Theme: The Heroes of Faith and You

Bible passage: Hebrews 11:4-7

We all know that the whole Bible is the word of God, and every verse in the Bible is a blessing to each of us.

But we know that there are chapters or passages that are precious treasures for all and for the whole church, powerful chapters like Psalm 23, Jehovah is my shepherd.

How many hearts has Psalm 23 comforted. Psalm 121 "Jehovah is your keeper", Isaiah 53 "by his stripes we were healed”, Matthew5, the Sermon on the Mount, how many teachings for a Christian has the Sermon on the Mount

but one of the precious treasures of the Bible is the book of Hebrews precisely chapter 11, where it talks about the hall of fame of the heroes of the Faith.

Chapter 11 tells us that FAITH is something that everyone needs to draw closer to God. This chapter shows us what we already know that faith is the certainty of what is hoped for, the conviction of what is not seen.

it is the power to visualize in FAITH. FAITH is what allows us to believe in the promises of God,

it is what allows us to believe what we have not yet seen, it is what allows us to know something that no one has taught us, but that we believe, that FAITH we need to be saved.

The word says that to be saved we must believe in Jesus Christ in our hearts as the heart is believed for righteousness, for that FAITH we must believe the word of God, to understand the Bible, to believe all the biblical stories, to believe all the doctrines that the Bible teaches.

you must have FAITH,

to believe that the Holy Spirit really inspired that word you must have FAITH, through FAITH, is that we believe what the word teaches that there is a heaven and hell, through FAITH we believe

that Jesus Christ is the means that God put to bring us closer to Him, to God the Father.It is through FAITH that we can draw closer to God, through FAITH that we can honor God and please Him.

because the Bible in Hebrews 11:6 tells us, but without FAITH it is impossible to please God; because it is necessary to "SAY LOUDLY” that whoeverapproaches God believe that there is, "that is, believe that He is there."

and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him. That is FAITH, and this precious chapter of Hebrews 11 tells us and gives us some examples of some men and women who graduated from that hall of fame.

We could call him that they became an example of people of faith, there we have dozens of examples, chapter 11 a really rich biblical passage, one of them for example Enoch; The word says that by FAITH he was transposed, he was raptured so as not to see death.

How many wants to be raptured? Noah... Hear this my brother began by divine command to build an ark for a supposed flood that God was going to pour out on the earth. Today you could believe a little more, but God gave the word to Noah at a time when no water fell from heaven, it had never rained on earth,

And the idea that water would fall from heaven, water like a spring, so big that it would flood the entire world was, was a theory, very unrealistic. But thanks to his FAITH

He was saved by his wife, three sons, and three daughters-in-law. Through faith, Abraham left his land and his kindred, following a promise, left his

home, he left his home, he left what he knew, he left his friends, he left work as maybe he had, he left the economic positions that he had there in his land, so many things they had to abandon because Abraham was following a word that God had given him.

given Abraham to that of your land and your kindred and I am going to take you to a land that I am going to give to you and your offspring. Seeing the accomplishments and great faith of all these biblical characters

We may be inclined to think that these men and women of God never went through trials, that God always answered all their prayers, that is, God always told them YES over and over again.

We might think that they all achieved their goals, but Hebrews 11 shows us another reality, first of all, all these heroes of faith, these men and women serve us.

as an example. Hebrews 11 shows us that these men and women of faith were also going through trials and afflictions. And maybe you are asking yourself, but David how you know that. prove it... Easy, verses 36 and 37 says they experienced reproaches and scourges, and more than this prisons and jails. they were stoned, sawn, PUT TO PRUBA, killed by the sword; They walked to and fro covered with sheepskins and goats, poor, distressed, mistreated.

HEY! I am talking to you about the heroes of the Faith, poor anguished, mistreated

These men and women of God who were by God and in faith, yet God allowed them to go through anguish to teach us that what Christ said: that in this world we will have affliction, but that we trust, He has overcome the world.

