LEARNING TO WALK BY FAITH!

Genesis 12:1-5  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:  (2) And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:  (3)  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.  (4)  So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.  (5)  And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

There was a time in my life that was very similar to Abraham, my Mom and Dad lived in the house in the middle, my wife and I with our children lived next door and my brother and his family lived next door on the other side of Mom & Dad. What if God had came to me as he did Abraham? I can see it now.

He knew instinctively that the puzzled look on his mother’s face would not divert him. Neither could the questions posed to him by his father and others. He had decided to trust God with his life and future. There would be no further discussions.

    Where would he sleep? He did not know. How would he provide for his wife, Sarah? He had no idea. However, his heart contained one eternal truth: God had the answer to these and any other questions and He would provide for Abraham’s every need.

    By faith, Abraham was on his way to a land known only to the Lord. He knew that once he arrived at his destination there would be no one there to greet him—no firm handshakes to welcome him. Somehow, none of this mattered. God had said, "Go," and Abraham’s heart was set on obedience. There was no mistaking the voice of God and what he had spoken to his heart. Regardless of the personal cost and the opinion of others, Abraham began his journey.

    He left his family home of Ur and headed toward a new land familiar only to God. It was to be a place of promise and blessing.

Hebrews 11:8-10  By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.  (9)  By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:  (10)  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and makeris God.

 

1)  THE FIRST STEP IN LEARNING TO WALK BY FAITH IS;

 

A Desire To Know God And For God To Know You. It is obvious that Abraham desired to know the one true God. He realized that God was real and also had a desire to know Him.

 

The first requirement of living a life of faith is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Unless we know Him, we cannot discern His will for our lives. When an opportunity unfolds in front of us, those who desire to live by faith want to know that it is God who is leading us and not our own selfish motivations.   

 

Romans 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

 

God has a design in mind for every situation we face. There are no coincidences with God. There are blessings that come our way, and God is the architect behind each one. In times of trial and sorrow, He is working in ways unknown to us to bring goodness and hope out of each difficulty.

    God graciously embraces us with His eternal love and mercy. He forgives and cleanses away the stain that sin has left on our lives. 

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

 
Then He prepares us for blessing—not just in a material sense, but spiritually and emotionally.

Learning to live by faith involves a lot more than heroic acts. The desire to obey God regardless of personal sacrifice is paramount. In fact, it is one of the basis elements to living a faith-filled life. Did Abraham fully understand God’s plan? Probably not, but he knew enough to know that the One who was directing his path was Lord of all, and this was the motivation he needed to move forward by faith.

   What do you do when you face a challenge that seems insurmountable?

Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs you to, (5) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  (6)  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

2)  THE SECOND STEP IN LEARNING TO WALK BY FAITH IS;

 

A Commitment To Obey Him. Obedience is a mark of our ability to trust God, especially when it comes to facing serious decisions or important challenges. Turn to Genesis 22:1-3. God may direct us along a certain course, but we find ourselves doubting His ability to protect and deliver us safely. However, a person who lives by faith will continue moving forward as Abraham did without yielding to feelings of doubt or fear. The greatest benefit of obedience is blessing. God always rewards obedience with great blessing.

Genesis 22:1-3 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.  (2)  And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.  (3)  And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

A person may have tremendous material wealth but be spiritually and emotionally bankrupt. Abraham was not a poor man. He was a leader among his people. God had given him the ability to see beyond the immediate challenge to the blessings of the future.

Therefore, Abraham did not cower in fear or lie awake at night wondering how God would provide for him. He trusted the Lord and, in doing so, was able as the women with the issue of blood did in Luke 8:43-48 and touch the hem of heaven’s garment.

Scripture tells us in Genesis 15:6 (That Abraham)believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

    
Here are some things that are crucial to living a faith-motivated life. First, we must believe on Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and secondly, we must commit to a life of obedience and thirdly, believe that He does what He has promised to do. 

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that …without faith it isimpossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

3)  THE THIRD STEP IN LEARNING TO WALK BY FAITH IS;

 

A Confident Conviction That God Will Fulfill Every Promise. The ultimate question is not "Will God do what He promised?", but "Am I willing to trust Him even though His timetable is not my own?"

 
Hebrews 11:17-19  By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,  (18)  Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:  (19) Accounting that God was able to raise himup, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

        
We must realize that the faith demonstrated by those mentioned in Hebrews 11 was faith without limits. Each one of these saints trusted God even though they did not see the end result of their faith. They lived by faith each day, and God gave them an eternal reward.

 

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IN CONCLUSION, ONCE WE LEARN TO WALK BY FAITH WE MUST;

 

Maintain A Lifestyle Of Faith. A life of faith is one that is dominated by Jesus Christ—not selfish desires. Faith is not a goal that we must work to achieve. It comes as the overflow of a personal relationship with God. It is as natural as taking a breath of air. Faith is the breath and life of our relationship with God and His Son.  There are three levels of faith—little faith that says, "God can do it." Great faith that says, "God will do it." Perfect faith that says, "God ALREADY has done it."

Are you willing to trust God and see what He will do in your life? God led Abraham into a land of tremendous promise and blessing. He will do the same for you as you trust Him and walk by faith.