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Review:

Words are important – that’s why we are told to watch what we say. Words can direct the thinking of other people and sway their decisions.

·         Matthew 12:36 “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken.”

God also tells us to hide His words in our hearts so that we might be able to rely on them when making decisions.

·         Psalm 119: 9-13 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.  I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.  Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.

·         Romans 10: 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, "that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming” (also Deut. 30: 14 )

·         1Chronicles 28:9 “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.”

God also tells us that he searches for our motivation.

• 1Sam 16:7 “But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

But just knowing the scriptures is not enough. Often times people say that they have read the scripture and have understood it. However, they are unable to rely on it in tough situations. For example, when you sit at the table you have confidence that the chair will not break. But what happens when you are told you are sick? Do you immediately thank God for his blessings and praise him that by the strips of Jesus Christ you are healed?  Most people do not even think of what God's will is as they immediately focus on the consequences that the Doctor has told you will materialize. So the question becomes "Will you be able to put God's words into action, do  you have confidence that God will support you like that chair?

Thoughts to Ponder:

Do you get results when you pray?

Do you try to bargain with God?

Do you feel that you have faith but you are still not getting answers to your prayers?

Why isn’t your faith working?

     Could it be that you lack confidence that God will come through for you?

Only when the Word of God is established in your heart can confidence rise within you. Confidence launches your faith. It is the missing “link.”

The answer to the first three question lies in the substance of your faith.

Let's look at a man of faith and how he handled "tough times":

Habakkuk 3:17-19

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD,  I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights."

Dilemma:

How do we develop the unshakable confidence that God will see us through?

      Hold on to the confidence

The path is in the scriptures: 

Hebrews 10:15-22

The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrew 3: 6, 14

6But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

How does our faith become unstable and waiver?

     Satan will use a word of discouragement, a little bad news, a cutting remark.  He will use friends, family, TV etc. To plant the seed of doubt – remember Eve in the Garden. Satan will try to shake your confidence.

Our faith can only be unshakable when we know, trust, and have confidence in the word of God. Take a look at the next two scriptures.

Proverbs 3:26  

"for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared."

Hebrews 10:35-36

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."

How can we make our prayers effective? 

Lets look at 1 John 5:14-15 which advises us to ask according to His will. "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."

This verse tells us three things:

1.  Know that God hears you when you pray
2.  Be confident by praying in the word. Faith comes when the Word of God is known. God’s word is His will. This means you should find a promise in the Bible that applies to your situation and stand on it.
3. Know that you have received what you prayed for.

If you stand on God’s word you will receive his blessing. Never forget that confidence that God's word is true connects you to God’s power or anointing. The anointing is His ability to remove burdens and destroy yokes. Power resides in you through Christ.

Thought to Ponder:

Do you believe he has the ability to come through for you - be there when you need him? Do you believe he will?

Lets look at another scripture:

Mark 11:23-24

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen; it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

Trust that God loves you:

1John 4:13-16

"We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

Romans 8:35-39

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Agape love is not human love but a love that operates even when things go wrong.

Bind yourself to God so that your purposes, plans, pursuits all line up with Him.

Remember, WE are more than a conquer

Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

How can you activate the power of faith?

1. Knowledge and understanding of God’s Word.
2. Confidence.
3. Spend quality time with Him and His Word.

 Click here for "Final Thoughts" the last segment in the study.