End Of Year Faith Seminar Day 2 Evening Session (Action Faith) 28.12.2015

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[0:33] Say I take charge. Say I take charge. Say I will not be denied. I will not be distracted. In the name of Jesus, I receive my portion. In Jesus' name, shout amen. Please be seated.

[0:51] Hallelujah. I am very grateful indeed. I'm very grateful for so many reasons.

[1:05] For me, on December the 13th, it wasn't just an ordination ceremony. It was a very emotional week for me in the lead-up to that particular Sunday evening because...

[1:21] Was it Saturday evening or Sunday evening? Sunday evening. Sunday evening because it suddenly dawned on me that God has been very faithful. Yeah.

[1:31] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because it's... For me, it's been 20 years. Yeah. Yeah. And I know many, many people who are far less reluctant and hesitant to yield into the call than I was who subsequently were rejected by God.

[1:50] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know many, many, many people. And for me, for a very long time, until probably last year, the bend us, oh Lord, I wasn't a very, very keen pastor.

[2:05] In fact, I wasn't interested at all. Yeah. So, I was a very, very hesitant.

[2:17] It wasn't that I didn't see it. I saw it as a great honor, but it wasn't something I wanted to do. But I knew that 20 years ago, I had a call and it wasn't going to change.

[2:31] But somehow, I thought that I could kind of find my way out of it. But God, I'm grateful today because God led myself and my family into this place.

[2:43] And you see, but for the astute spiritual leadership of God's servant, and that is what spiritual fathers do. Yes, put your hands together. Let me, before I go ahead, you know what spiritual fathers do?

[3:00] Because all the callings and the giftings of God are without repentance. Now, what it means is that when God calls you, he grants you gifts, he doesn't take them away. But sometimes, he can just decide not to use you again.

[3:12] But what spiritual fathers do is to help you steward the grace, steward the call and the gifting. And then, allow you to partake of their grace.

[3:25] That is what makes you soar, you understand. Then you'll be able to, your calling and your gifting will then become a blessing to many, many, many people.

[3:37] And I'm grateful that I'm standing here today. Because if God's servant wasn't working by the Spirit, I don't think I would be here. I'm not here because I helped him greatly.

[3:49] In fact, the number of things he asked me to do and having done it, he should have sat me by now. I should have been fired long ago.

[4:03] So, I want us to appreciate, help me appreciate God's servant. Yeah. Yeah. Because, because the fact is that, but for his spiritual leadership, but for his fatherly guidance, I mean, to the extent that he has actually ordained me into ministry.

[4:32] Believe it or not. But for that, I will probably be somewhere else. Thinking that life is okay, but life wasn't okay. So, I'm grateful to God.

[4:43] I'm really, really grateful to God. So, and I believe that there is more to come. Yes. Since now, I have accepted the call.

[4:54] Amen. Because the God of Jacob has a way of making sure that your minds are focused. But let's pray. Father, we thank you for tonight.

[5:06] We thank you for the grace to walk in overcoming faith. Speak through us, Lord, in the name of Jesus. Speak to us and speak through me. Let's all hear a word behind us saying this is the way.

[5:18] Go therein. In Jesus' glorious name. Amen. Amen. You know, this morning when I heard Pastor Joshua and Mr. Jehu speak, I realized that I had to rush home quickly and put things in the pen.

[5:36] Yeah, yeah, yeah. And put proper finishing touches. So, the other day when the pictures came up, God said, oh, you know, the way I've posed, he's sure that I've been looking for it to this day.

[5:51] And it's true. I mean, I was actually looking forward to it for the first time. Normally, I don't look forward to it apart from leading prayer. If you ask me to preach, I'm not really too keen. But now I'm really prepared.

[6:04] Come on. Come on. Oh, yeah. I am. Come on, boy. I am. I am probably overprepared for a 40-minute sermon. But God is good.

