THE POWER OF LIVING FAITH

 

THE POWER OF LIVING FAITH

Text: Hebrews 11:1-12; Heb. 12:2

Faith makes unseen things real, and future things present. Faith rests on facts, hence its wisdom. Presumption acts on its own authority, hence its folly. Some translated as “Evidence of things not seen,” and “conviction of facts not seen yet in the Spirit you can see and believe. There are 8 things I can share in the book of Hebrews.

1. Wisdom of Faith - Hebrews 11:1, 2

 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.

Faith is now, present and it speaks of confidence in what we hope for.  What we pray for we do not see but believe in our spiritual world that God will bring it to pass.

2. Warrant of Faith - Hebrews 11:3

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

The ground of faith’s attitude and action is, “Thus saith the Lord.”  “Where the word of a king is, there is power or authority.  This is faith that God commands the universe to be formed and was made visible.  What we believe we also speak and command the bible says.

Faith gives us power to speak God’s Word.

The bible says “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit … and with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus” – Acts 4:31, 33.  Jeremiah says, “I cannot speak, for I am a child”; but filled with the Spirit, the Lord says to him “Behold I have put My Words in thy mouth” – Jeremiah 1:6, 9

3. Worship of Faith - Hebrews 11:4

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

Abel’s offering to God is an excellent sacrifice because it is blood sacrifice – representing Jesus the lamb of God whereas Cain offered a fruit sacrifice which God did not accept because without shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. Blood represents life to God. There are thousands of religions and belief-systems. In reality there are only two religions:

1. Religion based on works & ability.    2. Religion based on the blood of Jesus.

From the time of Cain - religious men have been trying to impress God with the fruits of their labor. And from the time of Cain God has been rejecting their offerings. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. (Gen 4:4-5)

Faith offer a better offering to God. By faith Abel blood still speaks because he offer a better sacrifice than Cain. God remember our sacrifice and ministry for Him. He will reward us accordingly.

The Lord desires that people become true spiritual worshipers of Him. "The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him" (John 4:23). This can only become a reality through faith in the Lord. One helpful example of this is Abel's acceptable worship sacrifice, by faith. The just shall live by faith.

4. Walk of Faith - Hebrews 11:5-7

5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away. “For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

The walk of faith vs. 5,6 is  illustrated by the two men who are said to have walked with God.

a. Fellowship with God – Enoch – Gen. 5:24

     The bible says Enoch walk with God

      “And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” (Genesis 5:21-24). To “walk with God” also means to live a life FAITH....Going back to Hebrews 11, right after Paul said “Enoch had this testimony, that he pleased“

 b. Faith to God – Noah built an ark – Gen. 6:9

     The text is in Hebrews 11 verse 7.   Noah we see in him an illustration of the work of faith; for as believers it is not only our privilege to come into fellowship with God and to walk in fellowship with Him, but also to be His co-workers.  Noah walked and worked with God in building the Ark of Salvation.

5. Witness of Faith - Hebrews 11:7

“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.”

2 Pet 2:5 – It mentions Noah as a “preacher of righteousness.” Other answers have mentioned he “wasn’t really a preacher”. God thinks he was. He preached for the length of time it took him to build the ark, approximately 100 years.

That would make him the most spectacularly unsuccessful preacher in history, but also one of the most spectacularly accurate prophets and a man of great faith. Noah not only walk in faith but also witness in faith during his time preaching righteousness to unbelievers and ungodly people in his time.

6. Wandering of Faith - Hebrews 11:8-10

8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

As a stranger and pilgrim, Abraham went forth at God’s bidding and blessing.  It was because he looked for a city whose architect and builder is God. And  that he dwelt in a tent and made his home in a strange and foreign country.  He was wandering by faith in God.

7. Waiting of Faith - Hebrews 11:11,12

11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

Those who have the promise of God can afford to be patient before God.  Waiting time is not wasted time. We must learn to “tarry” (Acts 1:4)

 If we would triumph and see the power and blessings coming through wait.  Sarah’s womb was past childbearing age.  But with God all things are possible.

The dead man became alive again and the womb became as good as the virgin.  The promises of God are ‘Yes” and “Amen”

8. The Author and Finisher of Faith - Hebrews 12:2  -  (NKJV) 

“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

When you talk about the nature of faith in the New Covenant it has no struggle.  It's so encouraging to hear that in the New Covenant everything is up to Christ and the pressure is off me. God even takes cares of faith!  New Covenant faith is about God's faith in us, not our faith in Him so much.

Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.  So we have a high priest who authors our faith. We didn't author our faith. Our High Priest - HE is the originator and the perfecter!  We need perfect faith to be perfectly saved!

 Before the Cross, the flow of faith was us to God. After the Cross the flow of faith was God to us. He that believeth in Me - out of his belly shall flows rivers of Living waters. Faith flows like a river. Our faith is a flow,  prophesy is a flow.  Ministry is a flow – it’s a spirit to spirit flow.

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father thank you for your love and mercy to us. Thank you for giving us faith to believe in Jesus the Savior of the world that our sins had been forgiven.  We pray for the strength of faith that the Holy Spirit empowered us to be a successful Christian.  We pray that you will teach us to walk in faith, worship in faith, pray in faith, work and believe in faith to a Living God that loves us.   In Jesus Name, Amen!