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The Seven Companions of Faith, Part One | Nancy Dufresne | Jesus the Healer Broadcast
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Hi, I'm Nancy Dufresne. Welcome to our podcast channel. We know you'll be blessed by today's message.
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Turn with me, if you would. First Thessalonians, chapter 3 and verse 10. And Paul was writing to the church in Thessalonica, and he made this statement. Now, you understand Paul wrote letters that were circulated in the churches. But even though with all the wonderful revelations that he shared with them through his writings, he made this statement in 1st Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 10, he said night and day, praying exceedingly that we might see your face and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith. Notice this. All the letters he had written could never take the place of him seeing their face. This is why it is so important that you have a pastor, a shepherd that can see your face. That means you have to show up. And in this day of digital technology, we can't dismiss that. A man of God needs to see your face. And the man of God not only needs to see your face, but you need to see his face. Amen. Why is that? Because many times, if God has something to say to you, he'll say it when a man of God sees your face. I know as a pastor, there have been times that in the 25 years of pastoring, I would have a congregation member walk past me before a service and the word of the Lord would come to me when I saw their face. If they had stayed home, God would have never said anything to me if I was just going to pastor them through a letter, that these are things that they needed that would have never been received if there hadn't have been a proximity. Amen. So thank God for the digital age of such that we can watch services over and over again, but that will never take the place of showing up where a man of God can see your face. And a man of God has to show up where he can see your face at some time. Amen. Why? Because there are things that can be perceived when you're in the presence of someone. I know that years ago there was. I was going to preach a sweet little message, you know, on something I don't know, but we know it was going to be good. And there was a visiting minister who came to the service that morning. I didn't know they were coming, and they had just been diagnosed with a terminal condition. And you could see the fear, the anxiety, the sense of overwhelm on their face. You could see it. So you know what I did? Because I saw their face, I saw their face. Needs Something different than what I prepared. So I laid down my sermon and I just stood and preached faith and healing right to them. Why? Because on their face I could perceive their need. And if they would have just stayed home and just tried to listen to me by some other avenue, they would not have received the special diagnosis and the special help of the Spirit. Amen. So Paul said, night and day, praying exceedingly that I might see your face. Why? It's intimate. It becomes personal. I can see what your life needs. I want you to know your life always needs something. Amen. If nothing else, just further development. It doesn't necessarily maybe need a miracle at a particular time or healing or some financial miracle, but it always needs to be developed. Your spiritual life always needs to be developed. So Paul made this statement. He said, night and day, praying exceedingly that we might see your face. Isn't that an endearment? Isn't that you mean something to me? Your life and the outcome of your life and the direction of your life matters to me. And I want to see your face so that I can know whether you're getting all you need. And then he said, I'm praying night in day exceedingly that we might see your face. And look at this might perfect what is lacking in your faith. He didn't say, in your life, but in your faith. Now notice if your faith gets perfected, your life gets perfected. Because to touch on faith, the subject of faith, it's going to touch into every single arena of life. Ministers need to know. Teaching on faith does not isolate you into a certain subject. It encompasses every single arena of life. To teach on faith, because to teach the wholeness of faith, to teach a balanced message of faith, you don't just have one vein to it. There's many things that affect it. So we're going to talk about. The word has listed the things that affect our faith, and we're going to be ministering about that. Faith has companions. Faith is not a singular force. It's connected to other forces. And so we have to know what it's connected to so that our faith is balanced, so that our faith is correct, so that we're thinking right, believing right, acting right. And this is what Paul said. He said, when I see you, that I'm able to recognize what's lacking in your faith.
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Amen.