[6:17] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. You know, how many of you are into pets? You know, pets. Yeah, I won't. I expect just less than maybe 5% or even less than 2%.

[6:30] Because our community, we don't do pets. Isn't it? Yeah, we don't do pets. It was only when I came to this country that I realized that dogs could be people's friends.

[6:42] You know, they put them in their bags. Some people wear coats. You know, they put on all sorts of things. People marry them. You know, because when we were growing up, dogs, you know, when you're specialized in certain areas, they kept them in their homes.

[6:57] And it served a very pragmatic and a very practical purpose. It was to help augment the security of the house. So you see a big gate with pictures of two dogs.

[7:09] Maybe an Alsatian. Their ears peeking out. Their tongue sticking out. And it's written, beware of wild dogs. In fact, there are three types. There's beware of dogs. Beware of wild dogs.

[7:21] And beware of dangerous dogs. But in this country, I think we have the dangerous dogs act. Isn't it? So it's not something. But then, you know, that's pets for us.

[7:34] But then let's assume that we are all pet lovers. And let's assume that we've been invited to a pet show. So we all have different pets. If you have a dog, you probably drag it along on a leash.

[7:45] If you have a cat, maybe there's this thing they carry around. I think it's like a cat transporter or something. And then if I had a fish, maybe a golden fish, it would have to come in water.

[8:03] I mean, maybe a portable aquarium or something like this. Because I can't drag. It doesn't matter how well I train a fish. It can't walk beside me like a dog.

[8:14] I can't pull it along on a leash. Now, the reason being that fish can only survive for any protracted length of time in water.

[8:26] You understand? But the interesting thing, do you know that fish breathe oxygen? And we breathe oxygen as well. So why don't we live in water? We can't live in water.

[8:37] And fish cannot say, what am I doing here in the water? Let me go out. There's the same oxygen. Let me go out there and breathe it outside the water.

[8:49] It will die sooner or later. So that when the Bible tells us that the just shall live by faith, it is not something that you can negotiate, try to discuss, try to debate whether or not there is some other way around it.

[9:09] One of the things I would love to do before I die is to go scuba diving. And yes, it's very, very nice. I hear. Now, anyone been on a scuba dive?

[9:21] God needs to help us. I'm sure only Brother Corby has gone to scuba dive. And Minister Johnson, wow. Okay, Pastor Philip has gone to scuba dive. Now, if I ever go on a scuba dive, I don't have a choice but to carry an oxygen tank with me.

[9:44] Two of us. I can't, there is no other way of having it. So, what is clear is that when the scriptures tell us that we live by faith and not by sight, or the just shall live by faith, it is an imperative.

[10:03] That is, in fact, I am inclined to suggest that once you become born again, the capacity to live any other way is taken away from you.

[10:13] In fact, the only way you can survive is by faith. You can't survive any other way as a Christian other than by faith.

[10:31] Now, I know, I know that you and I, we live in homes. We probably pay bills. The utility companies, they don't accept faith.

[10:44] They accept cash. Now, I understand that. I understand that. But, you see, the thing about faith is this. That for us Christians, God has designed it in such a way that all the stuff of life gravitates towards the direction of our faith.

[11:09] Did you get that? Everything we possibly need for life and for godliness. To live a comfortable life. To make life work for us.

[11:20] To be able to pay our money, our jobs, our parenting, our career, our homes, our marriages. Whatever it is, these are the stuff of life, aren't they?

[11:31] They all gravitate towards the direction of our faith. What do I mean? When your faith is up, your finances will be up. When your faith is down, everything else, your health, your finances, your peace of mind, everything will be down.

[11:50] Why? Because they just shall live by faith. There are some missiles. Missiles. Somebody say missiles.

[12:01] There are some missiles that are laser guided. There are some other missiles that are heat seeking. They are heat sensitive.

[12:12] So surface to air missiles. So when they are released, they lock onto a target. And as long as the target is not on stealth mode, once the target is emitting any kind of heat, it will follow it wherever it goes.

