The Step of Faith

By the time the Israelites were released from Egypt… they had seen God do some pretty remarkable things.

They had been in captivity as slaves… under the heavy hand of the Egyptians. Pharoah was not about to let them go.

But through a demonstration of His power, God convinced Pharoah that the time had come to let God’s people go.

Moses was God’s chosen mouthpiece. God found Moses hiding in the wilderness after he murdered an Egyptian Guard. God spoke directly to Moses through the burning bush… and although Moses tried to make excuses as to why he was the wrong choice… he ultimately submitted to God’s plan.

And now… the people were free! Moses was leading them out of Egypt. They were NO LONGER SLAVES. They were no longer bound by the Egyptians. These people had never known freedom… too much time had passed. But God delivered them into a new reality with freedom in their future… and Egypt further and further behind them as they traveled.

This would be the last time they would have to worry about Pharoah and Egypt… or would it be? All of that was in the past… right? Pharoah would not dare challenge the people of God… certainly not after the ten plagues God had brought against the Egyptian people?

This morning we continue our series The Power of God with a message simply called The Step of Faith.

We are going to look continue to look at this story of Moses, the Israelites, and the Egyptians as we talk about how important each step is that we take by faith.

First off, what is faith? We talk about it all the time, we claim to live by it daily… but do we fully understand what faith is?

Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as

Hebrews 11:1 NIV

1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Now, let’s consider Webster’s definition for a moment.

Faith Defined:

Allegiance to duty or a person

Belief and trust in and loyalty to God

Now I find it interesting that the top definition makes no mention of God and really speaks of loyalty instead of belief. God appears in definition number two but it still doesn’t capture the depth of what faith is.

Per the Scripture… faith is CONFIDENCE in what we hope for.

How many know that in Christ, the word hope takes on a completely new meaning.

In Jesus, hope is not wishful or maybe… hope is a guarantee. God’s promises are yes and amen through Jesus. God will do what God has promised to do.

The definition goes on to say assurance about what we do not see.

Our assurance is NOT in the physical or natural world around us… our assurance is in what cannot be seen - specifically in God and in His supernatural power.

We have a tendency to trust… what we can see or perceive. We can struggle to believe when our senses are telling us the opposite of what we believe.

Ever seen this clip before?

PLAY VIDEO

Indian Jones could see the way forward, but he couldn’t see the path below for the optical illusion. The only way to find it… was to take the leap or step of faith.

While this may have made for a good cinematic experience… we experience these moments all the time.

We see a depleting bank account but believe God will get us through the rest of the month. The step of faith is tithing as God has instructed and believing He will bless the rest. (Malachi 3:10-11)

We see a declining health situation but believe God will bring the needed healing. The step of faith is knowing by His stripes, we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

We face the challenges of life that seem to come in any season. The step of faith is finding strength to keep going in Jesus Christ. (Philippians 4:13)

We walk through the valley with danger all around. The step of faith is believing the rod and staff of God, our Shepherd, will comfort us and protect us. (Psalm 23:4)

We run out of strength and stamina. The step of faith is believing that the Lord renews the strength of those who wait upon Him. (Isaiah 40:31)

Websters says faith is belief and trust and loyalty to God… but the Word says Faith is belief AND believing God. Faith believes in God but also believes God’s power, authority, might, etc. Many believe in God… but do not believe God can _______________.

Faith is belief accompanied with action. Faith is an assurance that enables you to take the next step into the impossible.

Impossible for you… BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD. Because church… there is NOTHING that our God cannot do!

The Israelites did not know it… but they were about to be backed into an impossible situation. God had in fact delivered them from the geographical location of Egypt, but He was about to deliver them from the oppression of Pharoah once and for all… but it would require a step of faith… an assurance that would lead to action.

When leaving Egypt, God did something interesting. Look at Exodus 13:17-18

Exodus 13:17–18 NIV

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.

God led them on a round about way to the Red Sea. Why did He do this? Because the people were not ready for war.

Verse 18 said they were ready for battle… but God knew if they faced war, they might turn around and head back to Egypt. They weren’t strong enough to face this battle yet.

Ever been there? Scripture said they went up “ready” for battle. How many times have we done this?

We put on the right clothes, we gather the right tools, we take on the appearance of someone who is… ready. But inwardly, battle is the LAST thing we are ready for. The world sees the appearance… but God knows the heart. Maybe God is leading you a certain direction because He knows… your heart is not battle ready.

But make no mistake about it… God wants to lead you to victory. He wants to remind you that your victory… is found in Christ alone.

God knew for the Israelites... a battle was on the horizon… and he was taking them to a place where any back door for possible escape would be closed. The people would have to rely on His power to get them through. The people would have to take a step of faith.

Here’s where I am going with this… No matter how many “options” might be on the table… the way to go… is the way of faith.

God’s way will not always present itself as the path of least resistance… or at least not from our perspective. But God’s way is ALWAYS the best way. It will require that we trust in His power… and that trust moves us to take a step of faith.

Now I’ve been in some tough situations… but never one like the Israelites are about to find themselves in. I’ve never been on a road blocked off by the sea with a hostile army blocking the exit behind me. This sounds like the end of the line for the Israelites… right?

But God was on the move. In our eyes, this appeared to be the makings of the slaughter of God’s people. But God had other plans. Those plans required the people to take a step of faith.

From Misery… to Miracle

Trapped. There really isn’t any other word for it. The Israelites had no way to go. The sea was in front of them and the Egyptian army was behind them. But it is important to note that God’s presence NEVER left them.

Throughout this story, there was an active miracle we don’t talk about much. God was with the people in the form of a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. Exodus 13:22 tells us

Exodus 13:22 NIV

22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

God was present and was guiding His people the entire time. In fact, the ONLY time God’s presence wasn’t in front of His people was when the Egyptian army showed up.

