Faith is the Victory!

Scripture: I John 5:1-4

C.I.: Laying a Faith-FULL Foundation

A new series from Hebrews 11 on FAITH!… – Too often believers attempt to face full-time problems with a part-time faith. – TITLE -Today we will begin to seek a faith that is truly pleasing to God, ( cf. Heb. 11:6 ), “Now without faith it is impossible to please God.”

INTRODUCTION: The opposite of “Faith” is NOT “Doubt” (many people struggled with doubts. – Now we've them guilt!!)

a. Abraham:
1) God made some incredible promises to him, ( Gen. 12:2-3 ), “I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and
make your name great – and you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you and curse….”
2) Did Abraham have faith in what God said? – ( Gen. 12:11-13 ), “When they came near to Egypt, Abram said to Sarai,
‘I know you are a beautiful woman; and it will come about when the Egyptians see you, they will say, “This is his wife,” and
they will kill me and let you live. – Please say you are my sister so that it may go well with me because of you & I will live.”
3) ( Rom. 4:3 ), “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

b. Job:
1) God said some amazing things about him, ( Job 1:8 ), “Have you considered My servant Job? – For there is no one like
him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.'”
2) Yet because of his afflictions Job had his doubts! – ( Job 23:4 ), “I would present my case before Him – and fill my
mouth with arguments.”
3) ( Jms. 5:11 ), “You've heard of the endurance of Job – and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, - that the Lord is
full of compassion and is merciful.”

c. So the opposite of “faith” is not doubt - its DISOBEDIENCE! – ( Heb. 3:18-19 ), “To whom did God swear they should
not enter His rest but to those who were disobedient . – And so we see they were not able to enter because of unbelief .”
1) Far too many spend useless energy focusing on their ability/inability to believe God (i.e., “trying” to have faith).
2) Instead, we should live our lives as though God's word is true – and this will make all the difference!
3) In today's lesson we will look at four things about a faith that pleases God!

I. Four Things about a Faith that Pleases God…

A. Believes Even When It Doesn't See! “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen .”

1. The word for “assurance” (some translations = “substance” ) means, “to stand under, support.”
a. Thus, “faith” is to a Christian what a foundation is to a house.
1) Yet true faith is not ; “blind optimism,” a manufactured “hope-so” feeling, or intellectual assent to a belief.
2) Our faith-fullness is seen by: “Obedience to God's word in spite of circumstances of consequences.”
3) In every example given in Hebrews 11 , you will find the same things: a) God spoke to them, b) their hearts
were stirred by His word, c) they obeyed God, d) He bears witness concerning them!

2. “Faith” demonstrated by two things: 1) visualizing our desired future, 2) acting upon this image in the present!
a. ( v. 7 ), “By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation….”
b. ( v. 8 ), “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going to a place he was to receive for an inheritance….”
c. Each of these men live everyday trusting that what God had promised He will give them – even though they couldn't
see it! – Noah spent the next day working on a boat & Abraham spent the walking in God's direction.

3. Faith demands that we believe in that in which we cannot see – ( quote II Cor. 4:18 ), “For we do not look at….”
a. An example of this, ( II Kgs. 6:15-17 ), “The attendant of the man of God had arisen early and gone out, and behold, an army
with horses and chariots was circling the city. – And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?' – So Elisha
answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.' – Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O
Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.' And the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was
full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elijah”
b. I don't believe Elisha could “see” the chariots – but he believed they were there - even when he couldn't see them –
( II Cor. 5:7 ), “For we walk by faith and not by sight.”

B. Obeys Even When It Doesn't Understand!

1. Some people act as if they will obey God – but only if He answers all their questions first!!!
a. Remember asking your parents (or your kids asking you) “Why?”
1) If the answer wasn't “good enough” – would your parents have allowed you to NOT do something?!
2) Then how can we believe we are pleasing God – if we don't do WHAT HE SAYS???!

2. Seriously, do we truly believe that God has our best interests at heart (or do we believe we know better???).
a. When God told Noah to build a boat – the people had never even seen rain – much less a flood!
1) ( Gen. 2:6 ), “A mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground.”
2) ( Gen. 6:22 ), “Thus Noah did ; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did .”

b. ( Josh. 6:3 ), “You shall march around the city, all the men of war, circling the city once. You shall do so for 6 days.”
1) ( v. 4 ), “…then on the seventh day you shall march around the city 7 times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
2) ( Heb. 11:30 ), “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for 7 days.”

c. It comes down to this, ( Isa. 55:8 ), “My ways aren't your ways, and My thoughts aren't your thoughts.”
1) Essentially God is saying, “You can't figure Me out, so quit trying! – Just obey Me & be blessed!”

C. Keeps Going Even When It Feels Like Quitting!

1. Hebrews (incl. chapter 11) was written to Christians who felt like quitting & returning to Judaism, ( Heb. 10:39 ), “We are
not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”
a. Thus, the implied question to these wavering believers is, “Where would we be if ___________ quit?”
1) “Where would humanity be if Noah didn't finish the boat (ark)?”
2) “Where would the nation of Israel be if Moses quit before getting to the Promised Land?”
3) “Where would any believer end up - who quits following Jesus?”

b. We understand this in the secular arena. – Successful people don't quit!!
1) Successful performers (singers, actors, etc.) practice – practice – practice!
2) Successful business men go to work even when they would prefer to stay home.
3) Successful athletes keep working at least 5 minutes after everyone else has gone inside!
4) Successful marriages are made because the couple refuse to quit – even when it would be easier.
5) Successful parents keep on trying to do their best for the Lord – even when they would rather quit.

c. ( Heb. 11:38-39 ), “…men of whom the world was not worthy! – All these gained approval through their FAITH !”



D. Thanks God Even Before It Receives an Answer

1. Faith believes the unseen can do the impossible (so we give thanks in advance)!
a. ( Heb. 11:17, 19 ), “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac.”
1) God had made Abraham a promise, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called,” ( Heb. 11:18 ).
2) Later gave a command, “Take now your son, your only son … and offer him as a burnt offering.” ( Gen. 22:2 ).
3) Yet Abraham's faith, ( v. 19 ), “He considered that God was able to raise men even from the dead.”
4) So Abraham believed in a God of the resurrection – BEFORE HE HAD EVEN DONE ONE!
5) Remember, Faith = “Obedience to God's word in spite of circumstances of consequences.”

b. ( Mk. 11:24 ), “All things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted.”
1) Faith believes in the God who answers our prayers!!! (Even when we don't see, understand, or feel like quitting!)

CONCLUSIONS:

•  Review

•  Now what about us? – Do we have faith that God will accept us (with even our little faith) – if we but obey Him?

•  ( Mt. 11:28; 28:19-20 ), “Come unto Me all you who are weary and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them…”