Leon Fontaine - Faith In Action
In this world and it's a fallen world. It's a warzone. There is no demilitarized zone. There's a kingdom of darkness. There's a kingdom of light. You are in the kingdom of light if you've given your life to Jesus Christ. And when you looked the Bible, the Bible doesn't actually call us Christians. You know that? Now, the citizens of Antioch started calling the followers of Jesus Christ, Christians. But what the Bible calls us is believers. Believers. Not doubters. Not wishy-washy. Believers. Why would they call us believers? It is a key to who we are. Who are we? We believe. What do we believe? We believe in a Son of God who gave His life for us. We believe in a way of life that is far beyond anything this world could ever manufacture.
The enemy knows that and so he is after your destiny. He is after your faith. You can talk all you want. Yack, pray, sing, worship, dance, jump, fall down. He doesn't care but he does not want you to learn to use your faith. When you learn to use your faith, the Bible says all things are possible to him who believes. It doesn't say all things are possible to him who prays but it's important. He doesn't say all things are possible to him who loves but it's important. He says all things are possible to him who believes. And believes is not a noun. It's a verb. It's an action word. And so you and I, we are believers. We are followers of Christ, but we are believers.
And 1 Timothy 4:12, for those taking notes and Acts 5:14 are couple of places where Paul is referring to them not as Christians but he's referring to them as believers. Often he's talking about to those who believe. And I also recognize when I study the Bible that there are those who make a decision for Christ but they back away from believing that any change could take place. And so when he's writing to those who believe, I know that if they back away from believing and someone got into their world. Then shucks, golly, gee. I mean, come on! We're just human and everybody doubts and there's really not... And you just kind of wah-wah, and you begin to lower the bar. You begin to minimize what you can do and who you are.
And Christians will even think that it's humility. Humility is just stay dumb till He comes. No. The Bible says occupy till He comes. And it says, be the head and not the tail. Be above and not beneath. Ride upon the high places of the earth. You're commanded the blessing of God upon you. Goodness and mercy follows you all the days of your life. How did we mess it so bad? How can it be that to be a Christian. It's kind of Christian. Don't tell anybody. It's easier to say God but don't say Jesus. Are you kidding me? Somehow, the church of Jesus Christ and I meet leaders and pastors and I speak at conferences and churches where I just look at in many, not everywhere, but in many cases this watered-down version of, "I'm a Christian. I follow Jesus". And they think that being positive that that's faith.
Where did it say that in the Bible? No. That's just being positive. They think that, you know, making a few positive affirmations is faith. They have no idea what faith is. And so today, I want you to understand that God warns us in His Word in Jude 1:3-4. He says there, we're going to have to contend for the faith. Why? Because the enemy does not want you using faith. 1 John 5:4 says, "This is the victory that you will overcome the world with, even our faith". It doesn't say our prayer. It doesn't say our love. It doesn't say our getting along.
Now, all of those are important. Don't get me wrong. But he very specifically says what's going to overcome anything you face, sickness, disease, poverty, attacks, early death. Anything that comes at you, the way you will overcome is by faith. And yet so much of Christendom today doesn't know what faith is. They don't understand it. They've never been able to get it to work. When you take a look at the men and women who've gone before us Old Testament. I mean, these people conquered kingdoms. These people raised up families who for generations served God, not just followed Him with little dabble dooyah. But I mean, overcoming, victorious, conquering families. Their dead was brought back to life and many wouldn't even accept it because they were going to die for the cause of Christ.
I mean, these people took over cities. They run financial kingdoms even before they were filled with the Spirit and wisdom of God like Solomon. They touched the then known world. Paul took the Gospel not just in a little neighborhood with a few people. Man, he took it to the then known world. By the faith they shook the world. By faith they overcame. They conquered. Read Hebrews chapter 11 and chapter 12 about the great chapters of faith. And it says all of these men and women, were men and women of faith. Why is faith so important?
