LA FOI ENDURANTE: UNE NECESSITE POUR TOUS LES ENFANTS DE DIEU

CHRIST THE ROCK CONGREGATION

Sunday JUNE 10^th 2018

Sermon by Pastor Marc E Simeon

ENDURING FAITH: A NECESSITY FOR ALL THE CHILDREN OF GOD

LA FOI ENDURANTE: UNE NECESSITE POUR TOUS LES ENFANTS DE DIEU

THE ENDURING FAITH

• Faith is an indispensable element for the children of God
• Faith is the currency with which we can relate to God and access the things of God.
• Without faith it is impossible to please God.  

Heb 11:6 Or sans la foi il est impossible de lui être agréable; car il faut que celui qui s’approche de Dieu croie que Dieu existe, et qu’il est le rémunérateur de ceux qui le cherchent.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

• It takes faith to accept the biblical account of the creation of the world
• It takes faith to believe in the atonement death of the Lord Jesus.
• It is by faith that you can access the Thrown of Grace in prayer.
• It takes a level of faith before you can see tangible results of your prayers.
• It takes a measure of faith to access many of the promises of God.
• The greater your faith is, the greater your transactions will be in the spiritual world.
• The powerlessness of the contemporary church is due in part to our diminished faith in God
• Faith can be compared to currency, and it can also be compared electricity.
• The higher the voltage you can absorb, the greater your potential will be for great achievement.

The effect of the inadequacy of FAITH

• Mt 17:19-20 Alors les disciples s’approchèrent de Jésus, et lui dirent en particulier: Pourquoi n’avons-nous pu chasser ce démon?
•  20 C’est à cause de votre incrédulité, leur dit Jésus. Je vous le dis en vérité, si vous aviez de la foi comme un grain de sénevé, vous diriez à cette montagne: Transporte-toi d’ici là, et elle se transporterait; rien ne vous serait impossible.

Mt 17:19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”

 20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

• The high aim of every Christian should be to obtain more faith.
• The degree of your exploits with God will be proportional to your degree of faith in Him.
• Lack of faith in God is considered as sin in the sight of God.
• Faith is considered as a substance, the greater the mass, the greater the potential.

Lu 17:5 Les apôtres dirent au Seigneur: Augmente-nous la foi. 6 Et le Seigneur dit: Si vous aviez de la foi comme un grain de sénevé, vous diriez à ce sycomore: Déracine-toi, et plante-toi dans la mer; et il vous obéirait.

Lu 17:5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

 6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

• The need for more faith should be envied by all Christians.
• Make your need for faith a prayer concern

FAITH AND DOUBT

Mt 21:21 Jésus leur répondit: Je vous le dis en vérité, si vous aviez de la foi et que vous ne doutiez point, non seulement vous feriez ce qui a été fait à ce figuier, mais quand vous diriez à cette montagne: Ote-toi de là et jette-toi dans la mer, cela se ferait.

Mt 21:21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.

• Faith takes you to the spiritual realm, and doubt grounds you to physical realm.
• Doubt draws its power from common sense
• Doubt limits its exploits to logic and human’s ability
• Doubt borders its scope of operation to the material world.
•  
• Faith draws its scope of operation based on the omniscience, and omnipotence of God

FAITH’S HALL OF FAME

• Throughout the Bible we find great exhibitions of faith in God.
• Hebrews 11 displays God’s Hall of fame of Saints who have demonstrated superior faith than the common believer.

Heb 11:4 Abel(1), Énoch(2), Noé(3), Abraham(4) . Sara(5), Isaac(6), Jacob(7), Joseph(8), Moïse(9), Rahab(10).