If someone tells you that the Christian does not suffer persecution, that the Christian does not suffer trials, that the Christian does not suffer anguish, that the Christian does not grieve in his heart, that the Christian does not go through a painful moment, he is lying to you and is not teaching you a true gospel.

The word shows us another reality and the men and great women of God who were used by Him went through these kinds of situations, went through problems, through difficulties in life.

Because of persecutions, many of them died as martyrs like Stephen, another like Moses walked in the desert for 40 years leading the people of Israel.

They were in the wilderness seeking the promised land God had given them. All by following a word God had spoken to them, they were following God through FAITH. Listen to this... and follow the word of God through FAITH... Hey well brother! I lead the people of Israel and us on difficult paths

But faith leads us to obey God's word, even if the journey of the road is difficult. TheApostle Paul, one of these men who are not here in Hebrews 11, but I believe, he is one of

those heroes of the Faith. And this man said, I have learned to be content, whatever my situation may be. I know how to live humbly, and I know how to have abundance; In everything and for everything I am taught, so to be satiated as to be hungry, so to have abundance as to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And there in the second letter of Corinthians chapters 11 Paul to defend the reality of his ministry and

as he had suffered for Christ he testified and said brothers know something I have been in more abundant work, I have been in scourges without numbers, or I have been whipped many times I have been many times

times in prisons in danger of death, five times I have received 40 lashes minus one, three times I have been whipped with rods, once stoned, three times shipwrecked

A night and a day as a castaway on the high seas you read this and you can feel who is speaking this passage has walked many times in dangers of rivers, dangers of thieves, dangers of those of my nation, dangers of the Gentiles,

dangers in the city, dangers in the desert, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers, in work and fatigue in much sleeplessness, in hunger and thirst in many fasts, in cold and in the cold.

nudity and in addition to other things that crowd over me every day the concern for all the churches. Brothers the great men and women of God also stayed up at night

They also went through those things that happen to us when we wake up at three in the morning without being able to sleep, worried about so many things, so many pains, afflictions, things that make us tense, afflictions that squeeze us.

our heart, worries that make us unable to sleep because you are living a trial, a battle and these great men of God also went through those moments, they went through difficult moments, moments of dangers, moments of anguish, moments of difficulties, of economic scarcity.

but how good it is to know that Jesus told us, trust because I have overcome the world, it is faith that makes us see the present affliction as a process of victory,

that FAITH of which chapter 11 of Hebrews speaks is the one that gives us the strength not to faint in the desert, that FAITH that chapter 11 speaks to us is the one that makes us stand firm even in the wilderness.

Hard and challenging times. When it seems that the waters are going to come on our boat to sink it, it is that FAITH that makes us look a little further and say: Where will my help come from? My help comes from Jehovah, who made the heavens and the earth.

But wait a little I want you to close your eyes for a moment and imagine the situation of these heroes of the Faith. Because as I said before we would all think that they saw all the promises fulfilled,

They saw all the answers with him If of God in his hand, however, many of them did not see the promise fulfilled in their day, in fact, verse 39 says.

that all of them, though they attained good testimony through faith, but none of them received what God had promised. God had a much better plan, so that we too would receive what was promised.

I want to tell you, dear brothers, that one of the remarkable things these heroes of the Faith were waiting for was the Messiah, the redeemer that you and I have believed. We do not know how, but these men of God and women received revelation that one day a Messiah would come.

They received revelation at some point in their lives with their intimacy with God, they could understand that one day a Messiah would come, a savior, a Christ who would bring freedom from sin. for example, in a

Jesus was talking to the Pharisees and said to them, Abraham your father rejoiced that he was to see my day; and he saw it, and he rejoiced.

that is why Abraham could see prophetically at some point in his intimacy with God he could see what, in one day Christ would come to earth and all of them.

