THE REASON WHY THERE’S SUCH A SHORTAGE OF FAITH AND EXPLOITS IN OUR GENERATION IS BECAUSE THERE’S SUCH A SHORTAGE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN OUR GENERATION
EVERY SUCCESS IS A FUNCTION OF SECRETS
KNOWING GOD IS A PLATFORM FOR FAITH
THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND FAITH IN GOD EQUALS EXPLOITS
AUDACITY OF FAITH IS A PRODUCT OF REVELATION OF GOD
THERE’S A LEVEL YOU COME IN GOD THAT YOU’RE NOT STRUGGLING TO EXERCISE YOUR FAITH BUT HE BEGINS TO EXERCISE HIS FAITH THROUGH YOU
ANY PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE EVER WANTED TO BUY FOR THE CHURCH THAT THE PEOPLE REFUSED INITIALLY, THEY COME TO BEG LATER
THE WORD OF GOD IS THE FOOD OF FAITH AND FUEL FOR FAITH
TO BE CONNECTED TO THE WORD IS TO BE CONNECTED TO FAITH
THE REVELATION OF THE WORD OF GOD WILL SHOW YOU WHO GOD IS AND WHEN YOU KNOW GOD, YOU DON’T STRUGGLE FOR FAITH
THE WORD OF GOD SHOWS YOU WHAT GOD HAS DONE BEFORE AND IF YOU CAN KNOW WHAT GOD HAS DONE BEFORE, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXPECT WHAT HE CAN DO AGAIN
THE WORD OF GOD REVEALS TO YOU THE PROMISES OF GOD TO YOUR LIFE
DON’T MARRY A MAN IF YOU CANNOT RESPECT AND SUBMIT TO HIM
HUSBANDS, DON’T SHOUT AND SCREAM AT YOUR WIVES
ANY AREA THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WILL OF GOD IS THERE’S AN UNUSUAL AUDACITY OF FAITH
THE WILL OF GOD IS ANSWERED PRAYER THAT IS WAITING TO BE PRAYED
DON’T STRUGGLE FOR FAITH, JUST STRUGGLE TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD. IF PURPOSE IS KNOWN, THE STRUGGLE IS OVER
HOW I STRUCK A DEAL WITH GOD IN MEDICAL SCHOOL AND I DIDN’T FAIL OR RESIT A COURSE
DON’T LIVE WITH ASSUMPTION, BE RUGGED IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF PURPOSE
FAITH IN THE WILL OF GOD IS THE STRONGEST REALM OF FAITH, IT’S STRONGER THAN FAITH IN THE POWER OF GOD
– Dr. Pastor Paul Enenche on “INGREDIENTS OF FAITH” || Power Communion Midweek Service || Glory Dome, Abuja.
Romans 10:17. Tonight, we shall be looking at the subject, “Ingredients of Faith”. Our objective is to understudy those ingredients that make for Bible Faith. Church Gist. On Sunday, we already saw the value of Faith – why Faith was needed in our lives.
By way of introduction, it’s important to know that every product is made of raw materials or ingredients. Church Gist. Every output is a product of input. If you’re going to have a product, there are ingredients that make the product, there are raw materials. If you’re going to have an output, there’s an input that makes for the output. Every success is a function of secrets. If Faith is a product, then Faith is made up of ingredients and raw materials. If Faith is the desired outcome, then there are required inputs. Church Gist. Our objective of study tonight is to find out what those ingredients, raw materials and input is to Faith. I am looking at 5 of them, very rapidly.
1. The Knowledge of God. Hebrews 11:6. Knowing God is a platform for Faith. To know God is to believe Him; to know God is to trust Him. Church Gist. Like I have said many times, without people we don’t know, the truth is, there are some people you think you know that you don’t know until they manifest themselves. Church Gist. You entered into a business transaction, thinking you knew them until they revealed themselves to you that they are not who you think they are. So, there are people you think you know that you never really knew. That means that, in order to really trust people, you need to really know them. To trust them and trust them very well and expect them to behave according to how they presented themselves, you really have to know them. Church Gist. That is how it is, all truths are parallel – as it is in the physical, it is in the spiritual. If you want to really trust God without doubting Him, you have to really know God. You come to the point where you are fully convinced that this God that you know is too faithful to fail, He can’t deceive you nor lie to you.
