PASTOR BERNIE SAMPLES
Topic: God’s Way To Grow In Faith!
SEPTEMBER DEVOTIONAL God’s Way To Grow In Faith!
September 1) Habakkuk 2:4 “…THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” Romans 1:17 “…as it is written, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” Galatians 3:11 “…THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” Hebrews 10:38 “NOW THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH: BUT IF ANY MAN DRAW BACK MY SOUL SHALL HAVE NO PLEASURE IN HIM.”
“The just” means believers that have been “justified” made righteous by the blood of Jesus.
When the Lord repeats Himself this many times in scripture, we need to take heed and do our best to learn and find out how to do what He wants us to do!
Confession: I’m a believer because I have been justified by Jesus blood and I will learn all I can about faith. I will live by faith every day of my life in Jesus Name!
September 2) I always like to let the Bible define important words that it uses. So, let’s see how the Bible defines faith.
Hebrews 11:1 Notice this begins with the words, “Now faith is…” I want to read this verse from the Moffat Translation. “Now faith is being confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.”
Amplified Translation “Now faith is… perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.”
Put this Bible definition of faith with “the just shall live by faith” and it would look like this, “The just live bybeing confident of what they hope for, convinced of what they do not see, and perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to their senses.”
Confession: I’m a believer because Jesus made me righteous through His blood. I live by faith in the Word of God. If the Bible says something, I believe it, I speak it, and I line up my actions with it!
September 3) How do we get faith? Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” There are no short cuts to getting Bible faith. God has no favorite people to bless with more faith than others. Read Romans 10:13-1. The number one way that God has chosen to get more faith is to consistently sit under the preaching/teaching of a God sent preacher.
Confession: I will consistently attend church services and hear the Word of God taught. Because of my obedience my faith will grow.
September 4) Romans 10:6 “But the righteousness which is of FAITH SPEAKS…” Faith always has something to say to get results. What does your FAITH SPEAK?” V8 “… THE WORD is near you, even in your MOUTH, and in your HEART, that is the WORD OF FAITH, which we preach.” The Bible is called “THE WORD OF FAITH” because if builds FAITH in your spirit. But the Word must be in two places to get results, “IN YOUR HEART” and “IN YOUR MOUTH”.
Confession: I will train myself to always speak in line with God’s Word in every situation of life!
September 5) Romans 10:9-10 This is how you received eternal life into your spirit and became a born again Child of God! Let’s read this slowly. “If you CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH that Jesus is Lord and BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For WITH YOUR HEART YOU BELIEVE unto righteousness ; and WITH YOUR MOUTH confession is made unto salvation.” Do you see how the words you speak must agree with God’s Words that are in your heart for your faith to work?
Confession: I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and God raised Him from the dead! That’s how I know that I know I am saved!
September 6) Romans 10:10 “…CONFESSION is made unto SALVATION.” Confession here comes from Greek word “homologia”, that means “ to say the same as”. And salvation comes from word “soteria” and that means ”deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, soundness and health.” So when you heard the Good News that Jesus is Lord, died for your sins and God raised Him from the dead and believed it in your heart and confessed it with your mouth, you were delivered from sin and eternal damnation!
This is the same way you receive healing, deliverance from sin and addictions or anything else the Bible says is yours! 1) Hear what the Bible says. 2) Believe it in your heart. 3) Begin to speak it out of your mouth.
Confession: Make your own confession from the Word of God for what you need in your life.
September 7) 2 Corinthians 4:13 “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I BELIEVED, AND THEREFORE HAVE I SPOKEN; WE ALSO BELIEVE, AND THEREFORE SPEAK.”
The “spirit of faith” is talking about having an attitude, a mindset. When I was in high school we had Pep Rallies sometimes before football or basketball games. They would have us shouting, “ We’ve got the spirit!” It was to fire us up, to be in unity with a winning attitude!
Look at this verse again. You must train yourself to SPEAK frequently what you BELIEVE God is doing in your life!
