Prayer Works Morning Devotion: January 22, 2024

Theme:

Thinking About Our Faith

Focus Scripture(s):

Hebrews 11 (NIV)

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for....4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did....5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away...”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.7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family....8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going."

Overview:

The word for the day is "faith." What if we replace all the names mentioned in Hebrews 11 with our name? The greatest fight we will ever have is the fight between what we know and our faith. This will be a constant running battle. The currency that is used in Heaven is faith. It is impossible to please God without faith. The question is what do we believe?

Morning, everybody. Today what I want us to really look at and to examine and what I believe the Lord is really asking us to think of is to think about our faith. Your faith as a believer as a person.

Now we are in Hebrews 11. Thank you, Heavenly Father, Thank you, Heavenly Father, thank you, thank you, Heavenly Father, thank you, Heavenly Father, Thank you. 

Thank you for your goodness and your kindness to me the father. Thank you, Heavenly Father, thank you for your goodness and your mercy.

Thank yo for your goodness and your mercy, thank you for your goodness and your mercy, thank you for your goodness and your mercy, thank you for your goodness and your mercy, Thank you for your goodness and your mercy.  

You are great and worthy to be praised. Awesome are your wonderful works awesome and your deeds. How awesome is your love for us. For all those who abide in your truth, you are great and awesome and wonderful to be saved in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Well, today guys, the word for the day is faith. What I want us today, you know, to think about as this day continues is our faith. I'll read, I'll read Hebrews 11.

We all know this. This this phrase, this scripture or this chapter really now by faith. Faith is confidence in that we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.  

This is what the ancients were commended for by faith we understand the universe was formed as God's command.

So that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By Faith, Abel brought God and let better offering than Cain did by Faith, he was commanded as righteous. 

 And the whole chapter goes on to mention all these grace by faith. By faith, by faith, by faith, by faith, by faith.

And when I was thinking about this this morning I was thinking about what if we replace all these names. Abraham will replace Noah. You know Enoch and we start using our own names.  

By faith Calvin, by faith Veronica, by faith Cortina, by faith Latasha, by faith Sister Hill, by faith, by faith. And what I'm trying to help us understand today is that, the greatest fight that we will ever have is the fight between what you know and your faith.  

And this will always be a constant running battle. What you know and what your faith is. Because in order to exchange anything or in order for any transaction in the heavens to happen between you and God the currency that's used in heaven is faith.  

It's impossible to please God without faith, impossible. So, the question is, what do we believe what do we have faith for, what is it that we see, what is it that we hear the Lord say to us and we are faithful.  

And now the scripture also says no eye has seen, and no ear has heard, neither has it entered into your hearts what God has prepared for you. Which essentially means that there is things God has prepared for us that haven't even that haven't even yet entered our hearts.  

How do we develop things for things that we don't even know, how do we develop things that we don't even know. Well the first thing that we have to do is to believe that God has things that he has in store for us that we are not even aware of. Which means your world is as you know it. 

Which means that the things that you know about your world there is more that is behind what you don't even know. 

Which is remarkable when you think about it because then in order for us to function in this particular day today we have to be logical in everything that we do.  

Oh, I gotta get up in the morning because this is the time I have to leave the house. That's logic. I got to go through this gas station because it's close to my house.

I'm got to go to this Publix because it is the nearest. I'm going to shop at this time because the kids have to be picked at this time.  

That's for us to be able to function in this world using logic. But faith demands of us to let go of our logic.

Things that we know even though sometimes they look right and correct. To literally just let go of that and then say I'm choosing to believe something that is outside the context of my logic.  

That's incredibly difficult and yet powerful. What do we do if we don't possess or don't have the faith that we need to believe for things that we already have an idea of that God is sending our way.

If you don't have the whole amount of faith what you need to do is now to learn to grow your faith to get to the place that you need to get to and I recognize these brothers and sisters.  