Daniel 11:32. I want to show you two equations so we can’t get to the third equation. The first equation says, the knowledge of God equals exploits. The second equation says, Faith in God equals exploits. Hebrews 11:32-34. The knowledge of God equals exploits; Faith in God equals exploits, what does that say to you? A equals B; B equals C which means A is directly equal to C. Church Gist. The meaning is the Knowledge of God equals Faith in God. So, the more you know God, the more rugged you become in Faith. Audacity of Faith is a product of revelation of God. The more you know God, the more audacious you are. People may be fearing for you but you’re not afraid for yourself because you know God. Church Gist. When you have seen and met God, you can face Pharaoh. Moses met God, he saw him at the burning bush, he returned back to face the same Pharaoh that was looking for him. Pharaoh must have cleaned his eyes, and said, “who is this? Is it not the boy that we are looking for to kill?” Moses pointed his finger and said, “Thus saith the Lord, let my people go or I will kill your sons!” What changed? The first time Moses met Pharaoh, he had not seen God the way he saw Him, the second time he was seeing Pharaoh, he has seen somebody bigger than Pharaoh, the flames of the burning bush. Church Gist. In case you’re struggling and you’re saying, “Lord, I don’t have Faith”, just change your prayer, “Lord, that I may know you and know your power. Just show me yourself, reveal yourself to me”. That was the prayer of Paul the Apostle in Philippians 3:10. “God, let me know you”, it will settle Faith equation.
– somebody say a louder Amen.
There’s a level you come in God, you’re so united in and with God in your knowledge that you’re not struggling to exercise your Faith but He begins to exercise His Faith through you. Galatians 2:20. “I have come to a point where I know Him and to a point where I am not exercising my Faith now. I am exercising His Faith. We are just so connected, united, intimated and interacted together with each other that His Faith is functioning through me”. The reason why there’s such a shortage of Faith and exploits in our generation is because there’s such a shortage of the knowledge of God in our generation.
2. The knowledge (revelation) of God’s Word. The Word of God is the food of Faith and fuel for Faith. Romans 10:8. Romans 10:17. Church Gist. The Word of God is the Word of Faith. The Word of God communicates Faith and life. To be connected to the Word is to be connected to Faith. Church Gist. Now, let me tell you 3 things why the Word of God is the Word of Faith;
2a. The Word of God reveals the character of the Almighty. Why? Because God and His Word are the same. John 1:1-5. So, you want to know God, know the Word. When you know God, first of all we told you that the knowledge of God will build your Faith, but this Word of God will cause you to know God and who He is. Church Gist. It will cause you to know the character, behaviour, immutability, infallibility and lielessness of God. It will cause you to know the dependability, reliability and trustworthiness of God. It will cause you to know the constancy and consistency of God. Church Gist. The revelation of the Word of God will show you who God is and when you know God, you don’t struggle for Faith.
2b. The Word of God reveals what God has done before and how He did them. Psalm 103:1-5. The Word of God shows you what God has done before and if you can know what God has done before, you have the right to expect what He can do again. Church Gist. For example, one day, I was reading Acts 5:13-15, when I saw that the shadow of Peter was healing the sick, and I saw that God did that before, it exploded Faith in my heart and I was entering a Healing and Deliverance Service and I just walked from the altar straight to the pulpit and I came up and said, “as I just walked now, there are people who have been healed, just check yourself if you’re healed” and the people checked themselves and they began to troop out like water. Church Gist. I said, “no, I’m not saying if you need prayer, come out, I said, if you’re already healed” and they trooped out the more. What happened? It’s the same person but all of a sudden, I saw fresh light. I have read that Scripture before but that day the Scripture exploded in my heart. Church Gist. I can’t be struggling to pray for the sick when somebody just passed and the sick were healed. I saw that God did that before in the Bible and seeing that God had done that before, it made it easy for me to believe that God will do it again. I stepped into the service and incredible things happened. Church Gist. This is the essence of the Word of God. The Word of God reveals to you what God has done before that He can do again.
