Step 4

1. Step 4 Faith

2. Faith • “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

3. Justified by Faith • It is faith, not the doctrines of men that bring us to God through Jesus. • “A man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified” (Galatians 2:16). The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

4. Faith and Trust • Faith is closely tied to trust and truth. • However if you put your faith in another person, it is almost certain that eventually you will surely be severely injured. • Humans and things are fallible and fallen. • God is perfect; He will not let you down; still some refuse to trust Him. It is easier to trust what can be seen. The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

5. Where Is Your Faith? • Some people put their faith in things of the world. • Achievement is often measured by: • Money • Prestige • College degrees • Physical appearance • Fame • Popularity • When these cannot sustain or fulfill people, their world falls apart. The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

6. How Do You Measure? • Who do you think of when you think of someone who is “successful”? • When you think of this person as “being successful,” are you measuring this achievement by the world’s standard? The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

7. Your Faith • Your faith in God should be your focus. • Do not put your faith in successes of the world. • Trying to live life without a relationship with the Creator is the ultimate deception. • “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36). The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

8. Restored Relationship • Because of sin, we cannot have fellowship or a relationship with God. • Through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, God provided a way of reconciliation with Him. • To accept this gift of sacrifice and receive the relationship, we must act on faith, and we must be born again. The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

9. Born Again • There are many words we use when we talk about being “born again.” • Being saved • Redeemed • Claiming salvation • Being justified • Being reconciled to God • All of these words indicate what happens between a person and God when the gap caused by sin is filled. The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

10. Who Can Be Born Again? • God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (I Timothy 2:4). • This is for everyone. • “Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

11. Whoever Believes • “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

12. God Loves Us • Scripture tells us that “God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

13. How to Be Born Again • “If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9-10). • It is foolish to try to live life without putting faith in God. • “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered” (Proverbs 28:26). The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

14. Put Your Faith in God • “Your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God” (I Corinthians 2:5). • Simply believing in God is not enough. “You believe that there is one God. Good. Even the demons believe that, and shudder” (James 2:19). The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

15. We Are New Creatures • When we are born again and put our faith in God, we become new creatures in Christ. • “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20). The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

16. Reject Sin • After becoming born again, we will still be tempted with sin, but God will help us reject sin. • “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it” (I Corinthians 10:13). The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

17. Hate Sin • As new Creatures in Christ, we should reject and hate sin. “Any one who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another” (I John 3:10-11). The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

18. Examples of Great Faith • In Hebrews 11, there are many listed whose lives give us examples of great faith. The Scripture says it was through their faith that they gained supernatural power. • Scripture says that “If you have the faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you” (Matthew 17:20). The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

19. Put Your Faith in God • If you are trying to fill your life with things that are not God, your life will feel like it has no purpose. You will still be searching for the meaning to life. • What do you put your faith in? • Do you need to change your focus? • Have you ever put your faith in God? The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

20. Complete Step 4 • The answer to a fulfilled life is God. • Accept God; believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord. • Cultivate a relationship with God and He will take care of the rest. • He will heal your soul. The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls

21. Next Step • The next step to the Cure of Souls is Love. The 7 Steps to the Cure of Souls