There are certain things that God is going to withhold from us. Not because he doesn't want to give us because we haven't grown the level of faith that's needed to receive what's in store. The opposite of faith is not fear, the opposite of faith is too much information. 

That's our wrestling match. Remember, Adam in the garden he was already told how great his life is but he was convinced that there is something outside of this that is even much better. And he bought into that after you received that information.

He went through with what he went through with. And we also can fall on that trap where you know that God himself has promises for me, but I know too much about my existence that it's hard for me to believe anything else. 

So what do we do when we don't have enough faith. Here's what we do when we don't have enough faith. We all at some point have gone to buy something I don't know if they do this anymore, but it used to happen. Where you buy something on layby, layway, layby.  

You go to the store and you see something that you want, but you don't have enough money. Instead of putting it on credit right you go and put something on it.

And then you come back again, work a little bit and you put something on it. And you come back and work again, work some more money, and you put something there.  

The reason you're doing that is so that at some point, you know, as long as the eye continue to put something towards this thing and we have enough to walk out of this store with what I need. The same thing applies within heavens.  

You might have little belief well, put that on. Then go work on the word, work on your worship, speak to the Lord some more and get more revelation and when you get a little bit.

You come back and put something on it again and you go back and you do the same thing until you have the whole amount of faith that's needed to receive what it is God has in store for you?  

The problem for us is what James talked about that we faint too much, we faint too much. So don't get we're doing well because you were going to receive a harvest if you do not faint.  

The greatest problem with us is that we faint too much even after sometimes we have put so much faith into something. We might be actually be left with just a little bit and then we collapse and fade.  

As we were looking yesterday, I'm sure we all recognize that God has a desire to get to us. In him, there is nothing that says, oh, I'm going to withhold something He doesn't do that.

God is not playing mind games with us. I know, I always hear people say, oh man, maybe God is testing me well, God knows you more than you know yourself.  

Why would you test you for what, to prove what, to prove that He knows that she can't do it. Some of the things we call tests, they are not tests, is just us fainting.  

So, I want us to examine our faith and take the whole chapter of Hebrews and replace all those names with your name so that in the end you can say by faith I build a life that is worthy of God's calling by faith.  

I build a business that is worthy of God's calling by faith. I build a family that is worthy of God's calling by faith. Edumentary is doing well because I believe by faith. By faith, I believe that I got healed. By faith, I believe I bought that house by faith.  

By faith, I believe that my grandchildren will have a greater incredible life. By faith I believe that God in his wisdom just place me in the right place. By faith can that be said if you so let's really look at our lives and really look at this word, faith.  

In its full context and ask ourselves what is it that we are literally and actually believing God for but yet it is beyond the realm of us grasping. Because if you know it, then it's not faith. If you can plan for it, then it's not faith.  

So Hebrew 11. That word Faith is our currency for everything for everything pertaining to God that's our currency. It's so amazing when I see in church people say I saw a seed to this world, saw a seed to this world.  

And I always ask myself, when did money become a seed. You know, when did money became a seed. You know what's a real true seed, a real true seed is faith.

That when you hear something for the first time you have to acknowledge this fact that all this word loves me before I love it. 

 And there's a reason why God is allowing me to hear this word. Now it's my responsibility to develop credible faith that surely this is the way that the Lord wants me to go. But you know what we do, we take our hard earned money and we'll put it towards that word and reclaim it's a seed. 

But then at the back end of that we don't exercise any faith whatsoever in what we have heard. And still we wait and hope that welI I will receive something in return.

Well, let's grow our faith. The reason why we need to grow our faith is because there are things that we need to say as believers, and I'm going to talk about this tomorrow.  

There's things that you and I have a responsibility to actually say and if we don't say those things God ain’t moving, but in order to say them, your faith has to be elevated.

I would rather you prophecy, I would rather you prophecy which means it is the function of every believer to prophecy, but you cannot prophesy without faith.  

