Faith for All Things — Zac Poonen

Jesus said these words in Mark's Gospel, chapter 10 and verse 27. It's a very beautiful word which all of us believe. I don't think there's a single person here who doesn't believe this statement. Mark 10, 27.

Faith in God's Unlimited Power

All things are possible with God. Do you believe that? Do you believe it? All things are possible with God. Do you believe it? Okay. Who said it? Jesus. I'll tell you something else that Jesus said. Turn to the previous page, Mark 9, 23.

Now don't forget the first sentence. Mark 9, 23 says, all things are possible to him who believes. Do you believe that? Not so sure. It's the same person who said it. It's the same person who said it.

Jesus. It's not a question of what I think. It's a question of whether the one who said it is trustworthy. Either that, the only other possibility is that there's some mistake in the Bible. Maybe it's not recorded right.

But I believe it. Now, a logical minded man will say, well, does that mean, brother Zak, you can do everything? Well, you got to understand, when it says all things are possible with God, can God tell a lie?

No. So, there are certain things he won't do. Can, you know, when the Bible says, can God, let's say, can God forsake his children? No. So, there are certain things that God will not do. Something which are contrary to his nature.

So, when it says all things are possible with God, it's the things that are in line with his nature. For example, God is love and he'll never do anything contrary to the law of love. It is impossible.

One day, we know, our minds can't understand that fully, but one day we will discover that which sounds so difficult for us to believe today, that when God sends people to hell, it's an act of love. It's difficult to understand today, right?

But I believe we will understand it one day. When God sends people to hell, it will be an act of love. I believe that. I have no doubt about it because I have such a confidence in God as a God of love.

He never does anything, cannot do anything, contrary to the law of love. So, when it says all things are possible for us who believe, it means that if there is something which is in the will of God, I can do it.

That's what it means. And when I am in fellowship with God, I don't want to do anything which is outside his will. I have no interest in doing anything outside of his will because anything outside of God's will will harm me, will harm other people.

All the chaos and confusion in the world is because man has decided to do his own will. All the chaos and confusion in your life is because you do your own will. But anything which is in the will of God will only result in a good ending and something good.

And that we can do. Everything that is in God's will, all things are possible. If I can believe. And when I realize that God's will is so perfect and for my good, yet it may not be fulfilled if I don't believe.

Some of us think that if God has willed something, it will automatically be fulfilled. It's not true. Let me show you an example. In the book of Exodus in chapter 3, this is one of the earliest examples of where God's will was not fulfilled.

God's Promises and Israel's Unbelief

Now, we got to learn a lesson from that so that don't think that everything God has planned for you will be fulfilled. No. I know lots of believers for whom what God has planned for them is not fulfilled.

And here is one of the earliest examples of that. It should bring a little fear into our hearts. Exodus chapter 3, verse 17. The Lord told Moses to go and call all the leaders of Israel and all the people.

And he gave them a double promise. He didn't ask them to do it. He said, I will do it. Okay? He said, I will bring you out of Egypt. Number one. And I will bring you into the land. The last part of verse 17, flowing with milk and honey.

So, there were two promises in that verse given to these people. I will bring you out of Egypt. I will bring you into the land of Canaan. It's two sides of the gospel. Pictured in the Old Testament. But he said, you got to believe me.

If you believe me, promise number one, kill a lamb, put the blood outside your door to show that you believe in me and I will not kill your firstborn son. I will take you out of Egypt. Now, I don't know whether all the Israelites did it.

He doesn't tell us. Supposing there was some clever, smart Israelite who said, ah, what a stupid thing. Kill a lamb and put the blood outside the door. Anything more silly than that? I will pray. God said he will do it, he will do it.

God's not going to break his promise. Now, if some foolish Israelite thought like that, his firstborn son would have died. Now, after the child died, then he would have woken up to the fact that God keeps his word.

If you believe, do what he tells you to do. Anyway, they came out of Egypt. Two years later, they came to the borders of the land of Canaan. And the Lord said to all of them, now, you remember the second part of the promise I told you?