[12:27] Matthew chapter 6, verse 33. Before we go on. Tonight, I'm speaking on action faith. Somebody say action faith. Action faith. Let me show you something.

[12:38] In Matthew chapter 6. It's a very popular scripture. The Bible says, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And all these things shall be added to you.

[12:53] It didn't say all these things shall be added unto you by God. All these things shall be added unto you. And may I suggest to you that a pursuit of the kingdom agenda is invariably an adventure in faith.

[13:09] Right. So, because you see, you can't pursue the kingdom agenda if you don't have faith.

[13:20] Do you know that we go out evangelizing by faith? Yeah. We go out evangelizing by faith. We preach by faith. We heal, pray for people by faith. We give by faith.

[13:31] We serve in church by faith. We love each other by faith. Everything we do is by faith. So, when we are pursuing the kingdom agenda, we are placing God's agenda first.

[13:43] What we are doing is that we are placing faith first. Because the Bible says, without faith, it is impossible to please God. But that scripture says something else. It says that when you seek first the kingdom of God, all other things are added unto you.

[14:00] May I suggest to you that all these other things are faith-seeking. Just like the missiles are heat-seeking, all these other things we chase after, they are all faith-seeking.

[14:16] That is why those who exercise their faith, somehow you see finances gravitating towards them. Good health gravitating towards them.

[14:26] Results gravitating towards them. Why? Because the stuff of life is faith-seeking. So, these stuff of life, when they look for faith in your life and they can't find it, it doesn't stick to you.

[14:49] It doesn't. So, you see, this faith thing is so important. I mean, it don't mean that actually I ought to spend 90% of my time developing my faith.

[15:06] If not 100%. It's only don't mean that this whole thing is about faith. This whole business is about faith.

[15:25] Now, we want to talk about action, faith. Action. What exactly is an action?

[15:38] Okay? Let's define what an action is. Write it down. An action is a fact or process of doing something typically to achieve an aim. Let me write it again.

[15:49] Let me say it again. An action is a fact or process of doing something typically to achieve an aim. And what is faith?

[16:01] We see in Hebrews 11, 1, it defines faith for us. Faith provides evidence that what is unseen is absolutely real. Faith makes the things hoped for as real as if you already have them.

[16:17] Faith is taking God at his word. Faith is the confidence in the worthiness and ability of someone or something. You see why faith is so important to God in our working life?

[16:31] Recently, I was reading some posts on some of my friends on Facebook, their profile. And it looked like I missed a memo. It looked like an important memo went around and I didn't get it.

[16:43] Because some of the things they were writing, they were suggesting that having a college degree and a good job was somehow the very antithesis of believing what the Bible says.

[17:00] Are you understanding what I'm saying? In other words, when you are well educated, you can't believe the Bible. In fact, some of them went as far as saying that all these Christians are brainwashed.

[17:14] You understand what I'm saying? All these Christians are brainwashed. So they go as far as saying, so for them, science, their faith. So I had a little chit chat with one of them.

[17:26] And the person said that no, science has the evidence. I said fine, you believe in the evidence of science. I believe in the evidence that God has given me. Because my faith is not just in something.

[17:41] My faith is in someone. So my faith is reposed in God. My confidence and my hope is in God. You understand what I'm saying? So Hebrews 11 defines faith for us.

[17:53] We've defined what action is. Now, what then is action faith? What then is action faith? You know, James chapter 2 verse 17, especially the NIV version, leaves us in no doubt.

[18:08] Now, action is a step or a process. Something you are doing. Faith is the belief. Faith is the belief that what you haven't seen, you already have it.

[18:19] Now, James chapter 2 verse 17, the NIV. Do we have it? Let's read it on it. What does it say? In the same way, by itself, it is not a way of action.

[18:30] Now, this is serious. All right. So really, faith, really, faith is action faith. Because faith by itself is dead.

