Post by sosmatt on Apr 20, 2013 1:45:00 GMT -8
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Faith-Is it truly in you?
Twitter:@siblingsofscrip
Website: www.siblingsofscripture.org
Faith-Is it truly in you?
We, as believers, like to think that we have the greatest bit of faith in us. We like to think of ourselves as people full of faith no matter what. However, and I am admittedly guilty of, is allowing the enemy to attempt to destroy that faith. The enemy sadly speaks to my mind to tell me I will fail, that I should question everything, that I am wasting my time and that I have no purpose. The enemy tries to point out things of what is going right now in life. He tries those 3 temptations (what is good to the eyes, what is good to the flesh, and pride) he did with Eve, Jesus, and what he is doing to each and every one of us today. Trying to destroy us. Trying to plot us against against each other, ourselves and more importantly against God.
Yes, when we lack faith we are saying "The enemy has convinced me in some sort of fashion to go against God." That "The enemy, with his negative things he is putting into my mind knows more what is best for me than the Almighty God."
We have God's Word right in front of us but yet we that voice to control us time and time again. Why? We are making decisions in live in the flesh instead of living in faith with the Spirit.
Let us take look at Hebrews chapter 11 where we clearly read about the instances in which faith was shown throughout the bible:
Right away we see verse 1, it clearly states what faith does.
"Now faith IS the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
That hope should be alive in our mind and in our hearts for believing. That faith in itself is all the evidence we need. We do not need physical evidence to tell us something is either real or not. Our evidence is what our hearts tell us. As mentioned in a previous bible study, it is how children believe. They do not go off just pure physical evidence but rather what their faith tells them.
Let us a moment to clearly ask ourselves do we have that faith? Jump to Verse 3
"By FAITH, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not of things which are visible."
Do we believe God created what we see? For those on the fence or even those who do not believe, how did these things become created? Believers, do you believe that God created all this? If so, that is your faith. We obliviously did not see Him create everything right in front of eyes. However, the only evidence we need is that faith that He did so.
There are many other points in the Bible in which God tests their faith to trust in Him. Hebrews 11 is filled with them. Would you honestly pass these tests?
Really place yourself in these situations please. Really close your eyes and just think about what they must of went through, seen, the emotions they had to overcome, etc. Kind of like watching a war movie. We see them as actors but they are based on actual human beings that had to go through such things. They did not have special powers to numb themselves from a broken heart, from fear, from sadness, from hatred.
I am going to point just some of things these people had to go through and I want you all to think if you would do the same.
Verse 7: "By FAITH Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saying of his household, by which he condemned the world and become heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." Would you drop everything you worked for, drop everything you were doing, drop whatever your dreams were to work for God? That means building things that may seem impossible. Notice here, it was Noah. It was before Jesus walked on the Earth. Instead, he was using his faith and only his faith to know he was doing it for a reason. That shows how important faith is to God.
Verse 8: "By FAITH, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." Would we actually journey off out of our comfort spot and journey for God? That means dropping the normal routine of life and stepping out with faith. Knowing that God is guiding you to do according to HIS will and not our own.
Verse 17,19: "By FAITH, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Issac, and he who had received the promises offered up his begotten son...concluding God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense." This shows how how Abraham loved God. He was willing to sacrifice his son, knowing that God would of raised him back from the dead. Do we have that same faith that he can rise us up from the spiritual death we are living by the lack of faith we may have or others may have?
Verse 23: "By FAITH, Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command." Imagine, once again, living in this time in which death was the ultimate punishment for pretty much everything. The parents allowed the Spirit to guide them. They did fear those who could fear the flesh but rather feared Someone who could destroy the soul. Do we fear more about how we will be judged by other human beings or do we only fear how God views our actions? These are parents fearing for 3 months every day knowing the possibility of them getting caught.
Verse 24-29: "By FAITH Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By FAITH he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By FAITH he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By FAITH they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned." Would you turn down power, fame, money to be just a "weak nobody?" Would you turn you back on all that just by going off things that are unseen? Would you "sacrifice" you own good for others? These verses also talk about how the people sprinkled blood the door frames. Would you take notice to the warning or would have you thought it was silly? Obviously the people used a form of faith to do so. They trusted in their commitment to God. How quickly they forgot though. Do we forget how God got us out of previous problems?
Verse 30: "By FAITH the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By FAITH the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who not believe, when she received the spies with peace." Would you continue to walk for God for days and days? Would you become tired and give up? Or would you continue to press forward knowing that something greater will come. Rahab, who was a prostitute took a step of faith and helped people she probably did not know. She could of easily feared being judged and could of been sentenced to death. No, instead she allowed her heart to make the decision to help.
These were normal people just allowing FAITH to guide them. They stepped out of their comfort zone and ventured off for God. Yes, many of them backslid but they were corrected and learned from it. We need to give up with that FAITH to pass these events in our lives that may not make sense.
We must have that same FAITH in our savior. Jesus walked the Earth and we no excuse not to believe. We are dead to the punishment of sin and WE MUST HAVE FAITH KNOWING THAT.
