Leon Fontaine - Walking by Faith, Part 1
It's great to have you with me today as we dive into God's Word. You know, when I was a young man, I was literally 18 or 19 years old. I somehow woke up to a message that hadn't meant much to me before but all of a sudden it changed my life. And the message was walking by faith. That I could look at the future and not think, well, God is in control of my life, good, bad, ugly. I hear a lot of people talk about the sovereignty of God. And that if it's happening, it's God. If it doesn't happen, it's God. If it's a tragedy, it's God. If it's a great thing, it's God's blessing. And there's not much we could do about it other than just walk out this sovereignty message. And when I begin to recognize that my faith had a massive part to play with working with Holy Spirit as my helper and knowing God's Word. And that if I could do something about my faith and learn to walk by faith. That I could literally overcome anything this world would throw at me. That I could walk out dreams and desires by learning to activate my faith.
And so back then, there was such a wakeup call to the body of Christ in the topic in the area of faith. And it was added to the body of Christ and seemed like the topic was known in spots here and there. But there became this widespread explosion of faith conferences and faith Bible schools, and I think it was wonderful. Now for every topic that seems to get restored to the body of Christ, for every mile of truth, we have two miles of ditch. And so some people would go on one side or the other, rather than use this incredible revelation from God's Word and help their life to succeed. I remember, you know, we'll talk a little bit about some of the principles before we go today. But I remember as a young man, that I began to get involved in a hospital, and was involved in a paramedic program. Our area didn't have paramedics. Our whole province didn't have paramedics.
And so we were, I think the first group done within a hospital, done with doctors and experts to teach and equip us and get us ready to begin to do a lot of deeper skills, or big or greater skills on the back of an ambulance. And so as I went to school and took courses just continually along with my work there. I noticed that when I was younger, it was hard to remember things. It was hard to, to do things. I was more focused, you know, sports focused than I was on my, my lessons. And so I was kind of concerned and I began to apply the things that I was learning with faith and I began to apply it to my studies. And there was a lot of practical exams like going to a garbage dump, where they would have a scenario set up with real people painted up with blood and cuts and cars. And I'd have to go in there with the jaws of life and the spreaders and extricate these people out. Then I would have to learn to, you know, whatever proper steps of protecting them, finding out what's wrong with them, diagnosing their injuries.
It's a very stressful hard thing to do because it's, it's just, it's multiple tasks simultaneously. And I remember as I begin to take and use this area of faith and apply it to my life. And it wasn't a one-time thing. Every day I would activate my faith towards what I was doing. I begin to pull off 100 percent on written exams and I begin to just step on the scenes. And as I later would go into the scenes of accidents, with multiple casualties and multiple car wrecks or complex situations in the middle of freeways. I mean, I literally would walk with such calm and I would just know what to do. And I begin to supervise areas, you know, in just a matter of no time. And so it was really exciting for me to recognize that faith could be applied to every area of my life. And so the first area that I applied it to do was studying as a teenager, as a late, well, early twenties was studying and making myself become quipped in my work. And then succeeding in my work, I began to use faith and activate faith to rise up financially, to rise up in my, at that point, at that time, that was my entire career and to rise up in that area.
And so I got excited about this topic and I began to apply it to everywhere. When I got injured, I would apply faith and I would see miraculous recoveries or instantaneous miracles on my own body. And then I began to apply this to the people that I was working on. I knew how to bandage them up. I knew how to immobilize next. I knew how to read the rhythms of their heart. All these different things. But I began to listen to Holy Spirit and I began to believe that the power and the gifts of the Spirit would flow through me. And so I, it was exciting because I began to see miracle after miracle. I began to see God heal people miraculously, multiple accounts of praying with people whose heart had stopped, who were literally clinically dead, and just see them raised back to life.
And so it was an exciting time for me as a young man to learn what faith was, how it worked, and then to apply it to my life. Later on in life as I got married and I found out I had to apply faith to a relationship. I do, and then as we had kids, I had to apply faith to believe in God for their health and upbringing. And then as God called me into ministry and had to believe Him for buildings and lands and staff and finances. And in life there was always a new season of new things going on, exciting things. And I learned to do two things with my faith. I learned to build, go on the offense with it, and build marriages, health, home, finances, a leadership, team. And then I also learned to be on the defense with faith. That faith was also a shield. And that when the enemy attacked me, I didn't have to be worried. When I saw a great big storm brewing on the horizon or people would threaten my life, or all of the things that went on. I, my faith would be my shield. And I could easily believe Him and trust Him and know that it couldn't destroy me, my marriage, my home, my family, the ministry.
