Today, we will explore what it means to have a faith that pleases God. We will delve into the characteristics of such faith and how it transforms our lives and our relationship with God.
Today’s message: DON’T LOSE HOPE (Part 1)
We will learn why many times our Faith doesn’t work.
Let’s read the word of God in Hebrews 11:1-6
1 “Now Faith is confidence in what we Hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
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.”
Hebrews 11:1-6 NIV
Faith is the confidence!
Faith “is”! It doesn’t say that it “was”, it “will be”, “should” be” or that it “could be”!
Faith is the confidence of things we hope for!
What God is going to do in your life may not make sense to you because faith is not logical.
What God is ready to do in your life is totally illogical, it makes no sense, because it is through faith that God moves.
The problem with you receiving the promises of God is that sometimes it looks as if what God promises you is illogical.
God called me to come to Ireland and in the beginning I said, it makes no sense! I have no English, I can’t do it, I have no background, I’m not qualified for it.
Sometimes things with God don’t make any sense to us.
If we look to David’s life, it didn’t make any sense for David to be king. How do you make a shepherd boy into a king?
He had no background, he followed no protocol, he grew up taking care of sheep, he had not been trained or educated, he had never had any exposure to royal life, he wasn’t prepared for it, but still God said: I found a man who is after my heart and he is going to be the next king of Israel!
“It’s Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”
Zechariah 4:6 NIV
Maybe there are things that God has said to you that sound frightening, things that make no sense, that make you scared, that make you feel disqualified, you don’t feel ready, and yet God can make it happen, because it happens by Faith.
“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family” Hebrews 11:7 NIV
Noah built a boat with no water around him! He did it in his backyard, willing to look like a fool and waiting on the rain he had never seen to catch up with what he built.
Noah built an ark for the saving of his house. His whole house got saved because he was willing to look a little crazy for a while.
When you have Faith people will always say you are crazy! But let them look at you funny, let them call you a fool, let them say it doesn’t make any sense.
Don’t worry because the rain is going to catch up with you! (Am I talking to anybody in here?)
Faith is the confidence in what we HOPE for! Do not lose your Hope!
Where there is no Hope, Faith cannot operate!
Faith doesn’t work without Hope! Your Faith needs your Hope!
Faith is the substance (confidence) of things hoped for.
When you have low self-esteem, Faith’s hands get tied up.
This is why the enemy is always attacking your Hope: it likes to bring up what you don’t have, that you’re too young, you are too old, you are not capable, no one loves you, etc.
If the enemy manages to kill your Hope, Faith is left with nothing to work with.
“Hope means expectancy when things are otherwise hopeless.”
Faith is the confidence in what we HOPE for!
The worst people in the world to preach to are the people who have no Hope.
The people I like to preach to are the people who have audacity to Hope. The courage to believe anything is possible, the courage to say I’m free from this addiction, the courage to believe they can go back to school, the courage to believe that they can preach the gospel, the courage to say that their life can and will be transformed.
Nowadays we have been hearing about many women who were abused by men. What a man does to a woman when he abuses her, as well as causing physical and emotional hurt, is killing her Hope, he takes away all her Hope, he doesn’t want her to talk to her relatives or friends, he tells her: You’re dumb, you’re ugly, you’re stupid, and what he does is kill her hope!
Abuse kills Hope!
What a man does to a woman is kill her hope in herself and others and eventually kill her Faith!
For your Faith to work, you have to believe what God says about you!
What you think about yourself, so you will be!
Faith is the confidence in what we HOPE for!
The day you lose your Hope, you lose your life!
So, the devil is not after your faith, he’s after your Hope!
You have to have hope: Hope that you could rebuild your life, that you could be better, that the second half of your life could be the best half, that the best is yet to come, that God has more for you, that you are important to God, that God has plans for your life, that all things are possible to those who believe.
The enemy is doing everything he can to destroy your Hope. He will always bring you bad news, bad reports! Stop listening to people, turn off your TV, stop watching the news.
My faith is the confidence of things that I hope for!