Elevate Your Faith Part 2
Hebrews 11
Two weeks ago, I taught a message called “Elevate Your Faith” and I just felt like it wasn’t enough. Like I just put these three critical truths our there and then we just went on our way, and that is exactly the problem in most Christian’s lives. We hear a critical truth and then we just go on living the same as we were before, and then we wonder why these critical truths we’re hearing are not really impacting our lives.
So today, I’d like to revisit those three critical truths from the “Elevate Your Faith” message, and I’d like to talk more about the HOW! HOW do we get these critical truths to actually transform our lives?
Hebrews 11:1 says our faith changes how we see things and how we respond to things. It’s our faith that says, “That’s God! Right there! I see God at work in my life – right there! For good.” And walking with God at that level of faith is what will radically transform our lives. Going to church doesn’t change your life. Going to church is where you learn and experience HOW to change your life. What changes your life is a real, intimate, daily relationship with the Creator God in the Person of Jesus Christ and lit alive by the Holy Spirit. It’s a whole new way of life – the life of faith.
So, in the first message, the three critical areas to Elevate Your Faith:
1). Meet Jesus Alone
2). Follow Jesus With Friends
3). Know Jesus in Trials
Today I’d like to talk more about the practical steps you can take to get started elevating your faith. And since this is a follow-up message, if you haven’t heard or watched the first message called “Elevate Your Faith” please do that.
So, we’re going to take each of those three critical areas and talk practically about how to develop each one in your life.
1). Meet Jesus Alone
We must meet Jesus alone, in our own quiet alone time. What do you do in your alone time? I mean, what do you do, really? When you’ve got a little bit of idle time, what do you do? Men, what do you do when you have a little bit of time in front of the computer? Surveys say that two-thirds of you (in the church) look at porn. What you need to do is you need to meet Jesus when you’re alone. You need to get to a place where you desire to meet Jesus – alone. All by yourself in that quiet, devotional, intimate time.
I said in the first message that this is the quality Jesus looked for in his Disciples. Not that they were “all that,” but would they “be with him.” Because Jesus knew that being with him would radically transform their lives, and we’ve got to know that “being with Jesus” will radically transform our lives in the exact same way.
Buuuuttt… most Christians never do this. Never. Most Christians never get around to this and that should really scare you because most of you are saying right now, “Yeah, I really need to start spending time with Jesus, but I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.” If you don’t force that to change, it will never change. You’ll be laying on your deathbed saying, “I wish I would’ve spent more time with Jesus.” We’ve got to force a change in this area and then we’ve got to fight to keep it going.
The first answer to the HOW question in each of these areas is to get a “discipler” – someone to teach you HOW. Discipleship is “following Jesus together.” It’s someone else helping you learn how to follow Jesus. So, that is the number one answer in this area, and the other two. Get a good discipler to teach you these things.
Then, there are so many ways to meet Jesus alone. It’s hard to know where to start. But I can give you two absolutes.
1). It must be IN God’s Word
2). It must DEPEND ON the Holy Spirit
Meeting Jesus alone must be done in God’s Word. You’ve got to use actual scripture and meet Jesus there and you cannot really do that without a strong dependence on the Holy Spirit. God’s Word is alive – it’s living and powerful. It will cut out the sin from your heart and it will pour in the grace and mercy from God – that you need so badly.
Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword . . . discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
We need the living, active, sharp sword of the Word of God to do what it is made to do which is not just exposing the thoughts and intentions of our heart. It also pours God’s life-changing grace and mercy into our lives.
Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
If you will draw near to God IN his Word, it will discern your thoughts and intentions and it will pour God’s mercy and grace into your life, and this is done when you meet the Lord alone in quiet, intimate, personal time with him.
Our primary tool for this is “The Daily Discipleship Journal.” You can get the journal and the instructions at our website calvarynuevo.org and at wordbymail.com under the “Resources” tab.
We use just one or two verses at a time to help you learn how to meet Jesus alone. But once you do it a bit, you can apply the same approach to any section of the Bible you’re reading.
The Daily Discipleship Journal teaches you to:
1). Meditate on God’s Word
2). Apply God’s Word
3). Respond to God’s Word
If you will learn to consistently do that, I promise you, your life will be supernaturally and radically transformed.
We’ve got to learn to really commune (interact) with God one-on-one in the power of his Word and his Holy Spirit. And however you approach it, you’ve got to:
1). Meditate on God’s Word
2). Apply God’s Word
3). Respond to God’s Word
And as you do, over time, it will elevate your faith.
