Renew Your Faith

INTRODUCTION:

In this series we’ve been looking at what it looks like to walk by faith. We’ve been studying one of the great heroes of faith, Abraham.

He’s the “founding father” of faith because after the reset in Gen 11 with the Tower of Babel, God choose Abram to form a counter-culture that would advance his promise/plan.

Like many people of faith, however, Abram had seasons in his life marked by failure.

The Lord brought a famine into his life and as a result of that test, Abram failed in his faith. He became spiritually and morally compromised. And Abram isn’t the first or last person who will experience failures in their faith.

If you look at the hall of fame of faith in Hebrews 11 you’ll see many similarities with the people listed there.

One of the similarities you may not expect is that every single one had a season of failure in their life.

Faith After Failure

Even the faithful sometimes fall. What matters isn’t that your faith never fails but that you renew your faith after it does.

This is hard because we struggle so often with sin in our life. We know the guilt and shame of sin.

We are deeply familiar with failure but are we equally as familiar with renewal?

You may be here this morning because of a failure in your faith. Failure does not have the be the final chapter in your story.

You can be renewed in your faith and revived in your soul. So how do we go about it?

We’re going to answer that question by looking at Abram’s choices in Genesis 13. For those who weren’t with us last week let me catch you up on where we’ve been.

Setting the Table

God has chosen Abram out of a broken culture to form and fashion a counter-culture.

He has called Abram out of paganism, away from his Father’s House to the “promised land.”

He has promised Abram land, a lineage and a blessing that would extend from him to every nation on the earth.

Through Abram the Lord is fulfilling his promise in Gen 3:15. He’s restoring what was lost in the fall and reversing the curse brought about by sin.

From that mountain top of faith Abram experienced the valley of tribulation.

Famine stuck his house and pushed them into the Egypt. That season is marked by failure and moral compromise.

REPENT AND RETURN

In our text, God is bringing Abram up from Egypt back home to Bethel.

With that background let’s read our passage.

Genesis 13:1–4 (CSB)

1 Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev—he, his wife, and all he had, and Lot with him. 2 Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. 3 He went by stages from the Negev to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been, 4 to the site where he had built the altar. And Abram called on the name of the Lord there.

We ended our message last week with this basic idea. Abram does four things in these verses.

He turns away from Egypt.

He turns back to Bethel.

He comes to the Altar.

He calls on the Lord.

The first step to having your faith renewed after a season of failure is to repent and return to a life of worship.

Remember that Egypt was a symbol of worldliness and walking in the flesh.

Egypt was a symbol of spiritual compromise in Abram’s life. A season in which he was driven by fear and greed and the rejection of God’s promise.

As Moses wrote, when Abram went to Egypt he went “down.” (Gen 12:10)

In chapter 13, however, we see a reversal. He’s traveling up. (Gen 13:1)

Faithful God

Of course, Abram is only able to do this because of God’s faithfulness to deliver them.

Not only did Abram not receive what he deserved. He was sent away from Egypt with great wealth and blessing.

A beautiful picture of God’s mercy and grace.

But for Abram’s faith to be truly renewed he had to come back home. He had to turn away from Egypt and turn back to God.

He had to respond to God’s kindness towards him with an act of repentance towards God. (Rom 2:4)

Repentance is literally a “turning around.” Turning from X to Y. As quickly as we can run from God we can return to God. It only takes a moment.

Walk The Old Paths

But how did Abram do this? There are two parts of his response.

He went back the way he came.

He worshiped the way he started.

He walked the old path and worshiped the old way.

Let’s begin by looking at the route Abram choose to go back home.

If you go back to Genesis 12:9 you’ll see the same language used in Genesis 13:3.

The phase used is “journeyed by stages...” (Bethel to Negev and Negev to Bethel)

You see something similar in Genesis 12:10 and Genesis 13:1. “Down to Egypt and Up from Egypt.”

This is intentional language by the author. He’s emphasizing that the path Abram traveled away from the Lord is also the path he traveled back to God.

To repent of sin and return to God we must walk back the way we came.

Walk of Shame? Or Grace?

The reason the Lord had him go back this way was not to force Abram into a walk of shame.

It was rather an opportunity to celebrate God’s grace. (Isaiah 44:22)

Part of the way God cleanses us from unrighteousness is by having us get specific and thorough about the ways that we’ve sinned against him.

When we walk back the path we took to run away from God we will revisit those scenes that bring us embarrassment and regret. (Ills: Abram & Landmarks)

In going back the way we came, those landmarks of compromise and failure become testaments of God’s mercy.

The shame of our sin becomes a story of God’s grace. He transforms our mess into a message. Ours failed test into a testimony.

Bitter Sin. Sweet Grace

We don’t travel the old paths to linger over sin or obsess over ourselves.

We revisit those places so we can more fully savor the goodness of God’s grace and forgiveness.

As the Puritan Thomas Watson put it...”Until sin become bitter Christ will not be sweet.”

When we move too quickly from sin to forgiveness we cheapen God’s grace.

To minimize our sin is to cheapen God’s grace. We need to learn to linger on both for true cleansing and healing to happen.

ILLUS: In recovery ministry, participants go back and make amends with all of the people harmed by their addiction.

It’s a powerful form of healing and reconciliation. It provides greater perspective on the severity of our sin and a better experience of the sweetness of God’s grace.

For some of you this is why you keep going back to the same old sins.

You feel sorry for what you do. You hate yourself for it, even. But you keep on doing it! Why? It’s worldly sorrow. (2 Cor 7:10)

You haven’t done the necessary work of letting that sin utterly break your heart and bring you to a point of utter desperation for the grace and mercy of God.

Worship The Old Way

To repent of sin and return to God Abram first walked the old paths.

But he didn’t stop there. He also went back and worshipped God the old way.

We must go back the way we came AND worship the way we started.

Abram goes back to the very place he was before walking away from God. “Where his tent had formally been… between Bethel and Ai… to the altar he had built.” (Gen 13:3-4)

Nostalgia is a powerful thing. There’s something about revisiting those physical spaces that can renew your faith.

Person Not Place

The reason has less to do with the physical location and more to do with the memories they unlock.

It’s less about the PLACE and more about the PERSON we experience in that place. (Illus: SWBTS, YMCA)

This altar is where Abram encountered the LORD. It is the place that God came down and spoke.

Just like going back to the city of your honey moon can rekindle a romance so also does revisiting the places where you experienced God rekindle your affections for Jesus.

Service Not Singing

But Abram doesn’t just go back to a familiar place. He reengages in a familiar practice.

He once again “calls on the name of the Lord.” (Gen 13:4)

He’s going back and “doing the things that he did at first.” (cf. Jesus in Rev 2:5)

Abram goes back to a place of worship because that’s the only proper response to the freedom that God gives.

This is actually one of MANY parallels between Abram’s story and the story of Israel and the Exodus.

We all remember Moses’ words to Pharoah, “Let my people go.” But do you remember what follows? “So that my people may go in worship me out in the wilderness.” (Exo 5:1; 7:16; 8:20; 9:1; 9:13; 10:3)

God sets us free so we might go back and worship him the way we did at first.

First Things

Do you remember when you first got saved? Do you remember the last time you were REALLY walking with the Lord? That sweet communion and fellowship?

What did your life look like?

What habits did you maintain?

What was the rhythm and structure of your week?

Who were your friends?

What music did you listen to?

What kind of entertainment did you allow/not allow into your life?

How involved were you in your local church?

How often did you engage in prayer and Scripture reading?

These are questions of worship.

Worship is not just about singing. Worship is less about singing than it is submission and service. How you live your life. Whose voice carries the most weight in your life?

“Whatever I do, I do for you. Wherever I am, I live for you.” That’s worship.

Walk the old path. Worship the old way.

REMOVE & RELEASE:

So renew your faith you first repent of sin and return to a life of worship. That’s the first step to renewing your faith.

The second step to renewal is given in verses 5-7.

