 Hey, welcome back everyone Regret to begin with a question from the beer and then we will move forward in our class lecture if you want to ask your question Yes faster. Thank you. So my question is especially regarding other people While going through difficulties then they go through things that Maybe we gone through and we do not understand completely the depth of their Trouble or suffering How can we encourage them effectively like sometimes I've encountered situations where you know They do not want to hear from you because you you do not completely understand what they have gone through So in such cases like how can we encourage? One is You know just to be there to listen to them, you know sometimes Just the fact that we are there to listen and We may not have answers and then they definitely will be times when we don't have answers But we are there just to Listen to whatever they have to say and sometimes even what they say Is more of an expression of their emotions and their struggles and They just need to share that with somebody I Know the best thing to do is to pray and share our struggles and emotions with God in prayer but sometimes Just to have somebody that You talk to and share that struggle, right? You we're bearing each other's burdens like Galatians Chapter 6 says So that's one thing. It's just to be there and listen and that that that is support that is Being an encouragement to them That's one thing So we may not even need to say anything because them at that point sometimes they're not in a position to They are not in a position to hear And they just need somebody who will be with them to listen to them Second is When they ask specific questions, that's the time to speak encouragement You know just recently Actually, I think two weeks back Yeah, I think two weeks back a Family a young couple lost their baby Five months old Now it was shocking because the baby is the baby looked very normal and they were doing all their regular checkups You know, they went to the hospital They were so excited they had a baby boy They're going to the hospital regularly for all the regular checkups. The doctor no problem at all. No problem at all. Everything was fine Suddenly one day Morning, the baby was gasping So they rushed to the hospital Next day, baby died. I mean there was just no No, nothing. I mean no indication that baby died So the day the baby was gasping and everything they went to the hospital and the doctors are doing the tests and At that time they found out there was That the heart the baby's heart was not formed properly And the doctors were saying we don't even know how the baby survived five months. The baby's not supposed to be alive We don't know how the baby survived five months because You know physiologically the problems with the way the heart was formed and Even before they could like think through on what to do etc. etc. Next day Yeah, if I remember correctly the next day baby died now this was you know, it's which was devastating just devastating and You know, okay, I'm the pastor of course we are a team here Now, how do you comfort somebody like that? What what what can you tell? What answers do you give to a family like that? You know and So, okay, we had to do the funeral. We did the funeral I Didn't say anyone. I didn't say anything other than look, you know, this is we know the babies with Jesus and then I I Told the couple and the couple and the boys mother. I Said I'll speak to you, you know, I just want to talk now when I set up the call to talk to them. I Didn't have any answers but for two hours, I Just listened and it was Them expressing their pain their questions, I just listened I didn't even try to answer any of those questions because You know, how can you answer? answer those questions and The pain they're going through What answers can you give? I mean, I just listened And I prayed with them Then did another call Alone with the mother of the boy so that she's like the grandmother, you know, because her son's baby And again, it was like for one hour and I just the main thing was to listen and then she had some so then she She asked some things that were Not related directly to the baby but related to you know, what she was doing and In those questions, I could just encourage her You know so What I'm saying is, you know, this is this not a situation of necessarily a faith and just more of a, you know I live a very challenging life situation unexpected It just happened so suddenly it really shook everybody But the point is, you know, what can we say we can't say anything other than You know, just listen to them and Journey with them through their grief in this case this particular case. I'm saying Just journey with them. Just be there and Then maybe There may be a question Or something in general that they want to know That's where you bring encouragement. It's okay, you know To like this keep going forward like that. So I'm just sharing that Situation just happened recently very painful Do we have answers no, I mean theologically yes, I Can give answers the logic I can quote chapter and verse and say, you know, look This is this this is what we all need to keep in and this is why it's but that's not the time to speak those Answers that's not the time to speak those things. That's the time to just keep quiet And be a support just to be there Just to listen because they are going through so much pain That we