The Ministry of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament Church

Course:  The Fruit of the Spirit

Lesson Eight

Lesson Title:  Faith

 

Lesson Goal:  …the student will understand what the fruit of faith is and cultivate it in his or her life.

 

Text:  'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law,'  

Galatians 5:22-23.

 

Theme:  Faith is the life of the believer resting in the arms of the Lord.

 

Introduction:  Faith (Greek: pistis).

In connection with the fruit of the Spirit, faith means faithful or trustful.

It is a total reliance upon the promises of God in our everyday lives. 

It is living our lives trusting fully in the Lord.

·        It is being faithful to Christ in the most difficult situations because His Word can be relied upon.

·        It is trusting the Lord at all times and in every circumstance knowing that everything is working together in His plan and purpose. Romans 8:28  'And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.'

Faith in the believer's life is a beautiful fruit because it rests in the Lord. 

 

Paul rejoiced when he found a living faith and love one for another in the churches. 

Ephesians 1:15-16, ‘Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;’ 

Colossians 1:3-4 ‘We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,  Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,’

2 Thessalonians 1:3  ‘We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all toward each other abounds;’

 

Question:  What did Paul hear about the Ephesian believers that showed their faith?

Steadfastness under trials

Trust in daily life

Resting not worrying

 

Introductory Story:  Personal Testimony:  Tried in the fire  1 Peter 1:7 ‘That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:’

 

·        The fruit of faith will keep us steadfast in what the Lord wants us to do.   

·        The Lord will allow trials to test our commitment and

·        He will allow people to speak against us to see what is in our heart. 

The works of the flesh will seek an opportunity to react against the trials and accusations, but the fruit of faith rests in the plan and purpose of God.

 

 

Question:  What is the difference between the gift of faith and the fruit of faith? 

·        The gift of faith will empower us to do great things at a particular time. 

·        The fruit of faith will enable us to live a victorious Christian life.

 

Difference between the fruit of faith and the gift of faith.

 

The fruit of the Spirit remains constant in the life of the believer.

The gift of faith is momentary and is according to the will of the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:11.

 

The fruit of faith will rest in difficult circumstances.

The gift of faith will bring change to a particular circumstance.

 

The fruit of faith will look at the mountain and say 'my help comes from the Lord', Psalm 121:1-2.

The gift of faith will look at the mountain and say 'be removed and cast into the sea', Mark 11:23.

 

 

Lesson Outline:

The fruit of faith

1)     Rests in the Lord,

2)     trusts in the character of the Lord,

3)     relies upon the Word of the Lord, and

4)     overcomes in the Lord.

 

 

Main Points: 

 

1.      Faith rests:  David wrote Psalm 4:8  'I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for you, LORD, only makes me dwell in safety.'  Faith has total confidence in the Lord.

 

Illustration:  Learning to swim.  Gaining confidence in the water.  Someone who struggles because of fear cannot learn to swim until they rest in the confidence that the water is able to hold them up.

 

a)     Faith learns to rest through maturity.

  •   The rest of faith is a continuous process that begins with salvation and continues as the fruit of faith grows in our daily lives. 'There remains therefore a rest to the people of God.  For he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his.'  Hebrews 4:9
  • David’s faith was great in his youth but years of trials produced a mature faith that rested.  David’s victory over Goliath was followed by great difficulties.  He faced the wrath of Saul.  He faced the wrath of his own people at Ziglag 1 Samuel 30:6.  As King he faced rebellion – Ishbosheth; his own son Absalom rebel against him; this was followed by the rebellion of Sheba.  His army commander Joab was ruthless and without mercy.  He mercilessly murdered Abner and Absalom.  David’s testimony was the Lord alone made him dwell in safety.

 

b)     Resting means being dependent upon Christ alone.  Resting in our relationship with the Lord.

  • In our relationship with Him – we are accepted in Christ
  • In our prayer life –  bold because the blood of Jesus gives us access to the Father
  • In worship – giving ourselves as living sacrifices because Jesus gave Himself for us.

 

c)      Resting means trusting Him without regard to our own welfare.

  • Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego – Our God is able to deliver us but even if He doesn’t we will not bow.  (Daniel 3)
  • Daniel in the lions den – God is in control.  (Daniel 6)
  • David – yea though I walk through the valley of death I will fear no evil.  (Psalm 23)
  • Paul – ready not only to suffer imprisonment but also to die.

 

 

2.      Faith trusts in the character of the Lord.

 

a)     When we know His nature and His character we have confidence to trust Him.

  • As the Lord led His people He revealed to them His character.  The name of the LORD became their strong tower.  They could trust in His character. 

                Trust in His loving kindness because He is merciful.  He delights to show mercy (Micah 7:18).

  • Faith trusts in His unfailing love.  Fear is cast out by love.  We are free to love others because of His unfailing love.

