, offered up, watch this, what's this, offered up Isaac.

[23:26] What did he do? He actually offered him up. He wasn't waiting for a certain season. He offered him up. Offered him up. So, in his heart, Isaac was already gone.

[23:37] Wow. Wow. He offered him up. Watch this. Offered up Isaac, and he that had received the promise, offered up his only begotten son.

[23:48] So, how will the promise be fulfilled? Of whom it was said, in thy son, in Isaac, shall thy seed be called. Now, you are offering this person up. Why? God said, offer him. So, that's radical faith.

[24:00] He obeyed God. Watch this. Verse 19 says, accounting that, God was able to raise him from the dead. So, when he was going to do that, he had already concluded, if this is where my future is tied to, it doesn't matter what step I take, in obedience to God, God is still going to do it to them.

[24:22] Amen. In other words, he was trying to say, nothing could, can stop the hand of God, if I can believe. Amen. It's dead.

[24:33] It's dead. Verse 17 again, the first step he said, by faith, Abraham prophet. So, he knew that, if I can trust God, I can depend on his word, my future will be settled.

[24:44] Verse 19 says that, for he reasoned that God was able to raise him up, even from amongst the dead. Wow. Indeed, in the sense that Isaac was figuratively dead, potentially sacrificed.

[24:57] He did actually receive him back from the dead. Now, watch this. So, because in his heart, he had actually sacrificed Isaac, he actually, potentially received him back from the dead, because he had already sacrificed Isaac.

[25:09] How did he do it? By faith. Oh, wow. By faith. That is what we call radical faith. Oh. Radical faith is when you will hold on to God's word in the space of nothing, and you are confident that when all hope is gone, God's word will still deliver.

[25:26] Hallelujah. And I pray that may you be known as a man and a woman of radical faith. Amen. When you have radical faith, it shows in the way you serve in church.

[25:39] Right. How you handle your life. How you even check on other believers, encouraging them. How when you see the need of some other brothers and sisters, you rise up to help. How you are, you may not even have everything, but you want also to be a blessing to somebody because you know, this is what the Bible, the word of God says.

[25:55] Yes. This is what the word of God says. Sometimes, temptation is surrounding you, but by faith, you say, I will overcome. You see temptation around you and begin to blow your toes and stay on God's word.

[26:07] God, I believe your word. I will prevail. I will prevail. Stay on the word of God. Be faithful. Be faithful. Satan will come and suggest something different to you. Genesis chapter 3, verse 1.

[26:18] He came and said, do you think God's word is going to work? He will always come, but stay faithful. Finally, in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 36, that was, verse 36 says that, for we have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God, you receive the promise.

[26:35] So, we have to go with the word, obey the word, and the promise will follow. It will be fulfilled. Now, watch this. Verse 37 says that, for yet a little while, and he who comes will come and will not tarry.

[26:46] God's promise is about to show up. Jesus said, I'm going to come and it will show up in your life very soon. The sentence is that, now, the just shall live by faith. But if any man draws back, if any man draws back, if you backslide, if you stop praying, if you stop doing the check thing, if God said, if any man draws back, what is, what will happen?

[27:06] What will happen? It's like, oh, it's God threatening me. Yes, he's telling you. If any man draws back, my soul shall not have pleasure with him.

[27:18] If you fall back, if you backslide, you think it's peaceful out there. God said, I'm not happy with you. And he himself, he himself, he will withdraw all protection from you.

[27:32] He will withdraw all provisions from you because he's not happy with you. Now, God said, if you backslide, I won't be happy with you. because the just shall live by faith.

[27:43] Even if you stumble, keep running. Get up again and keep running. Amen. I know emotionally, some of us have had turbulent times. But I also know that the just shall live by faith.

[27:57] We walk by faith and not by sight. Don't be afraid. Walk by faith and not by sight. In Jesus' name, and all shall say, Amen.

[28:09] Thank you for listening. To hear more from David Entry, follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Why don't you subscribe to our YouTube channel at Carish Church and subscribe to our podcast so you are always up to date.

[28:25] Be blessed.