The Life of Faith (Pt. 1) - Things Not Seen
We began our new series “The Life of Faith” by making a bold confession, declaring our justification and righteousness by faith. We affirmed that as believers, we live by faith, walk by faith, and receive every promise of God by faith. Faith is the foundation of our lives, allowing us to overcome the world and extinguish the fiery darts of the enemy. We confessed that doubt and unbelief are foreign to us, and our faith continues to grow until we possess all that God has for us.
The Necessity of Faith
Our primary scripture for this sermon was Hebrews 10:35-39, which urges us not to cast away our confidence because it has a great reward. We are reminded that we need endurance so that after we have done the will of God, we will receive the promise. The scripture also declares that the just shall live by faith and that God takes no pleasure in those who draw back. Moving into Hebrews 11, we studied that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Through faith, the elders obtained a good testimony, and by faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.
Faith is central to our lives as believers. The problems encountered in pastoral care usually falls into one of two categories: issues requiring God’s wisdom or issues requiring faith. While wisdom gives us direction, faith is the key to overcoming life's challenges. Whether it is sickness, financial trouble, or family struggles, faith is the answer. The Bible repeatedly emphasizes that the just shall live by faith, reinforcing that faith is essential for our spiritual existence, just as oxygen is essential for our physical bodies.
Faith and its Unseen Realities
1 Corinthians 2:9-10 teaches that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love Him. However, God has revealed these things to us through His Spirit. Without revelation, we remain blind to what God has prepared. Many times, we limit our expectations based on what we can see, hear, or understand, but faith calls us to embrace the unseen realities that God has already prepared.
Faith requires us to understand that God has already completed His work. He is not in the process of figuring things out; He has already established our blessings from the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:3 declares that we have already been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ. These blessings exist in the spiritual realm, and faith is the means by which we bring them into our natural experience.
Faith Beyond Challenges
We must also recognize that faith is not only for solving problems, but also for fulfilling God's purpose for our lives. Even if we had no struggles, faith would still be necessary to attain the fullness of what God has planned for us. Many of us settle for less than what God intends because we measure ourselves by earthly standards rather than by the spiritual vision God has prepared. If we only operate by what we can naturally see and understand, we have not even begun to tap into God’s best for us.
Israel's journey from Egypt illustrates this point. If they had only sought deliverance from slavery, they would have missed God’s greater plan to bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey. God was not just interested in removing their suffering; He had prepared something far greater. In the same way, we must not limit our faith to short-term victories but press into the fullness of what God has prepared.
Aligning Faith with God’s Will
God's ways are higher than our ways. Our greatest ambitions cannot compare to what He has planned. This is why faith must extend beyond material gain. Faith is not about acquiring wealth or possessions but about aligning with God's purpose. If we only use faith to satisfy personal desires, we misunderstand its true purpose. Faith must be used to bring God’s kingdom to earth, not just to accumulate worldly success.
Revelation 22 gives us insight into the superior nature of the spiritual realm. The physical world reflects aspects of the spiritual, but in a diminished form. Just as the river of life and the tree of life exist in heaven, our earthly experiences are mere shadows of greater spiritual realities. Everything in the natural realm originates from the spiritual realm, and faith is what enables us to access those superior realities.
We must be careful not to use faith for self-promotion or material gain outside of God’s will. Ephesians 1:3 clarifies that our blessings are in Christ, meaning they align with His purpose. Faith must be used to fulfill God’s plan, not to chase after personal ambition. True faith seeks the things of God rather than self-centered desires.
Conclusion
This is a call to grow in faith. We should pray and strive for an increase in our faith and spiritual sight, so our eyes may be open to see the unseen realities God has prepared for us. We should not settle for living by natural sight, emotions, or human reasoning. Instead, we should choose to live by faith, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. And declare that what is written in heaven concerning us is our true testimony, not the limitations of our earthly circumstances.
We also extend an invitation to those who have not yet placed their faith in Christ. Salvation itself is an act of faith, and those who accept Jesus receive eternal life and the indwelling Holy Spirit. We encourage anyone making this decision to step forward in faith and begin their journey with God. We’d appreciate if you let us know if you made a decision to live by faith for Christ.