I will take you into Canaan. Did I fulfill the first part for you? Yes. That mighty army of Pharaoh, more powerful than anybody in the whole world. They were the super power in the world. I conquered them.

I defeated them for you. Now, here is a land of Canaan ruled by people who are not even 10 of Pharaoh's army. Will you believe me that I will take you into this land? And they said, no, we don't believe it.

They are too strong. But there were only two people who said, yes, we believe. And that was Joshua and Caleb. And they went in. And 600 ,000 people, men, who said, no, it's not possible. They did not experience that promise.

Now, all those 600 ,000 men had heard God say, I will take you into Canaan. But none of those 600 ,000 men went into Canaan. So, there was a promise of God not fulfilled. It was fulfilled for two people but not fulfilled for 600 ,000 people.

Now, let's apply that to today. Is it possible that among 600 ,000 people who believe that the blood of Jesus can cleanse us from all sin, only two people will believe that by the power of the Holy Spirit, I can conquer all sin in my life.

I think it's about the same proportion. I have met very, very few people who really believe that God can help me to conquer every sinful habit in my life. It's just like those Israelites. They looked at the giants and say, no, no, no.

God is too strong. Can you think of what those giants represent? Those giants represent the strong sins that have ruled the land of Canaan. The land of Canaan, by the way, is your body. That land of Canaan should belong to God.

The Believer's Body as God's Temple

But other giants are ruling it. This land of Canaan which we call the human body is supposed to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. I'm talking about believers. I'm not talking about those godless people who are not redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

I'm talking about 600 ,000 people who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus. Out of that number, very few believe that the giants in this land can be killed. I think most of you here would believe that the blood of Jesus can cleanse you from all sin.

I don't know if there's one person here who doubts it. Christ died on the cross and shed his blood that all your sins might be forgiven. That is a picture of redemption from Egypt in the Old Testament.

And perhaps most of you, if not all of you, have also gone through the waters of baptism. Just like the Israelites went into the Red Sea and came out. You know that is a picture of baptism. They went into the Red Sea and came out.

And they had another baptism. A cloud came down from heaven upon them. This is a picture of a baptism in the Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 10, it says here, in verse 2, that all these people who came out of Egypt had two baptisms.

And a Christian must also have two baptisms. It says, they came out of Egypt and they were baptized in the sea. That's a picture of water baptism. And it says in verse 2, they were baptized by the cloud which came from heaven.

It's a picture of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. So, there were people who were baptized, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, just like you. Baptized in water, just like you. And baptized in the Holy Spirit.

But they still did not enter Canaan. It says, verse 5, God was not well pleased with them. Is it possible that God is not pleased with people who are baptized in the Holy Spirit? God's word says that.

I have met hundreds and thousands of people who were baptized in water, baptized in the Holy Spirit. I am absolutely convinced God is not pleased with them. Because they allow the giants to rule the land of Canaan.

Conquering Sin Through Faith

They allow giants to rule in their body. Giants of anger, bitterness, jealousy, the love of money, sexual lust and unforgiving spirit. Giants of gossiping, backbiting, accusing the brothers, cheating, lying, seeking the honor of men, murmuring, grumbling, complaining.

Am I talking about unbelievers or believers? These giants ruled the land. And like those old giants that stood in Canaan, and these spies came to look at the land, this is such a beautiful land, we'd like to live here.

And the giants said, I am ruling here. You are not going to conquer this land. We ruled this land for so long. I know believers who have completely given up their battle with anger. Because anger stands there and says, ha, you think you are going to conquer me?

I ruled your life for so long. I ruled your father and your grandfather and your mother and your grandmother. Don't you remember at home when you were a little child, how your mom and dad who claimed to be believers used to get angry with each other?

I rule you. I will rule you till the end of your life. Children, you are not going to conquer me. And he stood there in fear and said, okay, I will never get victory over anger. And God is not well pleased.

Why was he not well pleased with those 600 ,000 Israelites? Because they insulted him. They insulted him by saying, Almighty God who created this universe is not strong enough to defeat these giants who live in Canaan.

They are 8 feet tall. 8 feet tall. How can Almighty God kill them? Sounds like a joke right now, right? That people can be scared that Almighty God can't kill these giants. You know, it's very easy to see where other people failed.