Confession: Speak out loud your favorite Bible verse or verses that you BELIEVE are coming to pass now!
September 8) Deuteronomy 30:14 “But THE WORD is very nigh unto thee, IN THY MOUTH, and IN THY HEART, THAT THOU MAYEST DO IT”.
It’s a spiritual law, for your faith to work at its highest level, you must make your mouth do its work! Always speak God’s Word out loud to get results!
Confession: I believe in my heart and say with my mouth that ________ is coming to pass in my life! You fill in the blank.
September 9) Read Matthew 8:5-13. The Roman Army Officer told Jesus about his paralyzed servant. He told Jesus he understood natural and spiritual authority. Notice V8 “…SPEAK THE WORD ONLY and my servant shall be healed.” Now look at V13 “ And Jesus said… AS THOU HAS BELIEVED, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed…” No matter what you face in life, always SPEAK THE WORD ONLY if you want to receive all that Jesus has provided in faith you! If you don’t know the Word yet, STUDY AND SPEND MORE TIME READING YOUR BIBLE!
Confession: I always SPEAK THE WORD ONLY in every situation of life!
September 10) Mark 5:25-34 This woman had female problems for twelve years. Been to every doctor she could find. Spent all her money and kept getting worst. Notice V27 “When SHE HAD HEARD OF JESUS…” Remember Romans 10:17 “Faith comes by HEARING GOD’S WORD” then V28 “For SHE SAID…I SHALL BE WHOLE.” V29“ …She felt in her body SHE WAS HEALED of that plague.”
V34 “Jesus said unto her, Daughter, THY FAITH HATH MADE THEE WHOLE…”
How did “her faith “make her whole? She spoke what she believed Jesus would do for her!
Confession: I believe in Jesus Name I receive healing, deliverance, financial provision or whatever the Bible says is mine!
September 11) James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom (or healing, or finances, or anything else the Bible promises), let him ask of God, that giveth to an men liberally…and it (whatever you ask for that the Bible promised) shall be given him.”
V6 “But let him ASK IN FAITH, NOTHING DOUBTING…” Whatever you need from, when you ask IN FAITH WITHOUT DOUBTING, you always receive.
How do your stay in faith and not doubt? Always SPEAK THE WORD ONLY when you’re tempted to doubt.
Confession: When I pray, I believe I receive! I will always speak my faith and not doubt what God’s Word promises!
September 12) Romans 3:27 “…THE LAW OF FAITH…” We live and function in two realms. The spiritual always determines the natural, good or bad. Spiritual laws and natural laws control both realms. Spiritual laws operate similar to natural laws. Under the same conditions they will produce the same results every time without variation. In the physical world, there’s is the law of gravity, law of physics, mathematics, etc. They always produced the same results when you know how to use them. The LAW OF FAITH gets the same results every time when you know how to corporate with it.
Confession: I always hear the Word, believe the Word, speak the Word and then act on the Word! And the word always does what God says it will do!
September 13) Mark 11:22-24 In these three verses Jesus explains the principle of THE LAW OF FAITH! Always remember, FAITH DOESN’T DENY THINGS, FAITH CHANGES THINGS! Read these verses slowly again, especially V23 “…whosoever SHALL SAY…shall believe that those things which HE SAITH shall come to pass ; he shall have whatsoever HE SAITH.”
Confession: Because I have what say, I think before I speak!
September 14) Hebrews 11:1 We know that FAITH means (Moffatt Translation), “We are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.” V3Amplified Bible “By FAITH we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped, for their intended purpose) by the Word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible.“
We are created in God’s image. Ephesians 5:1 “Be imitators of God as dear children imitate their fathers.” God is a “Speaking Spirit. As His sons and daughters, we are “speaking spirits” currently living in earth suites (our physical bodies)! We are to speak words to frame, fashion, put in order and equip our lives with what we need to fulfill His plan and purpose for our lives!
Confession: I speak the Word of God to reach into the spirit realm to pull out everything I need to bring God’s plan and purpose to pass in my life!
