WEBVTT 00:00:00.500 --> 00:00:01.868 Start your day off right with 00:00:01.868 --> 00:00:03.837 the free In Touch devotional. 00:00:03.837 --> 00:00:05.372 Subscribe today. 00:00:09.009 --> 00:00:18.651 ♪♪♪ 00:00:18.651 --> 00:00:23.323 ♪♪♪ 00:00:23.323 --> 00:00:25.392 CC by Aberdeen Captioning 1-800-688-6621 www.abercap.com 00:00:25.725 --> 00:00:28.561 male announcer: "In Touch" with Dr. Charles Stanley, 00:00:28.561 --> 00:00:30.630 reaching the world with the gospel of 00:00:30.630 --> 00:00:33.733 Jesus Christ through sound biblical teaching. 00:00:33.733 --> 00:00:36.569 Next on "In Touch," "Levels of Faith in 00:00:36.569 --> 00:00:38.638 the Life of the Believer." 00:00:41.041 --> 00:00:43.143 Dr. Charles Stanley: When you face difficulties and trials 00:00:43.143 --> 00:00:46.112 and hardships in life, how do you respond? 00:00:46.112 --> 00:00:49.616 Do you respond with doubt and fear and anxiety and fretting 00:00:49.616 --> 00:00:51.317 or do you respond by faith? 00:00:51.317 --> 00:00:55.155 And if you respond by faith, what level of faith? 00:00:55.155 --> 00:00:57.690 You say, "What do you mean by what level of faith?" 00:00:57.690 --> 00:00:59.192 That's right, what level of faith? 00:00:59.192 --> 00:01:02.829 You say, "Well, how do you know what these levels are?" 00:01:02.829 --> 00:01:04.364 We're going to talk about it. 00:01:04.364 --> 00:01:06.099 How do you distinguish one from the other? 00:01:06.099 --> 00:01:08.334 What does it mean in my life? 00:01:08.334 --> 00:01:09.869 How does it affect my life? 00:01:09.869 --> 00:01:12.005 Speaking of levels of faith. 00:01:12.005 --> 00:01:16.076 Well, we all operate on one of three levels of faith. 00:01:16.076 --> 00:01:20.080 And the longer you live, certainly the more faith 00:01:20.080 --> 00:01:21.414 you and I ought to have. 00:01:21.414 --> 00:01:24.384 And the higher up these levels we ought to go in our faith. 00:01:24.384 --> 00:01:27.353 But some people will stay all of their lives on the lowest level 00:01:27.353 --> 00:01:30.290 because number one, maybe they don't even know that 00:01:30.290 --> 00:01:32.325 there are levels of faith. 00:01:32.325 --> 00:01:35.428 And secondly, too afraid to launch out, 00:01:35.428 --> 00:01:37.664 too fearful to trust God. 00:01:37.664 --> 00:01:41.134 And so what happens is you go through life and you miss His 00:01:41.134 --> 00:01:46.039 best because you never grow in your faith. 00:01:46.039 --> 00:01:48.575 And that's what I want to talk about in this message, 00:01:48.575 --> 00:01:52.345 and that is "The Levels of Faith in the Life of the Believer." 00:01:52.345 --> 00:01:54.514 And it's very evident in scripture that faith is very, 00:01:54.514 --> 00:01:58.718 very important in the eyes of God and He sees faith as 00:01:58.718 --> 00:02:01.554 very important in our life. 00:02:01.554 --> 00:02:04.791 And so, what we want to talk about in this message is this. 00:02:04.791 --> 00:02:08.161 How to raise your faith level. 00:02:08.161 --> 00:02:12.198 How to get in a position where you and your relationship to God 00:02:12.198 --> 00:02:15.101 and the way you trust Him will position you, 00:02:15.101 --> 00:02:18.705 listen, to be able to be blessed to the maximum of your potential 00:02:18.705 --> 00:02:22.942 because the way you trust Him determines the way 00:02:22.942 --> 00:02:24.544 the blessings come. 00:02:24.544 --> 00:02:26.579 You don't trust Him, you don't get blessed. 00:02:26.579 --> 00:02:29.082 You trust Him, you'll get blessed. 00:02:29.082 --> 00:02:31.818 And the more you trust Him and the way that you're able to walk 00:02:31.818 --> 00:02:35.688 in these levels of faith, the greater the blessings are coming 00:02:35.688 --> 00:02:37.056 your way. 00:02:37.056 --> 00:02:38.992 Think about how absolutely essential and 00:02:38.992 --> 00:02:41.127 important faith is. 00:02:41.127 --> 00:02:42.695 And let's think about it in this light. 00:02:42.695 --> 00:02:44.731 If you look at the life of Jesus, 00:02:44.731 --> 00:02:47.700 look at His ministry, here's what you discover. 