Preached by Andrew Smellie, January 13, 2008

I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!

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The world has broken the sound barrier. The world in its lust has also broken just about every sin barrier. We as believers of our great God must live and die everyday to break the DOUBT BARRIER! Do we look at doubt as a choice we make to harden our hearts? (Hebrews 3:7-15) Instead of being victims to insecurity, people-pleasing and fear–God wants us to kill these doubt barriers with his grace and truth. Andrew challenged us to think about the kind of a life we could live when we live by faith . . . with no fear!

“Unbelieving Believers” preached by Andrew Smellie
Sunday, January 13, 2008

Romans 10:14-17
Question: Do you believe in the power of God and His Word?
Question: Do you believe with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength?
• You got to get open, honest and real in order to flex your spiritual muscles.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Question: When was the last time that you meditated on this Scripture throughout the week?
• God has the power to do what He said He would do.
• Think positive that God will work.
• You cannot act with a purpose if you do not have belief in God.
• As a disciple of Jesus Christ, you can come to church but it can end up being an empty tradition.
Question: Do you walk out with more faith after church than you did walking in?
Question: What are you doing here?
Question: Are you here to strengthen your faith?
Question: Are you here only because you know that it is the right thing to do?

John 8:31-32
Question: Do you believe that?
• Your beliefs should cause you to act.
• By your actions, you show how much you believe.

Acts 11:26
• To be a Christian or better said, to be Christ-like, you have to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
• The term “Christian” is used only three times in the New Testament of the Bible and the word “disciple” was used two hundred and seventy times in the New Testament of the Bible. And the term “Believer” is used 28 times.
Question: Do you believe?
Question: Are you really a believer?
• Your faith pleases God, not your actions.

Isaiah 54:6

Romans 1:5
• You cannot do something without believing.
• If you have faith in God, then the actions will come.
• You can do deeds but then all of a sudden it stops because there is no more faith.
• You can do deeds that are empty.
Question: How is your spiritual lung capacity for God?
Question: Is your breathing labored because it is so hard to get the faith in you?
Question: Have you run out of faith?
• You need other disciples of Jesus Christ in your life desperately.

Hebrews 3:7-19
• You need other disciples of Jesus Christ to stay spiritually fit.
• The Old Testament is the physical manifestation of the spiritual principles of the New Testament.
Question: Do you want to rely on God or do you want to go back to the world?
• God will test your faith.
• A lack of faith can take you out.
• You can still come to church but yet you fell away in your heart a long time ago.
Question: Do you have people in your life daily?
Question: Where is your confidence?
Question: How much do you believe in the power of God and His Word?
• You start justifying your sin.
• You need people in your life.
• You need help to get you out of your rebellious nature.
• Your lack of faith hurts God.
• When you lack faith, it hurts God.

1. Trust in God’s promises, not in people’s praise.
John 4:39-42
• Your belief can be based on people.
Question: Where does your confidence come from?
• Your security is not based on what people think of you.
• Words can have an impact on people.
• Sometimes you believe because of people’s experiences.
Question: Do you believe because you are seeking out the Word everyday?
Question: Are your convictions based on the Word of God?
Question: Do you believe because of your own faith?
Question: How do you react when a close friend of yours leaves God?
Question: Does your faith decrease or do you get indignant because of the sin in people’s lives?
Question: Is your faith in God or is it in people?
Question: What is your conviction?
Question: What would you do if everyone else around you decided to be lukewarm?

John 5:39-44
Question: Is your security in other people’s opinions of you or is your security in God?
• You have got to come to Jesus Christ.
• You can just read the Bible and stop believing in what it says.
• The future of your salvation is based on your humility.
• If you do not share your faith, then it is a lot harder to call someone else to do so.
• You are so concerned about what other people think of you that you lose your rest on God’s promises.
• Make the decision to put your faith in God.
• Focus on pleasing God who knows who you are and what He wants you to become.

2. Choose fervent faith, not feverish fear.
Mark 9:14-19
• Sometimes you are too smart for your own good.
• FEAR is False Expectations Appearing Real.
• Everyone chooses faith or fear every time.
• When something is hard, you need a hammer to break it.
• Your heart needs to be softened.

Proverbs 27:5-6
• If you have confidence in God, then you say, “Amen!”
• You got to be careful.

Mark 9:20-29
Question: How do you respond?
• Jesus still tried to help with the faith of the boy’s father.
Question: Is that your heart?
• The issue is the unbelief.
Question: Are you asking for help or do you think that you can do it on your own.
• You have to love.
• It is an issue of love.
• When you stop loving someone - that is when you stop giving.
• God has given you all of the power.
• You have to pray with faith.
• You need to give thanks.
Question: Are you being open and honest with each other everyday?
Question: How is your faith today?

1 Corinthians 10:13
• If you are frustrated and/or overwhelmed, then you do not have faith.
• “Fear is the devil’s faith.”
• Belief does not mean that you are a Christian. (James 2:19)
Question: What would happen to you if you lived without any fear?
• It is a daily battle to be faithful.
• God will put you in a place where you can only be faithful.
• If you are not wrestling in prayer, then you will not have the faith. (Joshua 1:8)

3. Live a life of passionate prayer, not powerless pride.
Jeremiah 10:23-25
• He wanted direction and correction.
• When you are not faithful and strong in God, then you are destroying the faith of others.
Question: Is God leading you?
Question: Are you asking God to help you to be the man that you need to be?
Question: Why struggle with pride?
• People who are not praying are straying.
• Get on your knees and pray.
Question: What if this was the last sermon that you heard?

2 Corinthians 12:7-10
• God wants to humble you in your pride.
Question: How passionate are you in prayer?
Question: Are you pleading to God about your sin?
Question: What does God have to do to make you pray?
• So often it is not until you are humbled that you pray.
Question: How defensive are you?
• You need to boast about your weaknesses.
Question: How deep is your prayer life?
• You can break the doubt barrier!
• Doubt destroys and delays faith.
• Faith destroys doubt.
Question: What is holding you back?

Galatians 2:20-21
Question: Have you crucified your sinful nature to the cross?
• You do not know yourself unless you know Jesus Christ.
• You find yourself by finding Jesus Christ and then you will know how sinful you really are.
Question: Are you living a life of faith?
Question: Does it matter who you please if you displease God?
Question: Does it matter who you displease if you please God?
Question: How do you build that wall? (Nehemiah)
• You build it with souls with Jesus Christ as the foundation and the Rock.
“How shall I feel at the judgment, if multitudes of missed opportunities pass before me in full review, and all my excuses prove to be disguises of my cowardice and pride?”
— Dr. W. E. Sangster
• Do not be an unbelieving believer.

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