I Believe God - Pastor Stacey Shiflett

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I Believe God

Acts 27:25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

Intro: I Believe God. Everything really starts with this simple statement.

For the unbeliever to be saved, they must believe God.

·        John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

·        John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

For the believer to be victorious and prosper, they must believe God.

This is the crux of the Christian life.

·        Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

I have preached Acts 27 about three years go, but have not preached a whole message on this one statement.

Paul made a statement in verse 25 that is powerful.

He said to those on that ship – I BELIEVE GOD.

He went on to expound on that by saying, “that it shall be even as it was told me.”

That is the bottom line – we believe God when we believe His Word.

If we do not believe God’s Word, we do not believe God.

In John 8, Jesus had a conversation with the Pharisees. It went something like this…

·        13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.

·        14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true…

He preached awhile, and then notice what happened:

·        30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.

·        31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

The Pharisees continued to argue and debate Jesus. Notice His response:

·        44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

·        45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

·        46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

·        47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

Back to the passage in Acts 27. Paul’s confidence in God was clear.

Paul believed God in this story as a direct result of his testimony in verse 23.

His faith was reinforced by:

               1. The Presence of God – there stood by me this night the angel of the Lord

               2. The Purchase of God – whose I am

               3. The Partnership with God – and whom I serve

Paul believed God in spite of:

I. The Skeptics

Paul was surrounded by unbelievers.

Paul was surrounded by people that had faith in anybody and anything BUT God.

·        9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,

·        10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

·        11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

One of the biggest challenges that a child of God faces today is being in the minority about almost everything.

Being the only believer; being the only one that knows God and trusts God takes a toll on our faith.

Paul faced the same difficulties that we face; we are surrounded by people that trusty anybody BUT God.

In spite of Paul’s preaching (vs. 9) and Paul’s perception (vs. 10), they still believed the master and owner of the ship.

We are surrounded by people that:

·        Believe the scientists more than they believe God.

·        Believe the government more than they believe God.

·        Believe their college professors more than they believe God.

·        Believe the climate change cult more than they believe God.

·        Believe their family, their friends, their BFF’s more than they believe God.

·        Believe their unsaved spouse more than they believe God.

·        Believe their parents, their siblings, their girlfriend, their boyfriend, more than they believe God.

Being a people that boldly proclaims I BELIEVE GOD is a difficult thing sometimes when you’re surrounded by skeptics.

Paul was the only person on that ship out of 276 people that believed God. (vs. 37)

Paul believed God in spite of:

II. The Storm

Storms have a way of testing people’s faith.

Storms have always been used by God to accomplish things.

ILLUSTRATION: Luke 8

·        22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

·        23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.

·        24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

·        25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith?

The storm in Acts 27 was a violent, tempestuous storm.

One way to find out just how much faith you have is to enter into a violent, dangerous storm.

Euroclydon = "a violent agitation"

The true state of a person’s faith will be manifested during a “violent agitation.”

Paul believed God in spite of:

III. The Stipulation

The conditions for their safety didn’t look good.

God told Paul that all those that sailed with him would be spared. – vs. 24

But he also told them that they would lose the ship. vs. 22

God also told Paul that they would be cast upon a certain island. – vs. 26

God also told Paul that except they abode in the ship, the could not be saved. – vs. 31

But he told them in verse 22 that they would lose the ship.

It just might be me, but that sounds sketchy. Nerve-wracking; contradictory. Crazy actually.

Stay with the ship and you’ll be saved – oh – by the way, we are going to lose the ship.

Be of good cheer boys! We are going to lose the ship, but stay in the ship if you want to live!

Let’s make it more exciting; let’s add a few more elements of interest.

·        They were surrounded by rocks. – vs. 29

·        And the shipmen were trying to secretly abandon ship. – vs. 30.

·        And they cut the lifeboats loose and let them fall off into the sea. – vs. 32

·        And they had not eaten in two weeks. – vs. 33

·        After they ate they threw all the food overboard. – vs. 38

Most people in this situation would have looked for an alternative solution.

Believing God under these circumstances was a tremendous test of Paul’s faith.

Yet he never wavered in believing God would keep them alive, regardless of the difficulties.

Believing God means you cannot believe yourself; or your emotions; or your own heart.

That was the meat of the message, but I want to make two very strong appeals to you today.

You and I need to be reminded the importance of BELIEVING GOD.

Conclusion:

A. Believe God when it comes to your CONDITION

Jonah 3

·        4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

·        5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

God made it clear in chapter 1 of Jonah, verse three that Ninevah was a WICKED place.

When they heard Jonah’s message, they didn’t deny it.

They didn’t argue with God about it.

They didn’t justify themselves or make excuses.

They believed God!!

Hell will be filled with people from every generation, every nation, every background, all with one thing in common:

THEY DIDN’T BELIEVE GOD WHEN IT CAME TO THE MATTER OF THEIR SIN.

ILLUSTRATION: Luke 18

·        9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

·        10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

·        11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

·        12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

·        13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

·        14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

If you want to be saved, you must first forsake your self-righteousness, stop trusting in your good works, AND BELIEVE GOD about your true condition!

Only then can you be saved!

B. Believe God when it comes to your CONCERNS

Mark 11

·        22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

·        23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

·        24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Jesus told His disciples to simply BELIEVE GOD.

·        Believe God about BIG THINGS. – “…whosoever shall say unto this mountain…”

·        Believe God about BOLD THINGS. – “…Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea…”

·        Believe God about BURDENED THINGS – vs. 24 “What things soever ye desire…”