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Why did he want to help them with their faith? One thing, when he says he wants that I might perfect, that doesn't mean without flaw. You know, as a human, there's. There's flaws in Us. But he's talking about a mature faith, a developed faith, a faith that is growing, and a faith that is well rounded, a faith that is balanced. That's what he's talking about. And so we know this, that if our faith is lacking something, then our results, when we believe God are going to be lacking something. Because imperfect faith gets imperfect results. But perfected faith, faith gets results every time. And this is what we're after, that when we pray, we always receive our answer. That when we're believing for something, we always receive that which we're needing to come into manifestation. That's what God intends. It's not okay to have a faith that's a hit and miss situation, that sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. If faith isn't working, sometimes it's because we're. Something is wrong with our faith. It's not that something's wrong with God or something's wrong with the Word. Something is lacking in the way we're believing or the way we're thinking, the way we're speaking, the way we're carrying out something, something is amiss. And so notice this, God so loves us that he gives us revelation through those he puts in our lives so that our faith can be perfected. Anytime we miss services or cast aside services is unimportant, or what we're doing. We're allowing faith that is needing something to go unaddressed. Amen. It matters the condition and the health of our faith. Why? Is it because faith is the currency of heaven that when we release faith, we receive something in exchange? We receive the. The goods of heaven. We receive the services of heaven when we release faith. And if you're going to a store and you're going to take your currency in there to a store, when you put currency down, you get to walk out with something, right? With goods, something you purchase, or with services, maybe someone's going to come and provide a service for you. Well, even so, when we come with our faith to heaven, we. We get goods and services. Amen. Amen. And so this is why we want to make sure that our faith is working and growing and developing and is balanced. Because without faith, you can't conduct business with heaven. Amen. You cannot conduct business with heaven based on your feelings. You can't conduct business with heaven based on your emotions. You can't conduct business with heaven based on the way you were raised, the way you thought something should be. We conduct business with heaven based on faith that is anchored and founded on the word of God. Amen. And so this is why our faith is so important. It thrills me to hear about faith because faith is my part, power is God's part. But if I will bring my part, God's part will always be in motion, always work in my life. So if I'm bringing my faith, the result is God will meet me by his power. His power will always be able to flow and reach my need when I'm operating in faith. Amen. Now, the blessings of God, we have to understand this. The blessings of God are conditional. Amen. They belong to us, but they're conditional. You know, you can have money in a bank, but there are conditions to getting it out. It's your money, but you can't just walk up and say, I want my money. Well, where's your. Where's your withdrawal slip? We have to have your account number. There's three things that you have to have, right? Sometimes you might have to provide an id, right? All these different things. The money is yours, but there's conditions to getting it out, although it's yours. Even so, God has made his blessings ours, but there's conditions. Not for him giving it because he's already given it, but for us receiving. The conditions are not on God giving. He's already given the conditions on our ability to receive. Why? We are a vessel, isn't that right? We are a vessel. And on some vessels, they'll put lids, right? You can have a container that has a lid on it. If you want to pour something in, you've got something to go in it, you've got a container. But if it's got a lid on it, it can't get in if we don't meet the conditions. It's a lid to keep out what God has provided, to flow. But it's not flowing because we've capped it off. There's something in the way, not letting it in. We're not receiving it. So a lid can keep a vessel from receiving what you're trying to put into that vessel. Right. Even so, there are things that will keep us from receiving what God's provided and trying to. To get into our lives. And one of those things that has to be. It's a condition for receiving is obedience. Amen. Obeying the word of God, isn't that right? That disobedience puts a lid on our vessel, but obedience takes the lid off. If we could say it that way. Another thing, a condition of receiving is faith. Faith is a condition of receiving, and it's an unchangeable condition. You can't decide you're going to receive. Aside from faith, God has already authored, designated that by faith we receive. And so we don't get to change that, we get to come in line with it. And that helps us to be able to receive what he's already provided and made ours. Amen. So if we want to experience and enjoy the life of God and enjoy what he has provided for us, we have to develop our faith. And this is what Paul said. I want to show up and see your face so that I can help develop your faith. Why? Because if I can develop your faith, there's nothing I can't get into your life. I can get anything that you need into your life if I can make sure that your faith is in good working order. Amen. Hallelujah. And so this is what he was wanting to have them to have a faith that was in good working order, without flaws or without error, discrepancies. Another thing is Jude wrote to us and he said this. Earnestly contend for the faith. Now notice the activity around this word faith. Earnestly contend that you have to on purpose, on purpose and with aggressiveness, you have to contend. And a contender is on purpose doing something that's aggressive, aren't they? So on purpose, you have to aggressively go after that life of faith. Go after the faith. The faith of God is in you. Go after developing it. Go after educating yourself, schooling yourself, because becoming skillful with that faith. And so this is what Paul said, I want to show up and help you with.
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Amen.