can't even understand You know, so what should we do just be there and let them speak let them share their pain and in some way As you listen You're sharing in their pain, you know, and maybe it will make that pain a little lesser I'm not say it will go away. This is not an easy thing And but to some extent, you know, they've they will feel support. So So let's go back to answer your answer your question How do we support people who are going through difficult times one is just to be there and listen second is At the right time Speak words of encouragement, you know, so for example when I was listening to the mother One or she did most of the speaking just expressing all her thoughts or confusions or struggles But then when she specifically asked certain questions Then I could share something to encourage To carry on in life to keep doing what he's doing And so on, you know, so speak few words And those few words will and speak to encourage their faith Now as they are Going through And this is one example and so we really have to be sensitive to The life situation that people are going through, you know last year There was another very close Brother very close person person was very close to me and he was going through a divorce and he was in a different country and For about four months, I think like September through December we would speak almost every day every day and And You know and so we would do what's up call and we would speak almost every day Especially during that that time and he was going through this, you know, it's very painful very close rather and I would just I would just listen, you know and Now in his case I could speak more because you know Because of the level of very wars and I would just speak every time I would listen to him But speak words of encouragement. It's okay, you know, look forward and look at these are the promises of God and you know You have you have to look ahead and so on so and then slowly be, you know, as he came through it We reduced down to maybe twice a Week we would call and I've just just speak encouragement into his life pray with him every time And then now it's more like, you know, once a month I speak to him But now he's you know, he's he's in a better place spiritually emotionally stronger divorce happened it had to it happened and he had to go through it but You know, we know that's not what God wants, but it's it's a reality here to go through Practical thing yet to go through and you know, we just have to speak the word Encouragement so in his case I would do much more because of the level at where he was and the relationship I had with him I could speak into his life and courage him and really in this other family's case It had to be more of listening being there, you know, so Each situation is different and How much you can speak into their lives really depends on You know the relationship you share with them their receptivity to the world And what they need to hear speak to strengthen them those things are those all variables But a very important few four of you know to sum up what what we need to say is one is be there to listen second is you know Speak few words, but speak it according to what they're able to listen or they're able to receive The word of God build them up. I Hope that helps that and it's not a simple answer, but Thank you, thank you for sharing those experiences Yeah, it is really devastating, but yeah, surely. Yeah Thank you so much All right, that's good. Thank you. Let's go back to baby paused from last Last Session, I'm sorry not this one. Yeah Really is enough. Okay. So what we were talking about was you know, we enduring through trials difficulties that we face We have to hold on be patient And You know It tests our fate that trials we go through tests our fate, but then we we We endure we go through it and you know when we are facing these trials and we enduring to these trials Remember, it's it's an expression of the genfinness of our faith You know and Peter Peter of course was writing to believers were being persecuted actually for their faith And he was saying, you know the genfinness of your faith That's much more precious than gold and even if it's going to be tested by fire and in this case It was the persecutions They were facing, you know, it will bring honor and glory other revelation of Jesus And here's another pastor that be a bread Hebrews 11 we read Hebrews 11 couple of weeks back and it be we read about people who substitute kingdoms who you know, they stopped the mouths of lion They escaped death the edge of the sword that they've made strong That the dead were raised to life and then we also have others who you know, they went through torture they went through Mocking and scourging and chains and imprisonment and stoning mean they went to very hard times so and and they just stood In faith and they all obtained a good testimony through faith Okay, and God was preparing them for something ahead Okay. Now What we're talking about is how do we express faith, right? We are saying first we said confession second action third praise fourth patience the fifth one I just want to mention is Determination That means we must be determined To receive It's You've made up a resolve That you will have the promise of God God said it in the Bible. It's he made a promise and you're going to have it That determination is so important We must you know, and we can use different