00:02:47.700 --> 00:02:51.538 You discover that the theme of faith permeated the whole 00:02:51.538 --> 00:02:53.806 ministry of Jesus no matter what. 00:02:53.806 --> 00:02:56.776 And I want to give you a few verses of scripture and I won't 00:02:56.776 --> 00:02:59.846 have you turn to all of these because I have enough of them 00:02:59.846 --> 00:03:01.381 for you to turn to. 00:03:01.381 --> 00:03:03.349 But I want you to think about some of these verses, 00:03:03.349 --> 00:03:05.485 for example, you find in the scriptures concerning 00:03:05.485 --> 00:03:07.220 His healing ministry. 00:03:07.220 --> 00:03:11.558 Listen to what He is continually saying when He's confronting 00:03:11.558 --> 00:03:14.460 people, where they're paralyzed, or they're blind, 00:03:14.460 --> 00:03:17.330 or whatever the situation may be. 00:03:17.330 --> 00:03:18.932 Listen for example. 00:03:18.932 --> 00:03:22.669 In Matthew nine, He says to this lady, 00:03:22.669 --> 00:03:25.171 "'Daughter, your faith has made you well.'" 00:03:25.171 --> 00:03:29.142 Then in Matthew fifteen, "'O woman, your faith is great; 00:03:29.142 --> 00:03:31.311 be it done unto you as you wish.'" 00:03:31.311 --> 00:03:35.582 And the fifth, second chapter of Mark, when these fellows are 00:03:35.582 --> 00:03:39.352 tearing up the roof of this man's house and letting their 00:03:39.352 --> 00:03:43.156 friend down by ropes so they, he can finally get to Jesus and 00:03:43.156 --> 00:03:46.893 be healed, Jesus said to him, "seeing their faith, 00:03:46.893 --> 00:03:48.895 'My son, your sins are forgiven.'" 00:03:48.895 --> 00:03:52.131 Then He says in Mark ten to Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, 00:03:52.131 --> 00:03:54.601 "'Go your way; your faith has made you whole.'" 00:03:54.601 --> 00:03:57.403 And again, He says, "Your faith has saved you. 00:03:57.403 --> 00:03:59.572 Receive your sight, your faith has made you well. 00:03:59.572 --> 00:04:01.975 Be it done unto you according to your faith." 00:04:01.975 --> 00:04:04.177 All through the gospels--Matthew, 00:04:04.177 --> 00:04:07.247 Mark, and Luke especially, what you find is Jesus, 00:04:07.247 --> 00:04:10.350 the theme of His relationship to these people, 00:04:10.350 --> 00:04:12.852 this needy people who have a health problem, 00:04:12.852 --> 00:04:15.121 whatever it might be, it's always, listen, 00:04:15.121 --> 00:04:17.190 based on their faith. 00:04:17.190 --> 00:04:21.060 Remember He said on one occasion he couldn't do any miracles 00:04:21.060 --> 00:04:22.495 in a particular place because of their unbelief. 00:04:22.495 --> 00:04:24.631 They didn't have any faith, they wouldn't trust Him. 00:04:24.631 --> 00:04:28.534 And oftentimes you and I miss out on God's best blessings 00:04:28.534 --> 00:04:30.970 because we won't trust Him. 00:04:30.970 --> 00:04:32.739 We don't believe that He loves us. 00:04:32.739 --> 00:04:34.874 We don't believe that He will provide our needs. 00:04:34.874 --> 00:04:36.542 We don't believe that He'll heal us. 00:04:36.542 --> 00:04:38.945 We don't believe that He cares that much for us. 00:04:38.945 --> 00:04:41.981 But if you look at His ministry, what was He continually saying? 00:04:41.981 --> 00:04:44.183 It was listen, it was trust Him--faith, 00:04:44.183 --> 00:04:46.419 faith, faith, faith, faith. 00:04:46.419 --> 00:04:50.290 So, if that's true in His ministry in His day. 00:04:50.290 --> 00:04:54.027 If it were so important that he magnified the subject of faith. 00:04:54.027 --> 00:04:56.129 Nothing's changed. 00:04:56.129 --> 00:04:57.964 Because you see, in our lifestyle, 00:04:57.964 --> 00:05:00.433 in our lifetime, in the culture in which we live, 00:05:00.433 --> 00:05:02.602 it makes no difference what generation and what culture. 00:05:02.602 --> 00:05:05.505 Faith permeates every aspect of our life. 00:05:05.505 --> 00:05:08.274 So either we will live on this lower level of faith, 00:05:08.274 --> 00:05:10.443 or we'll graduate. 00:05:10.443 --> 00:05:13.413 And we'll, listen, we'll grow in our faith, 00:05:13.413 --> 00:05:14.781 and our understanding. 