"Faith is Not Enough pt.2!"
Greetings Believers,
Grace to you and peace from the Most High be multiplied to you through the Blessing that comes from Jesus our King.
Last month we looked at the subject of what I call faith add-ons. Faith add-ons are spiritual fruit to add to your faith walk in God's Word. We looked at virtue and knowledge last time so we will pick up from the root scripture in 2 Peter.
"For this very reason, adding your diligence [to the divine promises], employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue (excellence, resolution, Christian energy and courage), and in [exercising] virtue [develop] knowledge (intelligence), and in [exercising] knowledge [develop] self-control (meekness), and in [exercising] self-control [develop] steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety)" 2 Peter 1:5-6 (Words not in bold added)
Peter teaches us to add to our knowledge (revelation knowledge) temperance. In the Greek dictionary the word temperance is actually self-control. Once we get a revelation from God we usually get so fired up about it that there can be a tendency to try to get ahead of God. Jesus said that the kingdom of God works like the process of the seed. First the blade, then the ear, and after that the full corn in the ear. If we choose to skip any one of these steps we can enter levels that our faith cannot sustain because of a lack of maturity of how the process works.
I witness this all the time where prosperity is concerned. Jesus said when the Word of the kingdom is sown, and we fail to understand it we place ourselves in a place where the wicked one can snatch away the seed that was sown. When people get a revelation of prosperity and the Blessing, they get all excited and try to rush the process of wealth transferring to wealth building. Jesus talked about the deceitfulness of riches and the lust of other things entering in and choking the Word sown in the heart. These people become prey to get rich schemes and wealth investment portfolio scams. They didn't want to wait on the blade and the ear of the corn, let alone wait for the full ear. They seemed to have missed our Lord declare hundred fold now in this time to those who give for the gospel and to the work in His name.
The Word says to be anxious for nothing but through prayer and supplication let your request be made know unto God. The way God does things is to send His Word of Promise in the Earth through Apostles, Prophets, Evangelist, Pastors and Teachers. Wherever God can find someone using their faith for any of His promises He says that 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. 2 Chron 16:9
Self control can allow patience to have her perfect work. Peter said that self control and patience are partners in the walk of faith. They are indispensable to each other. You need self discipline when you are expecting Gods glory to show up in your life. James said;
"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." James 1:2-8
Patience is defined as the state of constant, steady, sustaining perseverance. James said that this is the way to receiving anything from the Lord. How important then is this virtue? Enormous that's what. Once there is a trying of your faith you had better know to exercise your patience otherwise you will fall into anxiety which can lead to depression. The children of Israel grieved God and Paul declares that their attitude was an evil heart of unbelief because they failed to stand through the adversity they were facing.
When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:10-13
They could not enter into the rest of prosperity because they saw the conditions and complained. They had an evil heart of unbelief, and Paul tells us to take heed least we fall to the same temptation. We can be like them where our faith is concerned. They heard the Word yet they did not mix the Word with faith. Let us not be like that. Let us be wise enough to know that God's way of faith is best. Would God give a promise only to not fulfill it? Allow yourself to be teachable and be constant, steady with sustaining perseverance. We can do this, indeed we must do this!
I fully expect this Word of Faith message to bless you to do His will as He works in you that which is well pleasing to His sight!
Copyright: 2010 by Paul G. and Loretta Williams
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"..And This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached to all the world as a witness to every nation, and then the end shall come." Matt 24:14
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