words being tenacious pressing relentless Unwilling to give up your in a good way. You're stubborn You're obstinate in a good way. There's a resolve There's insistence or doggedness You're getting used different words here But the thing is you are so committed to say god, I must have what your words has and that's important and that sometimes We don't have that kind of determination. So we fail In realizing the result of our faith. We we don't see it Okay, so let's look at some examples, you know, and I just quickly mentioned these examples that we we are familiar with There's this woman with the issue of blood You know mark fine Yeah, see you can immediately see her determination when You know, she had to come through the crowd to get to Jesus How many of us would have done that? It would have been easier to say. Well, you know, maybe today is not my day There are too many people here There's such a big crowd, you know, maybe I'll try to find another day when It's a little bit more convenient. There's not that many people whatever we could have made so many excuses But try to imagine this woman Just already imagine Okay, there's Jesus And there's a big crowd around him. Let's say maybe a hundred people are we don't know a hundred people 200 people You know this crowd of people around Jesus And this one woman Wants a miracle and she has faith If I touch his garment, I'll be healed. That's her faith That's her faith But there's one Big problem so many people around Jesus. How am I going to get to him? How am I going to get to him? That's where determination kicks in So just imagine She must have made her way through the crowd You know trying to somehow get to Jesus just looking for every Open space every opening in the crowd And We don't know how long it took You know, we don't know Whether it was 10 minutes or 15 minutes or half an hour that she had to kind of Weave her way through the crowd but ultimately She pressed through until she touched until she was able to touch The edge of his garment And she got a miracle Another example of determination is these two blind men Matthew 20 on the road to Jericho So Jesus is passing by And these blind men they hear that Jesus is passing by So they cry out you know, and There's a crowd following Jesus and the crowd tells these blind men keep quiet You know don't make such a noise Keep quiet. They're crying out son of David Hammers. See the crowd is telling them keep quiet So you can imagine, you know, first of all, they are blind men They are beggars. They're sitting on the roadside begging. They've been doing that for You know possibly a long time And here's their only chance Jesus is passing right this, you know, right is passing the road by the road just where they are So this is their only chance And the crowd is not supportive The crowd is against them the crowd is telling keep quiet. Don't make so much noise But the Bible says they cried out even more. I mean they they they wouldn't let the crowd dissuade them They cried out even louder and then Jesus says calls and says call them They get the attention of Jesus Jesus calls, then he asks them what do you want me to do for you? And they're very clear. We love you want to receive our sight and you know They receive their sight. So here There's this two blind men Think about that They could have been discouraged by the crowd You know, maybe there are 50 people in the crowd. We don't know So 50 people are trying to tell these two blind men to keep quiet But they wouldn't let that out, you know in any way Discouraged them. They were determined Jesus is passing by this is our chance We must get our miracle A third beautiful example of determination is this woman from Canaan Right, uh, we know her story in Matthew 15 You know, she is first of all not a Jewish woman. She's a Canaanite She probably hears about Jesus and Then she says look, I'm going to go to Jesus And get a miracle for my daughter Her daughter is troubled by demons And she's heard how Jesus, you know drives up demons and sets people free So she's going to go And as she makes her way first problem is the disciples They start to tell her sorry, you know, uh, I'm just trying to imagine here They would ask her, you know, where are you from and she would say look, I'm from that village Oh, you're a Canaanite. Yeah. Oh, sorry. We don't you know, we're not ministering to the Canaanites We are only ministering to the Jews So immediately the disciples are trying to say look you don't qualify You're not part of the group that we are ministering to but She makes her way past the disciples You know, she she gets past them somehow And she goes to Jesus And when she speaks to Jesus, Jesus says the same thing says I'm sent to the People of Israel, I can't take the children's bread and give it to the dogs I can't you know, this is for the children not not for others the Gentiles at that time she Presses past that she responds and says just give me a little crumb You know, just give me a crumb from the table That's all And then Jesus, you know tells a woman you've got great faith You've got great faith. So why how did this woman demonstrate great faith her determination? her determination So if you know, I just kind of itemized some of the things we see here She took initiative. She went to Jesus She went against all odds the disciples Try to turn her off She pressed past embarrassment She was embarrassed. You know, Jesus