Luke 18:8 (NIV) When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" John 11:40 (NIV) Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?"
Examples 1. The Woman with the issue of blood. Matthew 9:22 (NIV) Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the Woman was healed at that moment. 2. The Roman Officer(Centurion) Matthew 8:10 (NIV) When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. Matthew 8:13 (NIV) 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that moment.
3. Two blind Men Matthew 9:29 (NIV) Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith let it be done to you."
Faith hears before it sees.
4. The Canaanite Woman whose daughter was demonized and suffering. Matthew 15:28 (NIV) Jesus said to her, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed at that moment.
5. A desperate Dad. Mark 9:20–25 (NIV) 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered. 22 "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." 23 "'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes." 24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."
We don't need great faith. We just need faith that is committed to growth.
A Growing Faith Matthew 17:19–20 (NIV) 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" 20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Matthew 13:31–32 (NIV) 31 He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches."
1. Identify where your faith is. "Vulnerable trust is bold faith."
We all have a measure of faith. Romans 12:3 (NIV) 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
2. Become a person of the word. Romans 10:17 (NKJV) So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
We grow our faith by growing in the word.
"Our faith grows by listing to, meditating upon, living in line with, and boldly declaring the Word of God!"
3. Be filled with the Spirit of God. The Spirit identifies us as God's. Romans 8:15 (NLT) So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father."
Pray in the Spirit Jude 20 (NLT) But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit.
4. Rest with yielded spirit.
God isn't looking for strength. He is looking for Surender.
Independence is opposed to trust.
Don't trust yourself.
______ Psalms 46:10(NIV) Be still, and know that I am God!
Matthew 1:18–23 (NLT) 18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ”
The Spirit of Christmas 1. A Promise fulfilled Matthew 1:22 (NLT) “… All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet….’
Matthew 1:1, 17 (NLT) This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham… 17 All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.
2. A Purpose revealed Don't miss the purpose of Jesus. “Jesus didn’t come to meet a human agenda; He came to reveal Heaven’s agenda.”
Matthew 1:21 (NLT) She will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Luke 19:10 (NLT) For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
John 6:44 (NLT) For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me… John 16:8 (NLT) When he comes, he will convict the world of its sin…
3. Presence pronounced Matthew 1:23 (NLT)…They will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’
John 14:26–27 (NLT) 26 When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. 27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart…
4. Power provided The Holy Spirit is a person, not a force.
Jesus revealed how humans filled with the Spirit of God should function. Acts 10:38 (NIV) God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. John 14:12 (NLT) “Anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.
John the Baptist Luke 1:15–17 (NLT) 15... He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”
After Mary conceives…. Luke 1:39–42 (NLT). 39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Receive the gift of the Father: Acts 1:4–5 (NLT) “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Miracles 1. Elizabeth became pregnant Luke 1:24 “Soon afterwards his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months”
Luke 1:7 “They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.”
-John was making the way for Jesus before Jesus was even here on earth.
“And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:17
2. Mary becomes pregnant supernaturally
1) Jesus would come from a virgin birth
Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.”
Luke 1:34 “Mary asked the angel,” But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
2) Jesus would come from the line of David Psalm 89:3-2 “You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant;’ I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.” (referring to the promise God gave to David in 2 Samuel 7:12-13)
God loves to use common people for an uncommon purpose.
God needs nothing but a willing heart to do the miraculous.
It’s never too late for God to fill you and there is nothing more you need to do for Him to fill you.
3. John was filled with the Holy Spirit inside the womb Luke 1:41 “At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:4 “And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”
When Jesus came he brought the promise of the Holy Spirit
John 14:15-17 “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”
Matthew 3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
