Put aside all the traditional, cultural, religious and denominational doctrines in order to keep hold of the truths of the faith and come to the presence of God with a clear conscience. Start from ME and start from NOW on.

Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men. You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.----Mark7:8,9,13

As it is written: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.----Mark7:6-7

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. ---Colossians2:8

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God---Romans3:23

Let God be true and every man a liar.---Romans 3:4

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ---Hebrews4:12

For nothing is impossible with God.---Luke1:37

Everything is possible for him who believes.---Mark9:23

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.---Philippians4:13

They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.---1Timothy3:9

we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.--2Cori.4:2

PARYER:  Ask God for discerning gift to keep away from these things or people.

1. Evil one and temptation (Luke11:2-4)

2.Evil one (John17:15)

3.Wicked and evil men (2Thessalonians3:2)

4.the unbelievers (Romans15:30-31)

5.Guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge---1Timothy6:20

6.Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.---2Timothy2:16

7. Flee the evil desires of youth…Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. ---2Timothy2:22-23

8.having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.2Timothy3:5

9. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.---Titus3:9

10. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.---Luke21:36

11. Enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.--Acts4:29

12. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.---Hebrews2:4

Question: who pleases God?

1. Those who have faith are able to be justified and please God.

Without faith it is impossible to please God--Hebrews11:6

my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him--Heb.10:38 / Hab.2:3-4 / Rm.1:17 / Gal.3:11

2. The Effectiveness of the Faith

A. Great joy, peace and hope.

B. Protection by God’s power.

C. Overcome the world

D. Salvation, Promise.

E. Being sons of God.

SCRIPTURES:

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing(Chinese interpretation is Faith), that ye may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit---Romans15:13

who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 8believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. ---1Peter1:5,8,9

through faith and patience inherit the promises. ----Hebrews6:12

by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.---Galatians3:14

for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.--1John5:4

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus--Galatians3:26

3. Faith upholds the law.

Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.---------Romans3:31

4. By faith, everything is possible.

Everything is possible for him who believes--Luke9:23

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.--Philippians4:13

5. Whatever you believe you have received , you shall have it.

whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.--Mark11：24

The application of this scripture. Read the story of last page.

faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. --Hebrews11:1

1. Things hoped for are things not seen. Things that have been seen can’t be called things hoped for.

We walk by faith, not by sight---2Corinthians5:7

Nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh--Romans7:18

“Seeing is believing” can’t be applied to spiritual kingdom. For nothing good dwells in our flesh.

2. Faith is perfect / past tense, is believing in “HAVE RECEIVED”

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you HAVE RECEIVED it, and it will be yours.---Mark11:24

3. The relationship among faith, hope and love.

Faith, hope, love, these three abide; but the greatest of these is love--1Corinthians13:13

A. Note the order. Faith stands first.

“Abide” has 6 meanings: 1.remain, 2.reside, 3.await, 4.put up with, 5.live up to, 6.submit to and carry out. Here it means the 6^th.

B. “Faith” walks before “Hope”

From the definition of FAITH above we know that FAITH is the assurance / substance of things HOPED for.

C. Faith must be established in Love.

Faith working through love.---Gal.5:6

hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding (faith) , resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself--Col.2:2

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. --2Peter1:5-7

Everything is possible for him who believes(has faith) (Mark9:23) I can do everything through him who gives me strength (Philippians4:13). But

Do everything in love.--1Cor.16:14

let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith…Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds--Hebrews10:22-24

1. Faith comes from God’s word.

faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.--Romans10:17

Behold, FAITH comes from God’s word Not human word. Therefore, when we proclaim or preach good news , what we say must be confirmed by the Word of God at least two or three scriptures because “every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses”. Or we’d be careful Not to twist to our own destruction.

Human faith is based on senses, the knowledge of this world and experience. So the more education and experience, the more faith. People even praise the self-conceited and boasters and take it for granted. Christians’ faith is a gift from God; it is supernatural and the same faith as God’s. So no one can boast of his faith. Meanwhile, it requires us to train and make it grow.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.--Ephesians 2 :8-9

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.--Romans12：3

2. God’s Word needs to be meditated constantly and rooted in our hearts.

Flesh is weak, thus it is easy to forget what has been heard. In spite of perusal of Bible, some people still don’t have faith. Why?! Because people tend to interpret God’s Word with their worldly knowledge or experience and judge things by sight and senses, which will never establish their faith. God wants us to meditate His Word, put it around our neck and carve it on the tablet of our hearts.

Blessed is the man who…his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night…Whatever he does prospers.--Ps.1:1-3

when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. --Ps4:4

Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.--Proverbs7:2-3

bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.--Proverbs3:3

3. Faith comes from not only hearing but doing.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says--James1:22

So let us train our faith from tiny things, such as cold, small infirmities, faith alone without medicine would be better. Then you will find your faith is growing. If in such tiny infirmities you still think medicine or doctors are better than God’s Word, your faith will never be established, much less by faith to deal with great things. So we must trust in God’s Word absolutely instead of our own flesh or someone else’s suggestion. For the whole universe is sustained by the Word of God.

