Is Not My Word Like Fire? Why Faith-Filled Words Get Results

Sermon outline

Because every believer has the measure of faith and the spirit of faith, and God's Word abiding in them is fire, the prayers and confessions they speak in faith are words of fire that God answers.

1. Faith works by love, and receiving means seizing

   Recapping Sunday, he reminds them that faith works by love, and that 'receive' in Mark 11:24 means to catch, seize and run away with it. Christianity is not hit and miss: you must understand how the Word works to make it work. Not everyone who hears the Word seizes it, because they come distracted; hunger is something you create, a capacity within you to receive, so take heed how you hear and come as a student with your Bible and notes. Results are a process, not overnight.

   Illustration: An athlete does not get big muscles overnight, and no one goes from 'size 49 to 29' by skipping one meal; people give one offering and expect a miracle the next morning.

   “Hunger is something you create.”

   • Galatians 5:1-6
   • Mark 11:24
   • Mark 4:24
   • Hebrews 5:12-14

2. Filled with all the fullness of God

   Paul prays that believers be strengthened with might in the inner man, rooted and grounded in love, and filled with the fullness of God. Christians have the potential for the same measure but do not all have it; it depends on how they receive the Word, pray, give, walk in love and stay free of offence. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly 'according to the power that worketh in us', so your results depend on that measure, and you can grow from asking to God answering even your thoughts. If you have lost your confidence before God, go back and pick it up.

   “God is committed to answering your prayers.”

   • Ephesians 3:14-21

3. Number one: you have the measure of faith

   God has dealt to every man the measure of faith, so you can never say you do not know whether you have faith. It was imparted to your spirit when you were born again; you can build on it, but you already have it.

   “When you were born again, faith was imparted into your spirit.”

   • Romans 12:3

4. Number two: the spirit of faith believes, then speaks

   Faith is a spirit. 'I believed, therefore have I spoken' puts believing first: many speak without first believing and get no result. Believe in your heart, then speak what you want to see, morning and night, in the shower and before the mirror, because you walk by faith and not by sight.

   “Don't wait to see, then say. First say, then see.”

   • 2 Corinthians 4:13
   • Romans 10:10
   • Mark 11:23
   • 2 Corinthians 5:7

5. Ask, and it shall be given: God is no respecter of persons

   Jesus did not say 'ask and I'll see whether I have it in store'. God neither slumbers nor sleeps, and as Peter discovered, He is no respecter of persons: if He answered Abraham, Moses, Jacob, David, Samuel and Elijah, a man of like passions, He will answer you, because He honours faith.

   Illustration: Many years ago he would ask and then doubt, and never saw a result, until he kept finding scriptures like this and gained the confidence to receive when he says amen.

   “Jesus didn't say, Ask and I'll see whether I have it in store.”

   • Matthew 7:7
   • James 1:6-8
   • Psalm 121:4
   • Acts 10:34
   • James 5:17

6. Serve the Lord yourself: rejoice, be patient, keep praying

   No pastor can love God, come to church, give or walk in love for you; your walk with God is personal. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, because every trial that has a start date has an end date, and be instant in prayer, because unlike those without God you have Jehovah Jireh and Jehovah Rapha to call on.

   Illustration: 'I can't take your shower.'

   “If it starts, it must come to an end.”

   • Romans 12:7-12

7. Ask the Father in My name

   Jesus said whatever you ask the Father in His name, He will give it, so pray to the Father in the name of Jesus, your advocate. He quotes a Greek scholar's reading of the verse: 'If you ask me for something and I don't have it, I will create it for you.' You are not a beggar but a child of the King, so when you pray for healing, do not go by the pain you still feel; go by the Word.

   “You're not a beggar.”

   • John 16:23

8. If My words abide in you

   When you abide in Christ and His words abide in you, you ask what you will and it is done, because it is not only you asking: the words inside you are making the demand. The crying days are over; you come boldly as the son or daughter of a king.

   “It's not only you asking, it's the words inside that's making the demand.”

   • John 15:7

9. Is not My word like a fire?

   God's words abiding in you are not ordinary words but words of fire, with quickening power to heal, prosper and work miracles. So when you pray you speak out of the measure of faith, by the spirit of faith, and with fire: never doubt your words again. Out of your belly flow rivers of living water; as Christ's ambassador you speak in His stead, angels respond to your confession, and like Elisha's servant you can know that those with you are more than those against you.

   Illustration: He lines up people across the front, stands away from them without looking or touching, speaks a word, and they fall under the power of God. Other businesses may be quiet, but you send out words of fire: 'contracts come to me, I'm going to have a bonus month.'

   “They are words that have quickening power.”

   • Jeremiah 23:29
   • Hebrews 4:12
   • John 7:38
   • 2 Corinthians 5:20
   • Hebrews 1:14
   • 2 Kings 6:15-17

10. Believe His prophets and stay planted

    'Believe in the Lord your God, so shall you be established; believe His prophets, so shall you prosper.' Honouring the man of God is honouring the anointing on him. Satan always tries to disconnect people from their pastor and church, because the local church is God's oasis in the desert where you find refuge, healing and the anointing to prosper, and the gospel must be preached with power. Believe God for your own car and house; you have a big God.

    Illustration: The world is like a desert full of dryness, and in the middle God has put His church like an oasis: 'if you don't want to be scorched in the heat, go to my house.'

    “You're not just honoring the man. You're honoring the anointing on the man.”

    • 2 Chronicles 20:20

11. A burning fire shut up in my bones

    Jeremiah could not keep quiet because God's word was like a fire shut up in his bones. That is where God wants believers: words of fire so that their prayers are passionate and shake the heavens. Angels surround them, and no plot or curse against them can work, because when the devil looks at a believer he sees a ball of fire.

    “When he sees you, he sees a ball of fire.”

    • Jeremiah 20:9
    • Psalm 91:10

12. So mightily grew the word of God

    A young man cleanses his way by taking heed to the Word, hiding it in his heart and asking God to open his eyes. In Ephesus the word of God grew mightily and prevailed because people put it into practice: those who believed brought their costly books of magic and burned them publicly.

    “You know how the word of God prevailed? They put it into practice.”

    • Psalm 119:9
    • Psalm 119:11
    • Psalm 119:18
    • Acts 19:18-20