Our problem is to see where we have failed. It's easy to see where other people displeased God by their unbelief. It's difficult to see where we have come short of God's standard by our unbelief. All things are possible with God.

We all agree with that. Jesus also said, all things are possible to the one who believes. If God has said something and I put my faith in it, it will happen. One John chapter 1 verse 9 reads like this.

If we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Don't you agree there? Don't you believe that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive us all our sins?

There we have no problem. I say, how do you know that? You say, God's word says it. How do you know your sins are all forgiven? It says here, one John 1 verse 7, if you walk in the light, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

The same word says in Romans 6 verse 14 that sin will not be able to rule over you when you come under grace. The two sides of the gospel. I will take you out of Egypt. I will bring you into Canaan. And out of 600 ,000 born-again believers today who come out of Egypt, you will find two who believe that God can bring me into the land of Canaan.

And I can overcome anger. I can overcome bitterness. I can overcome the love of money. I can overcome seeking the honor of men. I can overcome murmuring and grumbling and depression and discouragement and self-condemnation.

And every wretched thing that the devil has put upon me from my childhood and every wretched thing I inherited from my forefather Adam. Every giant that's ruled in this body. I cannot conquer them. But by the power of God's grace, I can bring them all under my feet.

If you believe, it will take place. If you don't believe, it will not take place. Is there a promise in the Bible for those who don't believe? There is. I'll show it to you. For all people who don't believe in God's promise, here is the word.

Doubt, Faith, and Receiving from God

James chapter 1. It says in verse 6, Let him ask in faith when he goes to God. James 1 verse 6. Let him ask in faith without any doubting because the one who doubts is like the wind surf of the sea. You know the waves driven and tossed by the wind.

What is the promise for those who don't believe? Here it is. Verse 7. Let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord. Very clear. You don't believe? Let not that man think he will receive anything from the Lord.

That's a clear word. Now I want you to consider, my brothers and sisters, is it possible? Some of us are quite old. We've been believers a long time. Is it possible that in all these years, you have missed out on something God wanted you to have?

Perhaps 50 years ago. I know I wasted a lot of years in my life because I wouldn't believe. It's not enough to have a desire. Jesus said, if anyone thirsts, that's desire. John 7 .37. Let him come to me and drink.

Then he said in the next verse, he who believes in me, out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. I remember as a young Christian, I was 23 years old and I was, I was born again. I was baptized in water.

I used to read the Bible and I found a strange lack of power in my life. And I had a tremendous thirst. I longed and I longed and I desired and I fasted and I prayed. And I repented of everything that I knew to be wrong.

And I sought God. I would spend hours studying the Bible and seeking God. But I never seemed to receive the power of God in my life. Because thirst alone is not enough. You have to believe. You know, the lights turn on when two wires touch.

You know, every switch that you put on, is only basically inside that switch two wires touch. When you turn off the switch, the two wires are kept apart. When you put on the switch, the two wires touch and suddenly everything starts running.

Everything runs by a switch. Whether it's a computer or a washing machine or a light or an air conditioner or anything. The moment they touch, something happens. So, when thirst and faith touch, mine was only thirst.

Desire. Tremendous desire. I believe many of you have got a great desire to live an overcoming life. Great. But then nothing will happen. You can have any amount of current flowing through one of those electric wires.

If it doesn't touch the other one, there's going to be no light, there's going to be nothing. In every switch, in every house, there's current flowing in. But it doesn't flow to that electrical gadget till it connects with the other wire.

I found that in my life. But I remember when I began to have faith for something. Then things began to happen. Let me show you a verse in Matthew chapter 12, 13 rather. Matthew 13. I think these are one of the saddest words.

One of the saddest words found in the Gospels. Matthew 13 verse 58. Jesus did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief. Okay, let me ask two questions. Did those people need a miracle? Yes.

Did Jesus want to do a miracle for them? Yes. You got it right? Did they need a miracle? Yes. Did Jesus want to do a miracle for them? Yes. Did they get a miracle? No. Isn't that amazing? They needed a miracle.