Next, number two in the Elevate Your Faith message was, you must:
2). Follow Jesus With Friends
Often this requires both a “pulling away” and an “attaching to.” We’ve got to be attached to friends who are following Jesus. But in order to do that, often, we’ve got to get unattached to friends who are following the world. Here’s the news flash – you can’t love God and the sinful things of this world at the same time. So, if you’re currently attached to people who love the sinful things of this world, you’re probably going to have to (to some extent) get “un” attached from people following the world before you can get “a” ttached to people following Jesus.
James 4:4 (NLT)
4 . . . Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
Well, that seems pretty clear, doesn’t it? You cannot follow Jesus if you are attached to people who are following the world.
Amos 3:3 (NLT)
3 Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?
We’ve got to walk through life with people who are going in the same direction we want to go. That doesn’t mean we totally cut off and abandon our friends who are on the road to destruction. But instead of walking to destruction with them… We reach out to them and encourage them to join us on the road to life instead of the road to death.
So, once that’s settled, next, you’ve got to attach yourself to friends who are actually following Jesus. You absolutely must have friends you can lock arms with to follow Jesus together. There are no solo missions in the Army of God because solo missions are far too dangerous! We talked in the first message about how the lion picks off the stray antelope and viciously rips its guts out and devours it. That is why there are no solo missions! Because your enemy is like a lion prowling around waiting to spiritually rip your guts out and eat you for breakfast.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT)
12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
Jesus taught his Disciples to never go out alone, and all through the New Testament you never see them alone. And even though Jesus was constantly making time to be alone with the Father, he always ministered with his friends – even though at times they were knuckleheads. The only time Jesus ministered alone was when he was on the cross (because no one could join him).
What does this mean for you to elevate your faith? It means you must attach yourself to people who are following Jesus, and they may not be your friends when you first meet them, but you have to make sure they become your friends. And please (as I’ve said), “I’ve been coming to this church for X amount of time, and no one has invited me to anything…”
Listen, please. I am inviting you now! You are all invited – personally, meaningfully, sincerely – you are all invited to join us in following Jesus. But, here’s the rub. YOU have to do it. YOU have to take the step. YOU have to make the call. YOU have to show up. It’s up to you to join others who are following Jesus and then they will become your friends.
Finally, number three in the Elevate Your Faith message was you’ve got to:
3). Know Jesus In Trials
I said in the first message, this is the ultimate faith elevator.
We must learn:
To MEET Jesus in the FIRE
To KNOW Jesus in the VALLEY
To WALK with Jesus through the most DIFFICULT TIMES
You’ve got to know Jesus in your trials.
When you think you’re alone
When you think God has forgotten you
When you think your circumstances are bigger than God
Don’t allow your flesh, fed by the lies of the enemy, to cause you to run from God. You must run to God.
We’ve got to remember what Psalm 114 cries out.
Psalm 11:4 (NLT)
4 But the Lord IS IN his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth.
God is still on the throne
He is still ruling from heaven
He is watching what you’re going through
and he is with you!
He hasn’t forsaken you. In fact, he wants to reveal himself to you in a way that could not happen without this trial.
Let’s look at Romans 8 verses 31 and following.
Romans 8:31 and following (NLT)
31 . . . If God is for us, who can ever be against us? (successfully)
. . .
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
. . .
37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Trials cannot separate you from the love of God. But our lack of faith in trials can cause us to turn from God even though he will never turn from us.
So, the big question is: How do we know Jesus in the midst of our trials? First thing, please listen. You must subject yourself to some serious discipleship right here. You’ve got to find a mature Christian who has met Jesus in the fire themselves, and you’ve got to subject yourself to their strong discipleship. Because when you’re really “in it” you’re not wanting to know Jesus. You’re not wanting to “set your mind on the things of heaven.” You just want God to fix everything and make it as you want it! And you need a strong discipler to turn you from that and get you to see the higher purpose that God has for you, which is knowing Jesus right in the midst of that fire.
In John 16 Jesus said,
John 16:33 (ESV)
33 In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
You haven’t overcome this world
You can’t overcome this world
but Jesus has
And in knowing him you can stand in his victory.
Now, watch this, because this is cool.
When you get a strong discipler they will get you to:
1) Meet Jesus in your alone time
2). Follow Jesus with friends
In fact, that trial that you’re in, IF you will handle it correctly, can actually motivate you to meet Jesus daily and follow Jesus with friends – like nothing else will.
The answer to the question How do I KNOW Jesus in my trials?
Get a strong discipler who will:
1). Help you Meet Jesus Daily according to your trial AND
2). Help you Follow Jesus With Friends to get you through it
In order to Elevate Your Faith, you’ve got to:
1). Meet Jesus Alone
2). Follow Jesus With Friends
3) Know Jesus in Trials
Each of these critical areas is a learning experience. So, let’s start learning how to grow in these areas.
