Faith
I. To be led by the Holy Spirit
you have to be in faith for the Spirit’s leading-James 1:5
A.
Anything that we receive from God is give by
grace received through faith and that includes direction and leading for our
lives-Ephesians 2:8, Romans 4:16
1. A lack of faith for direction will lead to a
lack of
direction
2. God’s not determining how much direction you get, but rather it’s according
to what you believe; we need to have faith that everything we do is led of Him
a.
What you believe where being led of the HS is
concerned is what you’ll receive
3. He’s able to direct your every move, but it takes faith to receive that
a.
You have to believe that’s possible for your
life
B.
There’s a promise here that if you lack
direction God will give it to you open-handedly
1. Wisdom-Insight or wisdom not naturally attained-That’s the leading of the
Spirit
2. God’s not withholding direction; He doesn’t withhold direction from
anybody
3. He wants you to live a life directed/led of Him (PREACH, ENCOURAGE)
C.
The condition to this promise is that you
must ask in faith, nothing
wavering
1. James 1:7-That man that’s wavering and not in faith will not receive
direction
a.
Therefore, to receive direction and be led of
the Spirit faith is required
b.
Faith 1) To get direction from a God you can’t see
2) To hear direction that the natural ear can’t hear 3) You have believe he
will lead you b/c He said he would 4) You have to believe you will hear it b/c
he said you would
c.
Genesis 5:22,24-Enoch must have heard is
great grandpa talked with God and just stepped out in faith and did the same
thing
2. James1:6-Ask-Adamant
in requesting or demanding, demand, insist, require, call for
a.
2 Pet 1:4-All that pertains to life/godliness
is being offered to you including wisdom
b.
If wisdom is being offered to me, then there
is no need for me to ask for it in the way you and I think about asking for
something (Can I please Have?)
c.
You can place a demand on what’s being
offered or require it or even call for it
d.
Don’t ask for things that were deemed yours
as part of your inheritance-take them
3. Mark 11:24-Whatever you ask believe you receive it and you will have it
a.
EX: God speaks to me and I hear his
voice. He leads me in the small
areas of life and the big areas of life.
God speaks to me everyday and I’m sensitive to his voice. I’m led of him in all my endeavors for
my steps or ordered of the Lord.
b.
What makes it faith is that you’re saying on
this without seeing it
D.
We see a connection between being led/getting
direction and faith; that if you want to live a life led by the Holy Spirit
then faith for it is a requirement
1. Hesitating and doubting will keep you from being led by the Holy Spirit
(“Well I just don’t hear God’s voice like you, God just doesn’t speak to me
like he does you”)
E.
Faith will keep believing for direction even
when it doesn’t appear to be getting it
1. A person in faith won’t be moved by what they don’t hear or by the
direction that they didn’t think they got; they’ll just continue to say I’m his
sheep, I hear is voice, I’m led of him, and I do not follow the stranger
2. A person in faith won’t get discouraged or miffed b/c they don’t feel
like the Holy Spirit is leading them
II. Faith to be led & hear
His voice begins with the Word concerning it
A.
John 10:2-5,10-11,27-Jesus said His sheep
hear his voice
1. Jesus said-The sheep hear
(perceive, not deaf) his voice
2. Jesus said-The sheep follow
(lead, guide, direct) his voice-they’re being led
3. Jesus said-The sheep know
(perceive, notice, discern) his voice
4. Jesus said-When the stranger speaks they recognize that’s not my
shepherd
B.
Psalm 37:3-My steps are directed of the Lord
and God busies Himself with my every step
C.
Proverbs 3:5-6-He will lead you in the way to
go
D.
John 16:13-The Holy Spirit leads me into all
the truth and shows me things to come
III. An atmosphere of faith is
the breeding grounds for direction from the Holy Spirit
A.
John 16:13, 8:31-32-If you waver on the
written word, you won’t hear the spoken word
1. Faith is simply agreeing with God’s word b/c He said it
a.
You can’t be resisting and disagreeing with
the Word and try to get direction from the HS who is the Word
2. You need the leading of the Holy Spirit to walk in victory and that leading
from the Holy Spirit comes while you’re faith on the Word of God
a.
As you yield to the written word of God you
open the door for the Holy Spirit to enter and give you the direction you need
for that particular situation
b.
You have to come to realize the importance of
this word FROM God and the absolute vital necessity of it concerning your
victory
3. Rom 15:13-There’s joy & peace in believing so if you’re in faith you
have those too
a.
If you get discouraged/worried and stop
agreeing with the Word and get out of faith you’ll miss the very direction you
need to walk in victory
4. Psalm 27:11-14-We have to get on the same channel as the HS and He’s on
the faith channel
B.
Acts 13:2-When you are in faith & stay in
faith you’re positioned to be led by the HS
1. Hebrews 11:6, 10:38-Faith pleases God and ministers to Him; when you say
I believe it just b/c God said it, that pleases, that ministers to Him the
Father
a.
1 Samuel 15:22-The way God gets ministered
to/pleasure from a sacrifice or offering it gets more pleasure and is
ministered to more by obedience and faith
b.
Matthew 8:8-This guy ministered to Jesus with
His faith
2. As you ministered unto God through and with your faith, you’ll get
direction from HS
C.
1 Samuel 30:1-9-No matter how dark it is or
how bad it looks you have to stay in faith if you want the leading of the Holy
Spirit
1. 4-No direction came out of the weeping, out of the grief and distress
2. Direction came after the atmosphere of faith was created