00:05:14.781 --> 00:05:16.482 And what'll happen is your life's going to change. 00:05:16.482 --> 00:05:20.453 Once you move from level one and you begin to operate on level 00:05:20.453 --> 00:05:23.556 two and on level three, your life's going to change. 00:05:23.556 --> 00:05:25.692 What are these levels of faith? 00:05:25.692 --> 00:05:27.694 How do we distinguish between them? 00:05:27.694 --> 00:05:29.362 What does God say about them? 00:05:29.362 --> 00:05:31.464 That's what I want us to consider primarily. 00:05:31.464 --> 00:05:36.035 So, I want to give you, listen, I want to give you a level, 00:05:36.035 --> 00:05:38.304 then I want to give you a word so you can remember it. 00:05:38.304 --> 00:05:41.474 And the first level, listen, the first level in scripture of 00:05:41.474 --> 00:05:43.242 faith is little faith. 00:05:43.242 --> 00:05:45.244 Little faith, and I want you to remember this. 00:05:45.244 --> 00:05:49.248 Little faith is restless faith. 00:05:49.248 --> 00:05:51.751 Little faith is wrestling. 00:05:51.751 --> 00:05:54.287 Little faith, for example is saying, 00:05:54.287 --> 00:05:57.757 I know He can, but I'm not sure He will. 00:05:57.757 --> 00:06:01.394 Little faith is struggling--struggling because 00:06:01.394 --> 00:06:04.731 it's a whole new perspective on the way we live. 00:06:04.731 --> 00:06:06.766 And you remember what James said? 00:06:06.766 --> 00:06:08.835 He that waver is like the winds of the sea, 00:06:08.835 --> 00:06:11.471 blowing hither and yon, tossed to and fro. 00:06:11.471 --> 00:06:13.940 He says, "Don't let that person think they're going to receive 00:06:13.940 --> 00:06:15.441 anything from God because God does not honor 00:06:15.441 --> 00:06:17.977 that kind of faith." 00:06:17.977 --> 00:06:19.746 Does this mean, watch this carefully, 00:06:19.746 --> 00:06:22.682 does this mean that God will never answer your prayers unless 00:06:22.682 --> 00:06:24.150 you reach the third level of faith? 00:06:24.150 --> 00:06:25.485 No, it doesn't mean that. 00:06:25.485 --> 00:06:27.620 It means that your lifestyle is going to change. 00:06:27.620 --> 00:06:30.456 It means that your relationship, it means that your request, 00:06:30.456 --> 00:06:34.727 that, it means that your, your fretting and your anxiety and 00:06:34.727 --> 00:06:37.897 your questions and your doubts are going to disappear and God's 00:06:37.897 --> 00:06:40.967 going to do something absolutely fantastic in your life, why? 00:06:40.967 --> 00:06:43.903 Because He wants the best for you. 00:06:43.903 --> 00:06:46.973 He doesn't want us living on this particular level. 00:06:46.973 --> 00:06:49.142 But this is level one. 00:06:49.142 --> 00:06:51.310 Now I want you to listen carefully. 00:06:51.310 --> 00:06:55.515 The reason people stay on level one--wrestling faith, 00:06:55.515 --> 00:06:59.285 that is struggling faith, laboring faith--is because their 00:06:59.285 --> 00:07:02.789 focus is on the circumstances and their focus is 00:07:02.789 --> 00:07:04.123 on themselves. 00:07:04.123 --> 00:07:06.526 Their resources, what they think they can do. 00:07:06.526 --> 00:07:11.264 And when your listen, when your focus is on your circumstances 00:07:11.264 --> 00:07:16.803 and your focus is on yourself, your focus is on your resources, 00:07:16.803 --> 00:07:19.505 you're not going to be able to believe God for much. 00:07:19.505 --> 00:07:21.207 It's just not going to happen. 00:07:21.207 --> 00:07:22.942 Because all of us have limited resources, 00:07:22.942 --> 00:07:25.244 whether it's abilities and talents and skills or finances. 00:07:25.244 --> 00:07:29.449 And so as long as you're, as long as you're asking and your 00:07:29.449 --> 00:07:31.884 belief system, you're on level one. 00:07:31.884 --> 00:07:36.055 It is the level of struggle, uncertainty, 00:07:36.055 --> 00:07:38.891 doubts, laboring, and what happens? 00:07:38.891 --> 00:07:41.727 You're going to find that what you're really looking for 00:07:41.727 --> 00:07:44.330 in life, it's always seems to be a little bit beyond you. 00:07:44.330 --> 00:07:45.865 So what you have to realize is this. 00:07:45.865 --> 00:07:48.167 You have to ask yourself the question where is my focus? 