He…and upholds all things by the word of His power--Hebrews1:3

my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.--Heb.10:38 / Hab.2:3-4 / Rm1:17 / Gal.3:11

1. Without faith is sin.

Everything that does not come from faith is sin.--Romans14:23

2. Self-check of faith.

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.--2Cor.13:5

3. Keep hold of what you believe.

Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. --Romans14:5

4. Hold fast the faith firmly to the end and stay in His love constantly, or you will be cut off.

For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end--Heb.3:14

let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith...Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.--Hebrews10:22-23

they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off-Romans11:20-22

5. Faith is made completely by action.

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. faith without deeds is useless. a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.-James2:14-26

1. Physical feelings.

It is mentioned above We live by faith, not by sight.--2Cor.5:7

Because nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh--Romans7:18

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace; for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. --Romans8:6,13

Since nothing good dwells in the flesh, we shouldn’t be led by physical feelings but trust firmly in the Word of God. Or it will counteract our faith. No matter what my physical feelings tell me, for instance, “I am still hurt, itching, coughing, have fever…” My experience is completely ignoring it. “shut up! Don’t tell me I am not healed yet! I have been healed by Jesus’ wounds. Devil, get away!” For example, when someone catches a cold, he resists it strongly and commands it to leave. Then believes what he has said. “ by Jesus’ wounds I have been healed.” of course, he doesn’t doubt in his heart. But a short while, a good friend of him calls and asks, “ how are you now? Are you feeling better?” Immediately, he tells him his true feeling, how bad it is, “it seems as if fever is still high, cough so badly, headache… but I prayed and commanded it to leave.” or “let me see whether my prayer works or not, if it is still so bad, I have to see a doctor.” I tell you, it won’t work!

because his words have already let out his unbelief and contradicted his faith. Any “if” or “try” is unbelief. Once we send an order, we must be careful with our words or question. Jesus never asked the blind like this, “try, whether you can see or not.” but says, “NOW, WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN?”

2. Doubt.

He who doubts expects nothing from the Lord.

he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord--James1:6-8

3. Unbelief or heart hardeness / blindness

Belief and unbelief can coexistent. Unbelief can counteract the faith, which should be overcome.

the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving --2Cor.4:4

I do believe; help my unbelief--Mark9:24

Unbelief can limit the release of God’s power.

He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6And he was amazed at their lack of faith.--Mark6:5-6

He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village

…Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village.--Mark8:23-26

"Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don't bother the teacher any more." …he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother.--Luke8:49-51

From the scriptures above, we can find out, because of people’s unbelief, Jesus couldn’t not do any miracle. Before Jesus healed the blind and raised the little girl, he shunned the unbelievers (the underlined parts).

In many cases today, experienced Christians imitate Jesus by avoiding those who don’t believe, Paul called them “disobedient people”(Rm15:30-31). The unbelief above limited the release of God’s power. Likewise, faith can draw out God’s power.

In the Chapter2 of book of John, it talks about the first miracle Jesus did. When Mary (Jesus’ mother) said, “They have no wine.” Jesus said His hour had not come yet. Under normal circumstances, people are prone to think, “since he said his hour has not come yet, let us forget it!” But Mary DARED to ignore Him, His mother said to the maids, “Do whatever he tells you to do.” HOW did she know what Jesus would tell the maids to do?! Didn’t HE already said, “my hour has NOT come yet”? By telling the maids this way wasn’t Mary forcing Jesus to do something? But in fact, Jesus DID work his first miracle. Because of Mary’s strong faith, she drew out the power of God. (by what standard does God use a person? From Mary’s characters we can find out. Read my another article http://hubpages.com/hub/by-what-standard-does-God-use-a-person

As for other people’s faith, we can find a lot of cases in Bible. Jesus always said, “your faith has made you well.” The prominent example among these is the woman who had a blood issue. Hemorrhage in old testament was as unclean as leprosy, which made people flee away like a plague. If people knew this unclean woman pushing around in the crowd intentionally, they would have stoned her to death. So she risked her life seeking the Lord. Meanwhile, although many people came to touch Him, He didn’t feel differently, only this hemorrhage woman released His Power. Immediately Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me."-- Luke8:43-48.

So from all the cases above, we know that only by faith God’s power can be released, and only by faith we can please God. Once faith becomes weak, the result is, “if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him”--Heb.10:38 / Hab.2:3-4 / Rm1:17 / Gal.3:11

1. The size of a mustard seed is enough.

If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you. --Luke17:6

2. Mind/Faith must be as pure as an infant.

Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. --Luke10:21

As long as your faith is pure enough, the size of a mustard seed is enough to move the mountain! Christians in the developing countries, even illiterates, new believers can release God’s power and work miracles, wonders. Why ?! Because of their pure faith!

As mentioned above, by faith we must do everything in love.

equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ--Heb.13:21

examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good--1Thes.