 32 ¶ Et que dirai-je encore? Car le temps me manquerait pour parler de Gédéon (11), de Barak (12), de Samson(13), de Jephthé(14), de David(15), de Samuel(16), et des prophètes (X),

 33 qui, par la foi,

19 categories for qualification

<><><> Conquering faith. EXHIBITION FAITH

1. vainquirent des royaumes,
2. exercèrent la justice,
3. obtinrent des promesses,
4. fermèrent la gueule des lions,
5. éteignirent la puissance du feu,
6. échappèrent au tranchant de l’épée,
7. guérirent de leurs maladies,
8. furent vaillants à la guerre,
9. mirent en fuite des armées étrangères.
10. Des femmes recouvrèrent leurs morts par la résurrection;

<><><> Enduring Faith

1. d’autres furent livrés aux tourments, et
2. n’acceptèrent point de délivrance, afin d’obtenir une meilleure résurrection;

1. d’autres subirent les moqueries et le fouet, les chaînes et la prison;
2. ils furent lapidés, sciés, torturés,
3. ils moururent tués par l’épée,
4. ils allèrent çà et là vêtus de peaux de brebis et de peaux de chèvres,
5. dénués de tout,
6. persécutés,
7. maltraités,

Heb 11:33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.

 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented–

 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

3 classifications of Faith

• I come up with 3 classifications of Faith that can help you to mature in your Christian development.
• The Exhibition faith, the Enduring Faith, and the( FLEXIBLE Faith.)

EXHIBITION FAITH

• Exhibition faith is the faith needed to quench the power of the enemy
• Exhibition faith is needed to display the power of God to the world
• Exhibition faith is promised in the Bible as part of the package of the Christians
• Exhibition faith is what’s needed to confront the doubters
• Exhibition faith should be sought by all Christians
• Exhibition faith is needed for the big standoffs with the agents of Satan
  • Example the confrontation of Mount Carmel (Elisha)

Lu 10:19 Voici, je vous ai donné le pouvoir de marcher sur les serpents et les scorpions, et sur toute la puissance de l’ennemi; et rien ne pourra vous nuire. (LSV)

 19 “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (NKJV)

Mr 16:17 Voici les miracles qui accompagneront ceux qui auront cru: en mon nom, ils chasseront les démons; ils parleront de nouvelles langues; (LSV)

  18 ils saisiront des serpents; s’ils boivent quelque breuvage mortel, il ne leur fera point de mal; ils imposeront les mains aux malades, et les malades, seront guéris. (LSV)

17 “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; (NKJV)

 18 “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (NKJV)

ENDURING FAITH

• Enduring faith is needed for the Christian pilgrimage to make it all the way to the end.
• Enduring faith is evidenced in perseverance
• Enduring faith keeps us grounded in the Lord when all hell broke loose In our lives
• Enduring faith keeps the hope even when all hope seems lost
• Enduring faith helps you in the dry seasons of life when God seems distant
• Enduring faith is the faith that helps you to keep the faith.
• Faith to accept the no (s) of God.
• Faith to live with the shortcomings and the disappointments that life will throw at you.
• The faith that maintain our fellowship with God intact in the face of adversity

La 3:27-32 Il est bon pour l’homme De porter le joug dans sa jeunesse.

 28 Il se tiendra solitaire et silencieux, Parce que l’Éternel le lui impose;

 29 Il mettra sa bouche dans la poussière, Sans perdre toute espérance;

 30 Il présentera la joue à celui qui le frappe, Il se rassasiera d’opprobres.

 31 Car le Seigneur Ne rejette pas à toujours.

 32 Mais, lorsqu’il afflige, Il a compassion selon sa grande miséricorde;

La 3:27 It is good for a man to bear The yoke in his youth.

 28 Let him sit alone and keep silent, Because God has laid it on him;

 29 Let him put his mouth in the dust-There may yet be hope.

 30 Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him, And be full of reproach.

 31 For the Lord will not cast off forever.

32 Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion According to the multitude of His mercies.

FLEXIBLE FAITH

• Flexible faith is the faith that is evidenced in the lives of mature Christians
• Flexible faith combines exhibition faith and enduring faith together.
• Flexible faith has strong belief in the power of God but is mature enough to accept the will of God in all matters.
• Christians who possess Flexible faith don’t rush to cast out demons or calling for miracles.
• People who possess Flexible faith, spend a lot of time in prayer to discern the will of God before making a statement.
• Flexible Faith enables the Christian to serve God boldly at all cost.
• Flexible faith is prompt to adjust to the will of God
  • Example 3 young Hebrews

Da 3:16 Schadrac, Méschac et Abed-Nego répliquèrent au roi Nebucadnetsar: Nous n’avons pas besoin de te répondre là-dessus.