Jesus wanted to do a miracle for them. They needed it. Jesus wanted to do it for them. But they didn't get it because of their unbelief. Now apply that to yourself. Do you need a miracle in your life?

Probably yes. Does Jesus want to do it for you? Probably yes. Will He do it for you? No. What's the reason? Same thing. He could not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. I am not telling you anything.

I am not told myself. I look over my life and I see there are so many things that I missed in my life in my earlier years. Which I wanted. Which Jesus wanted to do for me. But it never took place. Because I wouldn't believe that He would do it or He could do it.

There were giants that ruled in my life for many years after I was born again. And my dear brother, sister, let me say this very lovingly. Be honest. Are there giants ruling in your body today which should not be ruling?

The Holy Spirit and the Life of Jesus

Your body is supposed to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. What does it mean to be the temple of the Holy Spirit? This is how I understand it. Jesus had a body just like mine. He had ten fingers and two eyes and a mouth and two ears.

He was exactly like me. I like you and me. And His body was the temple of the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit that you say you received and that we say we received when we are born again. Or when you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, this Holy Spirit filled me.

Is it the same Holy Spirit that filled Jesus Christ? If so, He should produce in you the same life that He produced in Jesus. The life of purity and humility and where no sin could overcome Him. It was impossible.

The power of that life was so great. There is a lovely verse in John chapter 1 which says about the life of Jesus. In Him was life and the life was the light of men, John 1 verse 4. And John 1 verse 5 says, when this light began to shine in the darkness of the world, the darkness could not overcome it.

That's a lovely verse. When the life of Jesus began to shine like a light through His body, all the darkness in the world could not overpower it. The light shone on. You know, we can see that from electric light or even a candle light.

You know, a candle, if you light a candle in the darkest place outside, the candle never says, it's too dark here. How can I shine? Never. Whether you light a candle in a lighted room like this or in pitch darkness outside, it will burn.

It's Christians who say, oh, brother, things are so difficult in this office. It's difficult to be a Christian here. I can be a Christian in the midst of a church building where everybody loves the Lord.

We are all singing the praises of the Lord. There I can be a Christian. It's like a candle saying, I can shine where there is plenty of light. Don't light me up in the darkness. I can't shine there. What sort of candle is that?

Have you ever heard of a candle like that? Lots of Christians like that who told me, oh, brother, it's very difficult to be a Christian in this office. But when I come to the church, I shall shout and sing and praise and I can shine as a light there.

It's a deception. What you call shining in the light in the church is just your emotion. If the power of the Holy Spirit fills us, the darkness cannot overpower the light. If you find the darkness, it's very clear here, the life of Jesus is like a light, John 1 ,4.

And the power of darkness cannot overpower that light. If you find in some situation where you were in, where the power of darkness around you crushed out what you call the light in you, brother, sister, that was not the life of Jesus.

It was your own religion, maybe a Christian religion. It was certainly not the life of Jesus. A lot of people really don't have the life of Jesus. They've got a Christian religion. And the Christian religion is like a painted fire.

The life of Jesus is like a real fire. The world of difference between the two. I don't believe that the powers of darkness can quench the life of Jesus in me. It is impossible. I don't believe that the powers of temptation can come and overpower the Holy Spirit within me.

That's what the 600 ,000 people believe. Oh, these giants are so powerful that almighty God will just tremble in front of these giants. That sounds so ridiculous. But you know, that's what you're saying.

Oh, brother, when sexual lust gets into my mind, even the Holy Spirit can do nothing. This giant is so powerful. Or people say, oh, when I get angry with my husband or wife at home, even the Holy Spirit can do nothing.

Anger is very powerful. Okay? Is that what you believe? So be it. In your home. According to your faith, be it unto you. You believe that anger is more powerful than the Holy Spirit, so be it. According to your faith, be it unto you.

Without faith, it is impossible to please God. And he who believes, all things are possible to him. Anything that God has written in His word. We have missed out on so much in our life, brothers and sisters, because we don't believe His word.

We say, this is the Bible, this is the word of God, but we don't believe it. It doesn't work. You know, in my younger days, when people ask me, how do you believe the Bible is the word of God? I had all the standard arguments that I had read in books.