2c. The Word of God reveals to you the promises of God to your life. It shows you what God has promised you. Church Gist. You may not have accessed them yet but this is what God has promised you, these are the things that belong to you. Hebrews 6:12. I saw in the Word that I’m meant to be the head and not the tail, above only and never beneath. I saw that Himself took my infirmities and carried my diseases. Church Gist. I saw that the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, that the whole of this world, God owns it and that everybody who has a land paper and calls himself a landlord is only a caretaker because the earth is the Lord’s and that put in my mind that there’s no way I can need a property for God and a caretaker can hold it. Church Gist. That understanding delivered me completely from struggling to get Church land or anything that pertains to God. It’s not that God needs it and God owns and man is holding it and man said “no”. Any property that we have ever wanted to buy that the people refused initially, they come to beg later. There’s one that they begged us and we still refused to buy. It became a liability on them. Church Gist. The Word of God shows you your promises and your bill of rights, “take a look at this, this is what is yours, if you’re interested”. 2 Peter 1:3-4. The Word of God shows the promises and the covenants. Church Gist. Promises is what God says He will do for you, the covenant is what you will do in order for God to do what He says He will do. It shows you possibilities and responsibilities.
3. The Knowledge or understanding of the purpose and will of God on any issue. Any area that you understand what God wants to do and what God has purposed, any area what the will of God is, in that area, there’s an unusual audacity of Faith. 1 John 5:14. Church Gist. What is the meaning of that? If I understand His will and His purpose, I have an impartation of the confidence of Faith, especially at the place of prayer. Why? God cannot want it and the devil stops it. Isaiah 14:27. God wants it, who can deny Him? God wants to do it, who can stop Him?
– somebody say a loud Amen.
When you know the will, purpose and agenda of God, when you know what God wants to do, Faith seizes to be a struggle. Why? Because God cannot deny Himself. Church Gist. You don’t struggle to get God to do what He is interested in doing. Like I have said many times, the will of God is answered prayer that is waiting to be prayed. Church Gist. When you know what God wants, what He wills, that is, prayer has already been answered, waiting for somebody to pray it.
Some people have wondered, why would Elijah just come up and say, “there shall be no rain or dew except by my word”. Why would Elijah do that? Elijah did that because he knew that that was what was meant to be that time. Church Gist. God had already told the people that if they disobeyed His Word and fail to keep His commandments, He is going to make their heavens to be closed and their earth to be a rain dust and Elijah simply went to God, and said, “God, you said if these people are worshiping idols, they should not experience rain. Why are they still experiencing rain?” And maybe God told him, “I was waiting for who would enforce this law” and Elijah said, “here I am” and God said, “let’s go”. Church Gist. So, it was so easy for the heavens to be closed because the purpose at that time is if the people were not worshiping God the way they should, they are not entitled to rain. Deuteronomy 28:15, 23-24. Elijah did not just operate Faith, he found out what the will of God was, what God wanted at that time and he stepped in and it appeared like he was a hero, and he was but this is what happened. Church Gist. The same with Daniel. Daniel knew the will of God that after 70 years in captivity, the children of Israel should be free. Jeremiah 29:10. Daniel was in captivity and waited until it was 70 years and when it was 70 years, he went to God in prayer. Daniel 9:1-3. “Lord, you said 70 years, 70 years have happened, should we still continue here?” and God said, “No. You don’t even need to struggle with this prayer, it is my will and purpose for you to be out of here after 70 years”. Church Gist. Don’t struggle for Faith, just struggle to know the will of God. If purpose is known, the struggle is over.
When I finished from secondary school, I was loaded with the desire to study medicine. I had some engineering at the back of my mind as well and I was at a junction, but my heart was in medicine. Church Gist. I started reading medical books before entering the university and we were in a prayer meeting and one of the women there said, “that brother there, as we were praying, I just saw something. I saw you wearing lab coat with your stethoscope on your neck. I don’t know but that is what I just saw”. I already knew and here comes someone who had no clue as to what www my line. I smashed medicine like anything, no resit for one day. Church Gist. In our first exam, 120 people sat for the exam, only 29 passed without a resit. Before I entered the medical school, I had an agreement with God, “I am going to preach full blast on campus. I am going to be there as your minister, all I want you to do for me is to ensure that I don’t have one resit and I don’t want to fail one exam”. It was a sealed deal. Church Gist. I had never gone to the exam notice board and imagined one resit or fail against any subject. Not once, by His mercies. There’s such a ruggedity of Faith when you understand that you’re on the path of purpose and the will of God.