That's impossible so there are things this year we need to say out of all words without fear, doubt, logical information so that when we say those things we stand on them without any wavering knowing that really if I hold on to the confession of my faith that God, I will see God at the end of it all. 

Now let's pray, let's pray, let's pray and I'm going to be praying. I want you to be praying, let's all pray  and let God opens our eyes to the things that we need to see, to hear.

That scripture said no, I have seen no ear has heard it's impossible to develop faithful things that you haven't even imagined so let us pray that God opens our heart so that whatever he has He has in store for us we can enter.  

So that we can start developing faith for those things and then so let us all pray. Heavenly Father, we come before you we thank you for your desire to reach us. We thank you all for the love that you have shown us. We thank you, Lord, that your word is true and is everlasting. 

So far, Father is here instructing us to develop faith for things that you are showing us. I pray, Lord, that let your spirits govern our hearts and minds. So that this journey of faith cannot really necessarily be made easy but Father, we can operate and function in it.  

I know there are so many battles and challenges that we are facing and as we watch our world going the direction in which it is going, we know in order to live in this world with all those challenges, we're going to have to do it through faith.

I pray for Your spirit to now give us the necessary strength that we need to continue on this journey of believing.  

Your word clearly tells us all the greats that operated in function in faith. And Father our desire is to put our names in the oracles and history of the world so that our lives as living the vessels.

We can proclaim that by faith I lived my whole existence on Earth. By faith I build an incredible, phenomenal home.  

By faith, God, you're challenging us even to develop the life of our children, by faith, I'm going to leave a legacy. Lord, we declare that we are your children that we are a new creation, redeemed, forgiven saved, justifies sanctify. That we are partakers of your God's divine nature.  

That the Holy Spirit is leading us in everything that we are doing. We are grateful that you have kept us secure and safe all these years, that your divine favor is has always been with us. Your word tells us those that follow this word their grace and mercy will follow after them. 

So in this morning, for this particular day, we are claiming our new mercies. Reclaiming the revelation for this day, the world that is a the day this is Our Daily Bread.

That we are going to start this day with a word of faith, believing that even as we enter into this particular day, that there are things you have laid for us to grasp, to hold, to see, to touch, to go through into day.  

That we even right now we have no idea what's going to be happening at 12:00 PM this afternoon. But God, you have already set in motion for you are not governed by time. You are governed by what you are doing in this world, in our lives pertaining to this Monday.  

So we are going to stand believing, Lord that what's lying ahead in this particular day has been set in motion for us to grasp, to grow us, so that to tomorrow, when we wake up, we will not be the same persons.

But I thank you that your love is beyond our imagination, that you see way further down the road and you lay us on a path so that when you push this domino it's not going to stop halfway because things were not lined up.  

But I'm praying, Lord, that as you continue to mature us as believers in the things of the Lord, may our testimony grow for the word says we overcome by the will of our testimony.  

We are conquerors because of your great love. Greater is You that is in us than he that is in the world. We can do all things through Christ, whose strengthens us rather transform and renew our minds. Thank you for continuously pushing us out of bondage. 

Lord, we pray, let your Kingdom come and let your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. Father we established now and forevermore, that your Kingdom is eternal. That its everlasting it's joy, peace that's your Kingdom. So, Lord, I pray for your peace to believe and joy to believe.  

Transform this year the way we see You. And know there are things that have been in the holding tank for a while now, but God by faith we want to extract everything that has been in holding tank just because we are choosing to believe beyond the realm of our imagination.  

We declare Lord that even as we run this race help us to keep our bodies at the temple of the Holy Spirit.  

So that when you reside inside of us our faith to endure will become greater. Lord, I thank you for all these your people. Thank you for your greatness.

Thank you for abiding in us. Our desire is to serve you, our desire is to experience a greater level of truth. And Lord, I'm praying for these your people.  

That this year may our faith be challenged and may our faith pass the test of challenges. We surely want to know, that you are with us, we surely want to have revelation for your word says this. That by this revelation that you are Christ.  

