The Subject of Faith # 7

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

:2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.

:31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

:32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephtah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets.

It is our responsibility to walk by faith, believe God, and act upon what we see in the Word.

As you exercise your faith it will grow.

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Rom 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

If you don't have faith, are you not hearing the word of God, or are you rejecting the word of God?

2 Cor 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you are disqualified.

Two major hindrances to faith are your tongue, and wavering.

Heb 11:26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ and Christ hadn't come to earth yet.

Heb 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets.

Jesus always was!

When 3 Hebrew children were in the furnace the man said he saw one as the Son of God. Jesus hadn't come to earth yet.

Josh 6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

They got the victory because they had faith and obeyed God.

With faith in God ALL things are possible.

Josh 2:15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall.

Heb 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

Josh 6:23 And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel.

She was believing for her family and they were saved.

Matt 1:5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begat Obed by Ruth, Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king.

Because of her belief she in in the lineage of Jesus.

All of these ACTED on their faith.

Faith without works is dead.

James 2:25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

Judges 7 – Gideon – fear is not believing what God said.

Judges 4:9 So she said, “ I will surely go with you; nevertheless there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.

:21 Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent peg and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went down into the ground; for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.

Judges 5:24 “Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed is she among women in tents.

Samson was very strong, he sinned, repented and called upon God.

Judges 16:26 Then Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars which support the temple, so that I can lean on them,”

:27 Now the temple was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there- about three hundred men and women on the roof watching while Samson performed.

:28 Then Samson called to the Lord, saying,” O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!”

:29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars which supported the temple, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and the other on his left.

:30 Then Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.

By faith God gave him one more chance.

Judges 11:1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephtah.

He defeated the armies of Ammon. His daughter was the one who came out to meet him after he vowed to sacrifice anything that came out of his house first.

We need to take seriously any vow we make to the Lord.

2 Sam 7:11 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord tells you that He will make you a house.

:12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed

after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

:13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

:14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.

Samuel, the prophets, all had a good report because of their faith.