17 Voici, notre Dieu que nous servons peut nous délivrer de la fournaise ardente, et il nous délivrera de ta main, ô roi.

18 Sinon, sache, ô roi, que nous ne servirons pas tes dieux, et que nous n’adorerons pas la statue d’or que tu as élevée.

• « Répliquèrent » : Personne n’ose répliquer le grand roi Nebucadnetsar, excepté si ce dernier tend à défier notre Dieu.
• Si le roi se pose au dessus de notre Dieu, donc l’enfant de Dieu droit répondre avec résistance.
• Dieu Peut nous délivrer de la fournaise ardente, car rien n’est impossible a Lui.
  • Fera-t-il éteindre le feu, nous ne savons pas.
  • Nous fera-t-Il disparaitre de la scène, nous n’avons aucune idée.
  • Il a mille et une façons de nous délivrer de la fournaise.
• Dieu nous délivrera de ta main par ce qu’il est plus fort que toi.
  • Nous sommes sans crainte de la fournaise ardente ni de toi o roi.
  • Nous ne sommes pas intimidés de tes menaces o roi
• Sache o roi que nous n’adorerons pas tes dieux, ni cette statue que tu as élevée.
  • S’il faut mourir nous en sommes prêts.
  • Si Dieu choisisse que nous devenions des martyrs pour la gloire de son saint nom, notre position reste la même.
• The FLEXIBLE Faith that they possessed made them flexible to the will of God.
• Even if they died in the process, they would count it all joy for the glory of God.
• That they revered God was all that mattered to them.
• Paul said:

Php 1:20 selon ma ferme attente et mon espérance que je n’aurai honte de rien, mais que, maintenant comme toujours, Christ sera glorifié dans mon corps avec une pleine assurance, soit par ma vie, soit par ma mort; (LSV)

 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. (NKJV)

CAUTIONS WITH EXHIBITION FAITH

• Exhibition faith can turn to a showcase whereby one is susceptible to operate in the flesh.
• Satan can easily deceive the children of with exhibition of power if we lack discernment. (always test the spirits to see if they are of God.
• Many deceive themselves because they see that demons obey them when they speak even when they are living in disobedience to the Word of God.
• Exhibition faith is not a sure sign to test the authenticity of our relationship with God.

CAUTIONS WITH ENDURING FAITH

• Enduring faith can turn to resignation (a negative and fatal view of life) if we are not careful
• An unbalanced Enduring faith can lead us to a diminishing view of God. (unfair, favoritism, harsh, unforgiving, unloving, untouchable, alienated), if we are not watchful.
• In the name of Enduring faith we can easily begin to think passively of God (God does neither good nor evil) as many have resumed of God.
• In the name of Enduring faith many are simply seeing life in a naturalistic view. (some are lucky, and some are not so lucky)
• Enduring faith can be a hideout from facing your sense of disappointment with God.

              CAUTIONS OF FLEXIBLE FAITH

• Make sure it is not lack of faith that keeps you from getting the things you are asking God for.
• In the name of having a FLEXIBLE Faith, the immature Christian can tend to disengage too quickly when it could be God’s will for him or her to stay in the fight
• Pretense of FLEXIBLE Faith can cause the lazy Christian to stop pursuing what God has in store for them when they encounter resistance and adversity.
• In the name of FLEXIBLE faith, misinformed Christians can tend to accept whatever life throws at them thinking that it is the will of God.

Conclusion

• No matter where you are in your walk with God, always avail yourself for improvement.
• Never allow your relationship with God to become plateau
• Never register on your yester heights with God as present altitude in the faith.
• Asks for discernment to discover which area of faith you are mature in and which area you lack.
• Always seek to strengthen your faith in God, make it a prayer concern.
• God will always reward you with more faith if you diligently seek for it.
• Seek enduring faith, for it is that faith that will help finish the race regardless if God never perform a miracle through you.
• May God bless you!

AMEN!