00:07:48.167 --> 00:07:49.969 Listen to this carefully. 00:07:49.969 --> 00:07:53.406 God doesn't want you living on the level of 00:07:53.406 --> 00:07:58.144 little faith--struggling, laboring, wrestling over it all. 00:07:58.144 --> 00:08:00.246 Will He, maybe He will, maybe He won't. 00:08:00.246 --> 00:08:05.251 Now here is a perfect example of that and because, 00:08:05.251 --> 00:08:08.087 if you look in the scriptures there are all kind of examples 00:08:08.087 --> 00:08:10.790 of how Jesus operated in people's lives. 00:08:10.790 --> 00:08:14.293 Well look if you will in Mark chapter nine for a moment. 00:08:14.293 --> 00:08:20.233 Here's a perfect example of how this happens. 00:08:20.233 --> 00:08:22.301 You'll recall that in this passage, 00:08:22.301 --> 00:08:31.410 for example, that verse twenty, "They brought the boy to Him 00:08:31.410 --> 00:08:34.947 when he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him 00:08:34.947 --> 00:08:37.350 into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, 00:08:37.350 --> 00:08:40.785 he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. 00:08:40.785 --> 00:08:43.889 And He asked his father, 'How long has this been 00:08:43.890 --> 00:08:45.358 happening to him?' 00:08:45.358 --> 00:08:47.860 And he said, 'From childhood." 00:08:47.860 --> 00:08:49.929 Now watch these next couple of verses. 00:08:49.929 --> 00:08:51.964 It's been happening all of his life. 00:08:51.964 --> 00:08:55.501 "It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water 00:08:55.501 --> 00:08:59.205 to destroy him," watch this, "But if You can, 00:08:59.205 --> 00:09:02.208 "this is the father speaking, but if You can, do anything, 00:09:02.208 --> 00:09:03.976 take pity on us and help us!'" 00:09:03.976 --> 00:09:06.112 Now listen to Jesus's response: 00:09:06.112 --> 00:09:08.814 "And Jesus said to him, 'If You can?' 00:09:08.814 --> 00:09:11.183 All things are possible to him who believes.'" 00:09:11.183 --> 00:09:12.585 This is not what Jesus said. 00:09:12.585 --> 00:09:15.655 Listen to the tone of my voice. 00:09:15.655 --> 00:09:17.323 If you can, all things are possible to Him. 00:09:17.323 --> 00:09:18.658 That's not what He said. 00:09:18.658 --> 00:09:20.626 He says, "If You, if You can help us, 00:09:20.626 --> 00:09:21.961 have pity on us." 00:09:21.961 --> 00:09:24.096 And Jesus said, "What do you mean, 'If You can'?" 00:09:24.096 --> 00:09:26.332 "All things are possible to him who believes.' 00:09:26.332 --> 00:09:28.234 And Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, 00:09:28.234 --> 00:09:30.636 'I do believe; help my unbelief.'" 00:09:30.636 --> 00:09:32.672 Perfect example of what kind of faith? 00:09:32.672 --> 00:09:36.275 Come on, what kind of faith? 00:09:36.275 --> 00:09:40.580 Little faith, and little faith is what kind of faith? 00:09:40.580 --> 00:09:44.350 Wrestling faith, struggling faith, laboring faith. 00:09:44.350 --> 00:09:46.786 He said, "Lord, I do believe; help my unbelief." 00:09:46.786 --> 00:09:49.055 Now all of us have been there at some point or, 00:09:49.055 --> 00:09:50.590 in time, or the other. 00:09:50.590 --> 00:09:52.758 And this is not to say that you will never hit a circumstance 00:09:52.758 --> 00:09:54.894 at which you won't maybe feel that. 00:09:54.894 --> 00:09:57.530 There are situations and circumstances that try our faith 00:09:57.530 --> 00:09:59.799 and God understands that. 00:09:59.799 --> 00:10:01.767 But He doesn't want us staying there. 00:10:01.767 --> 00:10:04.036 We may hit one of those, but He wants us to do what? 00:10:04.036 --> 00:10:06.238 To move from level number one of struggling, 00:10:06.238 --> 00:10:08.708 wrestling, laboring faith to level number two. 00:10:08.708 --> 00:10:11.377 And that is a perfect example of being there. 00:10:11.377 --> 00:10:13.779 "Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, 00:10:13.779 --> 00:10:16.916 'I do believe; help my unbelief." 00:10:16.916 --> 00:10:18.284 What was he saying? 