Keeping the faith – how to defeat the enemies of faith

Keeping the faith can be a struggle. As believers we are instructed to “live our life by faith”. In fact God tells us four times, in four different books of the Bible, in both the old and new testament that, “The just or righteous shall live by faith”. (Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38.) Obviously living and keeping the faith our important to God.

Keeping the Faith – is a fight

keeping the faith by Pastor Bruce Edwards

Defeating 6 Enemies of Faith

Keeping the faith is a fight! In 1 Timothy 6:12 Paul tells us to “Fight the good fight of faith…” Notice Paul calls faith a “fight”. If there is a fight to be fought there has to be an enemy. In fact, there are several enemies that try to discourage you from keeping the faith. We are going to reveal six of those enemies and how to defeat them.

6 Enemies of Faith

1. Lack of Knowledge. Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge”. This is talking about the knowledge of God’s Word. You can only have faith for what you know the Word of God says. Ignorance, misinformation, and wrong teaching about God’s Word destroys faith. “Faith come by hearing and hearing the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17) Lack of knowledge of what God’s Word says, His promises, and what it provides is one of the enemies of faith.

2. Lack of Hope. Faith is the substance of things HOPED for…” (Hebrews 11:1) If you lose hope, faith is lost. Hope is the framework for faith to build on. Faith begins with hope. Lack of hope is one of the enemies of faith.

Defeating the 6 Enemies of Faith

3. Lack of Focus. Hebrews 12:2 in the Amplified Bible says, “looking away from all that will distract us and focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith...” Our faith is completed when we keep our focus on Jesus. If we get distract by the circumstances and get focused on all the things around us instead of the promise of God’s Word and more importantly the promise maker Himself, our faith is sabotaged. Romans 4 tells us Abraham’s faith succeeded because “he did not consider the circumstances”. He did not get his focus on the fact that he and Sarah were too old to have children, instead he kept his focus on God’s promise and on God who was able to do what He promised He would do. Lack of focus on Jesus the perfecter of our faith is one of the enemies of faith.

4. Lack of Patience. Hebrews 6:12 tells us it is, “through faith and patience we inherit the promises.” Patience is a key ingredient of faith. If you eliminate patience faith can not complete it’s assignment. Patience knows that God’s Word has never failed. Patience knows God watches over His Word to perform it. Faith not only believes that God exists, but that God rewards those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 12:6) Paul wrote in Romans 8:25 that “if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience,”. If we get impatient and do not wait for God’s perfect timing we end up aborting our faith. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9) Lack of patience is one of the enemies of faith.

No Doubting

5. Lack of Belief. This can come in the form of unbelief, disbelief, or doubt.   Unbelief  is an absence of faith, but doesn’t deny the truth.  Disbelief simply denies the truth. For example: I can say, “You must be born again to go to heaven” and read the verses from the Gospel of John chapter 3 that teach this truth. You can say, “I don’t believe that.” That is disbelief. Or you could say, “I know I should and need to, but I’m not ready or that’s just not for me.” That is unbelief.

Doubt on the other hand doesn’t deny the truth of God’s Word and it doesn’t turn it’s back on the truth. It is willing to believe, but has a hesitance to believe. James 1:6 tells us to, “ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” Doubt wavers at the promises of God. One minute you believe and the next you don’t. Regardless all three cause a lack of belief and that is one of the enemies of faith.

God Gives You Power

6. Fear. Fear is the opposite of faith. Fear is a spirit that will try to intimidate you and stop you from believing God. Faith activates God while fear activates the devil. Satan wants to steal, kill, and destroy your life. (John 10:10) If you allow Him he will use Fear: False Evidence Appearing Real to steal your faith. The enemy tries to bombard our minds with negative thoughts and imaginations that if not dealt with develop into fear.

Don’t allow the enemy to use false evidences to deceive and stop you from believing God. Take captive those vain imaginations and negative thoughts. (2Corinthians 10:10:5) 2Timothy 1:7 tells us, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” If fear knocks at your door answer with faith and no one will be there. Fear is one of the enemies of faith.

Fight the Good Fight

If you want to keep the faith you will need to overcome every one of these enemies. Notice Paul described the fight of faith as a “GOOD” fight. The only way a fight can be good is if you win it. You are ordained to win the the fight of faith You can always go to God in prayer, asking for His divine guidance, and be assured that He will help you deal with and defeat every enemy of faith. “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” (1John 5:4) Keeping the faith means defeating every enemy of faith. You can keep the faith!

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