5 – Foundations Faith Recognizing And Trusting God’s Word

Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, “Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury.” ³ But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’ ⁴ Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’” So Elijah went… 2 Kings 1 (NIV)

Lessons Learned From A Misguided King:

1. I must realize the DANGERS of listening to the WRONG

This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. “Man of God,” he begged, “please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants! ¹⁴ See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!” 2 Kings 1:13b-14 (NIV)

NOTE: 103 men died because of a lack of FAITH.

…Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. ¹⁴ For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. ¹⁵ Remember what it says: “Today when you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.” ¹⁶ And who was it who rebelled against God, even though they heard His voice? Wasn’t it the people Moses led out of Egypt? ¹⁷ And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness? ¹⁸ And to whom was God speaking when He took an oath that they would never enter His rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed Him? ¹⁹ So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter His rest. Hebrews 3:12b, 14-19 (NLT)

GREEK WORD FOR FAITH = PISTIS

Saving faith is belief that LISTENS to & OBEYS God’s word.

2. I must FAMILIARIZE myself with SCRIPTURE.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

…his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” John 10:4b-5 (NIV)

3. I must choose God’s voice over FRIENDS & FAMILY.

Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. ⁵² He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, because he followed the ways of his father and mother and of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. ⁵³ He served and worshiped Baal and aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, just as his father had done. 1 Kings 22:51-53 (NIV)

4. I must resist the ALLURE of ADVICE SHOPPING.

I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. ³⁰ Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. Acst 20:29-30 (NIV)

My loved ones, I warn you: do not trust every spirit. Instead, examine them carefully to determine if they come from God, because the corrupt world is filled with the voices of many false prophets.1 John 4:1 (VOICE)

To Test A Spirit Or Voice I Should Ask…

1. Does It AGREE With The BIBLE?

He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” Mark 11:17 (NLT)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Luke 21:33 (NIV)

Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. Galatians 1:8 (NLT)

2. Does It CHALLENGE Me To Be More Like JESUS?

Whoever says that he lives in God must live as Jesus lived. 1 John 2:6 (NCV)God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. 1 Corinthians 1:30a (NLT)

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. ¹⁵ Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. James 3:14-17 (NIV)

3. Do Mature, Godly Leaders CONFIRM Or DENY It?

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16 (ESV)

Without wise guidance, a nation falls; but victory is certain when there are plenty of wise counselors. Proverbs 11:14 (VOICE)Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. Hebrews 13:17 (ESV)