[18:43] Faith by itself is just some kind of ethereal projections. Some kind of you ascribe some virtue to something. Because your faith must play out in your action.

[18:56] So James chapter 2 verse 17 says, faith itself by itself is dead. Now, what I said previously is very serious. Because if your faith is dead, it means that your faith is in stealth mode.

[19:09] And if your faith is in stealth mode, and all the stuff of life look for faith, they can't find faith. So you see, you'll be struggling, but you believe you have faith.

[19:25] Because you can believe you have faith, but you don't actually have faith. Because the faith that is faith is the one that James talks about in 2.17.

[19:39] Faith, because when you go to the city and you see all these big machines, you can tell that these guys are moving for the property next door.

[19:50] You can see earth moving machines there. God, they are pulling down the structure. So you can tell that there is something going on there. So we are told that real faith is faith with action.

[20:04] So if I can't get to your faith, I can look to your action, and I can tell this guy has faith. You understand what I'm saying? So for example, now we have to move out of here.

[20:17] And I always tell people that, me, I am looking, I just want to see how God will do it. Yeah. Actually, I'm very keen to see how God will do it.

[20:28] Because I'm looking at God's servant. I'm looking at we are, today is 28th. I'm looking at we need to move the end of January. And I'm very keen.

[20:38] I want to see, because you can see this is a man of faith. Are you understanding what I'm saying? This is a man of faith. So if you are to be a person of faith, let's see it in what you do.

[20:53] Let your actions give voice to your faith. Let your actions give voice to your faith. What did I say? Let your actions, listen, the only faith that overcomes is real faith.

[21:10] Real faith is action faith. We're in 2016. If you are to overcome, you must receive action faith.

[21:24] I see somebody receiving the grace for action faith in the year 2016. If that is you, shout a living, amen. See, the Bible leaves it in no, it doesn't leave us in any doubt.

[21:40] That we are different. Okay? And therefore, we must operate differently. Galatians 4, 28.

[21:51] I love it so much. It says that, but you brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. I mean, it means that we are not like those other guys.

[22:06] So watch this. The world, they labor for money. We labor to build our faith. So, while they are laboring for money, laboring for good health, going to gym, going to gym is good, exercising, buying tablets, yohimbe extract, ginseng, this and that, strengthening themselves.

[22:29] We are laboring to build our faith. Because the things they are going for, we don't pursue it. We build our faith and the things get attracted to us.

[22:42] That is how we operate. Please, if you find yourself unable to operate this way, you need to pray and ask God for grace.

[22:58] Because I have concluded that that's the only way it works. That's the only way. Hmm. Let's move on. Let me take us to Mark chapter 4, which is actually my anchor text.

[23:11] Mark chapter 4, verse 35. It's the same story that Pastor Joshua narrated, spoke on this morning, but he took Luke's account.

[23:23] I prefer Mark's account. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. And isn't it interesting that, like Mommy said earlier, this is a great church.

[23:34] It's an amazing church. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because, you see, the callings and the giftings are different. But we are all partakers of one grace, which is the beauty.

[23:45] Because when, in the morning when Minister Jehu started reeling all the scriptures, I think about 25 scriptures from memory. I prayed. I said, God, help me and Pastor Charles. To also be able to.

[23:56] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[24:08] Pastor Charles is my senior colleague, so when I pray, I pray for him as well. Hallelujah. Mark chapter 4. Turn with me. Come with me to Mark chapter 4.

[24:21] Verse 35. Mark 4, verse 35. If possible, let's put it on the screen so that we can read and follow together. I'm reading from the New King James, so yeah.

[24:32] The Bible says, on the same day, when evening had come, he said to them, let us cross over to the other side. Jesus said to them, let us cross to the other side.

[24:45] Now when they had left the multitude, they took him along in the boat as he was, and other little boats were also with him. So it was kind of an entourage. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat so that it was already filling.

