How to Be a World Changer | Using Your Faith

You are listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast supported by harvest partners for more ways to deepen and challenge your spiritual walk and roll and pastor breaks free online courses sign@harvest.org world changers of and not the vein today pastor Greg Laurie points out how we can let our light shine and change the world and he explains to Dave Ray is an essential ingredient. Faith is given to us to use just read what Bella and the more you use your faith, the more they you will have a lots of user. You said or without you imagine fried chicken whole chicken. Some ingredients are prerequisites to getting Greg Laurie points out, our job is to influence the world around us see today. God calls us to change the world. There's a must have ingredient in all your Bible and turned chapter 11. Let's all pray together now father we pray as we open your word that we will discover how we can be a world changer instead of the world changing us speak to us from your word. We in Jesus name, amen. Question what you see when you look in the mirror if you're like me you don't always like what you see, especially if it's a magnifying mirror. It's been said mirrors don't lie. Lucky for you, they don't laugh either." Right well I want to talk to you about how God looks at you. How the Lord sees you.

When I look at myself I see weakness. God sees potential I see what I am God sees what I can be.

I see the past God sees the future maybe I see a lump of clay. God sees a beautiful sculpture. I see a blank canvas.

God sees of van Gogh. I see a lump of coal. God sees a sparkling diamond I see a vacillating unsure Simon God sees an apostle Peter you see here I see you persecuting Saul of Tarsus and God sees mighty men of God, named Paul, so maybe we think of ourselves as zeros but the truth is God can make us into heroes.

Hebrews Chapter 11 is basically the hero's Hall of Fame at the collection of a very interesting group of men and women that went out and change their world they were ordinary people just like you and me, but they did extraordinary things they they face adverse circumstances like we do, but they rose above their circumstances and change their world. It was set up the first century church. They turned their world upside down. By the way, that was not meant as a compliment. I think in many cases for some Christians the world is turning us upside down and set up us turning our world upside down. So I want you to discover how you can be a world changer.

The operative word in Hebrews 11 is that these were men and women of faith, it's not because they were great people that there were included in the hero's Hall of Fame. It's because they had faith in a great God anything about some of the people that made the cut Gideon was a frightened farmer when the angel of the Lord called him to be a mighty warrior to deliver Israel. Moses he was a fugitive from justice when the Lord called him at the burning bush and we think of so many others who were called and were such flawed individuals think about Abraham.

We think of him as the father of faith but yet we know that he lied about his wife twice quite a lack of faith in his part, I might add that son Isaac did the same thing Sarah. She makes it into the hero's Hall of Fame.

Yet she laugh at the promise of God. Then she denied it already alluded to Moses he lost his temper. He killed a man. David makes it into the hero's Hall of Fame, but he committed adultery, and then he tried to cover it up and effectively committed murder. Sampson also made it in Hebrews 11 and he was very a moral lesson.

These winners didn't always collect metals. Sometimes they collected scars but not one mention is made of their failures in Hebrews 11. I find that interesting.

So here's what we learned from that his God was seeing them for what they would become not just what they were. Maybe you've messed up in life.

Maybe you feel like your story is over. That's not true.

God can change your story, God can change the narrative the trajectory that your life is taking and if we learn nothing else from Hebrews 11 we see that that God can use flawed people. So let's read Hebrews 11 verse one and get a definition of the operative word in all of their lives, which is faith. Hebrews 11 one says faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Working to discover now 10 principles about how you can be a world changer.

So if you're taking notes here is point number one world changers have an active not a passive faith say that again, for emphasis world changers have an active not a passive faith. Listen, the more you use your faith is stronger. It grows after admit it's been a while since I've been to a gym but a back when I was going to the gym.

I remember this one guy. He had worked out he hit a sculpted physique. You know, just holding biceps and abs that everything was going right with this guy but for some reason I don't know why he had the skinniest little legs you've ever seen was like this massive upper body and like chicken will fix that.

