Fortify Your Faith

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham. A little later in the program we'll tell you how you can get a copy of Dr. Graham's devotional, Moments in the Word. But first, here's the message, Fortify Your Faith. Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. Life is in Christ.

Life with a capital L. To live is Christ and to die is gain. And to believe is to live. And I want to talk to you about fortifying your faith. Strengthening your faith. From beginning to end, from the beginning of your faith to the end of your faith, it is important that our faith be strong and growing. That the faith that we have is solid and strong. That our faith is truly built upon a foundation, a rock that cannot be shaken. That the faith of a Christian is faith. Faith. When you say faith, you've said it all. Faith in Jesus Christ. Now faith does so many things in our lives. We are saved by faith. Romans 5, 1. We are justified, made right with God by faith.

But that's just the beginning. By faith we receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 3 and verse 14.

Tells us so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. How are you going to live the Christian life? The most important spiritual lesson I learned was to receive the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit that Christ lives in me. I quoted Galatians 2.20 earlier that the faith of the Son of God is in me and therefore the power of His Spirit. I can't live the Christian life. The Christian life is not hard.

It is impossible in our human strength. So by faith, by faith we receive the filling of the Holy Spirit. If you win something, it's worth celebrating. Our victory over the world is by faith. Our victory over Satan comes because of faith. By believing. When in Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 16 we're told that we're to put up the shield of faith so that we can resist the fiery darts of the enemy.

We believe that you have received it and it will be yours. On and on I could go. Every good thing in life, every blessing in life, every benefit in your life is a result of faith. According to your faith be it unto you. Dare to believe.

But let me ask you. Is your faith strong and growing? You're to know your faith, you're to grow your faith. Is your faith able to grow? Is your faith able to withstand the storms, the seasons of life? You say, well I don't know if I have that faith or not. Well, it's not faith in faith or even your faith but faith in Christ that counts. It's not whether or not you have great faith. It's whether or not your faith is given and is growing. Do you have faith? Because if you do and you have a growing faith, when you experience the trials, the tests, the temptations, the seasons of life, the changes of life, crisis in life, then you will be able to meet those difficulties by faith. By faith.

Will you be able to overcome? Will your faith be strong and steadfast? You see faith is not a weak, vacillating, you know faith has been tossed about as a word where it hardly means anything to people anymore.

You know faith in me, faith in myself, faith in my journey. Faith is more than positive thinking. Now positive thinking is good.

Positive thinking beats negative thinking every single time. But that's not the kind of faith we're talking about. Not just a hopeful feeling. But a faith that is secure, a faith that is strong, a faith that will keep us. Faith is the power of God. Our security, our strength is in our faith.

Jesus said it's in him that we have the strength. Jesus said have faith in God. So it's not faith in just something out there. Faith in something that is real.

Someone who is real. Now as far as I know there is no real definition of faith in the Bible. Where you just have a sentence that says this is faith. But there are many descriptions in the Bible of faith. And in Hebrews chapter 11 we're told that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. That means that faith is real.

People say give me something real. Don't give me this faith thing. Well did you know that faith in the supernatural is more real than the very air you breathe right now?

There is a unseen world. It is a spiritual world that is accessed by faith. We connect by faith when we're on the network of faith.

And it's very real. God has given each person the capacity to believe. It's like a sixth sense.

Not a physical sense but a sense and a sensibility. Of connecting with God. That's faith. And he made every person capable of believing. And trusting in him.

And he sent his son to die on the cross. And to rise again. So that we could believe not just in something out there. But in someone who loves us and gave himself for us. So faith is first an affirmation. Faith is an affirmation.

It's like saying amen. Faith is the affirmation of the promises of God in our lives. It is an affirmation but it's also faith is also an act. In other words we act in faith.

We decide. We make a decision to follow Christ. And we make a decision to be his disciple every day.

And not only is it an act. What follows is an action. The just shall live by faith. And so it becomes an action when we live out our faith.

And we believe and behave in a certain way because of what Christ is doing in our lives. And faith is not only an affirmation and an act and an action but it is an attitude. It is an attitude of faith that you're trusting in God. Faith is the key of the way.

Samuel Chadwick who was a Christian the next year said this. Without faith man can do nothing with God. And without faith God will do nothing with man. Faith is the key that unlocks all the blessings of God in our lives.

Everything. So faith is essential to your life. What are your core beliefs? Do you know them?

Do you know them? What are the core beliefs of your life that are non-negotiable? Because they're founded on the faith that comes in Christ and his Word. What are the core beliefs?

It's too long if you haven't already done it. It's to write down your core beliefs. Because your core beliefs will lead to your core convictions.

And your core convictions will lead to courage as you follow Christ. What we believe is anchored in the Word of God. It's not true because it works which is pragmatism. It's not true because it feels right which is subjectivism.

It's not true because it's quote my truth which is relativism. It is true because it is anchored in the person of Christ. Christianity is not true because it works.

It works because it's true. And this is the faith that will strengthen you every day of your life. You see in faith there is an intellectual component. Faith is reasonable and beyond reason. Faith is substance and evidence. It is knowing who God is, who Jesus is and why you believe what you believe.