And so I'm so excited about this topic of faith. And I want to challenge you that did you one time use your faith to get born again? Have you seen the occasional miracle when you were on defense? And all of a sudden a storm rose up. So many people kind of plateau in life. If something pushes against them, they'll get up and fight faith. You know, they'll believe God and they'll fight the good fight of faith. They'll begin to activate their faith until they get back to their status quo. But I have really had to figure out a way to keep pushing myself to activate my faith to go to that next level in relationships. The next level in career. The next level in my relationship with God. That next level of health and vitality. Faith is an absolutely crucial topic for the believer today. And if you do not walk by faith daily, you will simply settle in and drift. You will simply drift with whatever's going on around you, and there will be no dynamic getting up and building a life with faith.
I remember when I first came to Springs Church, and Sal and I were there as a senior pastor. God spoke to me very clearly. And He said the very first Sunday I preached, He said, "You have learned to fight the good fight of faith on defense as the enemy came and helping, you know, but I'm going to teach you to be a wise master builder". And that just changed my life. Instead of just seeing what would come in my life and then fighting to keep it. I begin to actively forge forward, believe God for that church. I begin to believe for numbers. I begin to believe to double it. I begin to believe for buildings. And so, I mean, the church just begin to double so quickly over and over again. And then buildings and lands and more buildings. And then we had to believe God for those things. And faith is a topic I absolutely love. And as I dive into God's Word, you've got to be careful that you don't just use it as a kind of mental assent.
And so today, I want to really encourage you. Are you walking by faith? I know you believe stuff. But believing something doesn't really become faith until you act on it. Faith without works. Faith without some form of corresponding actions is dead. Now, to any pastors and leaders who are watching today. I have found that even in my growth as a pastor over the last 40 years, I've seen God grow. And then to see the schools, the television stations moving into multiple languages around the world. That I would pretty much plateau in just, "Ho, this is pretty good. We're doing really good". But then I had to actively believe God for more.
You say, "Well, Leon, you know, God's going to do what God's going to do". I understand what you're trying to say. That God is in, ultimately He has a plan and He's in control. But there's none of us that are even touching the incredible adventure and passion and love and giftedness that you can do with your life. We're so far down. I believe that I've only laid the foundation that what's ahead of me is incredible things. But whatever God promises me, I have to learn to do by faith. It's kind of like the Old Testament people, when the Bible says there that I have given you this promised land. Now go get it. And by going and getting it, He meant go fight for it. Well, which is it God? Did you give it to me or do I have to fight for it? Both. God is saying that that is My will. I've given you the promised land, and He said go in and take it.
And there were giants in the land. And so when they try, when the spies went in and the two came back saying, "The giants are so big. The cities are huge". These giants were literally an entire race after race. And these giants they were fighting big ones like Goliath and bigger. And so when they came in there, ten spies, they gave an evil report. They said, it's not that the report wasn't accurate. For example, all twelve spies said huge giants, huge walled cities, fierce warriors, incredibly bountiful as far as grapes and stuff. And then the two spies said, "So let's go take it. We are able". But then the ten said, "We are not able. We are grasshoppers in our own sight, and we are grasshoppers in their sight".
Now, I do not care what I am in somebody else's opinion. You know, but it's crucial that I know who I am in my opinion, my identity. And so everybody who was, you know, an adult. They had to die off in the next 40 years. And they could not receive what God had promised and given them because they would not believe and go fight for it. And so today this still applies when you read the epistles. We have a new covenant with Jesus and with His finished work on the cross. And the fact that now that this grace is ours. But it's by grace that you're saved but it's through faith. We have to believe that what Jesus did on the cross is mine. I'm already an heir. And you get up and you fight the good fight. You don't fight demons. You don't fight people. You don't have to fight situations. You fight to stay in faith and that you act on it. And Holy Spirit will guide you in your actions. And so what are you doing about this journey of faith?