00:10:18.284 --> 00:10:19.885 He was simply saying you know, I'm believing You, 00:10:19.885 --> 00:10:22.488 but I'm having a hard time at it, I'm struggling. 00:10:22.488 --> 00:10:23.823 And God honored that. 00:10:23.823 --> 00:10:25.157 Now watch this carefully. 00:10:25.157 --> 00:10:28.494 So I want to say again that does not mean that God won't answer 00:10:28.494 --> 00:10:32.531 your prayer when you are in level number one struggling 00:10:32.531 --> 00:10:34.967 because He understands why you're there. 00:10:34.967 --> 00:10:36.769 Now, the truth is if you stay there, 00:10:36.769 --> 00:10:39.238 then you don't expect God's best. 00:10:39.238 --> 00:10:42.842 That's not where He wants you. He wants you moving up. 00:10:42.842 --> 00:10:47.279 Which brings us, listen, to level number two. 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:48.848 So think about this. 00:10:48.848 --> 00:10:50.850 Level number two, we've moved from little faith, 00:10:50.850 --> 00:10:52.918 now to great faith. 00:10:52.918 --> 00:10:55.888 Great faith is reaching faith. 00:10:55.888 --> 00:10:59.859 Great faith is not willing to stay on level one. 00:10:59.859 --> 00:11:02.395 Listen, great faith is not willing to stay down there where 00:11:02.395 --> 00:11:06.265 you labor and wrestle and you doubt and you fear and 00:11:06.265 --> 00:11:07.667 you're full of anxiety. 00:11:07.667 --> 00:11:10.436 Great faith is willing to reach out. 00:11:10.436 --> 00:11:13.239 It's reaching faith--reaching faith. 00:11:13.239 --> 00:11:15.207 Now you say, "Well, what's reaching faith?" 00:11:15.207 --> 00:11:17.476 Well, this is faith maturing. 00:11:17.476 --> 00:11:19.478 Faith is beginning to mature now. 00:11:19.478 --> 00:11:23.182 Faith now is, listen, beginning to stand on the truth 00:11:23.182 --> 00:11:24.550 of God's Word. 00:11:24.550 --> 00:11:27.053 Great faith is willing to believe what God said 00:11:27.053 --> 00:11:29.655 because that's what He said. 00:11:29.655 --> 00:11:31.457 Doesn't need any proof. 00:11:31.457 --> 00:11:34.326 If that's what God said, then he believes that God will do it. 00:11:34.326 --> 00:11:37.463 And this faith, listen, is focused on God, 00:11:37.463 --> 00:11:39.432 not on the circumstances. 00:11:39.432 --> 00:11:42.768 Great faith is focused on God, not the circumstances 00:11:42.768 --> 00:11:45.604 which means whenever you're in a situation or a circumstance, 00:11:45.604 --> 00:11:48.274 whatever it might be, your focus can't be on the circumstance, 00:11:48.274 --> 00:11:50.309 how big it is, how long it's been, 00:11:50.309 --> 00:11:53.979 how bad it is, how deep it is, how wrong it is. 00:11:53.979 --> 00:11:55.381 That's not the issue. 00:11:55.381 --> 00:11:58.551 The issue who is this God with whom I'm dealing? 00:11:58.551 --> 00:12:01.454 This God is bigger than all my circumstances. 00:12:01.454 --> 00:12:03.756 This God has the power to, listen. 00:12:03.756 --> 00:12:07.426 This God has the power to change any circumstance in my life 00:12:07.426 --> 00:12:08.794 no matter what it is. 00:12:08.794 --> 00:12:10.730 Great faith is faith, it's what? 00:12:10.730 --> 00:12:12.665 It's beginning to reach out. 00:12:12.665 --> 00:12:14.967 Now let's look at, let's look at a few scriptures here because 00:12:14.967 --> 00:12:18.037 if you'll think about this whole issue of great faith, 00:12:18.037 --> 00:12:20.139 where does He talk about great faith? 00:12:20.139 --> 00:12:23.042 So, let's go back to Matthew chapter eight for a moment. 00:12:23.042 --> 00:12:26.512 Matthew chapter eight and let's look at a few verses here. 00:12:26.512 --> 00:12:36.355 Eighth chapter of Matthew, and let's look if you will 00:12:36.355 --> 00:12:38.657 at this fifth verse. 00:12:38.657 --> 00:12:41.627 The centurion, "And when Jesus entered Capernaum, 00:12:41.627 --> 00:12:43.863 a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, 00:12:43.863 --> 00:12:48.667 and saying, 'Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, 00:12:48.667 --> 00:12:51.270 fearfully tormented." 