Ps Darin Browne @ Ignite Christian Church
Religion & Spirituality:Christianity
Last week we started our series on faith discovering that, for many people, faith is flawed from the outset because they simply don't ask God for His will. People decide what they want, pray for it, expect God to do as He's told, then get mad at Him if He doesn't perform to our expectations. He gets blamed if what we've prayed for doesn't come true, even if He never promised us that!
Clearly faith is more complex than convincing yourself that something will happen. All the faith in the world you can muster won't work if what you are believing for is wrong. And a tiny, sliver of faith in an omnipotent God according to His perfect will is a sure bet!
Last week we learned that true Biblical faith depends not on you, not on circumstances and not even on the outcome, whether it comes true or not, it depends on the object of our faith, God Himself.
Today we're going to assume that you are close to the Lord, and that what you are believing for is His will. Even if your will aligns with His, there are still potentially fatal flaws to your faith, that can tear your faith apart and destroy the blessing God has for you.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
So what are the 4 fatal flaws to faith that can destroy your faith and rob you of the Lord’s blessing in your life?
1. FRET NOT
Psalms 37:1-2
Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
MESSAGE
Psalms 37:1-2
Don't bother your head with braggarts
or wish you could succeed like the wicked.
In no time they'll shrivel like grass clippings
and wilt like cut flowers in the sun.
Psalms 37:7-8
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
Fretting is not faith, fretting, or worrying, is a faith killer! Yet we all do it!
Worry is wasting today's time to clutter up tomorrow's opportunities with yesterday's troubles. A dense fog that covers a seven-city-block area one hundred feet deep is composed of less than one glass of water divided into sixty thousand million drops.
Fretting or worrying is like a rocking horse… it keeps your mind occupied, but you don't get anywhere! You know it well, I'm sure, you go round and round, you expend loads of energy, you can't concentrate, you can't sleep, you wake up all through the night, and you profit… absolutely nothing!
There are many things we can fret or worry about. We can worry about whether God will do what we are believing for. Most of us agree that God is able to do everything, but would He withhold something from us for no reason? Does He really want the best for us? If the answer is yes, you forfeit the right to fret!
But one of the things we frequently fret about has no relation to our own situation with God. When we see evil in the world, we ought to feel a holy anger at sin (Eph. 4:26), but to envy the wicked only leads to fretting, and fretting leads to unrighteousness anger (v. 8).
The Hebrew word for fret is HARA, which literally means “to burn, to get heated up.” When we see evil people prospering, when we see the bad guys coming first and good, righteous people suffering, we get angry, we get heated up, especially if we are the aggrieved party. We often even feel jealous towards evil people we think are successful. We even feel upset when God heals someone else and not us, don't we?
But David starts this Psalm by saying fret not, or “Calm down, be cool, cool it guys!”
David says, why bother being envious or fretting about evil men prospering. His argument is that the wicked are temporary and will one day be gone (see vv. 9, 22, 28, 34, 38). They are like grass that either fades away or is cut down and burned.
In Israel, it rains and vegetation is abundant, but it quickly vanishes as soon as the moisture is gone.
We do not need to worry about or be jealous of others who seem to be getting away with doing wrong things. Their day in the sun is short; their moment of glory will be gone soon. Why envy that? The life we live is different, because we are called to live by faith, which means we must lead lives of lasting value—faithfully serving our God and helping the people around us.
The fretting heart is not a faithful heart. Why waste time, energy and faith worrying about how evil men seem to prosper, or worrying about why you're not prospering?
Dr. G.C. Robinson of John Hopkins Hospital said, “Personal worry is one of the principle causes of physical ailments which send people to hospitals.” He found that out of 174 patients, 140 were worrying patients.
So before we get all steamed and fired up (fretful) about how the wicked seem to be prospering, or how we don't seem to be prospering, remember that faith sees things God’s way, not man’s way. And God’s agenda is to develop character in you, not comfort. Money comes and goes, success comes and goes even health goes up and down, but character is permanent, and lack of character is extremely hard to ever overcome!
Matthew 6:31-34
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
A Christian who “frets” or is resentful is a poor testimony. By their constant worrying, they are sending out a message: “God is unable to cope with my problems; He’s not big enough or He’s big enough, but my faith is too small. I just can't trust Him.”
So how do you stop fretting?
1) Live one day at a time… remember, most of what we worry about never happens.
2) Lift someone else’s burden that day… take your eyes off your own worries, stop fretting about others doing better than you, and care for someone in need. Caring for others takes your eyes off you and your perceived needs.
3) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths (Prov.3:5,6)… don't try and understand everything, don't ask why all the time. Just have faith, trust God and shut up!
4) Delight in the Lord… Read His Word and believe in that, not the fruitless thoughts in your head! The closer you are to God, the less you will worry and fret.
2. FEAR NOT
Isaiah 41:10
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Fear is a close relative to fretting or worry. They both paralyse, they both can control your life and place your life in bondage.
Recognise that fear is a natural thing, and feeling fear is not wrong or bad. If I walk near a cliff, I fear getting too close to the edge. That's protective, and that fear is fine. The other day someone with a Chinese accent called asking me to invest in their company, turning $10,000 into $100,000 in a year. I feared this was a scam, and this is a good, safe fear.
Another good fear is Fearing God… the Bible calls this wisdom…
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Fear is not necessarily wrong. What is wrong is when any fear controls you rather than you controlling it. When it fills your thoughts and controls your actions, it's controlling you!
Many people today are living in bondage to fear, and this fear controls their lives and destroys any attempt at faith they may make. It might be fear of death, sickness, failure, poverty, loneliness or even something a bit more crazy!
Peladophobia: fear of baldness and bald people.
Aerophobia: fear of drafts.
Porphyrophobia: fear of the color purple.
Chaetophobia: fear of hairy people.
Levophobia: fear of objects on the left side of the body.
Graphophobia: fear of writing in public.
Phobophobia: fear of being afraid.
Fear is the great enemy of the human race. It inhibits, it reduces us and causes us to live as spiritual midgets. It paralyses us, and makes us do things we would never otherwise do.
Fear is also the great enemy of faith. Moody said that some folks went to heaven second class and some go first class. He said the second class people were those who said as David did in Psalm 56:3: “When I am afraid I will trust.” The first class folks say with Isaiah in 12:12: “I will trust and not be afraid.”
Fear is the father of cruelty. The rattlesnake strikes, the dog bites and the cat scratches when they are in a panic of fear. The same is true when a man kills. It’s often because of the panic of fear. Fearful people lash out, say things they don't intend to say, often hurting those they love. Volatile, unpredictable, always pessimistic. They fear the worst.
Fear is the devil’s other name. Fear of ridicule by his peers causes the teenager to take up drinking and drugs. Fear causes us to miss opportunities, for ourselves and for God.
Fear robs the soul of sunshine. It turns the optimist into a pessimist.
To all of this Jesus says,
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
If you live in fear of something or someone. If this fear is controlling you, then you need to recognise that fear is the opposite of faith…
Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. There was no one there! Do not fear, trust!
Fear is a fatal flaw to faith. You cannot be faith filled if your life is controlled by fear, and “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” - Jack Canfield
I've often heard that fear stands for F.E.A.R… False Evidence Appearing Real. At the height of the Great Depression FD Roosevelt put it this way.. We've nothing to fear except fear itself.
Isaiah 8:12-13
“Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
Overcoming fear is not easy, because it is the most powerful emotion. But you can start by naming your fears and giving each one to the Lord. Pray through them, and have someone stand with you and walk the journey with you. Having a friend share the road is a powerful antidote to the poison of fear. (Revisit the poisons series)
The solution is not alcohol, drugs, sex, movies, holidays or any other form of escape. When you come back down to earth, the fear is still there! The solution is handing it over to Jesus!
If fear controls you you will fall. If faith controls you, you will fly. Give your fear to Jesus, and let go of it. Look up not down, and let your faith fly!
3. FORGET NOT
We humans are a forgetful lot.
I remember thinking that when John Howard lost the prime ministership. We forgot the financial mess he rescued the country from, and apparently just felt like a change. We traded 10 years of stability and a surplus budget for a $400 billion dollar debt within 12 months, that we are still trying to pay off. We forgot, and paid the price.
It has been said that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. Ambitious Napoleon was defeated but the Russian winter… so was Hitler. After the holocaust the world said never again… enter Rwanda, Kosovo and Cambodia, just to name a few.
Even in our personal lives, we often forget the good family times and remember only the bad. We forget the good times at church when facing a crisis. People leave churches when the dislike something, forgetting all the good things, love and support they've had for years!
But more importantly, we forget God… This is not new...
Jeremiah 2:32
Does a young woman forget her jewellery,
a bride her wedding ornaments?
Yet my people have forgotten me,
days without number.
Listen to these verses…
Psalms 103:2-5
Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The Bible is full of stories about how God has prevailed for His people. Why read these? Why bother learning these? Because they build our faith.
