• Paul acknowledges his problem
• Paul also acknowledges his solution
• Paul's true heart is revealed by his faith confession!
• Paul introduces himself as an apostle, called of God!
• • I Corinthians 1:1
• Paul calls us shining ones!
• • Philippians 2:14-16

• You are made in the image of God!
• You are a "speaking spirit"
• God knows our heart I Samuel 16:7
• "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts." I Chronicles 28:9b
• • The devil cannot read our minds but he can hear our words.
• God is our model
• • All we see came about from the Word of God
  • All things are held together by the Word of His Power Hebrews 1:3
• Faith words are God's words
• • Learn to hear God's voice I Samuel 3
  • Just as we must learn to recognize God's voice, so we must learn to speak His Word.

• Faith pleases God!
• Faith words are edifying
• Faith words are true!
• Faith words are powerful!
• Faith confession changes things!
• Faith pleases God!
• • Hebrews 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."
  • Faith honors God, and God honors faith!
  • II Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him."
• Faith words are edifying.
• • they taste good and produce life.
  • Matthew 12:35a - Good treasure
  • Ephesians 4:29
  • • Edifying words - imparting grace
    • "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers."
• Faith words are TRUE!
• Psalms 118:8
• • "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."

• What is the shortest chapter in the Bible?
• (Answer - Psalms 117)
• What is the longest chapter in the Bible?
• (Answer - Psalms 119)
• Which chapter is in the center of the Bible?
• (Answer - Psalms 118)
• Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalms 118
• Fact: There are 594 chapters after Psalms 118
• Add these numbers up and you get 1188
• What is the center verse in the Bible?
• (Answer - Psalms 118:8)

Psalms 118:8 "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."

• There is a power of the tongue!
• • Proverbs 18:21 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit."
  • James 3:4-5 "Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things."
• Faith confession changes things!
• Our confession - Hebrews 10:19-25
• • Vs 24 "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful."

If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. John 13:17

• The life and power comes after we "get up and get going."
• God does not give us overcoming life - He gives us life as we overcome.
• • According to our faith, not our need!
• We have to get ourselves up; God will not lift us up.
• • We are expected to take the initiative.
• If we will take the initiative to overcome, we will find that we have the inspiration of God, because He immediately gives us the power of life.
• • Our Lord said to the man with the withered hand, "Stretch out your hand" (Matthew 12:13). As soon as the man did so, his hand was healed.

• John 10:10 ~ Abundant life!
• John 6:48 ~ Jesus is the bread of life!
• John 7:38 ~ Rivers of living water!
• Matthew 12:35 ~ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things
• Proverbs 4:23 ~ Guard your heart
• Matthew 7:14 "Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."
• Saint Irenaeus "The glory of God is a man fully alive."
• John 10:10 "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

• 642 times the Bible states this invitation
• Luke 14:16-24 = Three Excuses
• 1. I have things to achieve
  2. I have stuff to acquire
  3. I have relationships that distract me

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. II Corinthians 5:17

• Mark 11:11-14, 19-23 - Jesus Illustrates
• • Bethphage (BEHTH-fuh-dzhee) = House of early or unripe figs
  • The fig tree represents the fruitlessness of Israel's religious system
• Lead by the Father
• Inspired by the Holy Spirit
• Spoken by the Word
• Defined = An authoritative order having the force of law. To ordain, establish, or decide
• • Proverbs 8:15 "By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice."
  • Job 22:28 "You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; so light will shine on your way."
• A spiritual declaration
• • Matthew 20:20 - Gentiles lord it over others
• When we make a Kingdom decree, that decree begins to establish or build a foundation in the area into which we are speaking.
• • The words are originated by the Holy Spirit in our hearts
  • "Establish" means: To set up or bring about
• When we decree a thing, it brings about a "secure position" in the Kingdom of God on earth!

If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. John 13:17

• Numbers 13:30 - Calebs's answer
• • "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it."
  
  
• Galatians 2:20 - the origination of faith
• • Faith always has an object
  
  
• II Corinthians 5:17-19 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
• 
  
• II Corinthians 5:20-21 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. John 13:17

"the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were." Romans 4:17b

"So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

"the righteousness of faith speaks" "If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth." Romans 10:6-10

• Faith pleases God!
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  • Hebrews 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."
  • Faith honors God, and God honors faith!
  
  
• Faith words are edifying - they taste good & produce life.
• 
  
  • I Chronicles 17:1-2 - Do all that is in your heart!
  • Matthew 12:35a - Good treasure
  • Ephesians 4:29 - Edifying words - imparting grace
  
  
• Faith words are TRUE!
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• Faith confession changes things.

If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. John 13:17