said sorry You know initially he did not even answer her He just kept quiet That must have been embarrassing Then she wasn't willing to take no for an answer when Jesus said, you know, I can't take the children's bread and give it away That wouldn't stop us. She just just give me a crumb and she pressed in until she received What was there? right so This is determination Right and you see in all three examples These people had faith But they had to be determined to get it They could have been easily turned away or discouraged But they were determined and they received You know what they had faith for so Determination makes gives us that ability to press past everything That would discourage us. We are determined god. I must See this happen. There is no other option for me I need to see this Because it's the bible It's the word of god It's the promise of god. I must see it happen And and we Stand that way endurance and determination great and they can call them the power twins Endurance you're going to stay through time Determined you're committed to get it We are able to release faith So I'll recap these five ways we express faith in god in his word first by the words we speak Second by what we do our actions Third by our praising god Even when we don't see things even before things happen Fourth by our endurance. That means we hold on through time And fifth by our determination because we are committed to seeing the promise fulfilled whatever it takes right We press past everything Thing that we face we're determined to possess the promise Okay, so this is what you know how faith is expressed in our lives five Important expressions of faith and what we want to do is we want to kind of give ourselves a little You know Okay, if I'm going to exercise faith, how do I do it? How to exercise faith? Right and I'm I'm I'm presenting this not as a formula Even though, you know, we've put it down and You know in six steps And in us, okay, you do this first do this do this do this But it's not a formula like in the very beginning. We said faith is based on relationship It's our relationship with god. It's uh, it's how we live it's based on his word, but What must we do in order to exercise faith, right? So in any situation in any situation here are Here's a way and you can use it, you know And I've put it down in a way that you could kind of do almost like a checklist, but I do want to repeat that this is not some sort of a Formula, but this is how you go about exercising faith in god, right? So let's just look at the six Statements and then we will explain right So first is to have a desired goal based on god's word. Okay. What is it that you're believing god for? Right. So it could be healing. It could be finances. It could be You know, I have a need. I have to see that met. I need a miracle in this situation I need, uh, you know a door to open up I am what of what is that goal, right? So you need to It's it's got to be something that's based on god's word meaning that there has to be promises that That that addressed that right? So it's not something fancy that I'm just thinking of pulling out of the You know thin air No, it's something that's goddess said I can have right so we'll talk about that how does I go second be determined Right, so it goes back to what we've said That you make a decision That I'm going to have this because god said it And you're determined that means there's no two ways about it There's no it's not a wishful Thinking I'm determined to have what god has promised. Okay Thirdly Take time to fill your heart with the word Take that this takes time You know, so you write down some of the scriptures some of the promises on which You are basing your faith And you need to fill your heart with the word of god right so Because faith is established on that word and this takes a little bit of time I'd fill you out of the word number four You pray and you receive by faith say father I'm believing you for this. I thank you for it. I receive it by faith right and You know, you basically you want to be in a place where in your heart You know it is done So that's the place you want to come to Now it may not happen the first time you pray It may take a little bit of time. It's okay. Keep praying until in in in your heart It is done Right, you need to come to that place because Jesus taught us to believe that you have received them right, so pray and receive by faith Fifthly We keep speaking our faith You know, that's our confession. We keep speaking you speak the word towards the situation or the need or whatever that is You speak the word speak to yourself In number six you act aligned to the word you are You know take whatever steps you can aligned to the word of God and sorry there are eight steps here You thank and praise God you praise him thank him for the answer And lastly you got to stay in faith with endurance Okay, so eight steps so This is this is all it is this is it, you know On how to exercise faith in God If everything we've talked about We've put it down into these eight statements okay, so Let's look at them again So let's say I am believing God for a certain Situation right now. I'll just speak something Just an example, let's say There's a believer who's in a very difficult situation in life Okay He's down to nothing so No money Very very very Difficult situation right, you know, maybe he's lost a job and But he Says God, I know