Well, let's go to Hebrews 11:1. This is what it says, "Now, faith, faith is not a few positive affirmations". Faith is not being happy and positive. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It is the evidence you hang on to of things you do not see yet. He said for by it all the people before us, the elders, the obtain a good testimony. In other words, their stories and their life stories rocked. By faith we understand now that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. There is something about having faith in God.
When you're born again, and Jesus comes inside of you. I mean, you've got the faith of Jesus, the grace of Jesus. That you and I are to be like Christ. People say, "Well, that's just Jesus". No, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. You are to read them, and you are to go that's who I'm supposed to be like. It doesn't say be like Paul, be like Peter. It doesn't say be like Mary. It doesn't say be like James. It says be like Jesus. Jesus said that the things that I do, you are going to do also. And He didn't say when you get to heaven like so many denominations want to believe. He's talking about a level of living. He's talking about a believing God that believes for cities, believes to touch nations, believes that a family for generations.
It says here that men of old would prophesy and pray over their kids and they would speak generations down the road. You're going to do this. You're going to do this. This faith. This incredible tenacious believing. It's not a mental believing. It's something of the heart that rises up. And I believe if you want to live out the most amazing family life. If you want to rise up and do something with your career that touches the world. Then don't just make money. Give and make gobs of it and finance the kingdom. Don't just rise up in an area and say, "We're going have a little bit of a Christian influence". Christian influence! Let's be the head and not the tail.
There is something about believers today who have lowered the bar so low. So faith is crucial. The Bible says here that God releases His faith with words. God did not wave His hand. Go to Genesis chapter 1 and it talks about the beginning there. And it says eleven times in a row, "And God said". Why? It's not correct English wise. Most good writers would just say, and God said and then list it. But the Bible is not written that way. It is written so repetitively that even guys like me can get it. He speaks it. He says it. He doesn't just wave His hand. He doesn't just wave His arm. He doesn't just snap His fingers. He speaks. And the Bible says that all of the planet has come into line. He speaks and the firmament begins to move into place and the waters move into their place. He speaks and life erupts in the sea and in the air and on the land. He speaks.
There's something about this thing called faith. Faith is this expectation. This completely persuaded and convinced that you can trust God. That your faith is in God. Even in the Old Testament before Jesus died on the cross. Men back there and women would trust God, believe God, and once they started to believe God, incredible things took place. One guy would get up like Samson and ripped the gates out of the city. One person like Moses would part the Red Sea lead a couple of million of them to places. Where these people ever get this kind of ability? They only believed God. They trusted God.
And when they trusted God and they stayed trusting Him which is believing Him, God showed up. And He lead them by cloud by day to give them some shade. A pillar of fire by night to warm a couple million people and thousands of babies. This thing about believing God is crucial. It's needed. If you're going to be a believer and you want your kids to serve God, they're not going to listen to you with all your 43 rules about being good. But a spirit of faith? Now, that they'll hook into. They'll say, "Okay, well God so good. He's going to show you how to love Him. He's going to show you how to make a marriage work. He's going to show you how to passionately get up and rejoice and have joy and have piece. He's going to show you how to prosper".
God's going to be there with you to take you through the storms and the battles. And all around you a thousand will fall at your left side, and ten thousand at your right hand. You'll still be standing. Your house, your life will still be there. This spirit of faith is flowing through all of the Old Testament verses, all of the New Testament verses. This namby-pamby poor oh gee wah-wah being taught in places that they, "Well, you know, this is the condition of life and it's just us. We're just trying to get by and make it to our heavenly home one day. You're just human". I understand that. I get that what they're trying to do. They're trying to make people not feel guilty. They're trying to make people not beat up on themselves. Cool. But I hope you've done that already and you've recognized that you have a legacy.
You have got a destiny that is ahead of you and a legacy of great men and women of God who believed Him. And when you believe Him, your life will change. You can be in a country like Israel where everybody believes the opposite and only three believe God will take you through. And you know what, He'll take you through with three. Moses sent twelve spies, ten came back knees shaking, crying, weeping. Today, people will go, "Oh, just they're human.