September 15) Hebrews 11:4 “BY FAITH (being confident and convinced) Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice…. God testifying of his gifts…” We must always stay conscious of the fact that when we give in an offering, we are giving IN FAITH to God! God calls this “an excellent gift“ to Him!
Confession: I never tithe or give nonchalantly. I always give with purpose from my heart, knowing I’m giving to God!
September 16) Hebrews 11:5 “BY FAITH (Amplified Bible) (Perceiving as real fact what is not revealed that the senses’) Enoch was translated…before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God.”
In Genesis 5:22-24 About all the Bible says about Enoch is, “Enoch walked with God for 365 years.”
Amos 3:3 “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” This tells us that if I want our FAITH TO PLEASE GOD, then every day live our lives in obedience to the Word of God that is real to us.
Confession: I will walk with God every day and always do what I know to do that is right in His sight!
September 17) Hebrews 11:6 Tells us more of how to please God with our FAITH:
1) Believe that God is real. You already believe that because you’re reading this from the Bible.
2) ”He is a rewarder of them that DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM” - diligent: busy, painstaking effort
Confession: My number one goal in life is to put Jesus and living to please Him at the top of my list of “Things to do“ every day.
September 18) Hebrews 11:7 “BY FAITH Noah BEING WARNED OF GOD OF THINGS NOT SEEN AS YET, MOVED WITH FEAR, PREPARED AN ARK TO THE SAVING OF HIS HOUSE…” The Holy Spirit is speaking to our hearts the same things for the time we’re living in! BIBLE PROPHECY OF END TIME EVENTS IS PROBABLY 99.9% FULFILLED!
Stay alert! Prepare your family ark (spiritual place of safety)! Don’t live in spiritual darkness, stay in the Word, in prayer, in church! Be an example of what a real Christian is!
Confession: I’ve been warned from the Bible and the Spiritual Leaders that Jesus has put in my life! I will live in godly reverence and be working on my family ark every day!
September 19) Hebrews 11:8 “BY FAITH Abraham, WHEN he was called…he OBEYED… HE WENT, not knowing where he was going,” Notice “WHEN he was called” Jesus doesn’t want us to go around doing goofy things and making bad decisions. We need to spend quality time with Him in studying our Bible, praying and church attendance so we know in our hearts the WHAT and especially the WHEN for major decisions in His plan and purpose for our lives!
Confession: I will not violate God’s timing and get ahead of His plan for my life. I will seek Him to not only know His “WHAT” but also His “WHEN” before I step out in faith!
September 20) 2 Corinthians 5:7 tells us to “WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT.” To see how, go to Hebrews 12:1-3. I really like V2 in the Amplified Bible. “Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the [Leader and the Source] of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also it’s Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]…”
Jesus is the One that gave us faith to get saved! The only way to grow and mature in our faith is to keep doing what we did when we started! Stay hungry for the Word (John 1:1-3, 14) Jesus is the Word! When you make decisions based upon God’s Word, you are walking by faith not by sight.
Confession: To keep my eyes on Jesus is to keep my eyes on the Word! To keep my eyes on the Word is to keep my eyes on Jesus!
September 21) Galatians 5:6 Amplified Bible “For [if we are] in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only FAITH ACTIVATED and ENERGIZED and EXPRESSED and WORKING THROUGH LOVE.” I was writing a prayer in my journal this week and this came out of my spirit. “Father I want to live out my days to the fullest. WALKING IN LOVE, LIVING BY FAITH, SERVING YOU and HELPING PEOPLE IN THE NAME OF JESUS!”
Confession: Make this your personal goal and confession too!
September 22) Mark 2:1-4 Notice there were four men that had a friend that was paralyzed. They found out Jesus was in a house near them. They knew that Jesus healed the sick. So they made a stretcher and carried the paralyzed man to the house. So many people were crowded in and around the house they couldn’t get in. They didn’t give up! They made a hole in the roof and lowered the man down.