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So to earnestly contend for the faith, we have to realize this, that faith does not live alone. It has other companions. Other things affect faith. And people don't realize that there are things that can happen in our life that will hinder our faith or extend, accelerate our faith, that will stunt our faith or will cause our faith to flourish. Amen. So I want you to go with me, if you would, to Second Peter, chapter one. And we're going to start reading in verse two. Second Peter, chapter one, verse two. Now, we have to remember this, that the Word says that Jesus stated, and I like the word the way the amplified says it. Jesus said, when I come back because he's coming back. I said, he's coming back. When I come back, will I find persistence in faith? Notice this. There's a certain kind of faith he's looking for. Persistence in faith. What is that? A faith that won't quit. How many of you know a mental faith will quit? The God kind of faith is the kind that won't Quit. And in Mark 11:22, Jesus told us, have the God kind of faith or have the faith of God. It says, have faith in God is what the King James says. But the original says, have the faith of God. Amen. That's the kind of faith that we're developing. Too many times people are developing a mental faith, an emotional faith. That's not Bible faith. That's not the faith that's being talked about. It's not a human faith. This is a divine faith, the God kind of faith. And so we want to make sure we're developing that kind of faith because we want Jesus pleased with our faith. Amen. Second Peter, chapter one and verse two. Peter was writing and said, grace and peace be multiplied unto you. I don't know about you, but I'm interested in grace being multiplied and peace being multiplied. Remember, Jesus said, my peace I leave with you. You have it. But notice this, you can multiply it. Evidently this is why people that there are some people that will be harassed with worry and fear many times. It's not always a faith issue. It's a peace issue. They've not learned how to protect their peace. They've not learned how to yield to peace. They've not learned how to have a peace that is multiplying. Now notice here, he said, grace and peace be multiplied unto you. How are they multiplied to us? Through the knowledge of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. So the more our knowledge of God grows, the more you know who you are in Christ, what He provided for you and what belongs to you in Christ, the more grace you're going to operate under and the more peace you're going to live under. Amen. Grace and peace will be multiplied to you. Notice this. It's not God job to multiply it. It's our job to grow in knowledge. So the knowledge is what multiplies it, that when we grow in knowledge, grace and peace multiplies in our life. Amen. Now, verse three says, as according as his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, notice this. His divine power has already given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. You know, you are a current possessor of everything that pertains to the life and the God kind of life, God likeness in your life, it all belongs to you already. Now notice that what it says through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue. He has called us to glory and virtue. And we're going to need to have the knowledge of what his power has made ours. Amen. It matters what we know. It matters what we don't know. Now, the Word says that my people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge. They're not destroyed because of lack of power. They're not destroyed because of lack of peace, lack of grace, lack of faith. They're destroyed because they have lack of knowledge. And lacking knowledge will keep your faith limited. Keep your peace limited. Keep your victory limited. It will limit everything. So notice this is that it's knowledge that brings us into the flow of all he's blessed us with. We have to know it. We have to know what he's brought us into for the things he's provided to flow. Amen. You know, if you lived in a country that had that they didn't have religious freedom, let's say you were born and raised in another country. You weren't allowed to go to church, you weren't allowed to go worship. You weren't allowed to hear the mess message of the gospel of Christ. You weren't allowed to hear all that. You weren't allowed to pray, you weren't allowed to sing in public, tell people about Jesus. And then you come to another country. If you don't know their laws, you know what you'll do? You'll live under the same laws that you were raised under. But when you find out, hey, some people could come over here and stay home for their whole life not knowing they could go to church on Sundays if they don't find out, hey, there's a knowledge that in this country we have freedom of worship. We can go to church. So you understand that before you were born again, you belonged to the kingdom of darkness. But I want you to know you don't belong to that kingdom anymore. We are now citizens of a new country. Amen. And this is what the knowledge of God does. It gives us understanding of us as citizens, citizens of heaven, what belongs to us. Because we're no longer citizens of the kingdom of darkness. Amen. This is what it doesn't thank God we have changed citizenship. But until you learn what belongs to your new citizenship, you'll live like you were still under the kingdom of darkness. And this is the danger of the lack of knowledge. The ignorance will keep you living in the dark.
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Amen.