People have fear, Leon". Like, "Don't be just so, why are you saying, 'God is going to take us through.' You're making them feel bad. You're making them feel shameful". Like "Leon, we don't do that. We want everyone to feel happy and good about themselves". It's kind of like an elementary school in so many public situations, you know. Forget about winning just let them play. And just every area. I'm not making a big case as long as they don't send me a letter. But every, it's like we're just trying to relegate everybody down to the most common denominator. And yet nowhere in the Word does it say we take you and we relegate you down to everybody else's ability.
You are unique. You have gifts. You have ability. The only thing stopping you is going to be what you're going to believe. Are you going to have act of faith? Or are you going to settle in for, "Well, gosh, golly, gee, shucks. Let's just all get along and be one old team". You know, if a team is going to be exactly the same, you got to lower the ability that team down to the person who's got the least ability. You're an individual. You're an individual. You've got things inside of you. God's called you. Get up and believe Him. Because if you don't understand faith and you don't discover faith, then He's going to have to find somebody who will believe Him.
This believing is crucial. This believing is not new age affirmation and positive thinking. I like positive thinking and I like positive affirmation. But that still not faith that will help you keeping a faith. But faith is something uniquely different. And we have to recognize in this message today I just want to stir you up a little bit and get you back focus on faith scriptures and to begin to believe God again. Because the only thing that is separating you from where you could be in this next season isn't the devil. He's been defeated. Okay? It isn't God holding back. Why would God hold back? It isn't people who can stop you. Nobody can stop your destiny. Nobody can stop you from getting ahead. Nobody can stop that business that you're running from rising to the head.
Everybody's called to be the head and not the tail. Above and not beneath. Everything you put your hand to will prosper. Look at the promises of God and then put your faith in them. Believe them. And then most of all, start to speak the Word of God. This is crucial. Now, I haven't got time to just unpack all of the principles of faith that so few understand. Like faith only works in the present tense. That faith is only assured where the absolute will of God is known. That faith is only personal. You can pray in faith for others, but you can't guarantee somebody else a miracle. Only you. The prayer of faith is for you.
Now, we intercede, and we supplicate, and we pray. In fact, there's so much that people have never sat down and just study and learn your faith. Your faith will cause things to take place when the entire world is going in the opposite direction. When you and I begin to get into God's Word and renew our mind and find what the promises of God say and begin to speak those over our lives, something remarkable takes place. And if you go to Ephesians chapter 6 and it talks about all the armour of a believer. The one piece of armour that is the offensive piece is the sword. And everyone thinks it's the sword of the spirit. But there is no punctuation in Greek. And so just because they put a new chapter doesn't mean it's a new thought. Because it says there the sword of the spirit is the Word of God praying.
You must pray the Word. If you'll pray the Word, how are you changing? How are you releasing your faith? How are you declaring what your future will be? What's going to go on when someone attacks you? See, I've already decided what's going to happen to anyone who attacks me. I have declared that no weapon formed against me shall prosper in the name of Jesus. Any mouth that rises against me, I put it down. I've already declared this to anyone foolish enough to become a weapon. God Lord! I've already declared that whatever I put my hand to is going to prosper. I don't have to wait and see. I've declared it.
You see, you are so powerful with the words that you speak. God has made you to speak words. And if you speak words carelessly. "Well, I don't really fit in here. I often just feel so stupid and you know". And they look so humble a little bit of tearing up. I just, you know, I'm not just as smart as everybody else. That's not humble. That's ridiculous. That's you giving in to misbeliefs. When God says, "You're amazing. You're beautiful. You're brilliant. I'm inside of you. You're a gift". God doesn't make junk. You were designed in heaven made by God. And you're going to go against God and call yourself down? You can change that. But you've got to make a decision.
Who am I? I'm a follower of Jesus Christ. I'm a believer in what He did on the cross. That my sins are forgiven. That righteousness was given to me. That the promise are mine. That the curse has been handled. That the enemy has been defeated. That my future is bright. And I'll always be the head and not the tail. Above and not beneath. A thousand will fall at my side, ten thousand at my right hand. It's not coming near me. And I'm going to look on and see my kids plant like olive trees. Like take the Word. Pray it. The world has always been changed by people who believed. And there's something about a follower of Christ that when you give your life to Jesus Christ and He comes on the inside of you and He wakes up your spirit man with the presence of God.
