Fruit of the Spirit series: Faithful
Fruit of the Spirit series: Faithful
God is faithful
Of all the fruit of the Spirit, this one empowers all the others. In other words, God is always faithfully going to be what He is! He is always going to be love and loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and aren’t we all glad He always has self control!
Faithfulness is part of God’s nature meaning He is unchanging and unwavering and can be trusted all the time.
“For I am the Lord, I do not change.” Malachi 3:6
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Heb. 13:8
We can have faith in God only because He is 100% faithful. This is what we focus on – His faithfulness not our own faithfulness or lack of faithfulness.
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful because He cannot deny Himself.” 2 Tim. 2:13
We need to consider our history with God’s faithfulness and celebrate the times He has shown Himself faithful to us. The Bible says in
to “Feed on His faithfulness” Psalm 37:3.
How do we do this? Remember your history with God.
- Remember how we could not have children and then God gave Pam a promise?
- Remember the time God told me to resign w/o having any money in the bank or plans for something new? Yet He provided!
- Remember when we went to Bible college and were in line to pay tuition/books wondering where the money would come from?
- Remember God gave us divine guidance to come to Leesburg?
- Remember how the Lord protected you from evil happening?
God told the Israelites the key to inhabiting the promise land is remembering who the Lord is and what He has been for you. You’ve got history with God that is incredible – walked through the Red Sea, led by a pillar of fire by night, fed supernaturally, clothing did not wear out for 40 years, etc. Remember!
- We take communion – “in remembrance”.
Part of our fighting the good fight of faith is remembering how faithful God has already been to us.
Come on church – you must have some stories to tell about God’s faithfulness and how He has brought you ought of some sticky situations that you did not think you would be able to make it. But you are sitting here today because of one reason – God is faithful.
God is faithful but that does not mean He is predictable. We don’t know the details such as how or when He will bring you through your trial.
For example: Healing service last Wednesday with Roger Webb. I watched people. Some were disappointed or even offended because they did not feel anything or all Roger said was “Be healed, or Lord take away the pain” and then went to the next person.
Ill. Made me think of Elijah the time Naaman came to be healed of leprosy. Elijah did not even come outside to meet him. He sent message go jump in the Jordan 7 times and be healed. He was hot with anger, but when he was talked into it, he was healed.
Ill. Jesus and paralyzed man let down through roof. Son, your sins are forgiven. Jesus did not do what the young man came for! Pharisees complained. “Rise up take you mat and walk home.”
Our expectations can actually be a form of unbelief hindering us!
How do we process this unpredictability of God? Will He heal me here, now, or in heaven? Will He do this or that? Faith is not in knowing what exactly will happen, but trusting God and surrendering the outcome to Him.
Read my blog titled “The Let-Go Prayer” online at, Reflections – by Gary Washburn or www.garywashburn.com
We have a sign in our foyer entrance “God is faithful”. Just the other day I noticed on the opposite side of this archway we have another sign, “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
I don’t think I realized how prophetically they are like two sides of the same coin until preparing this message. On one side if you believe, God is faithful, then the other side you are going to have to make yourself be still, trust Him, let-go and know He is God.
He keeps some things a mystery – because – He is God!
Ill. If Satan had known what God was doing to bring about our victory he would not have killed Jesus on the cross. Little did he know he was playing right into God’s Master plan.
“We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, hidden wisdom. . . None of the rulers of this age knew it. For if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” I Cor. 2:7-8
I imagine Satan was excited seeing Jesus sentenced to die as a criminal.
He got more excited seeing Jesus beaten and whipped. He stood and applauded seeing Jesus nailed to the cross.
He was elated seeing Jesus breath His last breath saying, “Father why have You forsaken Me? Into Your hands I commend my Spirit.” He hung His head and died.
He jumped for joy when they put Jesus’ body in a cold, dark tomb and a large stone was rolled to seal the entrance. He probably thought, this will be last time we ever see Him.
Imagine that evening the devil celebrated a victory party like an inauguration ball with all the demons. It went on through the night into the next day and into the night, until early morning on the third day.
Just before daybreak in Jerusalem on the third day there was an earthquake that interrupted the devil making another toast to himself. “What was that?”
A demon said, “It was an earthquake, boss.”
Satan asked, “Was it one of ours?”
“No, it definitely wasn’t one of ours.”
Satan leaned back in a chair, “It’s probably nothing, but take some scouts and check out Jerusalem to make sure and then come back and join the celebration.”
Off they go, two of the lowest demons have to leave the festivities and go to check out what is probably a bogus call in Jerusalem. Just before arriving at the Damascus gate you have to pass by the garden tomb. They both glanced over towards the garden tomb while noticing that the huge stone that previously covered the entrance of the tomb had been moved. Curiosity, got the best of them and so they took a closer look at the tomb of Jesus.
“What in the world has happened here?” Not only was the tomb uncovered, but they noticed a huge crack in the side of the entrance of the tomb.
History records there was an earthquake that day in Jerusalem
Pic of evidence of the earthquake at the garden tomb:
The garden tomb to this day shows the evidence of the earthquake, which I believe originated inside the tomb of Jesus the moment He rose from the dead.
Those demons must have peered inside and have been tormented by what they saw to this very day. The tomb of Jesus was empty!
“We better get back to headquarters and tell the chief right away!”
They found out that day what you and I already know. What is that?
God is faithful.
