Video Transcript: Four Attributes of a Conflict Firefighter - Faith

In this lecture, we're going to discuss the third attribute of a conflict firefighter that God can use in the midst of conflict. 

We've talked about humility.  And it's the humility that comes from knowing Jesus Christ and His humility being birthed in us as we are transformed into His image.  We've talked about a desire to please God and how even that desire is a gift from God and comes from spending time with Him and Him changing our heart and changing our desires as we turn from the kingdom of this world, and are transformed in His kingdom.

Well we can have humility, and we can have a desire to please God, but without this third attribute it's impossible to please God.  And that's the attribute of faith. 

In Hebrews 11:6 we read, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists, and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”  Faith grows by hearing God's word. 

In Ephesians 2:8-9 we read, “For it is by grace you've been saved through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works; so that no one can boast.” 

In Romans 10:17, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”  Romans 10:17. 

So faith is a gift from God and our faith grows by hearing God's word. Spending time in the word, spending time hearing the word preached, and spending time in prayer with the Lord, and hearing His word. 

As we receive His faith from the Lord, and we hear His word our faith grows and develops.  And we begin to believe and trust in God's Word, the more we hear God's word.

So how does that faith profit us?  Because we can hear God's word, our faith can grow, our faith in the truth that the word of God declares.  And as our faith in the truth that God's Word declares grows, the faith profits us when we mix that faith with the truth, that the word of God declares and put into action what we've learned.  And this is where works comes in to the Christian life. 

The relationship between faith and works has been an issue that has had long standing debate amongst Theologians and Christians, for centuries.  The Bible is clear, we're saved by faith, by God's grace, through faith, and that there's a gift of God, not of works. Our salvation is not based on works. But the faith that God gives us as a gift produces works.

In Hebrews 4: we read about the Hebrews who were in the wilderness and perished there because they did not believe God's word, the word that God had given them that He would take them into the Promised Land, and the two spies …remember back a few sessions, we talked about the ten spies with the bad report, two spies with a good report, Joshua and Caleb saying, we can take this land, but they did not believe that the Lord would take him in. 

And in Hebrews 4, the writer of Hebrews says, “For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.”

Those Hebrews in the wilderness heard God's word that He would take them into the Promised Land and conquer the people that were in the land and give them the land.  And Joshua and Caleb said, we can take this land, the Lord has promised to us that we can take this land.  But they didn't have faith in those words that said yes.  They heard those words and they doubted, and they remained in the wilderness for the rest of their lives.

The faith that God's word produces in our lives is meant to be put into action. And that's what happens in conflict. We come to the Peacefire by faith with a desire to please God and put into action those things that He tells us to do.   Faith is like a shield of protection in the Wildfire for us.  Ephesians 6:16 says, “Take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”  

So there is a protective aspect of faith, that the faith of the Lord gives us as a protection because He is our protector.  He's our deliverer.  He is our keeper.  In the midst of conflict as we stand and walk by faith, He protects us. He provides that peace that passes understanding. While He is at work, accomplishing His purpose in His good pleasure. 

The conflicts that we face and encounter, those Wildfires of conflict strengthen our faith and they cause us, in the midst of suffering, to grow.  In 1 Peter 1:6-7 we read, “In all this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while, you may have had suffered grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth and gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”  

When we focus on the Wildfire rather than the Peacefire, we can be tempted to wander from the faith.  But at the Peacefire we focus on Jesus Christ, we spend time with the Lord in prayer, we spend time in His Word, and He builds our faith, and we're encouraged, and we're strengthened, and The Lord reveals His will to us, reveals His purpose to us, and He gives us the power there, to make those faith choices, to put that faith into action, and to do those things that please Him. 

Oftentimes in conflict, money is an issue.  And when money is an issue, we're tempted to exercise our self-interest rather than to desire to please God.  Be careful.  And when you see others, engaged in conflicts that involve money, encourage them to seek the Lord and to walk by faith to that conflict. 

1 Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 

In the Wildfire, when we focus on the wildfire, our choices are governed by the circumstances, the people, the relationships, and the emotion involved in the conflict and we’ll rely on our worldly wisdom to find a way out.  We’ll sometimes rely on man's wisdom, or a talented man that the Lord has raised up and we’ll read a book.  And we'll try to apply that wisdom in our conflict.  Know that the Lord is at work in every one of your conflicts and He will reveal to you what He wants you to do. 

Those books may be of some help, but if all we rely on is man's wisdom, even a godly man, we will miss out on some of what the Lord has to reveal to you personally in the midst of a conflict Wildfire.  Because at the Peacefire He builds our faith. He strengthens our faith, and He grants us the power, the wisdom that comes from God, to make choices that will glorify Jesus Christ in the midst of conflict and He will use you to do so wherever He sends you in the conflict Wildfire. 

In the next session, we'll look at the fourth attribute of a conflict firefighter that God can use in the midst of conflict.  God bless you. We'll see you next time.