Now faith is really important. The Bible teaches us that faith, that we must, that it's the word of faith that we speak and that we believe it with our heart. I found some things that will talk about in this next session after this one and so tune in again. But I found that my mouth and the things that I said was absolutely crucial for me walking by faith and growing into new areas, believing Him for things I'd never thought of even before, or getting to a certain area of finances, buildings, lands, and reaching the world for Christ. My personal relationship. My personal health. I found that if I didn't aggressively grow in faith and apply faith and activate it in all these areas of my life. That an area would begin to just plateau.
You say, "Leon, you're talking about works. You have to work". No, when people talk about works, they're talking about earning things from God. I am working but I'm laboring to enter the rest. I am simply laboring to get God's Word in my mind, to establish my heart in grace, like Hebrews 13:9 says. And to get up and act out what is in God's Word. And it is the most fulfilling work. I mean, there's going to be a judgment for our works. It's important to work. But when you're not trying to earn it and you know you're already an heir. You're already in the family. All the promises are already qualified for you. And they're yes and amen and there's nothing else you have to do but believe. Then the only work that you do about this is believing and then acting on that faith.
See, we all can't sit around in a hammock and just say, "Well, I'm living by faith". No. Getting up and doing things with the gifts that God puts in you is crucial. If you are, whatever God's called you to not do anything there, it just makes you bored. It makes you depressed. It makes you have a lack of purpose. And people, so many people that I see, that I meet in my world, not everybody out there. But, you know, because they are purposeless and they're looking for some kind of big dream. Your purpose is to follow Jesus, get to know Him, declare, move forward. And as you walk by faith, as you begin to live your life by faith every day, every decision. There starts out, there becomes this incredible continuum. Another words, living by faith is a continuum or life begins to flow at you from every direction. But death is a continuum as well.
I know believers who have used their mouths and they don't, some of them don't even know when others just refused to acknowledge it. Yeah, right. They got hurt somewhere. They didn't get an answer to prayer. And so they just literally say what they want. And I have seen Christians so defeated because they can't and won't control their mouth. And so they'll take their mouth, "Yeah, look at this. It's not going to work. Nothing can happen anyway". And you say, "Well, Leon, is it just a confession"? No. But it is a vital part of this process of faith. And the Bible teaches that to us. You know, how that in Mark chapter 4, how that God's Word got to get into our heart. It's got to grow. It's got to bear fruit. These are the things that can choke it out. Faith is a process. And as we learn to put that process to work in our lives every day, you will live out this incredible life that John 10:10 says, Jesus said, "I have come that you might have life". And that word life is Zoe life, not earthly natural life. And then He says, "And this life is going to be abundant". Which means superior in quality.
Do you have a superior quality life in your marriage, your health, your home, your finances? What area are you struggling with and it's not a high level of quality? Health? Thinking? Emotions? Marriage? Relationships? Career? I don't know. You and God? But the Bible says Jesus came to give you an incredibly higher quality of life than the world has ever had or seen. And it says that it's innumerable. That word literally means innumerable in quantity. There is no end to how God can bless you. You know, people often get concerned about their financial. I don't want to believe God for too much.
And I often tell the story of a friend of mine, Frank, who told me that I, he was listening to me teach on, on succeeding in life. And he said, "I don't ever want to believe God for more than I need". I said, "Frank , that makes you the most selfish man I know". And he goes, "What"? I said, "If you can believe God for what you need, why wouldn't you believe God for more and more and more and then take that and help us to get television stations to raise up our churches, our schools, to get in more languages. Why would you not use this faith that you can believe God for your needs. Pay your bills, get your house, your car. So there, and now believe in huge quantities of money so that we can use it for the kingdom of God".
That was a new thought to him. And he realized that that if he could do more, but he didn't. Then he was being self-centered. The Bible says without faith, it is impossible to please God. Now this is a really beautiful scripture and some people think that God's a hard task master. That He's frowning at me. Tied into this verse and this word pleasure. You know, that I don't please God. It's more than the way we use the word pleasing someone today. This pleasure is, the Bible says it is, it is His good pleasure to give us the kingdom. You know what pleases God? Pleasing God is you using your faith and achieving a close relationship with Him, achieving incredible things for the kingdom. Jesus says, "I'll build my church and the gates of hell won't prevail against it".
