How Much Faith Do I Need? Romans 4:13-25

Continuing our verse by verse study through Romans. We are dealing with the teaching of salvation through faith AND it's implications. Many people don't consider the implications.

[ccrazydan]

Thank you Mike. I was raised Lutheran, and introduced to the Baptist church 9 years ago by my wife. Since then I've been struggling with my faith. I always thought I was a Christian, but never lived like one. I had friends who were atheists that constantly chipped away at my faith to the point I considered myself agnostic. They kept telling me man created God because he was afraid of death and thet created this "fairytale" to put our minds at ease. I've always talked to God/Jesus, and prayed and thought I fully believed. I also suffer from anxiety which I feel the enemy uses against me. Putting the "what if" thoughts in my head, which makes me feel like I'm not a true believer. The one passage that you spoke about was the man who didn't know if he fully believed. He simply said, I believe in you Lord, now help me with my looked up and said the same thing to God, and it gave me a sense of hope. Thank you for the work you're doing with these videos. I watch them regularly now to help strengthen my faith. There is no worse feeling than not knowing if you are

[chrissyknott]

Faith is like letting God put his arms around you and believing that he will keep us till the end.

[lindajohnson]

Teachers and preachers used to say that we don't need a great faith; we need faith in a Great Savior. Some people said that this is not what it meant, but "it worked for me": the Bible said the Messiah would not quench the smouldering reed. I took that to mean that God heard even weak faith like mine, and made us His own on that basis. The fact that Jesus helped the man who said "I believe; help mine unbelief" was very encouraging, and I took it as encouragement from God that I could apply to my life.

[stayingsingle-ft]

so true: I need to have faith that God is working in my life as well as someone else's. thanks

[robertoesquivel]

Half way into this video, realizing that the kind of person you're talking about, is me! God I'm all messed up :S hoping you offer advice for people like me, regardless I'm trying to hold on to God's grace and not let my own sin or the enemy twist my faith around or condemn me

[yahuchanon]

powerful teaching. the ungodly depend upon their moral compass, the more they brake it with unmoral behavior- the less it will guide them to truth. let jesus in and direct you.

[TheBlubunni]

Awesome teaching. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and understanding. May Our Father be Praised for His mercy, forgiveness and love.

[bt]

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15, ESV)


And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." (Mark 14:36, ESV)

A stark reminder that we are children of God and even in distress must be aware and assured of our sonship - for when else do we cry out to our Father??

And a reminder that even Christ, in full submission to God’s will, still asked not to have to suffer (Remove this cup from me. ) Yet always earnestly sought to fulfill the will of the Father.

What an example to follow. What an inspiration.

[NewCreationInChrist]

Amen, "Faith that does save, it will work." That's God's work "It is finished."
Ephesians 2:10 👑
"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

[royborgersen]

Thank ýou so much for a faith strengthening teaching at the right time helping me to trust in God and get the focus on him, not myself. I can rest in faith and do as Jesus commanded in Mark 16. I looked at the lives of people with incredible breakthrough praying for the sick, and started thinking that I had to do a lot to experience that. I almost forgot to rest in him and believing in him, not in my faith.

[happygolucky]

I always though id never write in my bible untill i started watching your romans understanding videos.

[AndyOakleaf]

Mike, you are a excellent teacher. Keep up the videos. I had a question, but the answer already came to me.

[edhigley]

You are right. Faith is NOT a work. It is a gift from God, lest any man boast. No one dug reeeaaally deep down and pulled up the faith to believe in Jesus. GOD gave them that faith.

[andrewjackson]

Hey Mike thankyou for your ministry. I am not as studied or learned as you are but i thought i would offer what little insight i have. When we look at our culture, hope is viewed as a piece of driftwood we desperately cling on to in hard times to keep us front sinking. However, the bible says, "We have this hope as an anchor for our souls." Hope, as far as God is concerned, is not a whimsical wishful thinking that something might happen. Hope is the assurance of things that have been promised. Faith is living in light of that hope. So when it says, "contrary to hope, in hope believed." They way it comes across to me as the bible uses the word hope is, "Contrary to hope (This first hope is refering to what seems logical to the flesh. Abraham and Sarah were both beyond child bearing years by natural standard so naturally their only understanding would be that they couldn't have a child) in hope believed (This second hope refers to the promise of God. God said to Abraham, "Your wife Sarah will bear you a child." It is this promise that Abraham believed. His hope in God is contrary to the hope that his flesh gave him and he chose to believe in the hope of God, the promise of God.) Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is the abundance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen." The two are married together. Everh time you see hope you will see faith. If faith is mentioned, hope is either in the same or next sentence or eluded to in context. The two can never be seperated. Hope is the expected onlooking of God's promises, faith is living as if that which is promised has already been recieved.

Again i am not as educated as you, this is nothing more than teachings that i have recieved and studied to verify it is consistent with scripture. I wont lie, i was kinda irritated when you used hope as we see in the bible as a guarenteed assurance interchangeably with hope that we see from our culture as something that is unlikely to happen but you still cling to with nothing more than whimsical feelings. Maybe you didnt mean to do that and i just misunderstood. If so i sincerely apologize. I just wanted to share this view of hope with you as i find it so beautiful, scripturally supported, doctrinely sound, and spiritually reassuring. I love your ministry and all that you do. Thankyou and God bless brother!

[stephenstreit]

52nd comment!!!! More people should watch these older videos, they’re amazing!!

[cherieroe]

This is a very comforting sermon to me

[legatichristi]

Great job a always Mike. Regarding your disagreement with the one particular rule of hermaneutics (keep in mind I only know what hermaneutics is and not how to do it yet); it makes sense to me for there to be a rule that says we should not pull meanings other than what the author originally intended. I think that's there to keep false prophets at bay. Most cults like Mormons, JWs, Branch Davidians, etc looked at verses in the Bible and probably thought they were pulling some message no one had ever seen before.

With that said, I trust in your interpretations of Scripture because everything you have said thus far in all the videos I have watched pretty much lines up with things I have picked up during my own personal study and have heard from other pastors sharing the Word. Keep up the great work!

[KennedyFamily]

I'm new to Calvanist understanding of scripture, but from what I understand, when studying those who consider themselves Calvanist and beholden to the scripture and who aren't arrogant or hyper-Calvanist, faith is a work but a not one we complete. Faith is a work of the Holy Spirit, brought about as He regenerates and enables us to believe, as the Father calls, for even God gives us the measure of faith in all of us. So, that's why even believe unto salvation is a work we cannot complete in and of ourselves.

I see the mirror for it in the book of Ezekiel as the Lord takes Ezekiel through the valley of dry bones and even in the conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus. I can see it in my own life, as God called to me in my sin and convicted me and drew me to His side by the pulling of the Holy Spirit when I did not even ask for Him to forgive or save me (I was in a place I didn't even think He could or would want to have me as His own, so I dared not hope for His forgiveness). All of these are examples of how faith to believe in His grace, unto salvation, is a work done only by and through the power of the Holy Spirit. Even when we pray that God steps in to the hearts and minds of our loved ones or those we witness to, that they believe and receive the grace message of the gospel, that's praying that the Holy Spirit reaches into the dead and lifeless, stone heart, to speak life and to regenerate it unto belief and saving faith in Christ Jesus.

All in all, we are utterly dependent on God for everything.

PS: thank you for your ministry Bro. Winger. You have helped my understanding and spiritual growth in the Word of the Lord over this last year. May God bless you for your faithfulness to Him and to His Word. Thank you

[clydeaugmon]

I absolutely love your teaching pastor Mike!

[ashafenn]

Awesome wonderful teaching. God bless your ministry, God protect you