When you face persecution, remember the 3 young mn in the furnace. When you face financial lack, remember God leading the people into a land flowing with milk and honey. When you face ill health, remember the blind man or the Leper being healed.
And even in your own life. Has God ever come through for you. Have you ever prayed in desperation and seen God prevail for you.
I remember having a tax bill one year of $50,000. I had nothing like that money in the business, so I prayed in desperation. I saved like crazy and managed to save $24,800, and the day before it was due an accountant came in as a patient and when I shared my dilemma with him, he asked to have a look at the bookwork overnight. He did not know what I had saved so far, but the next morning he informed me he could reduce the tax bill… to $24,700.
My life is filled with similar incredible miracles. Even this church, the generous giving and provision we have seen to buy this property. We must never forget, right?
Whatever we face, when we remember how God has come through for us in the past, our faith is built up. Forgetting is one of the great enemies of faith. Remembering, both Bible stories and our own experiences, is one of the great pillars of having faith in God.
So with whatever you face right now, can you think of a time when God has proven Himself faithful?
Lamentations 3:22-24
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
4. FAINT NOT
Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Fainting faith is faith that starts well, but fades away and eventually gives up. Winston Churchill in his famous speech at Harrow, his old school, said, “Never give up! Never, never, never give up” and he is still right today.
Vince Lombardi said, “Winners never quit and quitters never win.”
How many of us have fainted just before the breakthrough? How many of us have believed for something, then given up? How many of us would have given up trying to discover the light globe after 9,900 attempts? Edison didn't!
Young William Wilberforce was discouraged one night in the early 1790s after another defeat in his 10 year battle against the slave trade in England. Tired and frustrated, he opened his Bible and began to leaf through it. A small piece of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor. It was a letter written by John Wesley shortly before his death. Wilberforce read it again:
"Unless the divine power has raised you up... I see not how you can go through your glorious enterprise in opposing that (abominable practice of slavery), which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? Oh, be not weary of well-doing. Go on in the name of God, and in the power of His might."
He kept fighting, and fighting, and years later saw the dream come true as slavery was outlawed in the British parliament.
William Carey labored for 7 years before he led one person to Christ in Burma. Noah Webster labored for 36 years writing his dictionary. Leonardo DaVinci worked on the painting of The Last Supper for 10 years, often so absorbed he forgot to eat for whole days.
Spurgeon: “The snail reached the ark by crawling one centimeter at a time.”
2 Chronicles 15:7
But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”
Some of you right now are facing things and you're weary, you're tired, you've been struggling on in pain for so long, and you are in the verge of giving up. This message is for you! Don't let this faith killer have its way in your life.
However, remember where we started this discussion? Remember we said not our will, but Yours, Lord. If your faith is for something you're not sure the Lord promised to you, then you will faint if you keep going.
But if God has said it, if He has specifically promised you a breakthrough, a healing, a provision, whatever it is, then faint not. If He has given you a verse, confirmation from Scripture, then you can take that to the bank! Faint not, but keep believing by faith!
THREE LITTLE WORDS BEAT FOUR FATAL FLAWS...
Now is not the time to give up! Now is not the time to fret, it is not the time to be controlled by fear, it is not the time to forget and it certainly is not the hour to faint and give up, regardless of how weary or discouraged you may feel.
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
COME
This morning His hand is outstretched to you. Come, bring your burden to Him. Bring your faint hopes, your shattered dreams, bring them all to Him this morning.
TAKE
Take His hand, take his yoke, one that fits you, one that enables you to serve and go on in faith. Take the encouragement of believers around you. Take the eternal life He offers you. Take His provision, because you can trust Jesus. See Him hanging on a cross for you… laying His life down for you… You can trust the Good Shepherd this morning
LEARN
Growing in faith, defeating these fatal flaws of faith is not an instant thing, it is a journey of faith.
Obtaining true faith isn’t a once-a-week hobby… it's not a Sunday pick me up! It is the daily discipline of a lifetime. But in this age of microwave ovens, fast foods, google searches and numerous “made easy” books, many people are out of the habit of daily investing time and energy in digging deep into Scripture and learning wisdom from the Lord.
Thanks to television and the internet, our attention span is now less than a goldfish. Thanks to consumer Christianity and religious entertainment that passes for worship, our spiritual appetite is feeble and spiritual knowledge isn’t “pleasant to [their] soul” (Prov. 2:10 NKJV). It’s no wonder fewer and fewer people “take time to be holy” and more and more people fall prey to the enemies of faith that lurk along the way.
Read the Word, and let us stand with you in faith!
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