COUPLES FOR CHRIST

FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING

TALK No. 3 : GROWING IN FAITH
Expanded Outline
A. Introduction.
1. Eph 2:8. The good news is that all men can enter into a new relationship with
God by believing in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
a)

Faith is the key, Jesus is the door, and salvation is the room to be entered.

b)

Faith in God is the foundation of the Christian life.

2. But many Christians today lack a complete understanding of faith.

a)
life.

They see the importance of faith just at the beginning of one's Christian

b) But faith is not only the key to salvation, it is also the way one receives all of
God's gifts: healing, guidance, answers to prayers, tongues, etc.
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life.
B.

Thus faith is vital not just at the beginning but throughout our Christian

The Meaning of Faith.

1. True Christian faith is a reliance upon God which allows Him to fulfill His
purposes within and through His people.
a)

What are these purposes?

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To form us so our character reflects His own.

To make us His instruments to touch and speak to others.
To teach us to pray in such a way that He can guide circumstances which
are beyond our control.

b)

Faith releases this threefold action of God.

c)

Faith is a way for us to rest in God.

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We abandon ourselves into the hands of a loving God, acknowledging His

greatness and our smallness.

Faith is not a task, hurdle or obligation, but a gift from God.

2. The basis of faith.

a) Faith is not a blind leap or an arbitrary act of will. Rather, faith is a Christian's
response to God's revelation of His own nature and plan.
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God reveals Himself in the Bible, in human history, in one's personal

experience, and in the experiences of others.

Since God's nature is consistent and His word is faithful, we can count on
Him to act in the future as He has acted in the past.
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b)

Mk 5:25-34.

We can know God's nature, desires and purposes in at least three ways.
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Through His universally binding promises. The Bible contains many such
promises with clearly stated conditions: Lk 11:13; 1 Jn 1:9; Jn 3:16.

Through the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Since God lives within us, we
should expect some direct personal communication from Him.

Through an understanding of God's nature. God is merciful and has

compassion for us.

3. Three kinds of faith.

a)

Believing faith.
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Acceptance of the basic doctrinal truths of Christianity.

Such faith is essential, but is not sufficient. Jas 2:19. Even the devil has
such faith.

b)

Trusting faith.
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The belief that God is good, that He loves His people, and that He will
care for them always.

This is not merely assent to a creed, but entrusting one's life into God's
hands.

c)

Expectant faith.
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God wants His people to believe, to trust, and to expect. Expectant faith

reaches out to Jesus and expects him to act in specific situations.

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Expectant faith differs from the other kinds of faith in its active, dynamic
nature. Not just a yielding to the will of God and a willingness to endure
difficult circumstances, but asking much from God.

For example, it might be God's will for us to accept physical illness,

financial distress or other difficulties as part of purification; or He might
be using difficulties as a way of testing and building our faith.

Jesus taught his disciples to pray forcefully, even for minor needs. Mt
7:7-11.

4. Faith is an active, external response, not an internal emotion.

a) If tied to emotion, faith becomes a sputtering and inconstant flame.
b) Faith is not primarily an emotion, but a way of thinking, speaking and acting
which contains an emotional element.
c) Faith is an external response.
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You have faith if you act in faith.

However, faith is not just a set of specific actions, but also an outlook
which should characterize one's entire Christian life.

d) A Christian filled with faith will rejoice in all circumstances, hope in God's
providential control of human events, and avoid attitudes of anxiety, fear,
negativism, hostility or discouragement.
C.

Growing in Faith.
1. Faith is formed by God. We cannot grow in faith by our own efforts.
a) Nevertheless, we can contribute to our growth in faith by confronting some
important hazards and by following some helpful steps.
b) We cannot build our own faith, but God cannot build it without our
cooperation.
2. Hazards to faith.
a)

Fear.
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Usually stems from personal insecurity, fear of failure, and an over-intense

approach to faith.
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To overcome these, we should relax, rest in the Lord, remember God's

promises, trust His word, and venture forth with a willingness to make
mistakes.

If we are just starting to grow in faith, we should begin by praying for

small things.

We should be eager to exercise our faith. We should view failures as

opportunities to learn about how to exercise faith more effectively.

b)

Emotions.
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We sometimes try to work up intense feelings of faith for our prayer

requests, believing that God will not work unless we have the right
feelings or intensity.

Feelings of faith are helpful, but God's power does not depend on them.

We should just stand firmly on the rock of God's word.

c)

Self-doubt.
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We should disregard distorted guilt feelings.

We should trust more fully in the Lord.

d)

Satan.
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Some difficulties in exercising faith are caused by satanic opposition.

We should be aware of the realities of spiritual warfare.

As thoughts of doubts or fear are planted by satanic forces in our mind, we

can rebuke them with God's authority and replace them with the truth.

3. Positive steps toward faith.

a)

An environment of faith.
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We need to associate with people who will foster growth in faith. This is
what we have in CFC.

We should be faithful to our meetings and activities in CFC, seeing these

as a big help to our faith.

b)

Spiritual reading.
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Books and magazines which communicate a faith-filled Christian

worldview.

Our three-year Spiritual Reading Guide. At least one book a month.

c)

Hearing God's word. Rom 10:17.

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Through the Bible, teachings, prophecy, books, exhortations, and direct

words from the Lord.

We should be diligent to hear, absorb, contemplate and love God's word.

d)

Personal prayer.
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e)

Prayer for faith.

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D.

God has adopted us as His sons and daughters, and He delights in

answering our prayers. Thus confidence should pervade our prayer.

A final step is also the most direct: ask God to increase our faith.

Conclusion.
1. We in CFC are to be a people of faith.
2. God raised us up and intends to use us. Let us stir up the gift of faith that God
wants to bestow on us.