Then the Bible was written by 40 authors over 1600 years. How can it all be the same, united, unless it was God's word and some archaeological discoveries. All these stupid arguments I used to say in those days about some mud that was dug up in Israel and some scrolls found in some caves.

All these, this is not the proof I have of the Bible, the word of God today. I say, today, I have proved it in my life for 50 years. You don't need to dig up some scrolls in some caves to find out if it's true or not.

I say, read it, prove it in your life and you'll see it's God's word. It's true. It brought heaven down to my home, my life. Changed my life, changed the life in my home. That's why I know it's God's word.

Desire and Faith in Jesus' Healing

I think of the story where Jesus was, it's Matthew 9 .27, it says, as Jesus was going out from there, two blind men followed him. Crying out, that means they had a tremendous desire. What are the two things I said you need to get from God?

Thirst and faith. Desire and faith. Intensity of desire. See the intensity of desire here in these men. They cried out, have mercy on me, on us, son of David. Two blind men. It was not enough. Their desire and their cry was not enough to heal them.

They came to Jesus and they followed him crying out, have mercy. I don't know how many times they said it. It says they followed him crying out, have mercy on us, son of David, have mercy on us. Maybe ten times.

They followed him all the way inside the house and he was crying the whole time. They were crying the whole time. And when they came to him, he said, let me ask you a question. Do you believe that I can do this for you?

Your desire is not enough. All through scripture, it's the same thing. Your desire is not enough. Some of you can sit here and desire victory over sin more than anybody on earth. You won't get it. He will ask you a question.

Do you believe I can do it for you? Not do you believe you can manage it. No, no, no. Do you believe I can do it for you? That's easy to believe. I mean, if the Lord were to tell me, do you believe you can conquer your anger?

I'd say no. I'd say that long, long ago. Do you believe you can conquer those sins that rule in your body? No. Joshua and Caleb, do you believe you can kill those giants? No, we can't. But do you believe if God helps you, you can do it?

Oh, sure. That's the point. Do you believe I can do this for you? He didn't ask those blind people, try opening it a little bit, see if you can see a little bit. Go and do some exercises. I'll call you back after a few days.

See if you can see a little better. That's trying to live under the law. Try a little harder, brother. It's psychology. All the techniques to overcome anger and bitterness and all that. Jesus is not teaching psychology.

Today's preachers preach all that. Jesus said, do you believe I can do this for you? He said, yes, Lord. He said, be it done for you according to your faith. I thought about this story. One of those blind men went into the room and Jesus asked him the question, do you believe I can do this for you?

And he says, Lord, I'm not so sure whether you can open both eyes, but I believe you can open one eye. I believe you can do that. You know what Jesus would have told him? Exactly the same thing. Be it done for you according to your faith.

He'll come out with one eye open. And he'd be so excited about it. Boy, I was totally blind. Now I can see. Don't you think a blind man who got one eye open would be really excited? Yes or no? He'd be totally excited.

Man, thirty years, he never got his eyes open. Now he's got one eye open. He'd be jumping for joy, going all over town, excited. Then the second blind man goes in. And the Lord asks him the same question.

Do you believe I can open? Sure, Lord. What's impossible for you? You can open both my eyes. And he comes out with both eyes open. And he meets the other guy who's got only one eye open. And guy says, how did that, how did you get both eyes open?

This must be some heresy, some wrong teaching. That Jesus opens both eyes. I don't believe that. Jesus opens only one eye. And so, these people start two denominations. One is the one-eyed denomination, the other is the two-eyed denomination.

This is the history of Christendom, I'm telling you. This is exactly what has happened in Christendom. Jesus only forgives sins. He can't do anything more than that. The other guy says, Jesus forgives sins and he gives us victory over sin also.

The two different denominations. Which one do you believe? It's not according to your desire, be it unto you. Oh, if it were like that, we would have all got victory long, long ago. Neither is it Jesus saying, according to my desire, let it be unto you.

No. What is it? According to your faith. You believe Jesus can do only one thing? That's all you'll get. You say, Lord, you can do both. Because your word says so. I believe you can take me out of Egypt.