The Old Testament is the part of the Bible written before Jesus was born. Its writings were completed in 450 B.C. The Old Testament, written hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, contains over 300 prophecies that Jesus fulfilled through His life, death and resurrection.
Mathematically speaking, the odds of anyone fulfilling this amount of prophecy are staggering. Mathematicians put it this way 100 Quintillion:
1 person fulfilling 8 prophecies: 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000
1 person fulfilling 48 prophecies: 1 chance in 10 to the 157th power
1 person fulfilling 300+ prophecies: Only Jesus!
One of my favorite verses about God’s faithfulness is
“God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent. Hath He said and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken and shall not He make it good?” Numbers 23:19
So what does this mean for us today? Everybody I know is going through a trial of some kind. Everyone here is waiting for something from God – a dream to come true, the right person to come into your life, a problem to turn around, a healing to manifest, a person to turn to the Lord.
GOD is writing a story with your face on the cover of the book. You are not the victim in God’s story – you are the victor. If you are facing trials that seem too much for you – don’t voice things like “I can’t take this anymore, This, is too much for me – I am overwhelmed!” You are lying to yourself and empowering a lie every time you voice these things. You are fighting against God when you say these things and aligning yourself with the enemy’s words and plans.
The truth is God would not have allowed it, if you couldn’t handle it. Scripture says, “God is faithful and will not allow you to be tempted above that which you are able.” I Cor. 10:13
Instead start saying to yourself, “God is faithful and will not allow me to be overwhelmed. I am well able to deal with all of this because of the anointing of God upon my life!”
You have to use your mouth as a weapon for you instead of using it as a weapon against you and against God. It’s easy to give in to complaining or the way you feel. It takes no effort, just open your mouth and let it fly! Say what you feel, say whatever you think! No, that is exactly how the enemy would like you to live.
- You are called to walk by faith and not by just sight or feelings. The truth is whatever trial is in your life, since God did not stop it from happening, He has given you the anointing to be able to handle it. Paul learned what we have to learn and say:
“I can do all things through Christ (The Anointing) that gives me strength.” Phil. 4:13
You are anointed for the all the trials God allows to come your way.
You are anointed to raise your children. I know you get tired. I know you want to quit. But someone else cannot do what you can do! You are anointed to do the things that God has assigned to your life. I can’t do what you are anointed to do. You can’t do what I am anointed to do. It is not how smart we are or how disciplined, it is the anointing God gave to each of us to be able to fulfill our assignment.
Ill. You’ve already made it through some sticky situations. Satan has tried to kill you, or get you to do it yourself in some way. He attacks everyone, but especially the anointed ones (Christians). But his attacks do not stick on you, and you get through things because, of the anointing on you.
Pic of spider
The spider spins a sticky web that anything that touches it get stuck to it. But the spider’s body has a special oil that flows down his legs so he can slide easily across the same web everyone else gets stuck in. You could say that he does not get stuck because of the anointing that is on his life.
You can say the same thing about your life. God has put an anointing on your life. Attacks and trouble come from all sides. But what brings other people down – doesn’t stick to you.
- You get laid off from work – instead of getting stuck in depression and self pity, keep moving to a better job.
- You get a bad report from the doctor – because you have the anointing on you, you stay in faith – keep moving. You have strength that you did not know
Bottom line: God is faithful to you, you are well able because you are anointed for this.
“Do not be frightened or intimidated by your enemies. For your fearlessness is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your deliverance and salvation from God.” Phil. 1:28 Amp/Mev
- Enemy attacks you with cancer, sudden debt, wayward child, trouble. You use to fall to pieces when this type trial happened. But now you are not intimidated by your enemy. Why? You have history with God. You know by experience that God is faithful to you. No longer are you going to let enemy steal your joy. Life here is too short for that. You are not going to be intimidated any longer with the threat of death, loss, fear, of what may or may not happen.
But what if things don’t turn out like you are hoping?
Ill. Like the 3 Hebrew children in days of Daniel as they faced the threat of death from being thrown into fiery furnace for not bowing and paying homage to an idol the king erected. The king admired their zeal and did not want to kill them and gave them one last opportunity to think about it and give him their answer. Listen to their response:
“Your majesty, we don’t need more time to think about this. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace. . . but if He does not, be it known unto you that we will not serve your gods or your idols.” Daniel 3:17-18
True faith in God will have a “But if He does not” clause in it.
Because we can’t predict how or when God will bring us through, but He is faithful.
Attacks come, trials come, troubles come to everyone but your anointing breaks every yoke. The enemy tries to collar you and pull you away from faith and trusting God.
God never wastes our pain – only we do. Through life experiences we are learning to remain calm when adversity comes.
“Blessed is the man whom You discipline and instruct and teach from Your Word, that You may grant him [POWER TO KEEP HIMSELF CALM] and find peace in the days of adversity. . .” Psalm 94:12-13
Concl: 3 words is all you need to make it through any trial or hardship you are facing today.
God is faithful.
And for us who know this is truth, and this truth has set us free from panic and worry and fear. These 3 words that we should be often speaking to ourselves give rise to 3 other words we shout out every Easter. These 3 words are:
He is risen!
Together these words give us power to fight back any enemy that tries to intimidate us. Another Easter – another opportunity to rise and say,
God is faithful – He is risen!
I made it through the tough times because – God is faithful – He is risen. He is alive.
I will make it through this trial I am in today because – God is faithful and He is risen. Whatever you will have to face in the days ahead – you can over come it because of this truth proclaimed here today – God is faithful – He is risen!