– I announce to somebody here today, the days of shaking and failing, those days are over forever!
I don’t care where you are on your journey of life, it’s never too late to strike a deal with God. Papa Oyedepo said, no matter how far you went in the wrong direction, a U-turn is possible when you realize.
Don’t live with assumption, be rugged in the understanding of purpose. We came in here with the clear understanding that this is where God wants us to be. Church Gist. We had lands in this city, big lands here and there but God spoke to me and said, remember the place I showed you and I knew where He showed me, it was on the airport road here, this same place. Then, we had to come, look for the land, send somebody, prayed for someone. Church Gist. Almost made up my mind to go somewhere else and develop some part of this city and when we were almost trying to make such a move, the Lord said, “remember what I showed you” and I remembered and called one of the property agents and said, “go to the airport road, so and so landmark, look right, that’s where our land is”, I anointed him and I said, “look for it and bring it”. Church Gist. He ransacked this place and under 7 days, he was back and he said, ” I have seen lands, over 500 hectares of land and they can sell as much as we are ready to buy”. Wow. I said, “alright, let’s go”. Long story made short, when we came here, and as the construction started, throughout that season of construction, there was no drop in sleep. Church Gist. One Pastor came one day and said, “why is it that all these things are going on and you’re so calm and normal?” And as far as I was concerned, I was doing nothing. Why? Everytime you find purpose, you find Faith and when you find Faith, you find rest. Hebrews 4:3. Church Gist. You find what God wants to do, you align with it, you face it and pursue it, Faith is effortless and with Faith and believe in God comes rest.
I see some carrying elephants and they are flying and some are carrying rats and they are sweating.
– Every area of life where you need to know what God wants for your life, I declare, it is done!
I’ve not prayed one day, “God, let there be peace in the home”, it’s not a prayer point and His mercies, it would never be. Church Gist. First, I did not rush to marry what my eye gave me, I went for what God gave me. Secondly, I am operating it according to Scripture, “husband, love your wife. Don’t beat your wife, don’t scream on your wife, don’t shout on your wife, don’t find your wife’s fault all the time. Just love your wife. Church Gist. Just ensure that you value your wife and allocate her respect”. There are men who shout on their wives everywhere, including in front of their children. That woman is a shadow of herself and you’re wondering why there is crises at home. Then you come to the woman, “wives, submit yourselves to your own”. I know you submit to your boss in the office but this case now, we are dealing with your own husband, respect him. Don’t marry him if you can’t respect and submit to him. Church Gist. Today, people marry before they find out, “am I in the will of God?” They have already slept with each other, bed defiled, everything upside down. Eating the food before it is dining time and they’re wondering why things are not working.
– I prophesy to you today, help is coming your way!
If you find out the will of God, Faith becomes effortless. You remember that man who was talking to Jesus in Matthew 8:2. Very heavy pregnant statement. “If you will”, that is, “Jesus, I am not doubting that you can do it, I am convinced you can heal me. What I am not sure of is whether you want to heal me”. Church Gist. That is where the problem lies. Everybody knows God is powerful, everybody knows that God can do it, the question is, “does God want to do it for me?” That is why Faith in the will of God is the strongest realm of Faith. It’s stronger than Faith in the power of God. Church Gist. God is powerful, even the devil knows but what is the will now? What does God want to do? You know that from the Word and from the realm of the spirit. At the place of communion or communication, God may reveal or show you from His Word where He’s going and the direction He is moving with your life. Church Gist. For example, where your resources are tied, the kind of business where He wants you to put money that will bring your results. Faith in the will of God is the strongest realm of Faith, it’s stronger than Faith in the power of God. Matthew 8:2-3.
