AMEN, a customary statement at the end of a prayer or during preaching to express our agreement with what is said and the hope that it will take place. But, AMEN is much so more than just a statement.

• AMEN is a Person, and His Name is JESUS - Revelation 3:14 (ESV) “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.

• AMEN is who God is molding you to be - Romans 8:29 (ESV) …he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…

• AMEN is an attitude, a posture, a way of life.

• AMEN is the resounding YES to all that God says.

• AMEN is the response that unlocks the abundance of Heaven.

We have all found ourselves in a position where we have agreed and then regretted. That car you bought that you really couldn’t afford, or that car that turned out to be a lemon. Or, that “party” you agreed to go to that involved a “great opportunity”. Or agreeing to a date that you really didn’t want to go on.

Sometimes we have agreed for all the wrong reasons; to avoid an argument, because it was easier, to make someone happy.

And, there are times that our yes (AMEN) is resounding but, falls to the ground the moment it comes out of our mouths. Like when we whole-heartedly agree but, really have no intention of making any changes. (Watching a weight loss show while eating a bag of Doritos).

AMEN IS NOT ABOUT BEING AGREEABLE. IT IS AGREEING, EVEN WHEN IT IS THE LAST THING YOU FEEL LIKE DOING.

• The Bible is quick to point this out to us - James 2:18-19 (ESV) But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

• Your “AMEN” is the language of faith…accompanied by works. What works? Acting on what you know that God has spoken.

LIFE IS GOING TO HIT YOU HARD. EVEN KNOCK YOU DOWN.

• “Everyone has a plan ‘till they get punched in the mouth.” - Mike Tyson

• Isaiah 41:10 (ESV) Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

• 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (ESV) We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

AMEN Is Most important When You Have Been Knocked Down!

• The countdown begins when we hit the mat. We will either lay there and be counted out or we will get up and keep fighting.

• Your AMEN Stirs Your Heart. A Reminded Spirit is a Fighting Spirit.

• Our Amen makes a statement about what we believe. It is not just based upon what we see. Not like an illusion or delusion; we might really be knocked down. We might really be confused. But what do you believe? That God is for you? That He is fighting on your behalf? That no matter what he will never leave you no forsake you? That you can be healed/restores/forgiven/rescued?

• God’s people have always been encouraged to remind themselves of what God has done. “Teach them to your children, talk of them when you sit in your house,” “fan into flames.”

AMEN Is Not Agreement with Victory But, His “Right Now” Word.

• It is agreeing without having any idea how it will turn out. Victory isn’t raising our hand in triumph, but just standing. ROCKY LOST THE FIGHT! His victory was just standing back up.

• There is always another fight. There is always another trial. We will win some battles and we might lose some. But we overcome by getting back up!

• So often we want to get so excited about the victory that we try to jump over the obedience. No victory is won without obedience. Consider Jesus!

• Jesus’ “AMEN” meant he would be knocked down on the mat and the countdown would begin.

• Jesus even asked the Father if there was another way. “Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done.”

Your AMEN Breaks the Heart of the Enemy.

• Ephesians 6:13 (ESV) Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

• Jesus walks in on Satan’s victory party and takes his keys!

• Rocky eventually becomes the champ. In nearly every huge bout he gets knocked down, his opponent celebrates, and Rocky gets back up. And their spirits are shaken because he just took the worst and he is still standing.

• Adversity doesn’t define you. How you respond to it does.

• JESUS OFTEN TOLD PEOPLE TO “GET UP!” - “Get up, take up your bed and go home.” “Get up and walk.”

• You no doubt know what it means to be knocked down. And you may be struggling with the strength to get back up. Jesus is saying “Get up.” Right now, your “AMEN” is hearing his voice and standing to your feet.

• There are people in your corner rooting for you. You are not alone.

What Is Faith?

• Hebrews 11:1 (CEV) Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see.

• Hebrews 11:6 (ESV) And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Faith is something that begins small.

• Matthew 17 (CEV) 14 Jesus and his disciples returned to the crowd. A man knelt in front of him 15 and said, “Lord, have pity on my son! He has a bad case of epilepsy and often falls into a fire or into water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but none of them could heal him.” 17 Jesus said, “You people are too stubborn to have any faith! How much longer must I be with you? Why do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy here.” 18 Then Jesus spoke sternly to the demon. It went out of the boy, and right then he was healed. 19 Later the disciples went to Jesus in private and asked him, “Why couldn’t we force out the demon?” 20-21 Jesus replied: It is because you don’t have enough faith! But I can promise you this. If you had faith no larger than a mustard seed, you could tell this mountain to move from here to there. And it would. Everything would be possible for you.

• Matthew 17:20-21 Jesus replied: It is because you don’t have enough faith! But I can promise you this. If you had faith no larger than a mustard seed, you could tell this mountain to move from here to there. And it would. Everything would be possible for you.\

Mustard seeds are planted in a container filled with damp sand, and pressed into the sand's surface. The sand is kept at a specific temperature for optimal results. The seeds can begin to sprout within 24 hours indoors. Because mustard trees grow slowly, waiting until your trees are up to 3 years old may be necessary before transplanting them outdoors. The mustard tree of Scripture is found along the banks of the Jordan, near the Sea of Galilee, and near Damascus. Mustard plants may reach about 15 feet high in those areas.

Faith is encouraged by the faith of others.

• Romans 1:12 (NLT) When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.

• Matthew 18:20 (CEV) Whenever two or three of you come together in my name, I am there with you.

• Exodus 17:11-12 (NIV) 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset

Faith is awakened by the spoken word of God.

• John 15:7 (CEV) Stay joined to me and let my teachings become part of you. Then you can pray for whatever you want, and your prayer will be answered.

• 1 John 5:14-15 (ESV) And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

• Romans 10:17 (ESV) So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

• Luke 4:1-14 (NLT) Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.” 4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’ 6 “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. 7 I will give it all to you if you will worship me.” 8 Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him. 9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! 10 For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you. 11 And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. 12 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’ 13 When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.

Faith is activated when set into motion.

• James 2:14 (CEV) 14 My friends, what good is it to say you have faith, when you don’t do anything to show that you really do have faith? Can that kind of faith save you?

• James 2:21-22 (NLT) 21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.

• Joshua 3:14-17 (CEV) 14 The Israelites packed up and left camp. The priests carrying the chest walked in front, 15 until they came to the Jordan River. The water in the river had risen over its banks, as it often does in springtime. But as soon as the feet of the priests touched the water, 16-17 the river stopped flowing, and the water started piling up at the town of Adam near Zarethan. No water flowed toward the Dead Sea, and the priests stood in the middle of the dry riverbed near Jericho while everyone else crossed over.

Just Push – Author Unknown - http://www.inspire21.com/stories/faithstories/JustPush - A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might.

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore, and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, the Adversary decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man's weary mind: "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it." Thus giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure, these thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.

"Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that will be good enough." And that is what he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. "Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My child, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinew and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. I, my friend, will now move the rock."

At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him. By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God who moves the mountains.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes. -- Romans 1:16