V5 “When JESUS SAW THEIR FAITH…” When you love people so much that you will do anything to help people receive from Jesus, JESUS WILL SEE YOUR FAITH! As you read on to V12 you will see the paralyzed man got up and walked away This is what the Holy Spirit spoke in yesterday’s devotion.
Confession: Father I want to live out my days to the fullest! WALKING IN LOVE and LIVING BY FAITH and HELPING PEOPLE IN THE NAME OF JESUS!
September 23) Matthew 17:20 “… if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible unto you,” Most people teach this as Jesus saying, “ if you had faith the size of a mustard seed “ and that’s probably okay. But the way I first heard it taught has always seemed more right to me. “If you have faith as a mustard seed has faith to believe, ‘just plant me and I will grow’ “ I want to look at another verse to explain. Mark 9:23 “…if you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.” This is the attitude of a believer that understands Bible faith. It’s not the size of the faith that gets results, it’s your believing and speaking God’s Word and expecting it to come to pass!
Confession: Just as a mustard seed expects to grow when planted in good ground, I expect God’s Word in my heart spoken out of my mouth to come to pass.
September 24) Mark 4:35-41 Jesus and His disciples were on a ship going about God’s business. A great storm arose. V39-40 Jesus stood up and took authority over it by speaking faith filled words and the storm stopped! Then basically told them they should have resisted fear and used their faith. Now look at John 14:12“… He that believes on Me; the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.”
Confession: I believe on Jesus so I can do the works of Jesus because He said I could!
September 25) Mark 5:39 “And Jesus arose, and rebuked the wind…and the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” John 14:12 “..he that believes on Me, the works that I do shall he do also…”
In 1992 I was laying down resting on a Sunday afternoon preparing my Sunday night sermon. I got two different phone calls warning me to go to the basement because a tornado was coming. I did what Jesus did. I looked that direction and spoke to it to do no damage to our home or property. It stopped a short way from our place. It did do great damage in a large area on both sides. The Lord told me the next day, “You should have told it to go back up and cause no damage to your neighbors also instead of just your property!” I learned a great lesson about faith for protection for myself and others.
Confession: My faith filled words have power and I will always use them in times of crisis!
September 26) Galatians 2:20 “…Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” No matter what you face in life, always look through the” eyes of the Bible “ and see what Jesus sees! How can you lose when you’re living with Jesus faith inside of you?
Confession: I can handle anything and everything that comes my way because Christ lives in me and I live by the faith of the Son of God!
September 27) Hebrews 11:24-26 Because faith pleases God, He expects us to make right CHOICES when it comes to following His plan and purpose for our life. Faith ALWAYS SAYS “NO” TO SIN AND “YES” TO JESUS AND HIS WORD!
Confession: When I know in my heart what Jesus wants me to do in life, I will do it trusting Him to always be with me and help me.
September 28) Hebrews 11:27-31 Notice that every one of these people facing impossible odds, made the choice to step out in faith! When they did God always showed up to back them up!
James 1:22 It’s not what you hear and know, IT’S WHAT YOU KNOW AND DO THAT GETS RESULTS!
Confession: Father everything that You make real to me from Your Word, I will do from this day forward in Jesus Name!
September 29) 2 Thessalonians 1:3 “… your faith groweth exceedingly…” A lot of what we’ve read this month is summarized in this verse. When you feed on God’s Word, speak His Word every day in every situation and act on it - Your Faith Will Grow Exceedingly!
Confession: My faith is growing because I hear the Word, Speak the Word, and Act on the Word every day!”
September 30) Luke 18:1-7 In this parable Jesus teaches us not to give up on our faith or prayer. I want to finish this month with v8 “…Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall He find FAITH on the earth?” Jesus is always the same, yesterday, today and forever! Throughout all of the gospels He was watching for and rewarded faith. God rewarded faith in the Old Testament. The Book of Acts and all the Epistles teach the value and blessings of living by faith!
Confession: Jesus I know that You are coming again and that You’re looking for believers living by faith. Whether You come in my lifetime or I live to be raptured, it is my purpose in life to always live to the best of my ability every day by Faith in You and Your Word!”