Continued from last month:
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Verse one defines “faith” and the rest of the chapter gives us examples of faith. 1. Faith is substance. Substance gives us the idea of “confidence” or “being sure.” Our faith is not something made up in the imagination of our minds, but it’s real and must be anchored in Christ. 2. Faith is also evidence. It is conviction. It’s a belief that something is inarguably true. You know that you know, and nobody can convince you otherwise. 3. You don’t speak faith into existence. Faith is not based on what we say, faith is based on what God says! Some Christians today try to speak things into existence calling it faith. It’s true that the words we say are enormously powerful, but we are not God. As far as I know the only One who speaks things into existence is God. He said, “Let there be light” and there has been light traveling at 186,000 miles per second ever since! Perhaps, there are some who are trying to play God. 4. Faith believes what God says. Faith is based on the Word of God. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” “Word” in this verse means, “utterance” and “God” should be translated “Christ.” So, what it really means is, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by an utterance (word) from Christ (Jesus).” It also means faith comes as we hear the message preached. You may hear the message through a preacher, teacher, or an evangelist. God may speak to you through another Christian. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. He (Jesus) was in the beginning with God.” The Word is Jesus! That’s why it is so important to hear the message preached. Repetition is good. Paul said in Philippians 3:1, “For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.” You may know it, but you need to hear it again. This will build and strengthen your faith in Christ!
If you remember anything, I hope you remember this, True biblical faith is confident obedience to God’s Word in spite of circumstances!
We trust His Word and act on it by faith regardless of the situation or the circumstance we find ourselves in! What blesses me about new converts is their intense hunger for God’s Word. When a newborn baby is born, they’re hungry every two hours around the clock. A new Christian is hungry for the Word of God! Every few hours the newborn baby cries desiring more to eat! It indicates the baby is healthy and growing and receiving the nutrients that it should have for growth & development! That’s a good thing! Why is it that after we have been saved for some time that we no longer hunger for God’s Word like we once did? Could it be that we have allowed the cares of this life to drown out our appetite for God? It’s very well possible! If we stop eating, then eventually we will die. Food is necessary for survival. I can’t express to you the importance of hungering after the Word of God, which will strengthen and sustain the spiritual man! Without the Word of God, we will grow spiritually weak and lethargic. There is a reason we are to meditate upon the Word of God day and night. May we desire the sincere milk of the Word that we might grow! Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
Sometimes God will try to move or stir us up! He wants to wake us out of our spiritual apathy. The very thing the enemy comes against is your faith in God. He doesn’t want you to believe. He tries all he can to distract you. Many Christians lack in faith just because they lack in faithfulness. They don’t gather together in corporate worship and prayer! When the body of Believers come together it builds and strengthens our faith. We hear the message and respond by faith. Hebrews 10:25 says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” We will continue this next time, but I pray that you are challenged in your walk with God and hunger for His Word and His presence more than ever! God bless you – Pastor Mark