07 Aug Kingdom Faith #5 Faith and Believing
Kingdom Faith Jesus Overview
In this powerful message on Kingdom Faith, Pastor explores the crucial distinction between having faith ‘for’ things versus having faith ‘in’ Jesus Christ. The sermon reveals that true kingdom faith isn’t about pursuing material blessings, but about pursuing Christ Himself as the author and finisher of our faith. Drawing from Hebrews 12:2 and Acts 17:28, the message emphasizes that we live, move, and have our being ‘in Christ,’ not merely with Him as a distant helper. The pastor uses the analogy of subjects hailing their king to illustrate how we should magnify the Lord, declaring His worth and goodness. He explains that all creation waits for the sons of God to manifest and deliver it from corruption. The sermon distinguishes between faith as a gift that accesses every other grace from God, and believing as our active response. Through the diamond ring analogy, he shows how our faith is the gold setting that holds onto Christ, the precious stone. The message encourages believers that God rewards faith regardless of spiritual maturity, just as parents celebrate their children’s piano recital despite imperfect performance.
Kingdom Faith Jesus Outline
- 0:00 – Introduction to Kingdom Faith Series: Addressing religious misconceptions that hold people back from kingdom benefits
- 2:30 – Faith IN Christ vs Faith FOR Things: The fundamental difference between pursuing Christ versus pursuing material blessings
- 5:15 – Looking to Jesus as King: Understanding Christ as the author and finisher of our faith
- 8:45 – The Historical King Analogy: How subjects would hail their king and declare his goodness
- 12:00 – Creation Waiting for God’s Sons: All creation held in corruption until believers rise up in their rightful place
- 16:30 – Faith as the Gift That Accesses All Gifts: How faith opens the door to every other grace from God
- 20:15 – The Diamond Ring Illustration: Faith as the gold setting that holds onto Christ the precious stone
- 24:00 – God Rewards Faith Regardless of Maturity: Using the children’s piano recital analogy to show God’s heart toward our faith
Scripture References
Hebrews 12:2, Acts 17:28, Romans 8:19-21, Galatians 3:13, 1 Peter 2:7-8, Hebrews 11:6
Key Takeaways
- True kingdom faith is about pursuing Jesus Christ Himself, not pursuing things we want from Him.
- We live and move and have our being ‘in Christ,’ making Him an integral part of our existence, not just a helper.
- All creation waits for believers to rise up in their rightful place and deliver it from corruption.
- Faith is a gift from God that serves as the key to accessing every other grace and blessing He offers.
- God rewards faith regardless of our spiritual maturity level, celebrating our efforts like a parent at a child’s recital.
- We should magnify the Lord by declaring His worth and goodness, which opens up our lives to His provision.
- Looking unto Jesus destroys unbelief and doubt in our lives as we pursue and desire Him above all else.
Kingdom Faith Jesus Notes
This compelling message on Kingdom Faith addresses one of the most misunderstood elements of Christian life: the nature of true faith. Many believers fall into the trap of having ‘faith for’ things—healing, finances, breakthroughs—rather than understanding that kingdom faith is fundamentally about having faith ‘in’ Jesus Christ Himself. This distinction transforms everything about how we approach our relationship with God.The foundation of this teaching rests on Hebrews 12:2, which calls us to look unto Jesus as both the author and finisher of our faith. This isn’t merely about Jesus helping us develop faith; He initiates it, sustains it, and brings it to completion. The pastor emphasizes that we don’t live ‘with’ Jesus as some distant deity who occasionally intervenes, but rather ‘in Him’ as Acts 17:28 declares—in Him we live and move and have our being.A powerful historical analogy illustrates this principle: when kings would pass through towns in their royal carriages, subjects wouldn’t complain about their problems but would instead hail the king, declaring his goodness and provision for his people. This act of magnifying the king would often move him to remember his responsibilities and provide for his subjects. Similarly, when we magnify the Lord and declare His worth, it doesn’t make God remember anything, but it opens our lives to receive His provision and stills the enemy who seeks to oppress us.The message reveals a profound truth about creation itself: Romans 8 teaches that all of creation waits for the sons of God to manifest because everything has been held in corruption since Adam’s fall. Even the beautiful sunsets we admire are corrupted versions of what God originally intended. Creation cannot reach its destiny or fulfill its purpose until believers rise up in their rightful place in Christ’s kingdom.Faith functions as the master key that accesses every other gift from God. Using the analogy of a diamond ring, the pastor explains that faith is like the gold setting that holds the precious stone—Christ Himself. A ring without its diamond loses most of its value, just as faith without Christ becomes empty religious exercise. Our faith must hold fast to Jesus, who is the stone that blesses, empowers, prospers, and heals.One of the most encouraging aspects of this teaching is the revelation that God rewards faith regardless of our spiritual maturity. Like parents celebrating their child’s piano recital despite a few wrong notes, God celebrates our faith efforts regardless of our imperfections. He’s not looking for perfect performance but for hearts that diligently seek Him. This removes the pressure to have ‘great faith’ and instead encourages us to simply exercise the faith He’s already given us—even if it’s just the size of a mustard seed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between faith FOR things and faith IN Jesus?
Faith FOR things focuses on pursuing blessings, healing, or material needs, while faith IN Jesus focuses on pursuing Christ Himself. Kingdom faith is always about the person of Jesus, not the things He can provide.
How does magnifying God actually work in our lives?
When we magnify the Lord by declaring His goodness and worth, it doesn’t make God remember anything, but it opens our hearts to receive His provision. It also stills the enemy who seeks to oppress us with lack and sickness.
What does it mean that creation waits for God’s sons to manifest?
Romans 8 reveals that all creation has been held in corruption since Adam’s fall and cannot reach its full purpose until believers rise up in their rightful place in Christ’s kingdom. Even nature’s beauty is a corrupted version of God’s original design.
Does God only reward mature Christians with strong faith?
No, God rewards faith regardless of spiritual maturity level. Like parents celebrating their child’s imperfect piano recital, God celebrates any sincere faith effort, even if it’s imperfect or small.
How is faith like a diamond ring setting?
Faith acts like the gold setting in a diamond ring—it holds onto Christ, who is the precious stone. Without Christ, faith loses its value, just like a ring loses value without its diamond.
Why does the Bible say we live IN Christ rather than WITH Christ?
Living IN Christ means He’s not just a distant helper but an integral part of our existence. Acts 17:28 says in Him we live, move, and have our being—He’s woven into every aspect of our lives.
What happens when we exercise faith even if we don’t see immediate results?
God still rewards those who diligently seek Him regardless of visible outcomes. The maturity of our faith or the perfection of our results doesn’t determine His reward—He honors the heart that pursues Him.
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