In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the power of faith in turning the key to unlock the promises of God. He encourages the audience to believe in God's Word and realize the tremendous power of prayer in helping one another. The preacher references passages from the book of Galatians, 2 Corinthians, and Hebrews to illustrate the life of faith and the importance of focusing on the eternal rather than the temporal. He urges the audience to meditate on these scriptures and allow faith to make them a burning reality in their hearts.

Number four, our weapon, faith, believing prayer, let us pray. Our God and Father, we thank Thee for the fact that every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before. We thank Thee, God, that Thou hast not only called us into this warfare against the forces of darkness and the power of self, but Thou hast armed us with weapons that are able to bring every thought into captivity and are able to conquer the strongest cities and the biggest giants. Lead us now in this time together, our Father, for we desire to learn of Thee. We desire, as the disciples of old, to sit at the feet of Jesus Christ and learn from Him, the way He taught, the way He walked, and above everything else, the way He prayed, the way He carried on in constant communion with the Father. Teach us this, our God, we pray, in Jesus' name, amen. This, our fourth session in this series, is one of the most important sessions because we'll be discussing not only more facts concerning prayer, but we will be discussing this matter of faith, faith, believing prayer. It's impossible really to talk about faith and not talk about prayer, and it's impossible to talk about prayer and not talk about faith. The two come together. Prayer is the exercise of faith, and if one has faith but does not pray, it means little, and it means even less if one prays and has not faith. And so we realize that the weapon of faith has been given unto us, and we use our faith mainly through prayer. In Ephesians 6 it says that we are to take the shield of faith wherewith we can stop all of the fiery darks of the evil one. Yes, faith is a weapon. It's a weapon in this tremendous warfare against sin and self. And so let us look into the New Testament. In orientation session number two, we discussed prayer and looked at what the gospel and the book of Acts said concerning prayer. Now we're going to pick up in the epistle and see what is taught concerning this great subject of prayer. However, in this session, we want to especially put the emphasis on faith, faith, believing prayer. The prayer of faith, says James, is what really makes the difference. And so let us look, starting with the book of Romans, at what the word of God tells us concerning this great weapon of faith, and in particular, faith, believing prayer. First of all, let us look in Romans chapter 1 and the 16th verse. Here we read that famous verse that's so often quoted when we think of Martin Luther. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the junk shall live by faith. The junk shall live by faith. We're not only saved by faith, but the Bible says the junk shall live by faith. The junk shall live by faith. As we think upon this, it should indeed thrill our souls, as we realize that God has called us into a life of faith. What does this mean? What does it mean in the realm of prayer? What does it mean in all the various activities that we have, in all the various tasks that lie ahead of us? The junk shall live by faith. Let us begin our study, and let's look now at Romans the 10th chapter and the 17th verse. Romans 10-17, we read one of the most important things concerning faith. Here we read, so that faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. This unlocks one of the secrets into the realm of faith, and how to get it. How can we have more faith? How can we believe God through greater things? And hence along with this, I think of what is said in John 5-44, where we read, how can we believe, with deep honor of one of another, and not the honor that comes from God alone? I challenge you to mark that verse down, John 5-44, and to meditate on it, and to memorize it, and to walk constantly in the light of it. I believe that even more important than what I mentioned in my last case concerning unbelieving literature, and concerning the flood of unbelieving doctrine, I believe that there's one thing that causes unbelief even more than that, and that's the fact that men seek honor one of another. Men cannot come to Jesus Christ. They are not able to believe, because they seek honor one of another. And it's only when we begin to seek the honor of God, it's only when we begin to seek God in His glory, that we'll be able to believe Him for great and mighty things. Some of you want to believe Him for funds. How important it is that we believe God for funds to carry out His work. Wherever I've gone on the mission field, I've seen a lack of funds. Missionaries have come into our bookstores, and they've wanted literature, but most of the time they couldn't pay for it. They wanted it free, or they wanted an extra special discount. And everywhere I go, I find people who want to do some work for God. Many young people who want to enter Bible school, but they can't because of lack of funds. But the problem never has been and never will be lack of funds. The problem is lack of faith. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Oh my God, grip us with this tremendous reality, and when we seek to seek honor one of another. How can you believe Jesus then, when you seek honor one from another, and not the honor that comes from God alone? Yes, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. And so here again, we see how the Word is so closely linked with prayer. And it's as we go into the Word, it's as we use the Word of God in worship and in praise, it's as we memorize it, as we meditate upon it, as we begin to trust it, that our faith will increase. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Let us now look at 1 Corinthians, the 7th chapter. Turning from Romans to Corinthians, our desire is in this session to go through every book of the New Testament except one or two, and choose one or two verses on the subject of prayer or faith. Here in 1 Corinthians, the 7th chapter, and the 4th verse, we read these words. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband. And likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Be flawed ye not one to the other, except that ye would contend for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and come together again, that Satan tempt you not from your incontinency. Here we see that prayer is so important, that prayer and fasting is so important, that it seems to be the only reason, or at least the main reason, why a husband and a wife for a time should lay aside their lovemaking and any sexual relations, that they might give themselves utterly to the task of faith-believing prayer. That they would fast, that they would abstain from food, and from their own normal relationships in order to give themselves to this task. Now how could anyone, after reading that verse, not realize the tremendous importance of prayer? Who can deny the importance of the physical relationship in marriage? Our creative powers, when a man and a woman are united as one in Christ, they are given a creative power, and they can create little children, they can create little babies. This is a tremendous gift, a tremendous force that God has given to us. But he's given us another creative power. It's the power of prayer. Through prayer we can create situations. Through prayer we can create great and mighty things. And God tells us that there comes a time when we are to lay aside this one creative power in order to engage more fully in this other tremendous spiritual creative power, the power of prayer. Oh, might God grip us with this tremendous challenge, but we see that if we're going to accomplish anything in Mexico, or Spain, or Turkey, or India, or England, or Europe, it's going to be by exercising this power of prayer, by exercising this power of fasting and prayer. Oh, any one of these verses could take up hours of time. But we must move on because we want to try to get a picture of what the New Testament as a whole teaches concerning this important matter. Let's turn now to 2 Corinthians 1.11. 2 Corinthians 1.11, we read these words. Ye also, helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf. Here Paul tells the Corinthian church that they can help him, that they can be helping together, that they can be laboring together through prayer. If only we had a vision of the actual work we can do through prayer. Some people think prayer is sort of a passive thing, and either you're working or you're praying. And sometimes we're serving the Lord, and sometimes we're praying. But we need to realize that prayer is service. Prayer is work. Real prayer. Faith-believing prayer. We can help others. There's a man in China, he's in need tonight. He needs our help. He's facing all kinds of tremendous difficulties. There are teams in India, there are teams in Iran, there are teams in Turkey, there are teams in Syria, there are teams in Spain, there are teams in France, there are teams in Mexico, and in many other countries. And they need our help today. They're faced with tremendous obstacles. They're faced with tremendous difficulties. And they need our help. And Paul says we can help them. And we don't even have to leave our room. We can help them through prayer. Helping together through prayer. What a tremendous challenge for each one of us to begin to help those that are out on the mission field. Oh, no wonder missionaries have been weak at times. No wonder there's been defeats at times. You see, it's because we aren't helping. Sometimes the missionary looks at the church and he wonders why it's weak. And the church back home looks at the missionary and wonders why he's weak. But the Bible gives the answer. The Bible says when one member suffers, we all suffer. When one member is honored, we're all honored. Oh, how we need a fresh grip of the vision of the body of Christ. That we are one body, yet members in particular. And that's how spiritually through prayer we can help one another. It's real. It seems theological. It seems speculative. It seems like it's something mystical. But it's real. Prayer is real. Faith-believing prayer is more real than the table in front of you. It's more real than the floor beneath us. If only we'd come to grips and believe God and believe His Word, we'd see the tremendous power of being able to help one another through prayer. Let's turn now to 2 Corinthians, the fourth chapter. And I want to read here a description of a man of faith. This whole chapter, I want to give us at least something to think on in terms of a whole chapter of Scripture. That paints clearly the life of faith. That paints clearly the way of a man who walks not by sight, but by faith. Hold as many passages, and later on we'll be looking at Hebrews 11. And 2 Corinthians chapter 6 is also a tremendous description of the life of faith, and we all need to read it. But here's a chapter we haven't discussed too often. Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faith-up. But have we noticed the hidden things of this odyssey, not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hidden, it is hidden to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we treat not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your service for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this stranger in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Tapped down, but not destroyed. Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the light also of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the light also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. We have a distinct spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believe, and therefore have I spoken. We also believe, and therefore speak. