In light of current events and the seemingly any moment return of Christ, this morning I was reading in Hebrews 11, the Hall Of Faith. The word FAITH appears 23 times in this chapter. The word faith is the Greek word, pistis- and in Strong’s concordance it is “the conviction of the truth of anything or belief.”
Now, in (:1) we see faith is the substance of what we’re hoping for & an evidence in us that others can objectively experience of things we do not yet see. Let me tell you, as much as Satan would desire it in us, for you and I this is not the time for us as God’s people to be asleep at the wheel.
As Hebrews 11 goes on, we see a phrase repeated over and over again, “by faith.” In this chapter, we have a whose who of the Bible. We see how they did what they did for the Lord. It was “by faith.”
In (:29) we see even Moses and God’s people walking through the Red Sea was an act of faith. God had already done a miracle in opening up an effectual door of ministry to walk through but they had to trust the Lord all the more that as they walked ahead into the unknown that God would continue to supernaturally hold up the walls of water and allow them to go through unscathed. This is where we are. God has doors of effective ministry opened before us, and can I tell you, if what’s happening in this world is bringing a sense of self preservation within you, the safest place to be is “in the will of God.” Walking forward with your brothers and sisters into the PLANS THAT GOD HAS FOR US is the place you and I need to be. The previous chapter, speaks directly to this point, Hebrews 10:38-39 “Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”
In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus tells His disciples a parable. Here, he connects two aspects of the Christian life closely at the hip, FAITH & prayer. One flows from the other. Prayer is a direct result of real faith. If we are trusting and believing God then the result will be a flow from our mind and hearts of petitions and supplications in prayer to our God. It’s why Jesus said in (:8) “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” If there is one thing we need to do today and in these days that God has sovereignly placed us, it is to do what Jesus told His boys to do in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Watch & Pray.”
May God give you the faith to press in and stay encouraged in these dark days. May God anoint you today with an overwhelming of His Spirit. May you and I WATCH & PRAY.
Maranatha “Come Lord Jesus,”
By His Spirit,
Pastor Bill