Very important that all of us know what we believe and why we believe it. You say well I don't know all that yet. Start learning. Grow your faith.

That's the point. By understanding your Bible. Now I know that I'm saved. 1 John 5 13 these things are written that you might know that you have eternal life. I know that I'm saved and nobody can take that away from me. Today's message. Fortify your faith.

When you set aside daily time to connect with God he'll give you the ability to live a godly life and fulfill his plans for you in the coming year. And we'd like to help you walk even more closely with the Lord in the year ahead by sending you Pastor Graham's 180 day devotional moments in the word. It's our way to thank you for your gift today to help proclaim the gospel to more people around the world through PowerPoint. So call now to get your copy of moments in the word when you give. Call 1-800-795-4627. That's 1-800-795-4627.

You can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131 text PowerPoint to 313131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our e-store give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional. Our website again is Jack Graham.org. Now let's get back to today's message. Fortify your faith. There is an intellectual component that is strong and true in my life.

But that's not the end of it. It's more than intellectual because the devil believes and trembles that there is a God. Beyond the intellectual component there is a volitional component or element. Volitional in that I decide. I make a decision to follow Christ.

Jesus said as many as received him to them gave me the right to be called the children of God even to them that believe on his name. So there is the intellectual component where I believe intellectually. But there is the volitional in which I respond personally and decisively in faith to Jesus Christ. And not only that but there is an emotional element. Because feelings do follow faith.

Don't get that out of order. It's not feelings and then faith. But faith. And sure we feel deeply these things. We have convictions and passion about some things that we believe. I mean faith is not just cold and callous.

It's not an academic experience. It's a personal experience, a passion that we have for God. That's why we are told that we are to believe in the heart not just in the head. And you can grow up in church and have a head knowledge.

An intellectual understanding of faith but do you have a volitional and an emotional response to say I will follow Christ. It's from our passion and our convictions that we hold dear that our world view flows out of our faith. Our ethics, our morals comes out of our faith. That's the reason we can't redefine marriage.

It's not because we hate but because we love God, his word and people. So we're not going to redefine marriage. We're not going to redefine sin or sinful behavior.

Why? Because we have a compassionate conviction that what God says is true no matter what man says. And that's why if you're going to have an authentic, active, growing, dynamic faith. I mean the kind of faith that you can't live without. The kind of faith you can't leave behind. If you're going to have that kind of faith, you need to get the word of God into you because when you get the word of God in you, the God of the word is getting into you as well. Nothing should take precedence over our getting the word into us and ourselves into the word. Romans 10 17 says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So here's how to fortify your faith. Saturate your heart, your mind, your life with God's word. The Bible. My friend Hank Hanegraaff gives us an acrostic that I'm going to borrow from him today called MEALS. M-E-A-L-S. And this is how you can get God's word into you and God therefore and your faith growing.

Here is the MEALS. Number one, memorize. Memorize God's word. One of the best things you can do, it's a priority, don't let anything take precedence over scripture memory in your life. You know your mind is like a muscle, it needs exercising. Some of you have been around a while, you say well I can't memorize the way that I used to memorize. Well it may be true. But you know the best mental exercise for mental acuity is to memorize scripture.

All ages. Then examine. Examine the scriptures. Acts 17-11, there were Bereans, people who lived at Berea.

They were noble people the scripture says who examined the scriptures daily to see if what Paul and the other apostles were saying were true. Look, you need to know, is Jack Graham, is he telling us the truth? Is he preaching the Bible?

Check it out for yourself. Write notes, make notes. Underline scripture. Examine the scriptures.

Study to show yourself an approved workman unto God. This is a daily discipline and a daily devotion in our lives. And when we do this, when we examine the scriptures, we grow in our faith and our knowledge of God's word and our knowledge of God himself.

And our minds are transformed. Romans 12-2 says by the renewing of our minds, our minds are transformed when we examine the scriptures. What do the scriptures say? Isn't it amazing some of your friends and mine have rejected the Bible though they've never even read it. They couldn't tell you the meaning of the Bible if their life depended on it.

And yet they rejected it because somebody told them they should. And if you're a skeptic, if you're an unbeliever, a doubter, examine the scriptures. That's all I would challenge you to do. Examine for yourself and see if it is true. And then apply.

M-E-A. Apply. It is not enough to eat. We must exercise our faith in practical obedience.

And here's some of the questions that I ask myself often as I am examining and studying the Bible. You say, well, you know, I don't get that much out of it. I try and I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know how to read it. Here's some helps for you.

Very practical. Here's some questions you can ask yourself as you're studying your Bible and you're praying. For example, is there here a command to keep? Do you know the commands of God, the direct precepts and commands of God?

Is there a command to keep? Is there a truth to believe? Is there some great doctrine or some great truth that I should learn and believe?

Is there a principle to apply? You know, the Bible is a book of great principles. Principles for life. And not everything that has to do with what is right, what is wrong, yes, no, up or down, not everything is in black and white.