Colossians 3:1-2, 4(ESV)
1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth . . .
(ELEVATE your Faith)
4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Run the race – Stand firm – Elevate your faith
So today, I’d like to revisit those three critical truths from the “Elevate Your Faith” message, and I’d like to talk more about the HOW! HOW do we get these critical truths to actually transform our lives?
Hebrews 11:1 says our faith changes how we see things and how we respond to things. It’s our faith that says, “That’s God! Right there! I see God at work in my life – right there! For good.” And walking with God at that level of faith is what will radically transform our lives. Going to church doesn’t change your life. Going to church is where you learn and experience HOW to change your life. What changes your life is a real, intimate, daily relationship with the Creator God in the Person of Jesus Christ and lit alive by the Holy Spirit. It’s a whole new way of life – the life of faith.
So, in the first message, the three critical areas to Elevate Your Faith:
1). Meet Jesus Alone
2). Follow Jesus With Friends
3). Know Jesus in Trials
Today I’d like to talk more about the practical steps you can take to get started elevating your faith. And since this is a follow-up message, if you haven’t heard or watched the first message called “Elevate Your Faith” please do that.
So, we’re going to take each of those three critical areas and talk practically about how to develop each one in your life.
1). Meet Jesus Alone
We must meet Jesus alone, in our own quiet alone time. What do you do in your alone time? I mean, what do you do, really? When you’ve got a little bit of idle time, what do you do? Men, what do you do when you have a little bit of time in front of the computer? Surveys say that two-thirds of you (in the church) look at porn. What you need to do is you need to meet Jesus when you’re alone. You need to get to a place where you desire to meet Jesus – alone. All by yourself in that quiet, devotional, intimate time.
I said in the first message that this is the quality Jesus looked for in his Disciples. Not that they were “all that,” but would they “be with him.” Because Jesus knew that being with him would radically transform their lives, and we’ve got to know that “being with Jesus” will radically transform our lives in the exact same way.
Buuuuttt… most Christians never do this. Never. Most Christians never get around to this and that should really scare you because most of you are saying right now, “Yeah, I really need to start spending time with Jesus, but I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.” If you don’t force that to change, it will never change. You’ll be laying on your deathbed saying, “I wish I would’ve spent more time with Jesus.” We’ve got to force a change in this area and then we’ve got to fight to keep it going.
The first answer to the HOW question in each of these areas is to get a “discipler” – someone to teach you HOW. Discipleship is “following Jesus together.” It’s someone else helping you learn how to follow Jesus. So, that is the number one answer in this area, and the other two. Get a good discipler to teach you these things.
Then, there are so many ways to meet Jesus alone. It’s hard to know where to start. But I can give you two absolutes.
1). It must be IN God’s Word
2). It must DEPEND ON the Holy Spirit
Meeting Jesus alone must be done in God’s Word. You’ve got to use actual scripture and meet Jesus there and you cannot really do that without a strong dependence on the Holy Spirit. God’s Word is alive – it’s living and powerful. It will cut out the sin from your heart and it will pour in the grace and mercy from God – that you need so badly.
Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword . . . discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
We need the living, active, sharp sword of the Word of God to do what it is made to do which is not just exposing the thoughts and intentions of our heart. It also pours God’s life-changing grace and mercy into our lives.
Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
If you will draw near to God IN his Word, it will discern your thoughts and intentions and it will pour God’s mercy and grace into your life, and this is done when you meet the Lord alone in quiet, intimate, personal time with him.
Our primary tool for this is “The Daily Discipleship Journal.” You can get the journal and the instructions at our website calvarynuevo.org and at wordbymail.com under the “Resources” tab.
We use just one or two verses at a time to help you learn how to meet Jesus alone. But once you do it a bit, you can apply the same approach to any section of the Bible you’re reading.
The Daily Discipleship Journal teaches you to:
1). Meditate on God’s Word
2). Apply God’s Word
3). Respond to God’s Word
If you will learn to consistently do that, I promise you, your life will be supernaturally and radically transformed.
We’ve got to learn to really commune (interact) with God one-on-one in the power of his Word and his Holy Spirit. And however you approach it, you’ve got to:
1). Meditate on God’s Word
2). Apply God’s Word
3). Respond to God’s Word
And as you do, over time, it will elevate your faith.
Next, number two in the Elevate Your Faith message was, you must:
2). Follow Jesus With Friends
Often this requires both a “pulling away” and an “attaching to.” We’ve got to be attached to friends who are following Jesus. But in order to do that, often, we’ve got to get unattached to friends who are following the world. Here’s the news flash – you can’t love God and the sinful things of this world at the same time. So, if you’re currently attached to people who love the sinful things of this world, you’re probably going to have to (to some extent) get “un” attached from people following the world before you can get “a” ttached to people following Jesus.
James 4:4 (NLT)
4 . . . Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
Well, that seems pretty clear, doesn’t it? You cannot follow Jesus if you are attached to people who are following the world.
Amos 3:3 (NLT)
3 Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?
We’ve got to walk through life with people who are going in the same direction we want to go. That doesn’t mean we totally cut off and abandon our friends who are on the road to destruction. But instead of walking to destruction with them… We reach out to them and encourage them to join us on the road to life instead of the road to death.
So, once that’s settled, next, you’ve got to attach yourself to friends who are actually following Jesus. You absolutely must have friends you can lock arms with to follow Jesus together. There are no solo missions in the Army of God because solo missions are far too dangerous! We talked in the first message about how the lion picks off the stray antelope and viciously rips its guts out and devours it. That is why there are no solo missions! Because your enemy is like a lion prowling around waiting to spiritually rip your guts out and eat you for breakfast.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT)
12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
Jesus taught his Disciples to never go out alone, and all through the New Testament you never see them alone. And even though Jesus was constantly making time to be alone with the Father, he always ministered with his friends – even though at times they were knuckleheads. The only time Jesus ministered alone was when he was on the cross (because no one could join him).
What does this mean for you to elevate your faith? It means you must attach yourself to people who are following Jesus, and they may not be your friends when you first meet them, but you have to make sure they become your friends. And please (as I’ve said), “I’ve been coming to this church for X amount of time, and no one has invited me to anything…”
Listen, please. I am inviting you now! You are all invited – personally, meaningfully, sincerely – you are all invited to join us in following Jesus. But, here’s the rub. YOU have to do it. YOU have to take the step. YOU have to make the call. YOU have to show up. It’s up to you to join others who are following Jesus and then they will become your friends.
Finally, number three in the Elevate Your Faith message was you’ve got to:
3). Know Jesus In Trials
I said in the first message, this is the ultimate faith elevator.
We must learn:
To MEET Jesus in the FIRE
To KNOW Jesus in the VALLEY
To WALK with Jesus through the most DIFFICULT TIMES
You’ve got to know Jesus in your trials.
When you think you’re alone
When you think God has forgotten you
When you think your circumstances are bigger than God
Don’t allow your flesh, fed by the lies of the enemy, to cause you to run from God. You must run to God.
We’ve got to remember what Psalm 114 cries out.
Psalm 11:4 (NLT)
4 But the Lord IS IN his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth.
God is still on the throne
He is still ruling from heaven
He is watching what you’re going through
and he is with you!
He hasn’t forsaken you. In fact, he wants to reveal himself to you in a way that could not happen without this trial.
Let’s look at Romans 8 verses 31 and following.
Romans 8:31 and following (NLT)
31 . . . If God is for us, who can ever be against us? (successfully)
. . .
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
. . .
37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Trials cannot separate you from the love of God. But our lack of faith in trials can cause us to turn from God even though he will never turn from us.
So, the big question is: How do we know Jesus in the midst of our trials? First thing, please listen. You must subject yourself to some serious discipleship right here. You’ve got to find a mature Christian who has met Jesus in the fire themselves, and you’ve got to subject yourself to their strong discipleship. Because when you’re really “in it” you’re not wanting to know Jesus. You’re not wanting to “set your mind on the things of heaven.” You just want God to fix everything and make it as you want it! And you need a strong discipler to turn you from that and get you to see the higher purpose that God has for you, which is knowing Jesus right in the midst of that fire.
In John 16 Jesus said,
John 16:33 (ESV)
33 In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
You haven’t overcome this world
You can’t overcome this world
but Jesus has
And in knowing him you can stand in his victory.
Now, watch this, because this is cool.
When you get a strong discipler they will get you to:
1) Meet Jesus in your alone time
2). Follow Jesus with friends
In fact, that trial that you’re in, IF you will handle it correctly, can actually motivate you to meet Jesus daily and follow Jesus with friends – like nothing else will.
The answer to the question How do I KNOW Jesus in my trials?
Get a strong discipler who will:
1). Help you Meet Jesus Daily according to your trial AND
2). Help you Follow Jesus With Friends to get you through it
In order to Elevate Your Faith, you’ve got to:
1). Meet Jesus Alone
2). Follow Jesus With Friends
3) Know Jesus in Trials
Each of these critical areas is a learning experience. So, let’s start learning how to grow in these areas.
Colossians 3:1-2, 4(ESV)
1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth . . .
(ELEVATE your Faith)
4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Run the race – Stand firm – Elevate your faith