For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. --Gal.5:5

Hold fast what you’ve attained

Only let us live up to what we have already attained.--Philippians3:16

The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.--Rm14:22

Encouragement:

Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. --Hebrews12:12-13

Kenneth E. Hagin, a prophet and teacher of last century, wrote the book I believe in visions. In his book he told how he came to life by believing in God’s word. Weighing less than 2 pounds, Kenneth E. Hagin was born prematurely in 1917 with a deformed heart and incurable blood disease. The chance of living for him was almost nonexistent. As far as medical science was concerned, no one in his condition had ever lived past 16 years of age. The best doctor in America said there was no one chance in a million of living for him. So before 16, he became bedfast and his body was partially paralyzed. During in bed, his grandma gave him a Bible to read. When he read the book of Mark 11:24, “whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” The whole room suddenly seemed engulfed in light, and the light came into his heart. But the minute the light came, the devil came too. He planted doubt in his heart, “ this scripture doesn’t apply to physical things, but just to spiritual things. Maybe it just means ‘… whatever you desire’ spiritually. He was confused so he sent for his mother to ask his pastor explain for him. Three pastors had been asked for and all had promised to come, but once they knew his condition, the first two pastors never came. The third pastor did come, but it was worse than he hadn’t come.

He wrote, “he just patted my hand, drawled, ‘Just be patient, my boy. In a few more days it will ALL be over.’ then left the room. He went to living room and said a prayer with my family, ‘Heavenly Father, we ask you to bless this dear grandmother and grandfather who are about to be bereaved of their grandson. Prepare their hearts for the dark hour that is about to come upon them…bless this dear, brokenhearted mother who is about to lose her son.’ although I couldn’t speak the words audibly, on inside of me I was shouting, ‘I’m not dead yet!’ My mother had had some hope until then, but he robbed her of what she had, and she started crying.” then the family started discussing with author about his funeral. For 30 days he lay motionless on his bed. He gave up and wanted to die.

One month later he began to read Bible again but his eyes still couldn’t get away from Mark11:23-24, 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. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. He became bolder and told God, he desired to be healed and chose to believe in God’s word instead of pastors. He also told God that he was going to live and not die. If he didn’t get off that bed, then the Bible isn’t so, and he would throw it in the trash can. So he decided to live by the Word of God. He wrote, “because Jesus said that what you believe in your heart and say with your mouth shall come to pass. I had committed myself.”

But 7 months passed by, he was still bedfast. “The devil might have said it wasn’t working, but I held onto my confession and refused to give up. I kept telling God that I was going to hold on that I was standing on His Word, and it had to work!” But it DIDN’T!

“I realized that for months I had been hoping I would grow better gradually. I was praying with HOPE, NOT FAITH, and that won’t get the job done.” remember , faith without work is dead! His faith was not yet based on what God’s Word said, but only on what he could see and feel. He said he was trying to HAVE first then BELIEVE second. That is what most people do. It doesn’t work this way! He finally realized that he MUST HAVE SEEN in his heart and believe that his heart was well WHILE he was still lying bed. Then Devil came to tell him again, “look at you! Pretty thing. Claiming to have been healed, you are still lying here. You are not healed!” He replied, “I didn’t say I am healed because I FEEL like it, I AM healed because I believe it. Devil, if you say I am not, you are a liar. I am acting on the Word of God. If I am not healed, then Jesus is a liar. Go argue with God about it; don’t fuss with me.” with this the Devil left him alone. Then he started lifting his hands and praised God, “Thank God, I’m healed.”

“Momentary, I started to feel my heart to see if it was beating normally, but I caught myself and stated that I wasn’t going by feelings but by faith. I kept saying that my heart was well. I praised the Lord in this manner for about 10 minutes. Then holy spirit spoke as an inner witness on the inside of me and said, ‘you believe that you are healed. If you are healed , then you should be up and out of that bed.’

I felt this was right, so I pushed myself up to a sitting position with my hands. Then I reached down, got hold of my feet, and swung them around to the side of the bed. I couldn’t feel them, but I could see them. Then I said that I was going to stand and walk. The devil fought me every inch of the way. He kept telling me that I was a fool. Of course I couldn’t walk , he would tell me. (As long as the devil can keep us in the SENSE realm, he will defeat us. But if we will stay in the faith realm, we will defeat him!) I got hold of the bedpost and pulled myself up. The room started spinning, for I had been in this bed for 16 months. I closed my eyes, wrapped my arms around the bedpost, and stood there for a few minutes. Finally I opened my eyes and everything had stopped spinning.

I declared I was healed and I was going to walk. Feeling began to return to my legs! It seemed as if two million pins were pricked me. The nerves were being reactivated. I rejoiced because it was so wonderful to have feeling back in those lifeless legs, in spite of the painful prickling sensation. After a short time, the pain left and I felt normal. Determined now more than ever to walk, I held onto the bedpost and cautiously took a step, then I took another. Holding onto pieces of furniture, I managed to walk around the room one time. I told no one of this, but the next morning I got up and did the same thing. That night I asked my mom to bring me some clothes because I was going to get up and go to the breakfast table the next morning. She was shocked, but she did as I asked. On the third morning I got out of bed, dressed myself, walked into the kitchen, and joined my family at the breakfast table. And I have been doing it ever since.