                Trust in His unfailing love because He is love.  1 John 4:8, ‘He that loves not knows not God; for God is love.’

  • Faith seeks after His righteousness, Matthew 6:33, 'But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.'  

                Trust in His righteousness.  Faith is not anxious but seeks to obey the Lord in all circumstances.

  • The Lord showed Moses His character.  (Exodus 34:5-7)

                      Merciful

                      Gracious

                      Longsuffering

                      Abounding in goodness and truth

  • When Moses saw the character of God (Exodus 34:8-9)

                      Firstly he worshipped (Exodus 34:8)

                      Secondly he interceded (Exodus 34:9)

 

b)     Trust develops through relationship  '…The just shall live by faith', Hebrews 10:38. 

  • Faith grows through the closeness of our relationship with the Lord.  
  • Faith will never give up because the person knows that God is faithful and will not fail. 

 

c)      Levels of Knowing Him (1 John 2:12-14)

  • Knowing Him as our heavenly Father – brought into the family of God (sins forgiven)
  • Knowing Him who is from the beginning – resting in the eternal plan and purpose of God
  • Knowing His Word – strong and abiding in the Word.

 

d)       There are always greater heights to be reached in knowing Him.

  • Paul desired to know Him in closer relationship.  Paul wrote to the Philippians  ‘That I might know Him…’ (Philippians 3:10). 
  • Moses said the same thing (Exodus 33:13)

 

 

3.      Faith relies upon the word of the Lord.  Psalm 119:49 ‘Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.’

 

a)     The fruit of faith is produced through growing confidence in the promises of God.

  • Knowing the promises of God.  Filling our minds with the scriptures.
  • Letting the scriptures abide in us and become a part of us.  John 15:7.  The scriptures leading us in every area of our lives.
  • Relying upon the scriptures.  Finding strength to stand firm through trust in the Word of God.  Romans 8:28. 

 

b)     Faith does not doubt the promises of God.

The promises of God are certain.  1 Corinthians 1:20  ‘For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.’

  • Bought by the blood of Christ.  The promises of God are our inheritance in Christ.
  • Applied by the Holy Spirit.  The promises of God are applied in daily life by the leading of the Holy Spirit and common sense. 
  • Received through obedience and faith.  The promises of God are conditional – The application of the promises involves obedience and faith; sowing and reaping. 

 

c)      Faith is not affected by difficult circumstances

·        Faith trusts the promises of God even in the face of great difficulty.  Psalm 91:2  ‘I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust’.   Faith trusts even when things appear to go in the wrong direction.  Job 13:15a  ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him:’

·        Faith rejoices at all times in the Lord.  Philippians 4:4.  Looks beyond the situation to the Lord.  Faith rejoices knowing that the Lord is in control even of the worst circumstances.  Faith looks neither at the wind nor the waves but rejoices in the Lord. 

·        The fruit of faith allows the Christian to be a generous giver in the face of great difficulties, 2 Corinthians 9:7  'Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.'  It allows the Christian to show kindness without regard to self interest.  It rests in the knowledge that the Lord will supply all our needs, Philippians 4:19  'But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.'   A fearful Christian does not produce the fruit of faith.  Fear will block up the channels of generosity.  Our needs will take priority over anything else.  Life becomes a bondage in which we live to provide for ourselves.

 

 

4.      Faith is always victorious because in Christ we are more than conquerors.  Romans 8:37,  ‘…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.’

 

a)     The Greek word for more than conquerors means literally ‘above an overcomer’ (hupernikao).

  • We are more than conquerors because in Christ we have victory in all things.  The victorious Christian is the one who understands that in Christ we have inherited all things and nothing can separate us from God’s love.

·        We overcome the world through faith.  'For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.' (1 John 5:4)  The world means the system of the world that is controlled by  '…the lust of the flesh; the lust of the eyes and the pride of life', 1 John 2:16.

 

b)     It is the life of Christ in us that overcomes.

  • We overcome because of the hope that we shall be like Him.  John goes on to say  1 John 3:1-3 ‘Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.  And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.’   Right now the life of Jesus is in us.  When Jesus comes our bodies will be changed into His likeness. 
  • You must be born again.  The gospel message is ‘you must be born again’.  The gospel is not legalism or morality it is new life.  If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

 

 

Summary:

1)     The fruit of faith rests in the Lord.

2)     The fruit of faith will trust in the character of the Lord.

3)     The fruit of faith relies upon the word of the Lord

4)     The fruit of faith allows us to be victorious in all things. 

 

 

What should the student do?

1)     Learn to rest in the Lord as a swimmer learns to rest in the water.

2)     Get to know the Lord and learn to trust in His character.

3)     Be saturated with the scriptures and rely totally upon the promises of God.

4)     Let His life in us make us victorious in every situation.

 

 

 

Lesson Outline

 

Course Index