Principles of Fulfillment
LAUGHING AT THE IMPOSSIBLE
Memory Verse: (Heb 11:1 NIV) Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Text: (Mark 11:12-14 NIV) The next day as they were leaving Bethany
(Mark 11:20-24 NIV) In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. {21} Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!" {22} "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. {23} "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. {24} Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
INTRODUCTION:
(Gen 18:12 NIV) So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?"
(Gen 18:14 NIV) Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son."
(Jer 32:17 NIV) "Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
I. The Advisement
(Mark 11:22 NIV) "Have faith in God," Jesus answered.
Greek: pistis means conviction, confidence, trust, belief, reliance, trustworthiness and persuasion.
(John 14:12 NIV) I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
“Faith is the bucket of power lowered by the rope of prayer into the well of God's abundance. What we bring up depends upon what we let down. We have every encouragement to use a big bucket.” Virginia Whitman
II. The Analogy
(Mark 11:23 NIV) "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.
Greek: amen, means properly firm, trustworthy, surely, assuredly, verily or so be it.
(James 1:5-7 NIV) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. {6} But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. {7} That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;
(Zec 4:6-7 NIV) So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. {7} "What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!'"
“Faith is believing in advance in something that will only seem logical when seen in reverse.”--Phillip Yancey
(Luke 17:6 NIV) He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.
III. The Assurance
(Mark 11:24 NIV) Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
(Psa 119:89 NIV) Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
(Isa 65:24 NIV) before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.
(1 John 5:14-15 NIV) This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. {15} And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.
(Luke 17:5 NIV) The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"