00:12:51.270 --> 00:12:53.672 Jesus said to him, 'I will come and heal him.' 00:12:53.672 --> 00:12:55.441 Man, that's a fantastic response, I'll come 00:12:55.441 --> 00:12:56.809 and heal him. 00:12:56.809 --> 00:12:58.477 "But the centurion said to Him, 'Lord, 00:12:58.477 --> 00:13:00.446 I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, 00:13:00.446 --> 00:13:04.784 but just say the word, and my servant will be healed." 00:13:04.784 --> 00:13:06.152 Can you say that? 00:13:06.152 --> 00:13:08.220 Lord Jesus, just say the word. 00:13:08.220 --> 00:13:09.722 Just give me a verse of scripture. 00:13:09.722 --> 00:13:11.157 Just speak to my heart. 00:13:11.157 --> 00:13:13.959 Just make it, just say the word, my servant will be healed, 00:13:13.959 --> 00:13:15.961 "For I also am a man under authority, 00:13:15.961 --> 00:13:18.164 with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 00:13:18.164 --> 00:13:20.499 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 00:13:20.499 --> 00:13:22.501 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 00:13:22.501 --> 00:13:23.936 'Do this!' and he does it.' 00:13:23.936 --> 00:13:28.507 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled, and said to those who 00:13:28.507 --> 00:13:32.411 were following, 'Truly I say to you, I have not found such 00:13:32.411 --> 00:13:35.281 great faith with anyone in Israel." 00:13:35.281 --> 00:13:37.449 He was saying, you know, these Gentiles have more faith than 00:13:37.449 --> 00:13:40.686 you Israelites and you're sons and daughters of Abraham. 00:13:40.686 --> 00:13:42.655 So He says, "I've not seen such great faith." 00:13:42.655 --> 00:13:46.826 Turn to the fifteenth chapter of Matthew and look if you will 00:13:46.826 --> 00:13:53.332 in this--let's go back a few verses here. 00:13:53.332 --> 00:13:55.434 This is the Syrophoenician woman. 00:13:55.434 --> 00:13:59.505 Let's look if you will in verse twenty-two, 00:13:59.505 --> 00:14:02.608 "And a Canaanite woman from that region came, 00:14:02.608 --> 00:14:05.544 and began to cry out, saying, 'Have mercy on me, Lord, 00:14:05.544 --> 00:14:08.314 Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.' 00:14:08.314 --> 00:14:10.282 But He did not answer her a word. 00:14:10.282 --> 00:14:12.384 And His disciples came to Him and implored Him, 00:14:12.384 --> 00:14:15.654 saying, 'Send her away, she keeps shouting at us.' 00:14:15.654 --> 00:14:17.790 But He answered and said, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep 00:14:17.790 --> 00:14:19.491 of the house of Israel.' 00:14:19.491 --> 00:14:21.026 But she came and began to bow down before Him, 00:14:21.026 --> 00:14:22.661 saying, 'Lord, help me!' 00:14:22.661 --> 00:14:23.996 And He answered and said, 00:14:23.996 --> 00:14:25.664 'It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it 00:14:25.664 --> 00:14:26.999 to the dogs.'" 00:14:26.999 --> 00:14:28.601 Now that's a pretty strong statement because he was 00:14:28.601 --> 00:14:32.037 saying, you know, I've come for My own people the Jews, 00:14:32.037 --> 00:14:33.405 testing her. 00:14:33.405 --> 00:14:35.875 Look at this: "But she said, 'Yes, Lord; 00:14:35.875 --> 00:14:38.978 but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from 00:14:38.978 --> 00:14:40.312 their master's table.' 00:14:40.312 --> 00:14:42.848 Then Jesus said to her, 'O woman, 00:14:42.848 --> 00:14:47.353 your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.' 00:14:47.353 --> 00:14:48.754 And her daughter was healed at once." 00:14:48.754 --> 00:14:50.422 You know why? She didn't give up. 00:14:50.422 --> 00:14:52.358 Great faith doesn't give up. 00:14:52.358 --> 00:14:54.159 Great faith today does not listen to people's 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:56.095 unwise counsel. 00:14:56.095 --> 00:14:57.696 And Jesus was testing her. 00:14:57.696 --> 00:15:01.200 And so oftentimes we're going to get tested and what happens? 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:04.470 Either we listen to other people or we go by our feelings, 00:15:04.470 --> 00:15:07.673 or we go by our reason, or we go by sight. 