I believe you can take me into Canaan. According to your faith, be it unto you. Only Joshua and Caleb believed it. Consider, my brothers and sisters, whether there are many, many things in your life, which you completely missed out.

Because you thought it was going to be according to your desire. No, sir. You thought it would be according to Jesus' desire. No, sir. It's according to your faith. Of course, you got to believe. I mean, faith is based on something God has promised in his word.

I mean, I'm talking about today, we have all kinds of books on faith for things God has not promised in his word. Supposing I have a, I'd like, I'll tell you what I'd like. I'd like a good head of hair.

You guys don't realize how good it is to have hair on the head. You know, especially when you go out in the sun and it's burning hot. I got to wear a cap. You chaps have got a hair, you don't need a cap.

I'd like to have hair, tell you honestly. But if I, I have tremendous desire to have hair on my head. Intense desire. But I can't claim it. Lord, by tomorrow morning, I'm going to have hair. I'm going to confess my hope that I shall have hair on my head by tomorrow morning.

This is the stupidity that a lot of people have today. Has God promised it? Yes, he has. It says in Philippians 3, 21, one day he'll make my body like his body and I'll have a full head of hair, believe it or not, when Christ comes again.

And there won't be one gray hair on it. But I got to wait for it. There's a time for it. Not on this earth. Well, on this earth, but when Jesus returns. So, there are many Christians seeking for things which are not promised for us right now.

They are seeking for better cars, better houses, all types of things which are not, you don't find the words of scripture about it. But the things which he has promised, sin shall not rule over you. That's not for eternity.

That's for now. That's not when he comes back again. And that's far more important. You know, I think the reason is that most of us don't realize what a serious thing sin is. I can stand before God and say without a shadow of doubt that if I had cancer and I was a slave to anger, I would first ask God to deliver me from anger.

Not from cancer. Because cancer can never send me to hell. Anger can send me to hell. If I had leprosy and I had the love of money, I would first ask the Lord to deliver me from the love of money. I can, Lord, I can live with the leprosy.

How many of you can honestly say the same thing? That if you had leprosy and you had the love of money, you would first ask the Lord to deliver you from the love of money. You see how shallow your Christianity is?

You think that sickness is worse than sin. If only I could convince people, if only I could convince believers that sin is a million times worse than any sickness, I feel I would have done my job. You know, it's because we are spiritually illiterate.

The Seriousness of Sin in Eden and Calvary

You know the meaning of being illiterate? That means you are not educated. See, if you go to the remote villages of India, you find many women who have never read, never, they can't read or write. They are totally uneducated and illiterate.

And if some doctor gives them a scan and says, you got cancer, it's spreading all over your body. Oh, they are quite, is it really? Okay. Thank you for telling me and they go back to sleep. They are not bothered about it.

You know why? Uneducated. They don't know that cancer is a deadly disease that can destroy them. But if a doctor were to say the same thing to an educated person, boy, that fellow will not sleep that night.

What's the difference between these two? Both have got cancer. And the doctor gave the report to both of them. One sleeps peacefully. Sleeping peacefully doesn't mean the cancer is going to also sleep.

No. The cancer will still kill that old lady. And he will never see the cure. But this other person who is educated goes and gets the surgery done and gets the cancer removed and is healthy. Now, apply that spiritually.

When the Bible speaks about some sin in your life, like some of the sins I listed, jealousy and bitterness and an unforgiving spirit and murmuring and grumbling and complaining and sexual lust and anger and all that.

See, you got these things in you. It's alright. Most believers have it. We are human. We got to live with these things. You are exactly like that illiterate woman who doesn't know the seriousness of the disease.

But a person who is spiritually educated, bad thought about somebody, I want to be free from it. He is educated. He knows the seriousness of sin. If you want to see the seriousness of sin, you only got to go to two places.

One is Eden and the other is Calvary. If you go to Eden, Genesis 3, you will see that Adam and Eve were turned out of paradise for one sin. Not for two. One sin. If you want to know how serious sin is in God's eyes, go and read Genesis chapter 3 again and see how many times they disobeyed God.