this is I don't have to be in this forever I know you have a better life for me Right, so I want to see myself blessed means I want to see myself in a place where I have a job I have enough money to take care of all my needs I can live comfortably And I can be a blessing to the kingdom of God I can give to other people to help other people. So that's his goal right now he's Let's say rock bottom. He has nothing Okay, he's in a very difficult situation financially professionally everything Things but he has a goal Now this goal is based on the word of God So how can you say that because you know, we can take scriptures like this You know if I were in that person's place, what would I do? I would take scriptures like someone Right, someone says that I will be like a tree Verse three some one and verse three. I will be like a tree Planted by rivers of water I will bring forth my fruit in its season my leaf will not wither and whatever I do will Prosper, so I will take that scripture And say god, that's what you will do for me. I'll take Psalm 40 What a sound 40 verses one two and three say it says, you know He brought me out of a horrible pit And he set my feet upon a rock and established my steps So right now I feel like I'm in a horrible pit the bottom of the pit But sound 40 verse two says he brought me out of that pit And he put my feet on a rock And he established or he strengthened made secure and stable my steps And verse three says he'll put a new song in my mouth praise to my god Many will see it in fear and trust in the lord Right, then I will take Psalm 112 So I'm just giving you some sounds that the many scriptures I would probably take 10 15 scriptures all over the bible that Tell me that I can be a blessed person that I can have a better life I don't have to be in the state where you know, I am broken. I have no money I have without a job and in a very you know at the bottom of the pit I don't have to be that I will take many scriptures I'll go from Genesis on and I will you know This is because I'm basing my desired goal on the word of god So Psalm 112 says Blessed is the man of fears god Who delights in his commandments verse two his descendants will be mighty on the earth Verse three wealth and riches will be in his house his righteousness and yours forever And unto the upright Light arises in darkness. So I will say lord right now. I feel like I'm sitting in darkness But light will come light will shine into my life You are gracious you're full of compassion and Verse five I will be somebody who can give graciously to other people and I will guide my first discretion Yeah, and I will never be shaken You know, so I will take these kinds of scriptures. I got this is what this is what you have promised for me Right. So I have a desired goal. My goal is I'm going to be a person who's successful Was blessed who has Abundance so that I can be a blessing for the kingdom of god. I don't have to stay here That's the goal. I see myself there, you know, and I will paint pictures of the kind of person I can be based on the promises of god Right. So I have a desired goal that's based on the word and faith is the substance Of things hoped for so I'm starting by hoping for something Uh, based on the word It's not seen that means right now. I don't have it right now. It seems like invisible But that's why I need faith Right. So I have a goal Based on the word of god Then what I'm going to do I'm going to be determined to have what god promised. I see god You said In your word that I will be blessed Right, you know, I will take samah 128. So blessed is the man who fears god and You know, he it says that uh, he will eat the labor of his hands. He will be happy It'll be well with him His wife will be like a fruitful wine the very heart of his house His children will be like all of plants around this table. So I said god, that's the picture you said Of a man who fears you that's what I want And how determined to have it nothing is going to stop me because it's in the bible. It's the word of god Then what would I do? I will fill my heart with a word So every day I'll open up these scriptures You know, if I have to spend, you know 40 minutes of one hour just going to the same scriptures every day I'll do it because the word has to settle in my heart And faith comes through that word So I'll open my bible go off go through these scriptures over and over again day after day Because faith comes by hearing the word of god and I'm going after this Right, so fill my heart with the word. So how many days will you do it? I'll keep doing it until I know You know until I see it happen in my life. I'll keep going back to the same scriptures Filling my heart with the word because faith comes by hearing It's just like food we eat, right? I can't say well, I had food yesterday Well, I have to eat again today Or I can't say well, I eat today. I don't need to eat, you know for another month. No You need tomorrow. You're going to eat in the after So, uh, it's that kind of thing that you fill your heart with the word of god You go back to those same promises card. I am standing on this Then What will I do? I'll pray so father. I thank you That you have made me a blessed man I thank you that this situation that I'm in is not well. I need to stay for the rest of my life I thank you that I'm going to I'm I'm a blessed man I'm going to have what you said in your word and you know, I