FACING THE GIANTS
Dealing With The Giant of Faithlessness
Hebrews 11
INTRODUCTION: Preparing for rain. That phrase sets the dividing line between faithfulness and faithlessness. The giant of faithlessness is simply living as though we do not believe God is going to do what He says he is going to do. Not personally acting on what we believe God would have us to do. On our hearts we believe that God is going to do something, but our actions reveal something quite different.
I THE ESSENCE OF FAITH IS CONFIDENCE
Hebrews 11:1-2 1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
A Faith is being SURE of what we have ASSURANCE (HOPE) for.
1 ¡§being sure¡¨ is the Greek word for substance.
2 It is the opposite of hypothesis or theory
3 The word is translated, ¡§title deed¡¨
a Something that could be built on
b Something that someone can stand on
B Faith is having CERTAINTY of what we CANNOT see
1 Certain means demonstration
2 Demonstrates what we cannot see.
Faithfulness involves:
„Ï Preparing for what we have prayed for
„Ï Acting on what we believe is coming
Think for a moment, what would be the result of God sending or doing what we have asked for if we are unprepared for it? It would be a disaster!
Perhaps you computer savvy people remember when AOL first announced that they were going to allow unlimited access on their service for a monthly fee. They were overwhelmed by the response of the people. The demand was so great that they could not handle all the access, and for a while many people had a hard time getting on to AOL at all. IT took about 6 months before AOL had finally caught up with the demand for their service.
II THE ESSENTIAL FACTOR OF FAITH IS ACTION
A Faith is not simply PRAYING
1 Faith is acting in accordance with God¡¦s Character
a God calls His people to greater accomplishments
b God calls His people to greater achievement
c God calls His people Action
2 Faith is acting in accordance with God¡¦s Promises
a God¡¦s promises are solid
b God¡¦s promises are based on His nature
c God¡¦s promises are always kept
B ACTIONS declare the faith in our prayers
1 Faith does not EXCUSE action, but REQUIRES action
2 Real faith cause me to TRUST God¡¦s PROMISES
3 Faith INSPIRES activity, and activity shows God we TRUST Him
4 Need to prepare OURSELVES and our ENVIRONMENT for WHEN God works
III THE ENVIRONMENT FOR FAITH IS OUR GOAL
Preparing ourselves and our environment to see God work
Are we ready for God to Work?
FAITHLESSNESS STOPS US FROM:
A Obeying God¡¦s Word
1 Noah Obeyed God and built and Ark ¡V what if He didn¡¦t?
2 Abraham Obeyed God and went to a land he did not know about
B Respecting God¡¦s Presence
1 Abel Respected God¡¦s presence in His offering
2 Abraham Respected God¡¦s presence when he offered Issac
C Pleasing God¡¦s Person
1 Moses Pleased God¡¦s person when he kept the Passover
2 Rahab Pleased God¡¦s person when she welcomed the spies
D Cultivating God¡¦s Love
John 14:15-24 15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." 22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?" 23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
1 Because they were faithful, ¡K
a Abel offered
b Noah built
c Abraham went
d Sarah was enabled
e Abraham offered
f Isaac blessed
g Moses was hid
h Moses refused
i Moses kept the Passover
j Israel passed through the Red Sea
k Rahab welcome spies
l And, ¡K..
Hebrews 11:32-40 32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-- 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
2 Every OT Saint mentioned here was faithful and never received what had been promised them.
3 The NT church today has received EVERYTHING God has promised short of the rapture, and we have not been faithful!
E Simply put ¡V faithlessness is waiting and wishing for someone else to do what we should be doing!
1 When our best is to drag ourselves out to church on a Sunday, complaining when we do
2 When we never lift our voice to share the gospel, encourage the weary, pray for the sick, or serve God, we have been whipped by the giant of FAITHLESSNESS!
Wholeheartedness is achieved when God is in EVERY part of our lives.
Faithfulness is achieved when we Prepare our lives to receive God blessing.
EVERYONE conquers the giant of faithlessness the same way.
Our faith is revealed in what we do, not in what we say, or in what we pray!
What have you done that shows others you are prepared for God to pour Himself out in your life?
What will you start to do today to defeat the Giant of Faithlessness?
A Powerpoint presentation is available for this message, please email for file