They were waiting for Christ to come, but many of them died without seeing the promise in their hands. The Bible says that they would not be perfected apart from us, they could not see the Messiah, they could not see many promises, they could not see

Many answers they were waiting for. Today we enjoy the great blessing that we already know that Christ came and lives in our hearts.,

I want to tell you that tonight that I do not know when God is going to answer us, we do not know if his answer is going to be YES or NO because there are times when God says NO. But I want to tell you that, in these moments, even if God did not give you what you are asking for, even if he delays in his response and God says no.

and God make us wait, be patient that all that is to become a mature Christian with solid character, and this is achieved by being faithful to God, although he does not answer my prayer, our faithfulness and faith to God cannot change according to circumstances,

But our devotion to God should not depend on whether God responds or not. Our faithfulness to God does not depend on whether God heals or not.

our faithfulness to God does not depend on whether God prospers us or not, our faithfulness to God does not depend on whether God answers our request or does not, our devotion and faithfulness to him does not depend on whether he answers what we are asking.

BROTHERS it may be that we leave this earth without seeing the answer in our hands. In the time of Christ there were people who sought for the loaves and fishes, sought blessings and when there was no food did not follow Christ

but it is vital that the Christian develop a firm character and an unshakable FAITH, that FAITH of which there will be Hebrews chapter 11 that makes us steadfast, though we do not see the answer, even though we see that our boat is being tossed by the winds by the waters and we see that God has not yet worked,

FAITH makes us keep looking up and say Lord I continue to trust in you. someone once said eternity would not be enough for me to thank him for what he has already done for me

That is why my brothers I am talking to you about the heroes of the Faith. that many of them died without seeing the answer, without seeing the solution, without seeing that God worked, and we are in days of much emotionalism. God will always listen, God will always answer you, God, will always give you what you need and not what you want, but life shows us that there are times when God does not respond, where God delays his word.

where God allows us to go through scarcity, where God allows us to go through diseases, in parts, because we are in a world surrounded by problems, but the Lord speaks to us tonight about how in those moments’ faith will help us to continue looking at the target, even in difficult moments.

This brings to mind Habakkuk, a man of God who learned that our faithfulness to God does not depend on whether God blesses us or not. Habakkuk said, Even if the fig tree does not bloom SOMEONE CAN SAY IT TONIGHT, Even if the fig tree does not blossom, how many can continue to raise their hands, even when God has not answered, how many can continue to raise their hands even when God has not healed them, even when God has not answered what we are asking, That is the character of faith,

the one that impels us to keep looking at the target, even when our picture tells us that God has not worked and apparently will not work. There was also a man who went through all this, and it was Job.

and he said a few words of FAITH. he said I know my Redeemer lives, but you know something, Job also said, though he will kill me, in him I will hope,

it talks about a maturity that we do not like to be preached to, because everyone likes to be preached, that God is going to answer you, God is going to give you the house, God is going to give you the job you are waiting for, God is going to give you healing,

but Job said, although God will kill me, I will continue to wait on him you know what this meant, even if God allows me to die in this disease said Job, even if God does not remove this disease from my skin, even if he does not return to me what the enemy took from me, I, still, will continue to wait,

Tonight, even if God does not answer my cry, I will continue to trust. These heroes of the Faith conquered to reach the end and although they did not receive

so many things promised because they were for another time, although they did not see so many things that they were waiting for, that they went through afflictions, but they could reach the end because they had the FAITH placed in the invisible, in our redeemer.

And this word is of comfort to let us know that even though we are going through those afflictions, even though God has not yet worked, even though you still have insomnia at night because of worries.