[25:02] God's servant said some time ago that boat on water is not a problem. The water in the boat becomes a big issue. And the storms arose.

[25:16] Sometimes storms do arise, don't they? Yeah. Unannounced. Sometimes they beat down in a boat. And you can smell danger. You can touch danger.

[25:28] You can feel danger. I know some of us, we are in a place where the storms are raging. Maybe storms of what we may term as disappointment.

[25:40] Because some of us, when we started this year, you knew. I mean, you knew that by June you were married. I mean, you knew. It wasn't even negotiable. I mean, you knew.

[25:52] You tried on the dresses. You knew. But today, December 28th. And you are thinking, Jesus, there's water in my boat.

[26:04] I did. I did. I did. I did. I did. I did. I did. I did. I did. I did. I did. I did. I did. I did. I did. But Jesus, but verse 38, but he was in a stand, asleep on a pillow. Often I wonder why Mark had to add that detail on a pillow.

[26:18] But anyway, and they awoke him and said to him, teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? Then he arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, peace be still.

[26:31] And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. But he said to them, why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? And they feared exceedingly and said to one another, who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey him?

[26:45] I want to speak to you three dangers of faith with no action. Otherwise, three dangers of dead faith.

[26:56] Three dangers of faith that we only confess but not profess. Three dangers of faith with no action. Number one, you will speak doom and gloom.

[27:10] Mark chapter 4, verse 38. Master, care it not that we perish? See, when your faith is without action, you say it as it is.

[27:26] You see, those whose faith is not backed with action, they have a litany of disappointments. So they get to a place where they say that they develop a philosophy.

[27:36] Listen, as for me now, I face reality. Yeah, they say now I face reality. This is what it is. I am sick. I have a headache. My account is in the red.

[27:50] Okay? I don't have money. I can't make it. It is impossible. That is faith with no action. Dead faith. Talking.

[28:02] You speak what? Doom and gloom. I am keeping an eye on my time. Number two, you will live and operate in fear.

[28:13] Mark chapter 4, verse 40. See, Jesus asked them, why are you afraid? Why are you afraid?

[28:27] Turn to your neighbor, tap them on the shoulder. I said, why are you afraid? Why are you afraid? In fact, you could even sense the angst in Jesus' voice. Why are you afraid?

[28:38] He told them standing, why are you afraid? What is it that you have seen that is making you so afraid? I know today is 28th December.

[28:49] I know you have a deadline tomorrow. I know you need to pay that money back by tomorrow morning. I know. I know. But Jesus is saying, why are you afraid?

[29:03] Jesus was almost upset with them. Why? Just a little water in your boat? Why are you afraid? You see, faith with no, dead faith does not recognize that Jesus is in a boat.

[29:19] Okay. Dead faith does not recognize that Jesus is in a boat. Because if Jesus is in a boat, what is water coming in a boat?

[29:33] Why are you afraid? Why? Really, why are you afraid? Think about it. Why really? Think about that question Jesus asked.

[29:44] Why are you afraid? What gives you the platform to be afraid? Why are you? I remember the songwriter, a very good song, it's Be Gone on Belief.

[29:57] One of the verses say that his love and care in times past forbids me to think that he will leave me at last to sink and to die.

[30:16] Why? Why? Jesus said to me, why are you afraid? And he asked them another question. Where is your faith? Why are you simply confessing the faith and not professing it?

[30:33] Because a professional is a practitioner. Number three. See, you will forget who you really are when you are prayed without faith.

[30:47] That faith. You will forget. Because, you see, Genesis, let me show you something. Genesis chapter 1 verse 26 and 27. Let's look at something briefly that I'll show you. In Genesis, it says, then God said.

[30:59] Let's have the full screen, please, so I can see it properly from here. Yeah. Then God said, let us make man in our image according to our likeness. Do you see the semicolon there?

