How To Receive From God
Gtcotr/ws110503
Please turn to The Book Of Hebrews, Chapter 4
Key Scripture: Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is our light and protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will the LORD withhold from those who do what is right. (NLT)
I believe that: There is no problem with provision, but rather with possession.
“When it is all said and done, I would have been willing to give you more than you are going to get.”
Hebrews 4
1 ¶ God’s promise of entering his place of rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to get there.
2 For this Good News—that God has prepared a place of rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t believe what God told them.
3 For only we who believe can enter his place of rest. As for those who didn’t believe, God said, "In my anger I made a vow: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’" even though his place of rest has been ready since he made the world. (NLT)
Four Steps To Receiving
I. Grace
* Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (AV)
A. Grace Provides
B. If God promised it and Calvary paid for it, you can possess it.
C. Over 7000 Promises (Including Some Of The Most Necessary)
1. Salvation
2. Continual Cleansing & Forgiveness Of Sins
3. Blessings For The Righteous
4. Healing
5. Purpose
7. Provision
* Hebrews 3:14 For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. (NLT)
II. Hope
* Romans 8:24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?
25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (NIV)
A. Hope Envisions
1. Hope Is A Visionary That Does Not Yet Possess
2. Hope Says Tomorrow Will Be Better, But Does Nothing About Making It Better … But Hope.
3. Hope Is Not Bad … Hope Anchors Us
* Hebrews 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
4. We Must Believe In Before We Can Believe For
B. Hope says “It‘s Possible” , “One day, Some way, Some how …”
C. Hope will keep you smiling while your ship goes down.
* Hope is a necessary step. But Hope won’t produce by itself.
* This is where the next step comes in - remember:
* Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (AV)
III. Faith
* Hebrews 11:1 ¶ Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (NIV)
A. Faith Lays Hold On
B. Faith inherits and sees it as already accomplished
* Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (NIV)
C. You have just got to have faith in God.
* Simply trust that He miraculously ordained and preserved the scriptures in the manner and form He so chose to represent Him and that by them, He is telling you the truth.
D. Now trust Him and give Him a little time to do it His way
* Mark 9:23-24 “… all things are possible to him who believes … Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” (lack of faith/trust in God)
E. Four Ways To Get Faith
1. Romans 12:3 “… God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” (NKJV)
2. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (AV)
* John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
3. Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. (NIV)
4. 1 Corinthians 12
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
9 to another faith by the same Spirit … (NKJV)
IV. Patience
* Hebrews 6:12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. (NIV)
A. Patience Possesses
* Luke 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls. (AV)
B. The Concept Of Patience:
* Steadfastness; Endurance; Perseverance; Consistency
C. Patience is the tool we use to keep hope alive while we grow in faith so we can rest in God’s grace.
D. Patience keeps us from trying to do it for God
* Genesis 16 Abraham, Sarah, Hagar & Ishmael
V. Conclusion
* Grace Provides
* Hope Envisions
* Faith Lays Hold On
* Patience Reels It In
* We should possess by faith what grace has provided, nothing more, nothing less.