Keep trusting in God, even though the answer has not come, keep trusting in Christ, even though you have not seen the fruit of your prayer, of your work keep trusting in the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews chapter 12 gives us a word exhortation and tells us, Therefore, we also

SAY IT LOUD, THEREFORE, WE ARE ALSO stronger, THEREFORE, WE TOO, THESE WORDS, THEREFORE, WE ALSO, CONNECT US WITH THE CHAPTER WITH THE 11TH, THAT IS, IT IS A PRODUCT OF THE FACT THAT THESE HEROES OF THE FAITH MANAGED TO REACH THE END.

going through temptations, through trials, but with everything and that they came to an end Because their eyes were on God, they were on Christ, they were on the Holy Spirit. Therefore

Therefore, we too, having around our great cloud of witnesses, let us put off all weight and sin that besets us, and let us patiently run the race that lies ahead, setting our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of the FAITH. This word

that we have around us a great cloud of witnesses is talking about the heroes of the Faith, it talks about that we have an example of people who managed to reach the goal.

are examples for us, this is like a marathon, a great marathon where hundreds of people are running and most of them have already reached the finish line, they graduated from the hall of fame of the FE and they are there at the finish line waiting for the last one to come, and there goes the last of the marathon running with difficulties, with a broken leg, with dirty clothes for so many times that he fell and I have gotten up again and again, trying to reach the goal, but this last runner (YOU AND ME) says I have to get there because there are people there who already achieved it .I cannot stay behind; I must reach the end as those heroes of the FAITH who already conquered it and the example those heroes of the FAITH tell us let us get up that you must reach the end

The heroes of the Faith went through persecution, problems, diseases, heartaches, scarcity, but they managed to reach the end. And this serves as an example and as an encouragement that tells us to get up that you can in the name of the Lord Come on get up what you have

that reaching the end you can not stay behind, you can not stay on the road, you must reach the end, we have achieved it, come finish your career and the passage says

Let us get rid of all weightRunning with lead on one's neck is exceedingly difficult It is easier to run if we strip ourselves of some weights, it says we strip of all weight and the sin that besieges us My beloved brothers to reach the end we must get rid of discouragement

we have to get rid of depression because discouragement depression binds us so that we do not move forward, discouragement and depression makes us look further back than look forward, discouragement tells us I already ran 2 miles has been enough, I do not think I can get there, but the FAITH tells us there is little left to move forward

We must get rid of spiritual discouragement, we must get rid of sins, bad habits, get rid of all weight and the sin that besieges us, says let us run with patience the

race ahead of us and speaking about FAITH he says do not look back,

Look ahead with your eyes on whom? SAY IT LOUD TONIGHTset your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of FAITH.

Hear this, Jesus endured the shame of dying nailed to a cross because He knew that, after so much suffering, He would be very happy. And now he is seated at the right hand of the Father.

Do you know why he, the author of Hebrews, tells us to set our eyes on Jesus? Because Jesus is the best example of someone who went through pain, but with his eyes set on the end, of someone who ran the race,

He ran the marathon, but with his sights set on the end. You know what Jesus did when he was being crucified, you know what Jesus did, what went through your mind when the nails were piercing your hands, you know what Jesus was seeing when he was being scourged, you know what he was going through when they put the crown of thorns on his forehead.

Jesus was seeing the result, he was seeing the end, which is why this passage says that because of the joy set before him he suffered the cross.

in other words, he could see the fruit say it loudthe fruit of his affliction. That is, the result that his sacrifice would generate, the result of millions of people redeemed by that blood that he was shed. For the joy set before him suffered the cross

and the author, the writer, tells us look at Jesus, he is the ultimate example of how we can go through afflictions with our eyes on the reward, with our eyes on Jesus.

Finally, although you are going through afflictions, although like the heroes of the Faith you are being persecuted, it is anguished, you are awake at night, you are

going through diseases, and you have not yet seen the answer continues with an eye on the award continue with your gaze fixed on Christ, continue with your gaze fixed on your Savior, continue with the

Looking at the promise, he continues with his gaze fixed on that fixed point, on that point there in the distance that is called Christ. Faith makes our afflictions like a steppingstone

To reach success, faith makes us see afflictions as a necessary ladder to reach that glorious summit that is God.

If this message has reached you, if you want the Lord to touch you to increase your FAITH. Come to the Altar that we are going to pray with FAITH.

God bless you tonight, may God encourage you tonight, may God strengthen you tonight.