will pray that way until I just receive it It settled in my heart So I move from a from praying for something to thanking him for it That means it's my heart has gone from Just asking to I have received and I'm thankful So I will pray until I come into that place where I know god will do it in my life Then I'll begin to speak I'll I'll declare the word so I'll speak and say I speak all my finances I declare that my finances are blessed I declare according to god's word the god Provide my god supplies for all of my needs According to his riches. I declare that all my needs are met. The lord is my shepherd I will not be in want goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life He prepares a table for before me my cup runs over so I will speak to various areas of my life I'll speak to my job. I'll say god provides me with a good job It is the lord my god who gives me the power to get wealth. The lord my god teaches me how to profit And I receive a good job where I can grow professionally So I will speak that in because god said he will give me the power to get wealth God said he will teach me how to profit right? So I will speak concerning my job. I'll speak concerning my You know the situations in which I also speak the word So I'm putting the word into my heart, but I'm also speaking the word into my life situations Then I'll start acting in accordance to my faith. What will I do? I'll apply for jobs Right. I don't have a job. What must I do apply? So I'll prepare my resume and I will put it out on the job portals I'll be ready to answer calls do my interviews And be ready to start, you know, so I'm acting my faith. I'm believing that god is going to Take me to this place where I'm blessed. I'm prospering. I'm successful Right. So that's something I can do. I can act in to my faith and then You know, if I'm in debt, I will start speaking to the debt. I'll say debt I declare you're fully paid for your cancelled. You're out of my life I owe nobody anything but love And and as money comes in I will use, you know, of course I use my living expenses I'll start clearing my debt and I'm also expecting god to supernaturally, you know Intervene And so I'm expecting debt to be out of my life And all these things are actions aligned to my faith then I'll start praising thanking god. So, you know every day father. Thank you that you brought me to this place where I'm blessed Now I may not be in that place yet, you know, maybe I'm still struggling But I'll say thank god father. I thank you faithful that you do this for me, right? and then Stay in it with endurance until all of it is done until I see that happen in my life I'll just stay with the word Stay with this stay in faith until these things happen and surely surely surely things will start changing Now whether it takes one year or whether it takes Two years or whether it takes five years. It doesn't matter. It'll stay With that until it happens Right and god's word will come to pass So just give an example of how you exercise faith For something right now Some things may be smaller. Some things may be bigger things You know some may happen in five days. Some may happen in five months But the principle is the same Whatever I've shared with you these eight eight statements He used them all the time any situation. This is how you exercise your faith. Thank god Now you need to know it in your heart make it part of your life So that you know, you don't have to You know maintain a checklist all the time. No, it's part of you. This is how you live Any situation? This is what I do Right and go to the word This is how I'll live any situation Small things big things. This is how I exercise faith in god Right and it all just flows in your life Okay Any questions? I know we're almost out of time Any questions on this? Okay, so in this course This Particular lesson, you know where we say how to exercise faith these eight statements It's like the main part You know, this is like the thing that I want you to take Now, of course, we built up towards this little by little everything is important everything this course is important but And these eight steps. I want you to remember and I want you to say, okay This is how this is how I'm going to exercise faith. Okay This is key. And that's what I'm going to be doing the rest of my life Excising faith in god Right All right, so we will pause here. We'll pick this up next week and share a few more things Just want to invite somebody to please pray with a class and then dismiss us Anyone can pray please Dear heavenly father, we thank you for this day. Thank you for this our lord We have spent in learning about faith lord We pray that lord strengthen our faith lord and our faith live our special lives should be strengthened more and we can Delete what we have studied out in our daily life lord Whatever we have studied or let it should be not kept in our hearts only but we should practice it daily in our daily life lord thank you for What we have learned lord. Thank you for this spiritual art lord Thank you for all the day you have given us what we are learning about your world We are learning about everything the world. Thank you for bhasarasi. Thank you for all the students who have studied lord this food this post lord Thank you everyone have a good weekend a good rest of the day and enjoy your weekend Have a good time In god's presence. Okay. I'll see you next week. Bye now