I don't know what he thought will legs no matter I will work on my legs and and that's how it can be with some of en suite.

We worked out in some areas but we don't work out another's.

So here's the thing you need to understand faith is like a muscle, the more you use it the stronger it becomes.

But some of us treat our faith like fragile leg, oats, and they don't don't drop it. It's like when I go to the market. If I have three bags of groceries and their filled with canned things and you know, vegetables, and bread. If I drop one of those bags I'm telling you Murphy's Law guarantees that I'll always drop the bad, and as the eggs in it right so eggs are fragile.

We think faith is fragile, but it is not fragile. Faith is given to us to use just stretch to flex to develop and the more you use your faith, the more faith you will have.

If you neglect your faith, it will atrophy. If you use your faith, it will go stronger.

Listen to this use it or lose it.

Jude 120 says as he see their friends, build yourself up in your most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit stained in the center of God's love keeping your arms open ready for the mercy of our master Jesus Christ. Notice the emphasis there is on faith doing things. Faith is praying. Faith is staying. Faith is keeping faith is active big trend right now is four-wheel-drive vehicles I read recently that half of all vehicles that are sold have four-wheel-drive capacity. That's nice if you live in Montana or Colorado put a lot of these people don't do any four wheeling, but then they'll jack your vehicle love and put huge wheels and tires on it, you know, and when they pull up behind you at the life you're looking at their chassis in your rearview mirror and and maybe you'll talk to one of them is her putting gas in and say wow that that's an amazing vehicle viewed a lot of off-road in the city you kidding you know much I spent on this thing, all while you don't off-road it all know I'm on my way to the car wash to just keep it really clean. See, here's a sad thing. You have a vehicle that is designed for four-wheel-drive capacity and you're not using it in the same is true about God has given us his faith to use, but we don't use it, we neglected we have it in our little display case. Our faith is all show and no go. But world changers have an active not a passive faith point number two world changers do things with their faith. They do things with their faith in Hebrews 11 we read these words. Abel offered a sacrifice. Noah prepared an ark. Abraham obeyed Abraham offered up Isaac. You see, they did things with their faith was in the best of faith that has no works, is a faith that does not work. James says faith without works is dead, bringing me to point number three. The faith we need is a world changer grow stronger through testing. I don't know about you but most of us don't like to be tested doing it's been said Christians are a lot like teabags you don't know what they're made of into you put them in hot water. Maybe you're in the hot water if you will, of temptation right now or the hot water of some kind of testing and your stated this is trying my faith that I don't know but I can get through that subject him starting to lose my faith. Listen to this. The faith that cannot be tested is that faith that cannot be trusted. If you have real faith in God, your faith will grow stronger through adversity and difficulty not weaker were told in James one, when all kinds of trials and temptations crowding in on you, brothers, don't treat them as intruders but friends realize they've come to test your faith and produce in you a quality of Lawrence Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment. Many listeners write or call us sharing their stories of how these daily studies in God's word make an impact on lives through your a lot of through medical appointment.

I keep the radio on your end of the word for the very first and have you give your life who found in the word that were giving your very much God bless. What an encouragement to know the pastor Greg's messages are touching lives in some unexpected ways. Do you have a comment to share with pastor Greg. If so, call 1-866-871-1144. That's 866-871-1144 will today. Pastor Greg is pointing out how faith is the key to living a life that draws others to Christ.

Let's continue all right where we get faith.

Point number four we get it by reading and understanding the word of God.