00:15:07.673 --> 00:15:10.042 God wants us to go by His Word. 00:15:10.042 --> 00:15:11.844 Great faith doesn't give up. 00:15:11.844 --> 00:15:16.181 Great faith hangs in there no matter what and great faith 00:15:16.181 --> 00:15:17.650 gets the answer. 00:15:17.650 --> 00:15:20.419 Level two is Christ-centered. 00:15:20.419 --> 00:15:22.454 Level two is God-oriented. 00:15:22.454 --> 00:15:24.556 Level two does not focus on circumstances. 00:15:24.556 --> 00:15:26.692 You said, you've said that about five times. 00:15:26.692 --> 00:15:28.027 Right! You know why? 00:15:28.027 --> 00:15:30.095 Because that's what the devil wants to do--get you focused on 00:15:30.095 --> 00:15:32.998 your circumstances rather than on God. 00:15:32.998 --> 00:15:38.804 Level number three, level number three is perfect faith. 00:15:38.804 --> 00:15:42.474 Level number three is resting faith. 00:15:42.474 --> 00:15:45.978 Not struggling and laboring, not reaching--resting faith. 00:15:45.978 --> 00:15:49.949 Perfect faith says it's a done deal. 00:15:49.949 --> 00:15:52.017 Well you say, "Oh, now wait a minute, 00:15:52.017 --> 00:15:53.786 that sounds rather presumptuous." 00:15:53.786 --> 00:15:55.621 No, it's not. 00:15:55.621 --> 00:16:00.259 I want you to turn if you will back to Mark chapter eleven. 00:16:00.259 --> 00:16:02.461 Mark chapter eleven. 00:16:02.461 --> 00:16:06.031 What's happening here is that Jesus cursed this fig tree 00:16:06.031 --> 00:16:08.367 and the next day they came by and the disciples were 00:16:08.367 --> 00:16:10.636 absolutely amazed. 00:16:10.636 --> 00:16:14.473 And verse twenty says, "And they were passing by in the morning, 00:16:14.473 --> 00:16:17.743 they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 00:16:17.743 --> 00:16:20.312 And being reminded, Peter said to Him, 00:16:20.312 --> 00:16:23.615 'Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.' 00:16:23.615 --> 00:16:27.052 And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Have faith in God." 00:16:27.052 --> 00:16:29.355 Does, isn't it amazing how Jesus has these short, 00:16:29.355 --> 00:16:34.793 terse, pointed, unforgettable, inescapable answers to something 00:16:34.793 --> 00:16:36.829 that we have these big problems with? 00:16:36.829 --> 00:16:39.398 What did He say? Said, "Have faith in God." 00:16:39.398 --> 00:16:40.733 Look at this thing. 00:16:40.733 --> 00:16:42.368 This thing is cursed from the roots up. 00:16:42.368 --> 00:16:44.436 What's happened? Have faith in God. 00:16:44.436 --> 00:16:46.805 Now watch this: "Truly I say to you, 00:16:46.805 --> 00:16:49.575 whoever says to the mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into 00:16:49.575 --> 00:16:51.377 the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, 00:16:51.377 --> 00:16:55.280 but believes that what he is saying is going to happen; 00:16:55.280 --> 00:16:56.682 it'll be granted him. 00:16:56.682 --> 00:16:58.050 Now watch this next verse. 00:16:58.050 --> 00:17:00.285 You listening? Say amen. 00:17:00.285 --> 00:17:07.159 "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and 00:17:07.159 --> 00:17:14.333 ask, believe that you have received them," past tense, 00:17:14.333 --> 00:17:16.201 "and they will be granted to you." 00:17:16.201 --> 00:17:17.703 Now you say, "Well, that doesn't-- 00:17:17.703 --> 00:17:19.038 maybe that's a mistake." 00:17:19.038 --> 00:17:21.807 It's not a mistake. Here's what He says. 00:17:21.807 --> 00:17:25.344 Level three is resting faith. 00:17:25.344 --> 00:17:28.814 Not struggling and laboring, not reaching--resting faith. 00:17:28.814 --> 00:17:32.818 Level three brings you to the level in your life where 00:17:32.818 --> 00:17:37.322 you ask Him and you have-- you can stand on His Word 00:17:37.322 --> 00:17:38.657 in absolute assurance. 00:17:38.657 --> 00:17:39.992 You know God's will about that. 00:17:39.992 --> 00:17:41.326 And you know what it is? 00:17:41.326 --> 00:17:43.062 Perfect faith says this. 00:17:43.062 --> 00:17:49.001 Not only can He, it's a done deal, it's already done. 00:17:49.001 --> 00:17:51.870 No more fretting, no more anxiety, 00:17:51.870 --> 00:17:54.773 no more worry, no more-- no manipulation, 00:17:54.773 --> 00:18:01.313 no more trying to work it out, figure it out, make it happen. 