How To Develop Conquering Faith - Bruce Grecco

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzyuehDl8w4

After a powerful worship time led by Pastor Tim and the worship team, Pastor Franklin called on us to press into His presence. His grace empowers us and covers us. As we pray, He heals hearts and lights fires. Thank you, Jesus for the work of the cross, that you alone restore and transform us. 

Pastor Josiah introduced Bruce and Becky Grecco, who served at Faith Chapel for many years as worship and administrative Pastors. God did amazing things through their ministry. At this house, we are a culture of honor. Pastor Josiah said that we are only standing in this room, worshipping God and enjoying all there is to enjoy because so many men and women prayed and served and built here. We are riding the wave of what so many have done before. 

Pastor Bruce and his wife Becky are back after 18 years. They shared brief memories of their first Sunday at Faith Chapel in 1994, of Christmas productions and raising their girls. As a “girl dad” with 2 daughters, Bruce had girl dad experiences –the joy of painting toenails, hosting tea parties and watching TV chick-flicks. But, once in a while, he needed to retreat and watch a “man show”, with action, spies, stunt men and fast cars. Something in him wanted to experience a righteous warrior defeating the bad guy. 

Perhaps our spiritual life reflects something similar. There’s a part of us that God calls to intimacy, but another part that calls us to be invincible warriors. In Romans 8:37, it says that we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. There’s a battle to be fought and an enemy to be defeated. 

The key to winning spiritual battles isn’t attending church faithfully or memorizing verses, though both are good things. It takes more to have a conquering faith when you need to push against Hell. 

The book of Joshua is a lot like “man-movies”. It’s full of spies, stuntmen scaling walls and walls falling down. Leading up to Joshua 2, Moses led his people, parted seas and came to the edge of the promised land. He sent out 12 spies, 10 of whom reported a beautiful promised land that was full of giants and unconquerable. The people believed those 10 men because they didn’t have a conquering faith. 

Then in Joshua 2:1-24, we have the story of Rahab. Rahab says to the 2 spies in her house, “I know the Lord has given this land to your people. You frighten us very much…we heard how the Lord dried up the Red Sea…now our men are afraid to fight you because the Lord your God rules the heavens above and the earth below.” Only Rahab and her family were saved when Jerico was taken. 

When reading scripture, Pastor Bruce asks:

What did it say?

What does it mean?

What should I do?

Old Testament Bible names were often prophetic. The name Joshua is the Old Testament name for Jesus, a prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus. As Joshua led the people to the promised land, Jesus led us to an eternal promise. Joshua was the son of Nun, which means to increase, multiply, put forth and flourish; to send out. The story of the 2 spies was not just a cool story, but our destiny. Joshua said, “go and view the land.” View means to perceive and understand. Go (halak) means to walk or live in a manner before God.

We can actually translate these definitions like this:

Joshua, son of increase and fruitfulness, sent out two spies from the camp. He told them to go the other side of the Jordan and walk in a manner before God to gain understanding and clarity of vision for the territory that God had purposed for them: especially Jerico. 

Jesus gave us the same command to go out into all the world, make disciples and push against the gates of Hell!

What does it mean to walk in conquering faith? It is to walk in such a way that we have complete and unwavering trust in the Lord, even when it doesn’t make sense. 

Trust God’s Process

Trust when it doesn’t make sense, like God’s instructions to conquer a city by marching around the walls, like a little boy David taking on Goliath, like trusting God with our tithing and like the Cross. The process of salvation by death on a cross is foolishness to the world. We can’t achieve victory through our own strength. Trust God’s Process!

When you construct IKEA furniture with lots of parts, you have a choice. Look at the directions by the designer and follow step by step for a thrill of victory or experience the agony of defeat.

Rahab knew that the whole town would be destroyed, yet had faith that God could save her. Why would God redeem this prostitute and her family? God is a redeemer and can redeem anyone and anything at any time. 

Trust in God’s Possibilities

Sometimes it seems that there is not much chance that God could redeem certain people or situations. What we think would be impossible, God can make possible. Rahab’s name means “wide and spacious”.

Rahab knew the history of the people of God and believed that their God saves. God blesses this woman and she becomes the great, great, great grandmother of Jesus!

Are you facing something that seems impossible?  Wondering about the chances or odds for a person, marriage or sickness to be healed? God is a God who blows doors off and makes the impossible possible. If you believe as the world believes, you’ll never experience the victories of God. Trust in God’s Possibilities!

Trust God’s Providence

Joshua 2:17-21 confirms that Rahab is the only one in Jerico that believes God. How incredible that God led the men to the house of the one and only believer. It’s no coincidence, but the providence of God. 

In 1803, Thomas Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark out to explore. They met up with Sacagawea, a valuable asset to the team. She served as interpreter and guide and provided maps. Without her, they probably would have failed. Not coincidence, but providence!

What circumstance or challenge are you facing that you know will not be doable without help? God has a mission for you that you can’t accomplish alone. Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean he hasn’t provided for it. Trust God’s Providence!

Trust God’s Preparation

In Joshua 2:9-11, Rahab knew the story of the Israelites. She referred to 40 years of miracles. Did the Israelites forget the miracles? Yet, those miracles still influenced Rahab. When you are on a computer or phone, advertising pops up about things you have shown interest in. They track your imprint on the internet—an impressive feat! God is more impressive! He tracks where you’ve walked but also knows where you will walk in the future. God knew that Pastor Bruce would be standing on the stage at Faith Chapel 18 years after leaving it.

Every promise to be captured will come with a problem to be conquered. Don’t doubt. When the moment comes and you need a victory, God will already be prepared. He’s prepared a solution.  

Trust God’s Process

Trust God’s Possibilities

Trust God’s Providence

Trust God’s Preparation…because that’s what invincible warriors do!

Pastor Bruce said that this message is to everyone and it is a message for this church. As he was praying in preparation, he heard the Lord saying things in his spirit. He and his wife came to this church over 30 years ago and served over 14 years. He said that God gave them incredible experiences and was so faithful to them. But the enemy also threw everything in his arsenal at the church and did some serious damage. But look around. This church still stands. Many churches would have folded. God has preserved this house for a reason. This is what the Lord told him:

The things of the past have been laid to rest. A healing anointing has come upon this house. What was once out of alignment has now been reset. What was formerly blocked is now being  released. I am doing a new thing and you are entering a new season of restoration. I will restore  the years that the locusts have devoured. I will give back to you territories that were stolen from 

you. I will equip you, empower you and sustain you. In the very same way I sustained the house of Moses for 40 years in the wilderness while I prepared them for their promise, I have been  sustaining this house for the past 40 years for what I am about to do next. I have preserved you for this hour. You are the generation I am raising up to walk in the fulfillment of the promises I 

made to this house decades ago. Just as I was with the generation of Joshua so I will  be with  your generation. No longer will this house be known as a house of comfort, for I am making it into a house of conquerors. So be strong and courageous. Every place you set your foot will be yours. This is the promise of your inheritance.

With that beautiful message in mind, Pastor Bruce and Becky prayed over Pastor Josiah and Ashley, thanking the Lord for their spirit of humility, and blessing them and this house, the leadership, staff, elders and members, thanking, believing and trusting the Lord for the future of Faith Chapel. 

Submitted by Debby Jarrell