Romans 1017 says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

So right now you are building your faith. That is if you're listening to me for attention. Are you listening if you are in your thinking about what Scripture says against strength and then build your faith, the more I read the Bible, the stronger my faith can become so we want to be looking into the word of God and then point number five. Listen, this is a big one. Faith can make the difference between something happening and not happen, then repeat that parenthesis faith can make the difference between something happening and not happening. I we see so many instances in this Scripture. There was one woman that was praying for her daughter and Jesus answered her prayer. Then he said to her, woman, great is your faith, it will be done as you desire to. She put her faith into action. She was persistent with their faith in Jesus granted her request and commended her for her faith, but yet we also read Jesus could do no mighty works in the home town he lived in of Nazareth because of their unbelief Jesus ago to some cities and miracles would happen. Demons would come out of people, the blind would receive their sites and the deaf would hear again.

The lepers would be cured but he goes to Nazareth. There like Jesus we remember him when he was knee-high to a grasshopper should be say a locust. Yes, we remember him working out the carpenter shop with Joseph. We knew that kid will so what that kid was God incarnate who was the Messiah, but they didn't appreciate that about Jim and so they doubted him immediately.

Well, no miracles were done there.

We can stop the work of God in our life by unbelief.

Unbelief is a thief and you see in Scripture how God works through people exercising their faith to produce amazing things God could have parted the Red Sea by his own power, he did need Moses to hold up instead Follett was a staff in need. Moses sent a stick to the Lord could've done it, but he said Moses hold up your staff and see the work of the Lord God could have also done many things like bring fire down from heaven on the altar when Elijah was facing off of the profits of bail. He didn't need Elijah to call for that fire, but the Lord wants us to exercise our faith. The Lord wants us to be a part of this process, so you need to call out to him.

The Bible tells a story of amending Barta Massey was blind and Jesus was coming through his town and someone said the Barta mass Jesus is coming so Bart Emmaus.

He says Jesus son of David, have mercy on me, H don't bother Jesus. So was he do, he gets louder. Jay's son of David, have mercy on me, Jesus turns like will resist you know you read that verse in the Bible that says the squeaky wheel gets the oil that's on a verse in the Bible. But the thing that some validity. Barta mass was the squeaky wheel Jesus turned on. Okay what you need.

I want to be healed of blindness and Jesus healed amusing faith being used again and that is the definitive principle of Hebrews 11. These people use their faith. Hebrews 11 success without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. Listen what God did in the lives of people years ago. He can still do in the lives of people today.

God wants to do something fresh in our generation. Let me personalize that God wants to work in your life. He wants to work in your home. He wants to work in your sphere of influence heard about a mom who was really an exciting Bible stories to her little daughter and one night the little girl said mommy. It seems like God was a lot more exciting back then will you know. Maybe it's because we don't apply faith.

These men and women took risks and God bless and let's read a little more about them.

Hebrews 1133 to 35 it says by faith.

These people overthrew kingdoms. They ruled with justice, they receive a guarded promise them. They shut the mouths of lions and quench the flames of fire.

The escaped death by the edge of the sword, their weakness was turned to strength.

They became strong in battle and put a whole army as the flight women receive their loved ones back from death that brings me to principle number six world changers are indestructible until God is done with them world changers are indestructible until God is done with them. Worrying about when you're going to die. That is in the hands of God. The Bible says it's appointed under women. Once diamond comes the judgment it's going to happen at the appointed hour. So if you're freaking out about it and stressing about it all the time you're wasting a lot of energy you live as long as God wants you to live.

Not a day longer.

But then again, your life will not be cut short. If God wanted to go on longer. Your indestructible until God is done with you illustration) Hebrews 11 verse 33 they shut the mouths of lions. Now one biblical character comes to mind when we think of lions.

Can you guess who it is it's Daniel well know the story of Daniel in the lion's den. You remember Daniel was a prophet of the Lord in he was serving King Darius who ruled Babylon inside Darius really leaned on Daniel for his counsel.

He was a man of integrity, godly man, and these other guys who were advising the King didn't like Daniel think this guy is getting all the king's attention.