You are way beyond. Even in the business world they've taught positive affirmation. They have great guys from Napoleon Hill and a ton after that to teach you how to speak right, how to believe right. And those people would go make fortunes. Those people would rise to the top of their endeavors. Now, the issue is without Jesus you're kind of like that guy who's going to build bigger barns but where are you going for eternity. And the greatest relationship you'll ever have is the one between you and Jesus. But when you've got Jesus in your heart and then He says, "Don't even worry about it. Just trust Me, believe Me. Yes, you can learn good management. Yes, you can learn good business but just trust Me".
You know, people would often ask me when it came to this they'd say, "Leon, do you got a 5-year business plan and a 10-year business plan and, you know, are you, what are you"? And I go, "Well, kinda". Well, you know, your life has God added this and added that. You got churches and TV stations and schools and stuff going around the world and all these languages and opportunities rise up. Like did you know when to pray about them? Ah, truthfully no. I had no idea. What I was believing God for was so small compared to where God was going to take us. And instead I just said, "God, I'm going in a direction and I'm believing you for success. I'm going to just speak the Word of God". And all of sudden goes, "We're just believing for a good TV show".
And they just hands you a TV station. The whole station? Yeah. You want the whole station? Okay. Never saw that one coming. Well, you know, we've got a whole church here. It's worth millions. Do you want it? You're going to just give it to me? Yeah! Yeah, sure okay. You see, the favor of God on our lives is... God's favor is this, what's the word? It's His unearned favor. And all you have to do is believe Him. But everybody is caught up in, "You've got to be good enough, got to be smart enough".
Listen, half the people here all believe you work for someone that's not as smart as you. Just look straight forward. No one will know it's you. I mean, that happens in all the coffee clutches in most companies out there. You know, I don't know how that guy got to be the supervisor. I don't know how that guy got to the top of the heap. I'm smarter than he is. Well, then why are you working for him? Because a lot of what goes on in life isn't because it's built there. They will give you that probably one of the five top reasons that successful people today are, there is luck. But for us it's a favor.
I just want to challenge you. That unless you get the spirit of faith, the enemy will attack you, water you down. He'll put good meaning family around you. Like Job's wife. Oh, curse God and die. Ain't that a great piece of advice? Hello! Yet, Job in the midst of his despair. By the way, God didn't do it to him or allow it to him. If you read the book that man was in such fear, in such unbelief. And that's the whole key to that whole book. But then he began to rise up and God began to speak to him. He began to have a tenacious spirit and began to believe. And people around you will try to water it down.
The enemy does not want you to discover how to use faith. How to speak faith words. How to get into the Word and renew your mind until you are transformed. We have a lot of born again Christians whose spirits are transformed but whose minds aren't. And then they wonder why they struggled, double-minded through life rarely receiving anything from God. I'm just challenging you today. Faith is a crucial topic to the believer. People back away because, "Well, I try that. It didn't work". Welcome to life. All of us have prayed about stuff that didn't work. All of us have loved ones who went home early. All of us haven't figured out why we ask God for this and this didn't happen. But we don't stay there camp out licking our wounds for 50 years.
Sorry. I know I'm offending somebody but I'm going to help you out. Let's get up, brush the dirt off our face and go, "This planet is a warzone and there's a kingdom of darkness and there's a kingdom of light. I'm going to get up and I'm going to learn to speak the Word. I'm going to get up and learn to love. I'm going to get up and make sure heaven is populated. I'm going to follow Jesus with my life. And I'm going to believe everything this book tells me". Well, where you're going to go other than that? I'm all in. I mean, I bank my whole life. I've spent my whole life studying it, teaching it, taught it to my kids, my wife, my family, my grandkids, to you. I'm all in. I don't even doubt that. There's another way? Not a chance. So let's go for it. Amen! Let's believe.