00:18:01.313 --> 00:18:06.785 Perfect faith says it's a done deal with God. 00:18:06.785 --> 00:18:08.954 Where does God want our faith to be? 00:18:08.954 --> 00:18:13.692 Struggling, anxious, trying to feel better, 00:18:13.692 --> 00:18:16.061 getting over depression, is that where He wants you? 00:18:16.061 --> 00:18:17.596 No, it's not where He wants you. 00:18:17.596 --> 00:18:19.565 I'll tell you where He wants you. 00:18:19.565 --> 00:18:25.504 He wants us moving from level one to level two to level three. 00:18:25.504 --> 00:18:27.940 Will you start out with level three? 00:18:27.940 --> 00:18:31.343 Most of the time, not, but here's what happens. 00:18:31.343 --> 00:18:35.848 You don't stay on level one but a very brief moment of time. 00:18:35.848 --> 00:18:37.883 You move to level two. 00:18:37.883 --> 00:18:39.418 And then as you grow in your faith, 00:18:39.418 --> 00:18:40.752 you know what happens? 00:18:40.752 --> 00:18:44.756 You'll be living on level three most of the time. 00:18:44.756 --> 00:18:46.792 You know why? 00:18:46.792 --> 00:18:48.427 Because here's what, here's the reason. 00:18:48.427 --> 00:18:53.098 Because you have accepted that He is who He says He is. 00:18:53.098 --> 00:18:55.934 He is as wise as He says He is. 00:18:55.934 --> 00:18:58.203 He is as powerful as He says He is. 00:18:58.203 --> 00:19:02.374 He loves you unconditionally like He says He does. 00:19:02.374 --> 00:19:06.211 And therefore, you have no reason to doubt Him. 00:19:06.211 --> 00:19:08.080 And you think about this. 00:19:08.080 --> 00:19:10.315 You may not be a Christian. 00:19:10.315 --> 00:19:16.255 Do you realize what you believe about Jesus Christ is going to 00:19:16.255 --> 00:19:19.558 determine your whole eternal destiny where you're going 00:19:19.558 --> 00:19:22.027 to spend eternity. 00:19:22.027 --> 00:19:24.329 Nothing else but that determines it. 00:19:24.329 --> 00:19:29.701 That's why it is so serious that you and I consider our faith. 00:19:29.701 --> 00:19:32.337 And for all of us who are believers, 00:19:32.337 --> 00:19:33.672 our reward's in Heaven. 00:19:33.672 --> 00:19:35.641 You know where they, what they're going to hinge on? 00:19:35.641 --> 00:19:37.843 Our faith. 00:19:37.843 --> 00:19:40.112 Did we trust Him enough to believe Him? 00:19:40.112 --> 00:19:43.382 Did we trust Him enough to take that decision? 00:19:43.382 --> 00:19:45.417 Did we trust Him enough to follow Him? 00:19:45.417 --> 00:19:49.354 Did we trust Him enough to take this challenge here? 00:19:49.354 --> 00:19:52.291 Did we trust Him enough to be obedient when it was difficult? 00:19:52.291 --> 00:19:55.627 Our, all of our rewards are going to come ultimately by our 00:19:55.627 --> 00:19:59.164 faith, because our actions are a result of our faith. 00:19:59.164 --> 00:20:03.802 That's why it is so important that you and I examine 00:20:03.802 --> 00:20:05.337 our faith. 00:20:05.337 --> 00:20:07.739 Look at ourselves. 00:20:07.739 --> 00:20:10.309 Have I trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior? 00:20:10.309 --> 00:20:11.877 Am I walking in faith? 00:20:11.877 --> 00:20:14.446 Am I struggling down here, cheating myself out of the 00:20:14.446 --> 00:20:17.983 blessings that God has already stored up for me, 00:20:17.983 --> 00:20:22.654 simply because I've never passed the struggling, 00:20:22.654 --> 00:20:25.591 wrestling, laboring faith. 00:20:25.591 --> 00:20:28.193 Oh God, take me to level number 2. 00:20:28.193 --> 00:20:29.528 God, take me to level number three. 00:20:29.528 --> 00:20:30.862 And you know what He'll do? 00:20:30.862 --> 00:20:32.197 Here's what He'll do. 00:20:32.197 --> 00:20:35.734 He'll give you enough tests to grow up your faith. 00:20:35.734 --> 00:20:39.738 And then one of these days, most of your decisions will be 00:20:39.738 --> 00:20:45.177 perfect faith, if you'll trust Him. 00:20:45.177 --> 00:20:52.951 ♪♪♪