Romans 3:28:"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law."
Romans 4:5: "But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness"
Romans 4:24: "but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead"
That FAITH in Jesus Christ is that shield and protection against the punishment of sin. What do we have to lose by giving it all to God? What is the punishment of following God?
In closing, one of the most important verses about FAITH comes at Hebrews 11:6:
"But without FAITH it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
Yes, when we lack faith we are saying "The enemy has convinced me in some sort of fashion to go against God." That "The enemy, with his negative things he is putting into my mind knows more what is best for me than the Almighty God."
We have God's Word right in front of us but yet we that voice to control us time and time again. Why? We are making decisions in live in the flesh instead of living in faith with the Spirit.
Let us take look at Hebrews chapter 11 where we clearly read about the instances in which faith was shown throughout the bible:
Right away we see verse 1, it clearly states what faith does.
"Now faith IS the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
That hope should be alive in our mind and in our hearts for believing. That faith in itself is all the evidence we need. We do not need physical evidence to tell us something is either real or not. Our evidence is what our hearts tell us. As mentioned in a previous bible study, it is how children believe. They do not go off just pure physical evidence but rather what their faith tells them.
Let us a moment to clearly ask ourselves do we have that faith? Jump to Verse 3
"By FAITH, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not of things which are visible."
Do we believe God created what we see? For those on the fence or even those who do not believe, how did these things become created? Believers, do you believe that God created all this? If so, that is your faith. We obliviously did not see Him create everything right in front of eyes. However, the only evidence we need is that faith that He did so.
There are many other points in the Bible in which God tests their faith to trust in Him. Hebrews 11 is filled with them. Would you honestly pass these tests?
Really place yourself in these situations please. Really close your eyes and just think about what they must of went through, seen, the emotions they had to overcome, etc. Kind of like watching a war movie. We see them as actors but they are based on actual human beings that had to go through such things. They did not have special powers to numb themselves from a broken heart, from fear, from sadness, from hatred.
I am going to point just some of things these people had to go through and I want you all to think if you would do the same.
Verse 7: "By FAITH Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saying of his household, by which he condemned the world and become heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." Would you drop everything you worked for, drop everything you were doing, drop whatever your dreams were to work for God? That means building things that may seem impossible. Notice here, it was Noah. It was before Jesus walked on the Earth. Instead, he was using his faith and only his faith to know he was doing it for a reason. That shows how important faith is to God.
Verse 8: "By FAITH, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." Would we actually journey off out of our comfort spot and journey for God? That means dropping the normal routine of life and stepping out with faith. Knowing that God is guiding you to do according to HIS will and not our own.
Verse 17,19: "By FAITH, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Issac, and he who had received the promises offered up his begotten son...concluding God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense." This shows how how Abraham loved God. He was willing to sacrifice his son, knowing that God would of raised him back from the dead. Do we have that same faith that he can rise us up from the spiritual death we are living by the lack of faith we may have or others may have?
Verse 23: "By FAITH, Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command." Imagine, once again, living in this time in which death was the ultimate punishment for pretty much everything. The parents allowed the Spirit to guide them. They did fear those who could fear the flesh but rather feared Someone who could destroy the soul. Do we fear more about how we will be judged by other human beings or do we only fear how God views our actions? These are parents fearing for 3 months every day knowing the possibility of them getting caught.
Verse 24-29: "By FAITH Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By FAITH he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By FAITH he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By FAITH they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned." Would you turn down power, fame, money to be just a "weak nobody?" Would you turn you back on all that just by going off things that are unseen? Would you "sacrifice" you own good for others? These verses also talk about how the people sprinkled blood the door frames. Would you take notice to the warning or would have you thought it was silly? Obviously the people used a form of faith to do so. They trusted in their commitment to God. How quickly they forgot though. Do we forget how God got us out of previous problems?
Verse 30: "By FAITH the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By FAITH the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who not believe, when she received the spies with peace." Would you continue to walk for God for days and days? Would you become tired and give up? Or would you continue to press forward knowing that something greater will come. Rahab, who was a prostitute took a step of faith and helped people she probably did not know. She could of easily feared being judged and could of been sentenced to death. No, instead she allowed her heart to make the decision to help.
These were normal people just allowing FAITH to guide them. They stepped out of their comfort zone and ventured off for God. Yes, many of them backslid but they were corrected and learned from it. We need to give up with that FAITH to pass these events in our lives that may not make sense.
We must have that same FAITH in our savior. Jesus walked the Earth and we no excuse not to believe. We are dead to the punishment of sin and WE MUST HAVE FAITH KNOWING THAT.
Romans 3:28:"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law."
Romans 4:5: "But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness"
Romans 4:24: "but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead"
That FAITH in Jesus Christ is that shield and protection against the punishment of sin. What do we have to lose by giving it all to God? What is the punishment of following God?
In closing, one of the most important verses about FAITH comes at Hebrews 11:6:
"But without FAITH it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