[31:11] It's very important. So, some translations say, so that they will have dominion. Because semicolon is significant. In English grammar, when you're writing and you have two sentences that express the same thought, are closely linked.

[31:25] Instead of putting a full stop, you want to put a short break, a short pause, you insert a semicolon. So, really, once we are made in the image and the likeness of God, that image and likeness, okay, confers upon us a certain mandate to dominate.

[31:44] So, Jesus was expecting them. That is why he asked them, where is your faith? He's expecting them to just get up and rebuke the sea. And let everything be changed.

[31:56] So, those are the three dangers of faith with no action. Number one, you speak doom and doom. You just say it as it is. You will live and operate in fear. You will forget who you really are.

[32:07] You wonder like the way they wander. You worry like the way they worry. You fear like the way they fear. You plan like the way they plan. You make projections like the way they make projections.

[32:19] You make your budget according to the news, according to the economic. You give according to your pocket, not according to your faith. You do all these things because you have no faith.

[32:31] But what are the three characteristics of action faith? As we bring this down, what are the three characteristics of action faith? Number one, it sticks with the word.

[32:42] In spite of prevailing circumstances. It does what? It sticks with the word. You see, in Mark chapter 4 verse 35, Jesus said, let us cross over to the other side.

[32:56] That was the word he professed. All right. He spoke. So for him, as long as I have spoken, we are getting there. So the storm was a little distraction.

[33:09] You understand? The storm was a little distraction. So he just cast. So you stick with what you have confessed. Are you getting me? You stick with what you have confessed.

[33:19] If you lay hands on your thighs head, you say, I am healed in Jesus' name. It stays the same. It doesn't matter what you see. We heard the story of the agriculture of Benzinita Hossa. Ten broken bones.

[33:32] He said, no. His bones were not broken. People went to see him in the hospital. They came back to church. Ah, pastor was standing in the cast preaching. Because he had spoken.

[33:44] Mark chapter 5 verse 35. You remember 35 following. You remember he was speaking to Jairus. Men came from his household. They said, master, your daughter is dead.

[33:56] You know, there is nothing as final as death. I mean, there is a certain finality about death. When you hear somebody is dead, I mean, you know the person is gone. So the guys who came to announce were not just being silly or being in some way.

[34:13] They are adults. The daughter is dead. But look at what Jesus said. Jesus said, fear not. Only believe. So why are you afraid? Stick with the word you have.

[34:26] Somebody say, stick with the word you have. Say, stick with the word you have. Number two. Three characteristics of action faith. The first one, stick with the word.

[34:37] The second one, you're not overwhelmed by the actions and reactions of men. Do you know that in Mark chapter 5 verse 40, when Jesus got there to the house, and he said, why all this commotion in Jairus' house?

[34:51] They had rented people to come and cry. Professional cries. They had taken money crying. And Komoshi said, what is going on? The Bible said, he told them, they said, the child is dead.

[35:04] They said, no, the child is not dead. The Bible said, they laughed him to scorn. They did what? They laughed at Jesus. Do you know that sometimes, as people working in faith, we become objects of ridicule, but for a while.

[35:20] Yeah, yeah. Bad for a while. It is only bad for a while. Because they can tell that water is getting into your boat, and you are saying, there's no water in my boat.

[35:32] They can tell that the child is dead. Their situation is kaput. Their situation is dead, but you are saying the child is not dead. You will be an object of ridicule. That is why still coming to church and believing God for that son of yours, some people think that this woman is not serious.

[35:50] Are you understanding what I'm saying? Three characteristics of faith that has action back the real overcoming faith. Number one, sticks with the word. Number two, defies the reactions and the responses of men.

[36:04] Be it ridicule or praise. Are you getting me? The last one is intolerance of fear. Three things.

[36:16] Number one, you stick with the word. Number two, you are not overwhelmed by the actions and reactions of men. Number three, you are intolerant of fear. Whenever an arrow of fear is shot at you, it is in fact an attack on your very livelihood.

