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<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=85 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Open Doors Church And World Outreach</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>     </B></FONT><B>|     </B><A HREF="index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Open Doors Church And World Outreach"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Meet the Pastors"><U>Meet the Pastors</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Vision Statement "><U>Vision Statement </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Calendar of Events"><U>Calendar of Events</U></A>   |   <B>Teaching Articles</B>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Testimonies"><U>Testimonies</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal Ministry Page "><U>Personal Ministry Page </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Online Store"><U>On-line Store</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Friends of Open Doors Church"><U>Friends of Open Doors Church</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Traveling Ministry"><U>Traveling Ministry</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=180 BGCOLOR="#990033" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="07d9bbe0.jpg" border=0 ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" width="155" height="190"></B></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Enjoy Various Teaching Articles by Pastors Randy and Missy Bunch and our <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Guest Author Page"><U><I>Guest Authors</I></U></A>.</div> </td> <td valign="top" height=395 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Teaching Articles</I></div> <div> <B>The Principle of Faith (Part One)</B></div> <div> <I><B>by Pastor Randy Bunch</B></I></div> <bR> <div> As we said in our last teaching article concerning the Principle or the Law of Faith, it is one of the most important truths we can understand from the Word of God. Everything we have from God through redemption is given by grace and received by faith. Every step of obedience to God is a step of faith, into the unseen future He has planned for us. As we mentioned before, and as Romans 1:17 declares, “The just shall <I>live</I> by faith”, and so without a working understanding of this Bible principle, it is reasonable to say that we cannot survive spiritually. At the very least, the Christian experience will fall far below God's desired standard for our lives if we fail to learn how to walk by faith.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Mark 11:22-24</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> This passage of scripture, a direct quote from the Lord Jesus Himself, teaches us much about the Principle of Faith. Jesus starts off by telling us that God is to be the subject of our faith. Many people blow passed verse 22 to get to what they perceive to be the “meatier” verses, 23 & 24, but the greatest faith lesson I ever personally learned came to me one day as God quickened this verse, verse 22, to me.</div> <bR> <div> Often we say we are in faith, or that we are believing God for something, when in fact, this may be more talk than truth. Yes, we pray and exercise our faith to some degree, but often we have any number of backup plans poised and ready just in case God doesn't come through on His promises. We have any number of people we can call on or in whom we rely to help us “get the need met” should God fail. Bible faith, however, needs but one leg to stand on; it asks but one question - “Did God say it?” If God said it, then it is true. There is no need to pray and ask if it is so, and no need to find a backup plan. It is true that faith grows (2 Thessalonians 1:3), and sometimes in our spiritual infancy or adolescence, God may permit us to lean on natural assurances to support a less than persuaded heart, but the highest and best faith, is faith bases solely on the assurance of God's Word.</div> <bR> <div> God often uses people to meet our needs. They are a potential channel of supply, but the source is always God. There have been times in ministry, for example, that God called upon me to take steps of faith. Sometimes it involved the need for finances. I knew that to do what He called me to do, He would have to supply. He would have to touch people's hearts to help us fulfill His plan. But always our eyes were on Him and not on people. </div> <bR> <div> Where your life is concerned, it may be keeping your eyes on God rather than your job. If you look to your job as your source of supply, then you are limiting yourself to the resources of your job. That monthly or weekly check may not be enough to meet the need. If God is your source, however, the supply is unlimited as He has avenues of supply that are infinite - far beyond what your job or any job can supply! If you are struggling in your walk of faith, I challenge you to begin the practice of keeping your eyes on God as your source. Regardless of the need, God is greater. He is willing and able to lift you above your circumstance as your look tenaciously to His promised provision.</div> <bR> <div> Proverbs 4:20-23 holds some excellent advice for building strong faith. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Prov 4:20-23 NKJV</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. </B></I></div> <div> <I><B>21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; </B></I></div> <div> <I><B>22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. </B></I></div> <div> <I><B>23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. </B></I></div> <bR> <div> Keeping our eyes on what God has said is one way we keep our eyes on Him. Doing so keeps our heart at rest and our mind in peace. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Isaiah 26:3 NKJV</B></div> <div> <B>3 You will keep him in perfect peace,</B></div> <div> <B>Whose mind is stayed on You,</B></div> <div> <B>Because he trusts in You. </B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>Past Articles</U></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Principle of Faith (Introduction)</B></div> <div> <I><B>by Pastor Randy Bunch</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Mark 11:22-24</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> The truths we will share beginning with this article, will be spread out over a number of teaching articles, to give you a fuller and more comprehensive look at what we believe to be one of the most vital of Biblical principles - the principle of faith - or we could say "the law of faith."</div> <bR> <div> I have told my congregation that if I was to only have five lessons to teach them that would have to sustain them for their entire spiritual life, this <I>principle of faith </I>would be one of those lessons. Why? Because, as the scriptures teach us, <I>"...The just shall live by faith" Rom 1:17. </I>There are many important Bible subjects, but there are certain principles that are so essential to Christian living that one cannot survive without them. We <I>live</I> by faith, and so it is not a leap to say that without learning to walk according to this principle you will not survive spiritually. Yes, you might make heaven eventually, but you will not live a victorious life in Christ without learning to walk by faith. </div> <bR> <div> In fact, just look at that phrase, <I>"walk by faith" (2 Cor 5:7). </I>Walking is a means of conveyance - of getting from one place to another. Without faith, you can't get from where you are to where you need to go! Why? Because the truths of God's Word often fly in the face of the evidence of our senses. We have to be willing often to "step out of the boat" like Peter did on the mere Word of God when it looks like we'll sink. We believe that the Word of God alone is enough of a stepping stone to walk on when everything around us tells our eyes and ears that we're going to sink! God's Word will tell us "we're more than conquerors" when it looks like we've lost; it will tell us "by His stripes you're healed" when every symptom in our body tells us we're sick and getting worse!</div> <bR> <div> Let me say right off that walking by faith is not sticking our head in the sand and refusing to look at unfavorable facts. Rather, faith looks to the truth of God's Word and the promised provisions of our redemption and chooses to believe even when all the "facts" say otherwise. Facts are, after all, simply temporal truths. They can change and be changed, but the Word of God is settled forever. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Ps 119:89</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Faith in the truth will change the facts. The temporal realities of this world are subject to change as we exercise faith in the Word of God and cling tenaciously to what He has promised! Symptoms in the body will melt away like a snowball in the hot August sunshine when hold steadfastly to God's healing promises. Financial woes will disappear and give way to rejoicing when we exercise Biblical stewardship and believe in God's provisional promises.</div> <bR> <div> But the question before us is, "How do we walk in faith?" and "How do we put this principle of faith to practice?" That indeed is the focus of this series of articles. By the time we're done, you'll see from the Word of God how to <I>believe</I> Him and act on your faith so that you can "walk on the water" of your crisis by stepping on the promises of God into the waiting arms of Jesus!</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Come again soon for the continuation of this teaching!</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>The Purpose of the Anointing</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>by Pastor Randy Bunch</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Isaiah 10:27</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>And it shall </B></I><I><B>come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> I remember when a friend and I had an opportunity to minister in the nation of Austria. One night the Lord led me to minister on the subject of divine healing. For my text I chose the above verse, Is 10:27, primarily focussing on the latter part of the verse, "...the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing." I preached on how the power of God, the anointing, destroys every and any yoke, including any and all sickness and disease. There was a good anointing present and many were touched by God's power as we laid hands on the sick after the preaching of the Word.</div> <bR> <div> I was amused to find out later that because of the way the Austrian Bible is translated, the portion of scripture I preached from isn't even in their Bible! Fortunately, however, there are many other verses in the Word of God that establish this same truth, that it's the anointing of God's Spirit that destroys Satan's oppressive yokes.</div> <bR> <div> Perhaps one of the more famous scriptures along this line, and certainly my favorite, is found in the book of Acts, where Peter is speaking of the ministry of Jesus.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Acts 10:38</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Here we see that because Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power, He was able to minister deliverance to the oppressed. Primarily this verse seems to focus on healing the sick, but there are many yokes or burdens that Satan uses to limit people in life. However, regardless of the kind of yoke or bondage, the anointing is greater and will set the captives free! I have seen some people who were just as bound, if not more so, by mental or emotional bonds, as anyone who is physically sick or bound. These invisible cords held them tightly, depriving them of the freedom Jesus died to provide. Some people are so bound by fear and oppression that they are totally ineffective for the Kingdom of God and live in a dark place that no one but they themselves can see.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Luke 4:18-19</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> The scriptures show us that the anointing upon Jesus during His earthly ministry was for the purpose of destroying any and all bondage. Any form of bondage represents Satan's dominion in that area of your life. Jesus died on Calvary to set you free, that you might live victoriously over all of Satan's devices. We are "delivered from the power of darkness" (Col 1:13), and seated at the Father's right hand in the place of authority in Christ (Eph 2:6).  </div> <bR> <div> Jesus is the same today as He was in His earthly ministry (Heb 13:8), and His anointing is still at work here in the earth, through the Church, to demonstrate Satan's defeat and our purchased deliverance from his dominion. Any time someone is healed, set free, or delivered from any yoke, it is a visible demonstration - an illustrated sermon - that the price of sin has been paid and that we are legally delivered from Satan's power!</div> <bR> <div> Another time in the state of Virginia, I was ministering with my friend once again, when suddenly in the service a portion of scripture started rolling over and over in my heart. I had to think of where the verse was just for a moment. I kept hearing, "...to undo the heaven burdens, and to let the oppressed go free..." That is a portion of Is 58:6.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Isa 58:6</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?</B></I></div> <bR> <div> That sounds a lot like the verse in Isaiah we read at the beginning about the anointing destroying the yoke, doesn't it? But at first just a portion of that verse started going over and over again in my consciousness, "...to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free..."</div> <bR> <div> That's what God wants to do! He doesn't want any man or woman bound by anything. He paid too great a price for our deliverance! As I began to meditate upon that verse, suddenly just the word <I>undo</I> was emphasized to me. Suddenly I saw what God was saying to me. We often thank God for what He <I>does</I>, but thank God for all the things He <I>undoes</I>! So many of us came to God bound with any number of things, and He began to <I>undo </I>all the bonds Satan had tied us down with.</div> <bR> <div> That night in Virginia as we ministered, the anointing of the Holy Spirit began to come into manifestation and there were many things <I>undone</I>! Going back for just a moment to Austria, as we laid hands on ministers one day, one of them testified to us later. In his broken English he said, "As you men laid hands on me today, it was as if the hand of God reached into my chest and took out something that <I>wasn't</I> good and put in something that <I>was</I>!" God wanted to do a good work in that man's life, but first there was something He had to <I>undo</I>. He did it all at once! As one minister said, "We get our one-stop-shopping at the foot of the cross!" God will take out what's hurting you and put in what will help you! How? One way, at least, is through the anointing of the Spirit of God!</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>1 John 3:8b</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Please come back to this page again soon for the continuation of this article...</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Guest Author Page"><U>Read Articles By Our Guest Authors</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>