4. The testimonies of His acts. What He has done in your own life or in the lives of others are builders of Faith. Luke 1:35-38. Luke 1:45. Church Gist. Why does He build our Faith? Malachi 3:6. “I change not” means, what I do for one, I do for all. Hebrews 13:8. “I am consistent and constant. I did it yesterday, I will do it today and I will do it tomorrow. That is who I am”. Testimonies would do 3 things;
4a. Testimonies bring joy and guidance/counsel. Psalm 119:24. When you sit in Church, a testimony comes, your joy explodes and when your joy explodes, your Faith explodes. Church Gist. They are also your counselors, that is, they guide you. Somebody told you what they did, “I was not tithing before; I was not serving God before; I went out on Evangelism; I became serious in serving, and then God sorted me out here or there”. Church Gist. He begins to counsel you, since God is not a respecter of persons but principles, if we follow the same principles, we can end with the same product.
4b. Testimonies reveal your inheritance. Psalm 119:111. Testimonies reveal your inheritance and possibilities in God.
4c. Testimonies are prophetic missiles or prophecies. When you see someone testifying, they are actually prophesying. What is coming out of their mouth is prophecy. Church Gist. They are showing that you’re the next that can have such a thing. Revelations 19:10. What is coming out as a testimony carries a spirit of prophecy.
– I announce to someone here today, every testimony you have heard in this ministry that looks like what you’re looking for, I announce to you, that is already your prophecy, and that prophecy is coming to pass in this season!
David said,”the God who delivered from the Lion and the bear, He will deliver me from this uncircumcised Philistine”. Testimonies, what God did for you before is the foundation for what He would do again. Church Gist. One thing we must know about God is that what He did yesterday, He can do today and tomorrow. What He did there, He can do here and can also do there. What He did with him, he can do with him and can do with her. God’s power and mercy is universal in applicability. Church Gist. If you heard that He did it for one, you can just latch onto it because He would do it for you.
5. The lifestyle of uprightness. Practical Holiness. What I’m talking about is uprightness with a conscience that is void of offense towards God and man according to Acts 24:16. Church Gist. Towards God, your heart is clear, every issue between you and God is cleared; towards man, your mind is clear. Proverbs 28:1. Proverbs 30:30. He doesn’t give way for any challenge, he doesn’t bow for any devil, witch or wizard, he’s so confident and audacious, there’s nothing that turns it back. Proverbs 28:1. Church Gist. When conscience is defiled, boldness is deflated. When you maintain the defilement of your conscience, you sustain a deflation of your boldness. That is, somewhere, somehow, something would tell you, the devil may tell you, your own heart may tell you that you’re not qualified for the mantle you’re asking for. Church Gist. You know the devil’s official title is “the accuser of the brethren”. You didn’t do anything and he’s accusing you. You remember Job? The Bible said that Job was the most upright man in his generation. Job 1:1. Nobody could find Job’s fault, yet the devil said it’s because of his sin, all manner of accusations against Job. It took God for Job to survive. Church Gist. There’s a way the devil may describe you to you, you will be wondering whether you’re the person the devil is talking about. Some agents of the devil, there’s a way they will describe you to you and you would be wondering whether they are talking about another person or yourself with such an innocence and purity of conscience; without any mind to hurt even a fly. Church Gist. That is why you exercise your conscience to be void of conscience. Avoid a conscience that is guilty and if guilt arise, avoid the sustenance of guilt. I counsel people never to sleep over an unconfessed sin.
I will give you two examples, Jesus and Samuel. Jesus walked in an unusual realm of Faith and authority. What would be the reason for such level of Faith and authority? Can tell the storms, “keep quiet!” John 14:30. “The devil is looking for faults, devil, come and find my fault” that was Jesus talking. Church Gist. No womder He could break the devil’s head at will. One day, He asked a very serious question to the Pharisees, “How many of you can convict me if sin?” John 8:46. Not one person lifted up his hand. No wonder the audacity of Faith and the authority of command.
Samuel demonstrated a rare dimension and spiritual authority on the ground of his uprightness. 1 Samuel 12:3-5. 1 Samuel 12:16-18. That is, “on the basis of my integrity, I want to demonstrate authority and audacity” and he demonstrated it. Church Gist. The rain fell, the thunder blasted according to the Word of the man who said, “did I cheat any of you?”
We need the knowledge of God; we need the knowledge and revelation of His Word; we need an understanding of His purpose and His will; we need to refer to the testimonies of His acts; we need the lifestyle of uprightness.
I have just one counsel; Show value for your life by taking the time to build your Faith because the just shall live by his Faith. Show value for your life, show that you value both natural life and spiritual life by taking the time to build your Faith.
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