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And so this is why Peter talks so much by the Holy Ghost about getting knowledge. So that the things that God has for your life can be multiplied and the things that he's provided can flow when you have knowledge of it. Amen. The devil is counting on you being ignorant, that's how he works against you. That's how he works his plan. When you have knowledge, you don't put up with stuff that you used to put up with. Amen. And the word says, my people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge. He didn't say they're destroyed because the devil attacks them. That's right. He didn't say that my people are destroyed because of the country they live in or the start in life they had or the home they were born into. They're destroyed for the lack of knowledge, the lack of knowing that you're free from the curse. The lack of knowing that the kingdom of God's already in you. If you don't know that you're going to live less than what God authored. When you gain knowledge of what God has already provided and already blessed you with. The devil is done pushing you around. He is done pushing you around. He's done taking advantage of your home, done working in your marriage, done working against your body and against your finances. Now will he try? Yeah. But because you have knowledge, you know how to keep the door shut to him. People are waiting for the devil to leave him alone. He's not going to leave you alone. Gain knowledge of how to keep him out. Amen. Now, verse four says this. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises. Notice all of this. Peter's talking about what's been given to us. Grace and peace and power. And now the great exceeding promises. All of this has already been given. When you know something, you quit asking God to give you stuff. When you have knowledge of what he's already provided and you start taking charge, you start saying, finances, you belong to me. Opportunities, you belong to me. Favor, you belong to me. Customers, you belong to me. Now you come to me when you find out that he's already blessed you with this, you quit asking God to give and you start taking possession of what he has already made yours. Amen. Verse 4. Whereby our give unto us exceeding great and precious promises. I love the word exceeding. He's letting us know that the promises will exceed anything that comes against you. It's no match the promises of God. Nothing that comes against you is a match for what the promises has already made yours. Amen. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises. That by these we might be partakers of the divine nature. When we're a partaker, that which he's provided shows up. Amen. That we partake of it. If your mama puts some food on the table and it's there, but you don't partake. You go hungry. Amen. God's provided, but it's up to us to partake. It's up to us to lay hold of it. It's up to us to take this into our life. Take this into our. Our situations and circumstances. Amen. That by these you might be partakers of the divine nature. That that divine nature is in you. He wants you to partake of it. Instead of partaking of the what the flesh offers you or what just the mental arena offers you, or what your emotions. His divine nature is in you. He wants you to partake of that every day. Amen. Notice this. Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Amen. Now look at verse five. I want you to look at it. And beside this, giving all diligence. This is such an important phrase for what we call faith people. We're faith people. Every Christian should be faith people. Because you get saved by faith. Amen. By grace, through faith. That faith is part of how you got saved. You are a faith person. If you're born again. And beside this giving all diligence. I love this phrase. Add to your faith. Add to your faith. Add to your faith. Notice this, that faith must be present. And if you're born again, the faith of God, you have a measure of it in you. Add to your faith. Virtue. And to virtue, knowledge. And to knowledge, temperance. And to temperance. Patience. And to patience. Godliness. And to godliness, brotherly kindness. And to brotherly kindness. Charity. Or the love of God. The divine Love of God. 4, verse 8. If these things be in you, how many of you know these things are the fruit of the Spirit is in you. So much of this is listed as the fruit of the Spirit, Right? It's in you. For if these things be in you, look at this word. And abound. And abound. What's that mean? They're growing, they're developing, they're gaining movement. They have a place in your life. You're yielding to them. You're drawing on them. It's not enough that it's in you. If they're not moving, it doesn't matter that it's in you. So these things, that they're in you and abound. I love this next phrase. They make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. What's that mean? That means the knowledge you have is going to bear fruit. If you have knowledge that he's your healer, you're going to live healed. You have knowledge that he's your provider. You're going to be provided for that these things, not just faith, but all these seven other things that have to be added to faith, they will make you to where you bear fruit of what you have knowledge of. Verse 9 But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sin. Wherefore the rather brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, what if you develop all these seven things, add them to your faith, if you will. Add them to your faith. I love this next phrase. For if you do these things, you shall never fall. You shall never fall. You shall never fall. What's that mean? Your faith will always work. You'll always receive. Receive what you need. You'll always. You'll always end up at victory. Always. Amen. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
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