We gotta get rid of him and they knew the only way they could get Daniel out of power was to find something connected to his faith because Daniel had this amazing habit. Every day he prayed, so they got the king to unwittingly sign the decree that no one could pray to any God except the king for 40 days and the decree was signed and it was a lot. No more praying and Babylon. Daniel heard about… Interesting. And he went home and open up is Windows like he always did, prayed, he was arrested and he was thrown into a den of lions because he violated the king's order, but I'll tell you what the Bible tells us the king had a sleepless night, despite the comforts of his palace. Meanwhile, Daniel slept like a baby in a den of hungry lions, you probably said hey Simba, pure only use your stomach as a fellow in you know Leo on the front. My feet up on you and he went to sleep.

He slept like a baby and I just reminds us of the simple fact better to be in a lion's den with God than anywhere else. Without him, and he was better off in a lion's den and the king was in a palace and Daniel said to the king.

My God is sent his angel to deliver me so my point is simply that God wasn't done with Daniel yet. And God is not done with you so you trust him. Greg Laurie presenting 10 characteristics of world changers today here on a new beginning. We've completed the first six on the list and will have the rasters. This message continues with pastor Greg listeners to a new beginning our Bible students.

They know the Scripture, but there's a lot of symbolism in Bible prophecy, you studied the subject.

A great deal yes how much of that symbolism. Do we know for sure what it means and how much of it is open to interpretation were godly people do disagree well I think it's very important to understand Bible prophecy. There are constant expectations to understand these things Jesus when he was speaking of an event called the abomination of desolation said, let the reader under Stanton.

In the book of Thessalonians. Paul writing to the believers there.

He says brothers I would not have you be ignorant that he went on to talk about the rapture so we don't want to be ignorant. We want to understand and the very word revelation means to on veil now. There are different ways that we can view these truths and I think godly people can and they do frankly disagree on some of these think know my position is I believe that there is an event called the rapture that could happen at any moment. I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture.

Now the tribulation period is last seven years starts with the emergence of antichrist.

It ends with the return of Jesus Christ. I don't believe we as Christians will go through the tribulation. I believe will be ruptured before that time comes now that belief alone will affect you in the way that you live because of you believe you could be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and you see the signs of the time showing how close the tribulation. Could potentially be you realize of the tribulation.

Is close, then the rapture of the church is even closer so I can use the illustration of sing Christmas decorations up and you know the goats overly now.is it August or something. I can't believe Christmas decorations are up against.

What if I see the decorations for Christmas going up.

It says this Thanksgiving is coming casino. Greg gets his Christmas is coming though I know but if Christmas is coming Thanksgiving is coming even sooner because Thanksgiving precedes Christmas doesn't it. So the point of it all is if I see signs of the times out there telling me that the tribulation period is coming and that means that Jesus is coming even sooner for his church. That belief alone will affect you in the way that you live I talk about that and a lot more in this book called Revelation, a book of promises.

It's hard cover. It's a thick one. This is going to be a resource that you keep in the home and hopefully you consulted again and again in my prayer and my hope is it will help unlock this great book. The final book of the Bible, the only book of the Bible. I might add it as a special blessing, promise to the person who reads cheers and keeps the words of it and I want you to get this book I've written simply called Revelation, a book of promises will send it to you for your gift of any size and hears Dave to tell you more. What I do very much yes or substantial commentary from Pastor Greg more than 400 pages in length. If you been less than clear in your understanding of last days events.

You need to get this resource. A Dave let me jump in really quick and not only are we offering this book. Revelation about the promises, but we have this really cool graphic bookmark that we have put together that gives you a timeline of end times events so you probably wondered okay I know I've heard about the rapture and the tribulation. In the antichrist and the second coming. What happens when will this very beautiful little visual bookmark sort of lease it out for you that's included in the book you're talking about right now. Yeah that's right it comes automatically to get in touch with your donation today and will thank you with a copy of Revelation, a book of promises and will only be able to mention this resource. A short time longer. Just call us at 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24 seven phone number 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest God for next time more insight on those 10 characteristics of world changers, but inspiration that instruction critical time.

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