[36:36] Why? Because you and I, Christians, we are designed to only operate by faith. And we have been taught severally. God's servant has taught us. I think Pastor Joshua mentioned it this morning.

[36:48] Fear and faith cannot coexist. Fear and faith cannot coexist. Whenever you see fear, it is a projection of the enemy to suffocate you.

[37:02] Because the oxygen of our lives, spiritual lives, is faith. And fear is the number one thing that suffocates it. Do you know that in a chemical solution there are elements that can be added and oxygen will leave?

[37:15] Fear is one of those. In the chemical solution or reaction of faith, one's fear is tipped in. That is the end of the matter.

[37:26] And how does fear operate? By what we see. The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 3, that by faith, we understand that the words were framed by the word of God.

[37:43] So that the things which are seen were not made of the things which are visible. It doesn't say the things that are seen were made from things that do not exist. It's just that the things we cannot see.

[37:57] Are you understanding? The things we cannot see. But there are people on earth, you and I, we are designed to see the things that are not visible.

[38:09] So that when we fail to build that muscle that allows us to see the things that are not visible, the enemy shows us the things that anybody can see.

[38:20] And so when anybody can see it and anybody is reacting, and because you are not seeing what is not visible, you suffocate yourself. Listen, the world is designed to live by sight.

[38:34] They are like human beings on earth. You and I will be like fish in water. They are perfectly designed to operate by sight. We are not able to operate by sight.

[38:48] Why try to compete with them as a born again Christian? Try to work like the way they work. You find that they are making progress and advances.

[38:58] You cannot. Because that thing has been taken away from you. Let me, wow, I have only three minutes.

[39:10] So I am going to quickly tell us how to develop action faith. I am going to do it quickly. Number one, you see again, if you have sat here for some time, you know that one of the first things that how to develop anything, how to serve God properly, number one will be prayer.

[39:28] Or the word, isn't it? So the first one is study and prayer. Please, study the word. Study the word. The way you build your faith is to study the word and to spend a lot of time in prayer.

[39:43] I love Job chapter 38 verse 33. It says, Now, the ordinances of heaven, you can only buy into the ordinances of heaven by prayer and by study.

[40:00] Because you see, it is what you can see beyond the realm of what is seen is what really is the jet fuel for your faith. Because you are operating by another set of I.

[40:13] And that comes through searching the scriptures. Like God's servant taught that the Holy Spirit connecting scriptures. And God literally by the Spirit showing you things. Hallelujah.

[40:24] Hallelujah. And please, let me just give you this fourth thing. You read the Bible. You study the Bible. You memorize the scriptures. And you act. Alright, so number one, you read.

[40:36] You study. You memorize. And you act. Our faith is as effective as our word study and our prayer life. Prayer grants us insights that fuel our actions.

[40:49] And we know Jesus himself, prayer was part and parcel of his life. The Bible says as was his custom, he would rise up early in the morning and go to the mountain to pray.

[41:00] So, prayer was part and parcel. That is why one day he came to the disciples who were struggling over a little demon. And they said, Master, why could we not deal with it? He said, This one, you must be spending time in prayer like I do.

[41:12] Amen. So, the first one is study and prayer. The second one, I love this, is spiritual intelligence. And I'm going to just end here. Spiritual intelligence. What do I mean?

[41:23] The other day, the Bible says, In 1 Chronicles 12, verse 32, the Bible talks about a group of people. The Bible says, Like the sons of Isaac, men who had an understanding of the times, and they knew what to do.

[41:36] Okay? So, Jesus was in the house. The other day, in Luke chapter 5, verse 17 to 20, four friends heard that Jesus was in town. And they knew that there was a presence there.

[41:49] Something was going on. And they carried their friend, who was a leper, into the house because they understood that there was a presence there, delivering solutions. Please. When we get into a season, some time ago, some time ago, about two or three years ago, God's heaven taught me something.