Exodus 14:19–20 NIV

19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

But even with God presence so evident and clear, the people moved into a mode of misery.

Exodus 14:10–12 NIV

10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”

This was it… the people saw no way out. Now the only thing they could do was… die. Pharoah and his army of 600 chariots would just mow them down. What hope did they have now?

Church listen to me… the power of God has the ability to take our deepest misery… and turn it into the greatest miracle.

We like to hear stories of God’s amazing power at work! We like to hear of the blind receiving their sight, the deaf receiving their hearing, the lame being able to walk, the cancer patient being healed, the addict being delivered.

But before there was a deliverance, there was an addiction. Before there was a healing, there was a battle. Before the ability to walk was restored, there was a disability. Before hearing there was silence, before seeing there was darkness.

I find it interesting that people today long for the miracles from the biblical days… without considering the misery that had to come… first.

Listen to me clearly: God does NOT delight in the misery of His people. He did not set up this situation only for His people to perish. He was going to deliver His people from the hand of Pharoah and His power would be known by the nations.

God flat out tells Moses in Exodus 14:4 “I will gain glory for myself through Pharoah and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.”

God is STILL in the miracle working business! But the ONLY WAY to see the miracle is to remain FAITHFUL in the misery!

Maybe you need to be reminded of this truth today but I want you to hear this: If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, if you have given your life to Him… no matter what kind of season you might find yourself in today… God’s presence is with you.

In fact, according to our main text for this series found in Ephesians 3:20… His POWER is at work within you… and God is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within you!

Some of you believe more in your problem… instead of His power. Some of you are trapped by what you can see and perceive, and God is wanting to move you back into hope and assurance of what is unseen… He wants you to trust in His power!

And this is not a simple speak it and it will come true kind of trust… this is you gotta be willing to take a step of faith into the impossible kind of trust.

God is not going to leave you in that misery today. And I want you to look at how God begins to move us through what is seen… through what is unseen.

First… God gives us… HOPE. Not wishful hope… but a “you can take it to the bank” kind of hope.

God tells Moses the plan. God tells Moses that He is going to lead the Israelites back to a specific location so that the Egyptians think they are wandering and lost. This location will back them up against the Red Sea. God doesn’t tell Moses how He will overcome the Egyptians… but He assures Moses that His power would bring them through.

So when the Israelites begin to complain and lose hope, look at Moses’s words back to them.

Exodus 14:13–14 NIV

13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Just as Moses spoke those words to the Israelites so now I speak those words to you:

DO NOT BE AFRAID! Stand firms and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring to you today. The Lord will FIGHT for you! Simply go in the way of the Lord!

Secondly, when the time came, God led the people to take a step of faith… into the impossible.

Consider this for a moment… God’s presence shifted from the front to the back of the people. The Red Sea was a natural barrier before them… and the enemy was behind them. But was it the enemy that encouraged them to step into the impossible?

OR… was it God’s presence closing the door behind them? Some of you are fighting to reopen the door God has closed behind you. You see and you think the road ahead is impossible… but ANYTHING is possible for God!

So with God’s presence behind them, Moses stretched out his arms and the sea, the barrier before them… was removed.

Exodus 14:22 NIV

22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

They took the step of faith… and God did WHAT ONLY GOD COULD DO. The people were delivered by His POWER.

Lastly, the deliverance of the people… became the demise of the enemy.

The Israelites crossed over on dry ground… and Pharaoh's army pursued. But before the army could reach God’s people, the sea was brought down upon their heads.

Exodus 14:28 NIV

28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.

There as NOTHING the enemy could do to reach the people of God. They had been delivered by His power and authority as they were willing to take the step of faith into the impossible.

Listen church, there is no miracle without the misery.

This does not mean we go looking for hardship and misery to give God a chance to do a miracle… this simply means that God can take our hardest seasons of misery, and turn them into incredible stories of miracles!

You’ve gotta STOP believing in the problem… and start trusting and believing in His POWER!

Take the Step.

All it takes is… FAITH.

Jesus said in Matthew 17:20

Matthew 17:20 NIV

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Jesus gives two important details here.

One, you’ve gotta have faith! Not faith in yourself, but Faith in God!

Two, You’ve gotta place action to that faith! Jesus said, “you can say to this mountain.” That is an action phrase.

The Word tells us in James 2:17 that faith without action is dead. Maybe it’s time for some us to realize that our faith… is dead. You claim it, but don’t walk it, and then wonder why the mountains in your life ain’t moving. It has nothing to do with a lack of God’s power today… it has everything to do with dead, action-less faith!

Lastly, Jesus said that faith with action opens the door to the impossible. “Nothing will be impossible for you.”

The underlying key here is… this is in context to God’s will for your life. How many know that God has a plan for you? How many desire to live according to God’s plan for you… even if it means walking through the impossible?

Then when the impossible appears… HAVE FAITH. When the mountains get in our way… HAVE FAITH! When a roadblock is ahead and the enemy is behind… HAVE FAITH! Trust in His power and He will get you through!

Are you ready to overcome today? Then you’ve gotta take a step of faith. Don’t stay where you are… walk up to this altar.

This walk is symbolic of leaving the problem behind and trusting in His power today.

I don’t know what situation you are facing today, but God does. You may not see a way forward today, but God does. You may not have the strength to keep going today but God wants to renew your strength.

Will you come… will you take a step of faith into the impossible? Are you ready for God to pour out His power in your life?

PRAYER POINTS

Lord, help me with my faith.

Lord, help me to place action to my faith.

Lord, help me to do the impossible.