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sake, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we think none, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our life affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal way of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Need any comment to be made on these verses? What could any human being add to this infinite wisdom of God? Might we take 2 Corinthians chapter 4 and read it and memorize it and meditate on it until it becomes a burning reality in our hearts? Think will make it real. And as we read it, let us remember that last verse. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Within us there is a craving to know. There is a craving for security. And we crave to go by sight. We want to see. We want to know. We want to touch. But God says, Blessed is he who believes and yet has not seen. There is something strange. There is something awesome. There is something mighty about faith. Reaching out into the unknown, not knowing how many funds could come in for your coming trip to Mexico, but reaching out by faith and saying, Lord, I know. Not knowing where you go, but knowing that it's His will. You can claim it and believe it. Realizing that that or that those things which are not seen are eternal. They're more lasting than cement and sand and paper and steel. They're eternal. Not seen by eyes, but seen by God. Oh, if we'd only realize how faith turns the key. Let us turn on now to the book of Galatians. And I'd like us to read together one of the passages that over and over again God has used to keep me from the snare of the evil one. To keep me from the onslaught of Satan. And each time I read this passage, I realize that it's faith that turns the key. It's faith that makes just words in the Bible become real in one's life. And in Galatians, the sixth chapter, we read these words, the seventh verse. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. But he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we think not. As some of you have been out on crusades, and you've spent eight or nine hours every day out in distribution and evangelism, as you've been up against some of the hard areas, and as you've spent many hours in the work of the Lord, I want to leave you with this verse as one of the greatest challenges of the word of God. Be not weary in well-doing, for ye shall reap if ye think not. Perhaps there on your little campus, perhaps there on your little prayer group, things aren't going so well, and there's big problems and there's big difficulties. I challenge you to remember that chapter in Corinthians we just read, where it tells us how unimportant the sufferings of this life are, and how it's only for a little while compared to all that's ahead of us. And then remember this verse. Ye shall reap if ye think not. Faith turns the key. Faith says as your labor becomes long, as the work becomes hard, as the trials come, as the battles come, as things seem to be going at such a slow pace at times, faith says ye shall reap. Faith says think not. Faith says ahead of us there's a day of blessing. Faith says ahead of us there's a day of reaping. Faith says ahead of us there's a day of victory. There's a day of outpouring. But he says, think not. Think not. Faith turns the key, not only to Galatians 6, 7, 8, and 9, but to every passage of the word of God, every promise. Faith turns the key, stepping out on the word of God, and saying I believe, saying I trust, casting all of our cares upon him, knowing that he cares for us. Oh, almighty be graced with the reality of the warfare and the reality of the fact that we have a shield of faith which can stop all of the fiery darts of the devil. That's from Ephesians 6, 17. So now let's go past Ephesians to Philippians 4, 6. Philippians 4, 6. We read these tremendous words concerning the life of faith and prayer. Be terrible for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. In other words, don't worry about anything. There's not many of us. I trust there's none of us. Never think of going out into the street now and finding some woman in the street and getting involved in immorality with her. And yet many of us get engaged in worry. And yet I'm convinced that worry is putting more people in mental institutions than even in morality. Worry that drains our mind and that drains our soul. Worry that turns our hair gray and turns our hearts black. God has a cure for it. He says worry about nothing, but in everything in prayer and in supplication make your requests made known unto me. Oh, the tremendous balance. The tremendous power. The tremendous healthiness of the life of faith. A life in which there's constantly a song in our heart. A life in which constantly there's a spring in our step and a joy word on our lips. Because we do not have to worry about anything. Every problem. Every burden. Every care. Every trial. Every criticism. Every difficult exam. Every hard financial problem. It all can be cast upon him who cares for us even more than we care for ourselves. Yes, the anxious is nothing. But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And look at the result. As the peace of God which tacks all understanding shall keep your heart and mind through Jesus Christ. Praise be to God for his promises. The life of faith isn't a dull humdrum, ascetic landslide into oblivion. But it's a great, stirring, challenging joyful, uplifting jump into the arms of God in which we can say as men of old I trust in the living God. Now let us go on and look at the book of Colossians but as we turn the page to go to Colossians let's not forget Philippians 4.19. Just let us read it as a reminder. We've heard it many times but faith will turn the key. But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Is God a liar? Is that put in there as a mock? Some who are listening to my voice might be concerned about this need or that need. But God says I'll supply all your needs. But remember it's according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. And I'm convinced that what some of us in the Western world really need