Tonight I want to share the potential and the process of
Receiving From God
Gtcotr/ws081705
We will be going to several places in the bible tonight and, for the sake of continuity, I will be reading primarily from the New King James Version of the bible.
Each of us have the potential of receiving from God. When I speak of receiving I am talking about receiving:
* His intervention into our affairs
* His promises, which are abundant - from:
> Salvation to
> Healing
> Prosperity
> Deliverance in every area of life, from demonic oppression to drug addiction
> Help with marriage, child raising, employment, ministry and every other area of life.
If it affects you, it most likely affects the Kingdom of God, and God has a plan to deal with it and make it work.
We can receive God’s will and best for our lives and for each and every situation we face if we can learn the process and follow the procedure.
The bible says in Psalms 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord.
God has ordained steps to bring us into His will and along His path for our lives. He has already put recognizable steps in place to help guide us into our greatest day.
I want to start tonight’s teaching by identifying
Four Steps To Receiving From God
There are four basic elements in this equation, which, if understood and practiced, will bring us along to a predictable success in receiving what we ask for from God.
Remember, many things will not come from God except we ask.
James 4:2 … Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
John 16:24 … Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
But also, there is a whole lot of asking going on which is not producing the desired results. Perhaps one of the four essential elements to receiving from God is missing.
Step #1: Grace
Grace is the unmerited favor of God.
Grace means that even though we did not deserve it, God made it available to us anyway, just because of His goodness and love.
Grace is what was given to us through the act of Jesus, the Messiah and Son of God, offering Himself on the cross of Calvary.
If it was paid for at the cross, it’s available to us and we can access it.
If Grace provided it, then we can work the steps and get it.
Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Revelation 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, Amen.
2 Corinthians 12:9 My grace is sufficient for you.
Step # 2: Hope
Hope is believing in the possibility of something.
Hope is thinking that God could turn impossibilities into possibilities.
Hope is imagining that possibilities could become realities.
Hope envisions a better day.
Hebrews 6:19 Hope we have as an anchor of the soul …
Hope is great, but hope and hope alone will keep you smiling while your ship goes down.
Romans 8:24 Hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
Step #3: Faith
While hope is believing in the blessings, power and the promises of God, Faith is believing for them.
Hope is an anchor, faith is the propeller, giving power and allowing pursuit.
Faith is believing that what God has said is true without regard to the facts
Faith says that if Grace provided it, then it is mine.
While
* Grace provides the promises
* Hope envisions the promises
* Faith lays hold on the promises
Matthew 17
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”
20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
Hope is believing in - Faith is believing for!
It is necessary to believe in it before we can believe for it.
Step #4: Patience
There are basically two types of patience spoken of in the bible. One type means to put up with. To be longsuffering, bear up under hardships in a passive sort of way.
The other type means to persevere under pressure.
To be able to remain constant under fire.
To have the self control so to not allow oneself to be overwhelmed and quit.
To keep on keeping on.
Real endurance to finish the race, even when you are tired and it’s an uphill climb.
This is the type of patience I am speaking of.
It takes this type of aggressive patience to obtain the promises.
Hebrews 10:36 For you have need of endurance (patience), so that, after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.
Luke 21:19 By your patience possess your souls.
Hebrews 6:12 Imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Remember, we must ask for some things in order to receive them.
However, there is a whole lot of asking going on with little or no results.
Many miss the mark! Where do they miss it?
Four major ways people miss the mark and don’t get the prize.
1. They ask amiss.
James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
2. They don’t ask according to the will of God
1 John 5
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hear us.
15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
3. They don’t believe in it before they attempt to believe for it
James 1
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord:
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
4. They stop believing for it before they obtain it
James 1
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience
4 But let patience have it’s perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Of these four steps, we major mainly on faith.
Jesus told several people that it was by their faith that they were made whole.
He also said that anything is possible to him who believes.
So, in conclusion tonight, allow me to give you four ways that we can get faith.
1. Romans 12:3 speaks of The Measure of Faith
* God has given to each one of us a measure of faith.
* This is no doubt enough faith to get saved.
* Remember we are saved by grace through faith.
* Everyone has enough of the spark of faith resident in their life at the time they are given the opportunity to accept the truth leading them to salvation through the grace of God’s Son.
* However, many attempt to live a victorious and abundant overcoming life on salvation faith.
2. Romans 10:17 says Faith Comes By Hearing
* Hearing the Word of God
* Read, preached, quoted, sang, in the thought realm during meditation or invasion, inspired in spirit by God - whatever -
* More hearing of the Word, more faith.
3. Galatians 5:22 tells us that Faith Is A Fruit Of The Spirit
* Jesus said that He was the vine and we are the branches
* If we abide in Him we will bring forth much fruit
* What fruit - the fruit of the Spirit
* So, if we hang around Jesus and draw our life from Him as our Source, then we will produce the fruit of the Spirit. Faith is one of those fruits.
* You shall know them by their fruits --- people can tell --- there is evidence that you have been with Jesus!
4. 1 Corinthians 12:9 Faith Is A Manifestation Of The Holy Ghost
* The Holy Spirit reserves the right just to show up and manifest Himself in our lives by faith.
* An extra abundant dose of faith that we did not work for or perhaps do not deserve, but we got anyway because of the grace and mercy and plan of God.
* A manifestation of faith is possible but we cannot depend solely on that eventuality. We should do our homework and exercise ourselves and be ready for the day of battle.
Conclusion:
What grace provides, hope can envision
What hope envisions, faith can lay hold on
What faith lays hold on, patience can bring to you
Ask - But don’t ask amiss to only pleasure yourself
And don’t ask outside of God’s will
Work on believing in it before you attempt to believe for it
Don’t stop because of a little hardship or impatience
Get saved but let your faith grow by
Hearing the word
And fellowshipping with Jesus
