Faith
Faith in God is trusting Him and believing His Word, which is essential for the Christian life.
Zac Poonen emphasizes the importance of repentance as the first step in the foundation of the Christian life, followed by faith in God. Having faith in God involves trusting Him and believing His Word above our feelings or the opinions of others. Poonen highlights three key facts about God: His infinite love, absolute wisdom, and Almighty power, urging believers to trust Him wholeheartedly. Drawing from the story of Eve in the garden of Eden, he illustrates how a lack of faith led to disobedience and separation from God.
Text
Repentance is the first part of the foundation of the Christian life. Faith is the second.
To have faith in God means to trust Him and to believe what He has said in His Word, in spite of what our feelings may tell us or what other people may tell us. It's as simple as that.
Here are three facts concerning God: (1) He loves us infinitely; (2) He is absolutely wise; and (3) He is Almighty.
Is it difficult to believe these facts? No. Well, then it shouldn't be difficult for us to trust God with all our hearts.
When Eve listened to the voice of Satan in the garden of Eden, it was a failure of faith. She didn't believe that God's commands were for her good. She disobeyed God because she didn't have faith in His perfect love for her.
Sermon Outline
- Faith Defined
- Trust in God
- Believe God's Word
- Overcome feelings and opinions
Key Quotes
“To have faith in God means to trust Him and to believe what He has said in His Word, in spite of what our feelings may tell us or what other people may tell us.” — Zac Poonen
Application Points
- We should trust God with all our hearts, as He is infinitely loving, wise, and Almighty.
- Faith in God's Word is essential for overcoming feelings and opinions that contradict it.
- Disobedience, like Eve's in the garden of Eden, is a failure of faith that can be avoided by trusting God's perfect love.