It's in principle. For example, the Bible doesn't say you shall not smoke weed. But the Bible forbids drunkenness or getting high.

The Bible says honor your body, take care of your body. See, those are principles that you apply. So when you get into the Word then you're asking yourself, all right, is there some principle that I should apply to my life here? Is there a temptation to avoid?

You know, on television now, may you get a news alert or on your cell phone, a storm alert? Well, maybe you're reading along and there's an alert that shows up, a temptation to avoid. Or if you've followed and sinned against God, you should ask when you're reading the Scripture, is there a sin to confess?

I do that all the time. I mean, I'll be reading along thinking my life's in good order and bam, I'm convicted of something in my life that ought not to be there and I confess it immediately because I want my slate clean with God. I want my walk with God to be pure. Is there a promise to claim? The Bible is filled with promises, 3,000 plus of them. Do you know God's promises? Are you claiming the promises of God, living by His promises? As Warren Wiersbe, the author and preacher said, we don't live by explanations, we live by promises. So when you go through a season of life, a crisis, a tragedy, is your faith strong because you're in the Word and you know the promises of God?

You're standing. Or maybe you're just flat out face down on those promises, but the promises of God are holding you up. And then finally, is there a prayer to offer? I pray the Scriptures and the Bible is full of prayers, it's also full of praises and the Psalms and other places, doxologies that are given and Scriptures that you can turn to prayers. It will revitalize your prayer life when the Scriptures are lifted up and offered as a prayer to God. Bottom line, the Word of God gives you wisdom for life. The book of Proverbs is all about wisdom. It says in all of your getting of knowledge, in the getting of knowledge, make sure you get wisdom. Wisdom is the practical application of knowledge. Knowledge comes from the mind, knowledge comes from man, wisdom comes from God. And it is in the Word that we find wisdom and therefore we are strong and solid in our faith.

L is for listen. God speaks to us through His Word. I can't tell you how many times the Spirit of God has spoken to me as I've read the Scriptures consistently about a decision I have to make or a problem I have to face. This is God's Word, it is life, it is breath.

This is not an antique book for the coffee table. I've been studying the Bible seriously now since I was a teenager. And I'm not finding flaws and failures in the Bible, I'm finding more and more faith. I believe the Bible now after all these years and all my life experience and I've seen a lot of good and I've seen a lot of bad stuff.

But I believe God and I believe God's Word now more than ever. You can build your life on God. Have faith in God. And how do we have faith in God?

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. And then finally, study. Study.

That's meals. Study. Be a student of the Word. Have yourself a Bible that's a study Bible that's really designated to study. Mark it up. You say, can I write in my Bible?

Sure you can. It will become a journal for your life going forward. Your kids and your grandkids may pick up your Bible and they will see what you learn and what you are learning.

It will be an investment, a legacy of your life. And as you are studying and growing, have a place. I have a place, it's a chair actually, where I open my Bible every day and study the Word of God and pray. Have a place in church. Have a time and a place and allow God to speak to you. And Jesus, the living Word of God, will fill you through and through and your faith will be growing. You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and today's message, Fortify Your Faith. Looking ahead to a new year can fill you with expectation, but it can also fill you with desperation. What if things get worse?

What if the world gets crazier? What if you don't have the strength to face what comes your way? It's through spending daily time in God's Word that we find the strength, peace and hope we need. And we want to help you do that by sending you Pastor Graham's 180-day devotional, Moments in the Word.

Moments in the Word is our special thanks for your gift this month. So call to request your copy today. Call 1-800-795-4627. That's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131. Text PowerPoint to 313131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our e-store, give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional.

Our website again is Jack Graham.org. Pastor, what is your PowerPoint for today? The real identifying mark of a Christian is faith. Before we were called Christians in the Bible, we were called believers, which means that in order to have faith, we must know what we believe and then knowing what we believe, begin living what we believe and actually trusting our faith. I know some people who are unbelieving believers.

They don't trust the faith that God has given them. You see, faith is not just a hopeful feeling. Faith is, listen to this, an amen to what God has said. Faith is the affirmation of the truth of God's word, and it is the corresponding promise of God in your life. Faith is an act. In other words, faith is something we do.

It is an act. It is to live out what you have affirmed. And so we believe and we behave as the Bible teaches us because we are living our faith. And then faith is not only an amen, it's not only an act, it is an attitude. It is this attitude of trust that we can trust God's word and God's promises because we know that God is good and that he will give a good result when we trust in him.

One last thing. When compared to all the superficial definitions of faith, biblical faith should encourage you today for one reason. It's real.

It's not soft. It's not make-believe. Faith in Jesus is not just theory or religious fervor. It's not just good feelings.

It is a rock-solid real faith and a real Savior who truly changes our hearts and minds and lives in our lives. And that is today's PowerPoint. Remember, when you give a gift to PowerPoint, we'll send you Dr. Graham's 180-day devotional Moments in the Word as our thanks. Call 1-800-795-4627.

That's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131. Text PowerPoint to 313131. Well, on the next PowerPoint, Dr. Graham brings a message about how you can defeat your worry and face down your fears. That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministries.