The Truth About Faith and Denial (It's Not What You Think) | Bobby Schuller | Podcast Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

The Truth About Faith and Denial (It's Not What You Think)

Shepherd's Grove • Aug 6, 2026 • 21 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

True faith is not denying the reality of difficult circumstances, but choosing to declare God's Word and ultimate victory in the middle of them. When believers speak Scripture out loud in partnership with the Holy Spirit, they release spiritual power that transforms their mindset and aligns their lives with God's creative authority. Even during long seasons of waiting, standing firm on God's promises allows believers to walk by faith and not by sight.

Themes

Faith vs. DenialThe Power of Spoken WordsStanding on God's PromisesScripture and the Holy SpiritReframing Circumstances in Faith

Key Points

1.
Faith is not passive mental agreement; it is active trust and belief put into practice, like getting on an airplane or sitting in a chair.
2.
Faith does not require denying present facts or hardships, but it denies the final report or ultimate outcome of those circumstances.
3.
Speaking aloud releases spiritual power because breath (ruach/pneuma) carries the Holy Spirit along with the spoken Word of God.
4.
God created the universe through His spoken Word, and when believers pray Scripture empowered by the Holy Spirit, they align with that same creative authority.
5.
Believers can reframe their current struggles in faith, declaring what God says is true rather than defining themselves by their present condition.
6.
Walking by faith means trusting God's promises even through long seasons of delay, as seen in the lives of Abraham, Joseph, and David.
7.
Expecting instant miracles is good, but when answers take time, believers must remain steadfast and keep sowing seeds of faith without pulling them up.

Sermon Moments

“Faith in the plane is not saying 'I believe that flight is great.' Faith in the flight is getting on the plane, booking the ticket, and flying to the place.”

“You're not denying the facts, but you're denying the report. You're not denying current facts, but you're denying the conclusion.”

“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the spirit of his mouth all their host... when we pray the word of God with the Holy Spirit, we are bringing together the combination that creates a universe.”

“We stopped saying he has special needs. We say he's recovering from a brain injury... we're framing it in faith.”

“Abraham declared aloud, 'Hi, I'm the father of many nations,' when he didn't even have any children yet.”

“When you pray for someone to be saved and they don't feel anything, you say 'It doesn't matter, you got saved.' But when praying for healing, we must walk by faith and not by sight in the exact same way.”

This Week

Declare God's Word out loud over difficult circumstances rather than remaining silent or speaking words of doubt.

Reframe how you describe your personal struggles by aligning your language with God's promises of ultimate victory and restoration.

Pray Scripture out loud while relying on the Holy Spirit, combining God's written Word with His spiritual breath.

Put your faith into action by taking tangible steps of obedience rather than maintaining passive agreement.

Remain faithful during long seasons of waiting, trusting God's promises just as Abraham did over 25 years.

Surround yourself with a community of faith-filled believers who encourage you to stand firm on God's promises.

Treat prayers for healing and life situations with the same unwavering trust you exercise when praying for salvation.

Remember This

Faith is active trust that speaks God’s Word over present circumstances, denying the finality of negative reports while standing firm on His promises.

A Challenge for You

Continue to stand in faith, pray the Scriptures empowered by the Holy Spirit, reframe how you speak about your situation, and surround yourself with people of faith.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.