So we use our faith to build and advance His kingdom. Which He does through local churches everywhere and businesspeople and arts and entertainment and government and education, health care. All these areas require great leaders to rise up, use their faith, rise to the top, find cures for things, etcetera, etcetera. And so we use our faith and God is just pleased to get involved and to help us in that area. But if you do not, you know, there's a story in the Bible that, it's a parable where He says, "Everybody has a servant. And when the servant comes in from the field, you're not waiting on him. This servant in that day is waiting on you. And that servant is faith".
Did you know that your faith is something that will serve every area of your life. And if you let that servant just sit around and do nothing, and you go out to the field and he's got his feet up. And he's just throwing his knife against a tree to see if it'll stick and he's not planting anything. He's not doing anything. Well then, your business is going to go down. Nobody can just hire someone have him do nothing. Well, faith is the servant of the believer. And so this faith on the inside of you is designed to go to work. But he can do nothing and be inactive. He can even just do just a bear little bit where ah, you think about faith when you're sick and you use it. You think about faith when all of a sudden the bills aren't being paid. And you know, you just, or and then there are others who are using their faith every day. I have found crucial things like feeding on God's Word every day. Just feeding on the bread of life. That it just brings strength.
And as you meditate in God's Word, the Bible says in Joshua 1:8, you make your way prosperous. That you have a great success. That word in another translation means you know how I handle all the affairs of life, business affairs, government affairs, taxation affairs, staffing, people. Whatever pathway you're on, that as you learn to meditate in the Word, it wakes up something on the inside of you. And you begin to listen to Holy Spirit and you rise up and know what to do and the decisions to make. Everything that your life needs ahead. God has given you. But it is faith that wakes it up. You've got to believe in something. If you do not believe that you're going to be a good football player, and that you love football when you're in your teens. You won't even go and try out. Or even if you do get on the football team, to believe that I'm a lousy football player and everyone else is better than me, means you're not even going to try. You're not going to train. People who have passion. They believe they can get up and do something.
The Bible says Jesus had zeal for God's house. There was a passion on the inside of Him. My challenge for you today. If you've studied much of faith in the scripture, are you walking by that faith? Are you keeping your faith activated in all the areas of your life? Or have you forgotten about it? If you've never heard about the topic of faith like this, that faith can literally is the servant of the believer and can be applied in all these areas of your life. And to know that He's promised you promises. But until you use faith to walk in them. They won't be there for you. And so we must believe in the finished work of the cross. We must believe His grace, His ability, His free favors are all over us. Believe that and get up. And as you do, man, that grace will go to work on your marriage, your home, every area of your life.
Faith and grace are crucial topics. Now the Bible's got a really interesting verse and I want to just find it here. It says in Psalms 45:1, "My heart overflows with a good theme". No, my heart just overflows with good themes. And it says, "I address my verses to the King. My tongue is the pen of a ready writer". I have found that confessing God's Word and His promises, it takes control of my mind and it establishes my heart in grace and it connects me to the life that I want to live. So while we close, I want to give you something to do. Go to God's Word, and as you find His promises and the things He said He will do. Read those out loud and say, "These are mine, in Jesus' name".
Rise up every day and declare God's Word over your life, your future, your home, your kids, and don't stop. The issue is not, "Hey, I wonder what this next year is going to be like". No, it's what are you going to believe God for and rise up and go do by the very grace and ability of God and the favor of God that is upon you. Well I pray, if you're watching today and you say, "Man, I don't even know if I'm born again. I don't even know if Jesus is in my heart. Like how do you find such a favor"? First of all, you need to give your life to Jesus Christ. He died for you. He's on the, and He can be on the inside of you. But He'll never force Himself. He needs you to ask Him and invite Him in. And all you need to say right now is:
Jesus come into my heart. I choose You. Help me to grow in this faith, to learn the Word, and to get to know You. But I'm inviting You into my heart and I'm choosing You as my Lord and Savior, in Jesus' name, amen.
Let us know. You know, just get a hold of us and let us know what the decision you made. We love to help you in this adventure and keep watching this program. It's so practical but powerful and potent as you learn these principles in God's Word.