That you build the Church of the Living God and the gates of hell will not prevail so Father where hell is prevailing in our life exposes us to greater revelation.

Expose us to greater revelation of who you are so that we can take those areas and expose them to the word.  

Lord, I pray that let your faith in us endure over and above everything else. Open our eyes to behold and see mysterious things of this Kingdom.

Open our eyes, open our eyes, Lord. Open our ears so we can hear truth from the heavens. I'm praying, Lord, that this year speak to us in dreams, visions. 

Lord, I hear your words, that would transform every crooked place in our lives. Lord even now place our children in your hands. Thank you that you have given us this legacy, the fruit of our lives giving thanks.

Now as parents and grandparents, we are praying for wisdom to raise a generation of believers that will that we will one day pass on this Kingdom to. 

Sanctify and protect our children. I pray for every boy that that you are waking something miraculous in them. That the victory of being a man, that they will find that through faith.

By faith we are going to raise Kings and warriors by faith. And pray for our children, for our girls that by faith we will raised mothers, pastors of families.  

Those that who possess qualities to raise men and women of God. Help us as parents to train these children in the way they should go so that when they become older, they will not depart from this journey. Lord, I know there are so many things happening to our nation. 

Just to distract us or just to get to our children but I pray for the protection of their eyes and their ears even from things they might even indulge themselves in. We know that it will not stick in their hearts or souls.  

But you exonerate them from the joys of the enemy. Teach them how to be fighters in this Kingdom. Help us to help them to be great men and women of God. Strengthen our boldness as parents to challenge the works of the enemy that would try to intervene in our children's development and growth. 

But thank you that as we send them to schools, colleges as they go to work that God let your spirit rule and govern their work, in the name of Jesus.God I lift up husbands and wives protect this and sanctify marriages.  

Father, we want to be the beacon that the world will see so that our lives what we do as believers can be the vision that somebody's family will see and grow their own faith.  

Lord, I pray that may your Kingdom come and you will be done. So today as we look ahead to this particular day this Monday.

Your word tells us that your word is a lamp to thy feet so, Father, I pray that every step that we take shed light. Every moment that we have today, shed light.  

Every conversation that we have, sanctified. Every thought that comes our way if it's from you, we want to hold it and not lose it if it's not from you let it will pass from one ear to the next.  

Sanctified our place of work so that father, as we walk in there and carry your spirit we want it to be seen not to be mistaken or but we want it to be seen, touched, felt and experienced.  

Sanctify the ways that will come out of our mouths today. Clear our ears so we can hear you clearly. Raise our awareness of your Spirit ruling in our lives and around us. We want to be totally one and the same with the spirit.  

We want to be so safe that the Christ in us, when the enemy is looking at us, it doesn’t know whether it's looking at Jesus or us.  

So, I pray, Lord that as we look ahead to this day, I know you have already gone ahead and give us things that we need to walk through in today and father this morning give us the courage, the boldness, the determination to walk through those things. 

We know that may we exercise your faith. May we exercise our faith today. Knowing that nothing is impossible or too difficult for you to examine our hearts, grow us intently, grow us, grow us in our faith and give us strategies to grow our faith. 

 And Father, I pray for every single person on this call may the blessing of the Lord be upon them today. Give them the courage to rule over their day. 

The faith to see what needs to be seen, to experience what needs to be experienced. And I thank you, Lord, as we lay the foundation for this day that you are with us every step of the way now and forevermore.  

As you walk with us, Lord I thank you. That your goodness is following us for the rest of our days. Bless your people, bless your people. And may our faith grow, may our faith grow, may our faith grow today, may our faith grow today. 

May our faith grow, may our faith grow in the name of Jesus, may our faith grow today, may our faith grow today.  

Thank you holy spirit, as He continuously pushes, let our faith grow. For we desire to see you, to meet with you, to know you even more. 

So I pray, Lord, that as we grow in the knowledge of you. May we also grow in faith now and forever more in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen and Amen.