Study Notes

FOUNDATION STATEMENT: Those who don’t discover the system of grace and faith will be stifled in receiving from God

 

I.      Abraham found that what He receives from God doesn’t come by works-Rom 4:1-13

A.    3-He found that it came by faith

1.      4-He found that what he worked for could not be given to him by grace

a.    You have to stop working for it

2.      5-He found that not working for it is how you receive it

B.     6-12-This righteousness given to Abraham by grace without works, but not without work

1.      6-In exchange for a man’s faith God made a man righteous by grace

2.      9-Faith for righteousness exchange

3.      10-He got it being uncircumcised because faith was the issue

C.    13-This promise came through the right-standing he had with God as a result of His faith

1.      Promises from God don’t come until u get in right-standing w/God; it was by grace

II.     We got to be very cautious that we don’t turn faith into works because it will make faith void and the word of none effect

A.    14-The law (works & wages) makes faith void (useless, no effect) and the promise of none effect (inactive, in operative, void of influence and power)

1.      Why? You don’t need to believe because you’re going to work your way into it

2.      Why? You don’t need the promise (Word) b/c you’re going to earn what you get

3.      When you start working for it everything else stops working

4.      15-Works and wage works wrath b/c it’s based on what you deserve

B.     We need to understand that “my believing merits /earns me nothing.”

C.    I have right to it b/c of Jesus’ doing, not b/c of my believing

1.      My believing gives me access to it, not right to it

a.    EX: A key doesn’t give you right to a hotel room, your money does; they key simply gives you access to what is rightfully yours

1)       Just b/c someone has a key to it, does me they have right to it

b.    Your faith gives you access his grace gives you right

2.      What you do does not give you any more right to it

a.    You had as much right to when you weren’t praying and standing as you do now that you are praying and standing

b.    The praying and standing appropriates the rights

3.      If I don’t believe then I won’t see the rights that I have appropriated in my life

a.    We’ve thought the believing somehow gave us more right, when it was designed to appropriate the right

4.      When you believe you have a right to it b/c of your believing that’s self-righteousness

a.    The next thing that will show up is bitterness, unthankfulness, anger, discouragement

D.    My sense of “entitlement” to have it comes as result of what he did, not what I do

1.      U need entitlement & ownership b/c u won’t fight for what u don’t believe is yours

a.    I have rights in the Kingdom, but they’re grace rights given to me by grace based on what Jesus did 

2.      When my boldness about these rights stems from what he did it’s faith

3.      When my boldness about these rights stems from what I do it’s pride

E.     The moment you believe that you should have it based on what you’ve done it can’t be given to you by grace

1.      “I should have it b/c I prayed, confessed, tithed and stood” – Works

2.      “I should have it b/c he bled, he died, and he rose again” – Faith

F.     My faith is in what he did and said, not in what I do and any faith I have in what I do I have b/c trust the one who told me to do it

1.      I have faith in the principles because I have faith in the person

2.      Don’t get so consumed with the principles that you forget the person

a.    Get consumed with the person & you’ll be committed to the principles

3.      When you do this you’re believing, praying, and standing will stay pure

a.    “It’s not working” is clear evidence that you’re more consumed with it, than you are with Him

b.     “It” has to work otherwise the “He” that told about the “It” lied

4.      Faith in an “IT” doesn’t work because an “IT” can’t speak to you

a.    Faith in an “IT” can’t stand alone; it has to be traced back to person who produce the “IT”

b.    You’re trying to have faith in “IT” w/o having faith in “HIM” that produced the IT

III.   This is what Abraham found-He found the exchange of grace and faith

A.    16-He found the promise is by grace through faith

1.      When you come into the Kingdom of God everything is free

a.    If everything is free in the Kingdom, then we need to become proficient at receiving it, not working for it

2.      Luke 15:12-32

a.    25-Notice the older brother is working

b.    29-He starts listing His works

c.     31-Son everything I have is yours, just take what you need

B.     17-21-He found that if I just do my job and stay in faith there is no power in existence that can stop this exchange

1.      17-(AMP)-He called things that be no as though they were-He took it

2.      18-(AMP)-He expected the manifestation in faith with no reason to do so

3.      18-According to that which was spoken-That word was abiding in him

4.      19-He didn’t give His attention to the wrong words, bad reports

5.      20-He didn’t waver about this promise

6.      20-He thanked God like it was done

7.      21-He got fully persuaded

IV.   You got to discover the system of grace and faith

A.    Recognize that God is your source and come/look to Him

1.      Hebrews 4:16-You find grace at the throne of Grace from the God of grace

2.      Is 30:2-They weren’t looking to God & that’s why they weren’t receiving from God

3.      James 4:2-Some people don’t have it from God b/c they didn’t go to him for it

B.     You Must believe God is-Hebrews 11:6

1.      God is to u whatever u believe He IS & what u don’t believe He IS He can’t be to u

a.    Mark 6:3-5-In Jesus’ hometown they didn’t believe He was so the them he wasn’t

2.      Whatever area of life you’re wanting to receive from God, you have to introduce yourself to the God of that area and develop faith that He is

a.    You can’t receive something from a person who you don’t believe does the thing you want to receive (Ex: You have to believe the mechanic IS)

3.      The enemy is always trying to distort your image of who God really is, because what you don’t believe God is, He will never be to you

C.    You must believe God can or that His power is enough-Romans 4:20, Gen 18:14

1.      What is impossible to you, will be impossible for you

D.    God wants you to have it; discover His will-1 John 5:15, Ephesians 5:17, Col 1:9

1.      You got to get stirred up about “God wants me RICH, HEALED, etc.”

E.     Jesus paid for it, God is offering it to you as a free gift

1.      The work is done, the price has been paid, only believe 

2.      If you believe it’s being offered to you, you won’t aks for it

F.     You take it by faith and believe you have it-Mark 11:24

1.      You don’t have to ask God to do it if you believe you receive He’ll cause it to come forth; If you’ll believe you receive strength He’ll make you strong so don’t ask Him to make you strong, believe you receive strength

G.   You don’t let go until it manifests-Hebrews 6:12, Luke 8:15

H.    One of the enemies main tricks is to try to put the pressure of manifestation on the believer, when in reality the believers only job is to believe