Scripture: Hebrews 11 (NIV)
As I spent my time reading Hebrews 11, titled “Faith in Action,” I was inspired by the many acts of faith and with the help of the Holy Spirit I was able to extract some “gems” of faith. I’d like to share these “gems” that stood out to me and hopefully they will help you in your faith journey.
Let’s start with what faith is:
In Hebrews 11:1 it says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
In a world where we are taught that the opposite is true, it is difficult to have confidence in what we hope for and have assurance about things that are not seen. But we are not the only ones who have faced these kinds of difficulties. The rest of the chapter gives us examples of how people overcame those hurdles, “By Faith”.
Please read the whole chapter to get a sense of what faith may look like in action…
Gem 1: Faith pleases God
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
I believe that faith pleases God because it requires us to put our full hope and trust in Him and in the things that are unseen. To fully believe in Him to take the first step of action.
I picture it like this sometimes:
When a child takes their first steps, the faith the child has in their parents to catch them and guide them, gives them the courage to try and use their feet to walk. I would picture that joy a parent feels is how God might feel with us.
Gem 2: Faith sometimes requires the impossible
How much harder is it to have faith in something that is not only unseen but also hasn’t even happened before? Noah is a prime example of this very faith. In Hebrews 11:7 it says, “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.
Noah was told by God that he would wipe out everything and everyone with floodwaters and to build an ark for two of every animal and his family.
- Some scholars say that prior to this time, it had not yet rained on the earth
- No one on earth has seen or built an ark of that grandeur
Sometimes God asks us to have faith for things that are “impossible” or that have never been done before. There might be some of you who are reading this that require breakthrough in your life. Where you have met an “impossible” in your road and you can’t imagine any way out or through it. Might I suggest to you that God is using what YOU would say as impossible as a way to show you HOW possible it can really be if you put your faith in Him.
Gem 3: Faith sometimes requires the unknown
Sometimes God requires us to have Faith to go to places we’ve never been before to get things that we’ve never had. In Hebrews 11:8 it says, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
God told Abraham to leave everything to go to a foreign land to claim his inheritance. I can only imagine how difficult it may be to move to a place that is promised for you but not knowing where to go but only leaning on the words of the Lord as guidance. Ask any immigrant family moving into a new country what that might feel like. Plus Abraham didn’t just get his inheritance just like that, he lived in his home like a stranger in a foreign country. I’m sure that’s not what Abraham had in mind when God said I will give you this land as your inheritance.
I heard a quote once that said “The unknown is the call to faith and faith is the response to the unknown.” Lifespring we are in the unknown, everyday is filled with uncertainty. I implore you to respond in faith. Whatever that may look like for you, let us fix our eyes on the unseen and walk with confidence in the hope of Jesus Christ.
Gem 4: Faith might require you to go beyond yourself
Sometimes situations and circumstances require a faith that is fueled by more than a promise for yourself but by a promise which extends to others. Here’s a tough pill to swallow, having faith doesn’t mean you’ll always receive the promise. In healing and deliverance we learn about generational blessing and curses. I believe our faith can serve as a generation blessing for the generations to come. To act in obedience through faith to set up generations for success. If you are a 2nd, 3rd or even 4th generation Christian, you are living in it. We might not be able to witness the promises God has for us but maybe our children or children’s children will.
Hebrews 11:13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.
I hope that you were inspired by all these acts of faith in Hebrews like I was. There are plenty more “gems” that are waiting to be discovered and unpacked through the Holy Spirit. May your walk in faith be as rewarding as those who walked before us. God Bless!