Living by Faith
Introduction
“But the just shall live by his faith,” Habakkuk 2:4b.” Faith is for living and walking, not just for talking. God created man to be a personality of faith. Abraham walked and lived by faith, Gen 17:1. Man is to live, walk and relate with God by faith, because God is a spirit and it takes faith for man to relate with a spiritual entity whom we cannot see physically. The Christian life is a walk. It involves day by day steps from where we are to reach where the Lord wants us to go both spiritually and geographically. This walk is undertaken by faith not by sight. Walking by sight is the natural manner by which human beings walk. This is true both for literal walking, as well as taking the proverbial journey through life. When engaged in a natural walk, people rely upon visual data along with input from other human senses like sound, smell and touch. Likewise, as the unredeemed are engaged in their walks through life, they set their course and proceed by that which their natural abilities provide.
We must walk by faith, by depending on our LORD, HIS WORD and the work of grace by His Holy Spirit. Spiritual progress is made when we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. But it is important to state that, quite often, things are not as they appear in the natural. Let’s consider Joseph being sold to slave traders by his jealous and deceitful brothers (Gen. 37:26-28); it did not look like Joseph was being groomed to be Prime Minister in Egypt at the time this sad incident took place, (Gen. 41:40-44).
Think of Pharaoh and his army closing in on Israel as they got near the Red Sea. It did not look like Israel would be delivered and the Egyptian army would be destroyed, Ex. 14:13-28. Remember young David standing before gigantic Goliath. It did not look like the giant would be defeated and David would enjoy a great victory, 1 Sam.17:47-51. Only eyes of faith could really appreciate what was actually happening on these occasions. So, we see that:
1. Faith is a now thing. It is not futuristic, but a present-hour reality.
2. Faith is a substance that is tangible, it is not an abstract. It is what
you can handle and relate with.
3. Faith gives life to hope, Rom. 4:18-20. Faith authenticates hope and
without faith hope dies.
4. Faith is evidence. It is proof, a title deed. It is the reality and proof that
what you have not yet seen or have is already yours.
5. Faith is acting on what you believe.
6. Faith is an unwavering and un-staggering confidence in God and His
Word.
How is faith contacted?
Firstly, by hearing and hearing the word of God unto infinitude, Rom. 10:17.
Secondly, by impartation and baptism of the spirit of faith Cor. 4:13.
Three Dimensions of faith
1. Faith as a confession, 2 Cor. 4:13.
2. Faith as a conviction and persuasion, Rom. 4:20-21.
3. Faith as an action, James 2:20. Faith without a corresponding action
is dead.
Benefits of faith
1. By faith, we please God, Heb.11:6.
2. By faith, we obtain results, testimonies and good report, Heb. 11:2.
3. Since faith framed the world, by faith you can create and recreate
your own world, Heb. 11:3.
4. By faith, we quench all the activities of darkness and wickedness,
Eph. 6:16.
5. By faith, we subdue kingdoms, obtain promises, stop the mouth of
lions, quench the violence of fire, escape the edge of the sword,
become strong in weakness, overcome the alien army and heal the
sick, cast out devils and raise the dead!
Dangers of not living by faith:
- Impossibility in pleasing God, Heb. 11:6.
- All manner of limitation and lack of victory, 1 John 5:4.
Conclusion
Jesus tells us that we will have troubles in this world; it is a guarantee. However, He also promised that we will have victory through our faith because He Himself has overcome the world. If you are facing hard and uncertain times, you can be encouraged to press on knowing that you are an overcomer, John 16:33.