[42:04] He said, As a pastor, when people come to you, maybe like in a week or a month, people come, this person comes to you, He's a pastor. My child has been rushed to the hospital. You pray for him. The next week, somebody comes and says, Oh, I've been asked to come for a disciplinary at my work.

[42:20] Then the other person came. I went to a job interview. I was granted. They called me back. They said, They've taken it away. You must know that the devil is at work. It's a season. The devil wants to come in and attack people.

[42:31] In the same way, whenever you hear people standing here giving testimonies, I went for an interview. I thought it was going to be the most difficult interview ever. It ended up being a conversation.

[42:42] I was sitting somewhere busy at my job. I was headhunted. My boss just called me and tripled my pay. I've been promoted. This is happening. I've been healed. I pray for my father. My father got healed.

[42:53] That, that, that, that. Tap your neighbor and tell them, Stop sleeping. And you, you, you, so, so, so, once you hear these things, a spiritually, now listen, a spiritually intelligent person must know that, ah, God is up to something.

[43:09] It's a season. So, that season you take a step of faith in the direction of what you are believing God for. You understand what I'm saying? So, you must, so you must always be alert of the season so that testimony time is not just, Amen.

[43:24] Amen. No, listen to what they are saying. Ah, okay. So, this is what God is doing. And you also do what you have to do. Hallelujah. Finally.

[43:36] Homologia. Speak the word. Homologia. Speak the word. Homologia. Speak the word. Yes. So, the final one, the final step of how to develop your faith, the action faith, is always speak, say what God is saying.

[43:55] It's as simple as that. Say what God is saying. Say what, sing, oh, barren woman. I mean, how can a barren woman sing? Isaiah 54. How can a barren woman sing?

[44:07] Sing, oh, barren woman. He goes on to say that, strengthen your courts, lengthen your stakes, for you are about to break forth to the left and to the right.

[44:17] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. A widow. Just speak the word. Say what God is saying. Church, our sustenance, our livelihood, and everything that makes for life, gravitates towards our faith.

[44:34] The stuff of life is faith seeking. But incidentally, they only seek out for faith that is really alive. That is action faith.

[44:46] The action faith is the overcoming faith. Hallelujah. Lift up your hands and give God all the glory. Hallelujah. Give God the glory.

[44:56] Give God the glory. Give God the glory. Give God the glory. Give God the glory. Hallelujah. Father, we thank you. We receive grace tonight to walk in faith, to operate by faith, to develop our faith, to build our faith, to exert all our efforts and our energies on building our faith, so that our life will indeed bring you pleasure.

[45:25] In Jesus' glorious name we pray. Amen. If you are not saved, you are not safe, because life is dangerous. Life is not under your command.

[45:35] I don't see why I should end this service without giving you an opportunity to say, Yes, Lord. Pastor, pray with me, because I want to have this bread. It means I want to put all my confidence in Him, all my hope in Him.

[45:47] I want to give my life to Jesus. If that is your genuine desire, just lift up your hand and say this after me. Say it genuinely from your heart. Say, Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. I've sinned against you.

[45:59] I ask you to forgive my sins. Wash me with your blood. Thank you, Lord, for dying on the cross to save me. From today, I will serve you.

[46:10] I believe in you. I put all my hope in you. I put my faith in you as my Lord and personal Savior. I receive you into my life. I make a vow with you that I will serve you all the days of my life.

[46:25] Satan, get behind me. I don't belong to you. I belong to Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me. In Jesus' name. Father, I thank you.

[46:36] Your word says that you know your sheep and your sheep know your voice. No one can come to you except your father brings him. I pray that let your grace be upon them. Help them to be strong.

[46:46] I pray that the grace of God will come upon you. The power of the Holy Spirit will come upon you and help you to be a strong Christian. In Jesus' mighty name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[46:56] Amen. Thank you for listening. For more resources, please visit caries.org and call us on 0207 740 9960. God bless you.