THE POWER OF SAVING FAITH

I JOHN 5:3

A. "THIS IS THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMETH THE WORLD, EVEN OUR FAITH"
  1. An ancient writer is quoted as saying:
    1. "Faith is the foot that takes us to Christ
    2. It is the hand that takes a hold on Jesus
    3. It is the arm that embraces Jesus
    4. It is the eye that sees Jesus; and it is the lips that praises the Lord Jesus"
  2. Victory over the world:
    1. Is the great objective of God's children
    2. And our text points to faith as the key to victory over the world
B. NATURE AND POWER OF SAVING FAITH
  1. Faith - what is it?
    1. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the proving of things not seen" - Heb. 11:1
    2. "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" - Ps. 27:13
    3. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" - Rom. 10:17
  2. Note what enlightened men say about faith:
    1. "Faith is a certain image of eternity. All things are present to it; things past, and things to come; it converses with angels and antedates the hymns of glory" - Jeremy Taylor
    2. "Epochs of faith are epochs of fruitfulness; but epochs of unbelief, however glittering are barren of all permanent good" - Goethe
    3. "Faith must have adequate evidence, else it is mere superstition" - A. A. Hodge
    4. "Faith in an all seeing and personal God elevates the soul, purifies the emotions, sustains human dignity, and lends poetry, nobility, and holiness to the commonest state, condition, and manner of life" - Juan Valera
    5. "Faith is the eye that sees Him, the hand that clings to Him, the receiving power that appropriates Him" - Woodbridge
  3. Faith is precious:
    1. It is precious because of its infinite possibilities. With it nothing needful is impossible
    2. The fruits of faith are precious. By it we are justified - Rom. 5:1, sanctified - Acts 26:18, by it we live - Rom. 1:17, by it we stand Rom. 11:20, we walk - 2 Cor. 5:7, wait - Gal. 5:5, R.V.
C. NOTE FURTHER THE PROGRESSIVE AND TRIUMPHANT NATURE OF BIBLE BASED FAITH
  1. "From faith to faith" - Rom. 1:17
    1. That points to a healthy growing faith - 2 Thess.. 1:3; Eph. 4:15
    2. The disciples asked the Lord to increase their faith - Luke 17:5
    3. Our faith feeds upon the sanctified knowledge of the word of God - Rom. 10:17; 2 Tim. 3:15-17
  2. Faith triumphant:
    1. Faith lays hold of the mightiest of all weapons, when it grips the word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit - Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12
    2. The victories recorded in Hebrews 11 were all achieved by the weapon of faith
    3. The world's truly might ones were men of simple and childlike faith in God and His promises
  3. Note a galaxy of believing stars in the horizon of saving faith:
    1. Enoch - one of the first witnesses of the power of faith - Heb. 11:4; Gen. 5:22-24
    2. Noah - an example of acting, saving faith - Heb. 11:7; Gen. 6:7:8:9
    3. Abraham - the father of all true believers - Heb. 11:8; Rom. 4:17-22
    4. Moses - that mighty man of God - Heb. 11:24-27; Ex. 32:31-34
    5. Joshua leading the people of God into the promised land - Heb. 11:30; Num. 14:6-9; Caleb too, asked for the mountains for his inheritance Josh. 14:12
    6. The Centurion - Matt. 8:8-10; the woman of Canaan - Matt. 15:22-28; the woman that was sick - Matt. 9:20-22; the widow that gave all her livelihood into the treasury of the Lord - Mark 12:42-44
  4. Does this faith dwell in you and in me?
    1. We both believe the Bible
    2. We, too, believe that Jesus Christ is our personal Saviour
    3. How many victories over the world has our faith given to us
    4. We must keep in mind that saving faith is lively, active and growing


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