The Power and Importance of Child Like Faith by Brother Duke Hansen

         This morning we will be reading from a couple of books in the scripture. If you will, turn to the book of Matthew, the 18th chapter. We will start at the 1st verse. This message is going to speak at length about unbelief, hardening of one's heart, and of faith. In this walk, there are some believers who will not be patient with what God is doing in their life, and will try to grow their faith too quickly.

        At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

        2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

        3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

        4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

        5 And whoso shall receive one such child in my name receives me.

        

        People who are truly the Lord's, led by the Holy Ghost, never ask a question as what was asked of Jesus in verse 1. The flesh, the shifty man, is at work asking that question. The spirit doesn't care about lists of who is greatest or least. It pushes and elevates your brothers and sisters up with encouragement and prayer rather than themselves. It works to draw you closer to the most high. 

        We look at the practice of unbelief and see it as a choice. Someone actively chooses not to believe in Jesus, fellowship, praise, humility. It doesn't enter into their minds. It isn't a choice it's really a spirit. That spirit gets in you and can harden your heart if you aren't paying attention. That spirit can turn your faith into doubt. Your knowing into skepticism. "Any grown man or woman who humble themselves as a child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven". The key here is humility. Humility is something a lot of people speak about but rarely show. Humility is vital for your relationship with Jesus.

        Turn to the book of Hebrews. We will be going to chapter 3 of Hebrews and start reading with verse 7. In this chapter, the writer is speaking about Israel after the people had left Egypt and spent 40 years in the wilderness.

        7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,

        8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

        9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works for 40 years.

        10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

        11 So I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter my rest.)

        12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

        13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

        14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;

        15 While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

        There is nothing worse then when your confidence becomes shattered. Sometimes we confuse confidence with arrogance, Arrogance is not confidence. It generates from low self esteem and often times ignorance. Just because you yell louder or longer doesn't make you right on anything.

        To become like a child as in the scriptures read, you need to be teachable. Child like faith is the greatest faith you can have. Focus on verse 12 there in Hebrews 3. The spirit of unbelief is what causes you to leave God. Unbelief leads you into apostasy. People of the Apostolic Pentecost church are the only one faith who can become apostates. Why? Here you know the whole truth in full and you reject it. There are other denominations who only deal with a portion of the truth. Apostasy hardens your heart towards the truth. In verse 13 it reads to exhort one another daily. Lift each other up daily. Today is a time and a season. Be who you are out in the world as what you are in the church. The Holy Ghost is not worried about failure. The flesh is always worried about failure and looking ridiculous. If you fail, try something else. 

        Focus on the words "if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end" and submit daily. 

        Briefly we are going to talk about the deceitfulness of sin. There are those who have a higher thinking of themselves, placing themselves and their thoughts above everyone else they know. Often times what they acquire in head knowledge is wrong because it reads as a better truth then what is in this book. The deceit of thinking despite the new covenant, I don't have to live under the law because Jesus paid it all. You are in danger if you place your intellect above God. You are still in danger until the flesh dies and passes away. Without the Holy Ghost, with your haughty mindset, you aren't coming out of the grave. Being just a partaker of Christ is not the automatic pass into heaven. You have your flesh still around fighting your spirit man and its path towards glory. 

        Look at "if we hold the beginning" again. Think about the very first time you received Jesus as your savior. There's the child like humility and confidence that brought you forward to the altar. If you lose focus on that child like faith chasing after a deception disguised as a greater faith, you lose sight of your true walk.

        Confidence in God started with child like faith. If you keep waiting for great faith for deliverance from your troubles and issues, you will keep waiting. It is on you to go forth and seek his face, ask for it, take it by child like faith. Don't place knowledge in where your faith is today. What you consider a must or a need is not big in the bigger picture. For us, trials, temptations, afflictions are the same as what Israel experienced in the wilderness, but its happening today at this very moment. God has a low tolerance for ignorance. Don't harden your hearts during your time in the wilderness or a valley. When you are down in the middle of the press or facing a personal obstacle. Humble yourself down to that little child in prayer pressing through your trial.