Genesis 13:5–7 (CSB)

5 Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. 6 But the land was unable to support them as long as they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they could not stay together, 7 and there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. (At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.)

What’s going on here? The wealth of Abram and the prosperity of Lot were too much for the land that they were trying to share together.

It’s so interesting. God brings a test into Abram’s life that is similar to the test that took him into Egypt!

"The land was unable to support them.” AKA This land isn’t big enough for the both of us to eat and feed our families.

God often does this when renewing our faith. He’ll present us with a crisis similar to our last point of failure.

The test we failed in the past he’ll present again in the future. This isn’t God’s way of tearing us down. He’s an opportunity to build us up.

Because part of renewing your faith is removing sinful strongholds that keep you from moving forward.

We overcome our fears by facing them. We overcome our strongholds by overpowering them.

Removing Strongholds

And that’s exactly what Abram does when he’s confronted with this crisis.

Genesis 13:8–9 (CSB)

8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives. 9 Isn’t the whole land before you? Separate from me: if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”

Notice what Abram is doing here. Instead of trying take matters into his own hands and twist his circumstances for financial gain (like last time) he is displaying total confidence in God and generosity towards his Nephew lot.

Abram has no idea what Lot is going to choose. He just knows a separation must take place and God will be faithful to sort it all out.

Notice the contrast from the prior Abram.

He trusts in God instead of the flesh.

He’s motivated by faith instead of fear.

And demonstrates generosity instead of greed.

Abram has removed from his life every stronghold that brought him to a point of compromise when in Egypt.

Replacing Virtues

And he has replaced those vices with virtues that are pleasing to God.

That’s the best way to remove sinful strongholds from your life today.

Remove strongholds by replacing unholy habits with good ones.

Replace unholy vices with holy virtues.

How do you remove sinful strongholds from your life? You replace works of the flesh with the fruit of the spirit.

Take off the old. Put on the new. Feed one dog. Starve the other.

It’s not enough to just remove bad habits from your life. You must fill them with VIRTUE.

Do you struggle with greed? Then intentionally weave acts of generosity into your life.

Do you struggle with cursing? Then begin to bless people and encourage them.

Do you struggle with pride/ego? Then do acts of service that feel like they’re beneath you.

Do you struggle with addiction/self-gratification? Then begin performing acts of restraint and self-control.

Releasing Relationships

But Abram didn’t just remove the strongholds of certain sinful inclinations.

He also removed the stronghold of an unholy relationship.

Abram was finally doing what needed to be done in his relationship with Lot.

Sometimes what’s needed is not removing unholy habits but releasing an unholy relationship.

We get a glimpse of this in Gen 13:10-13

Genesis 13:10–13 (CSB)

10 Lot looked out and saw that the entire plain of the Jordan as far as Zoar was well watered everywhere like the Lord’s garden and the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose the entire plain of the Jordan for himself. Then Lot journeyed eastward, and they separated from each other. 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived in the cities on the plain and set up his tent near Sodom. 13 (Now the men of Sodom were evil, sinning immensely against the Lord.)

Stark Contrast

You can see in these verses a pretty stark contrast between Lot and Abram.

The differences between Lot and Abram were one of the reasons that they needed to separate.

Abram is going West. Lot is going East.

Abram chooses Canaan. Lot chooses Sodom.

Abram is on the mountain. Lot is in the valley.

Abram is walking by faith. Lot is walking by sight.

Abram counsels the Lord. Lot decides for himself.

Abram waits on the Lord. (delayed) Lot takes it for himself. (immediate)

Abram is choosing delayed gratification. Lot immediate.

Both men lift up their eyes, both look, both see the whole land, both are offered the land of their choice and both move.

But Abram moves towards the Lord and Lot is moving away from the Lord.

Different Directions

Sometimes we must let people go when we’re going in different directions.

Lot looks out and says, “everything I need to be happy in life will only be experienced if I do what I want to do instead of what God wants to do.”

Did you pick up on the phrase, “The Lord’s garden” and the phrase “journeyed eastward.”

Those are intentional. The “garden” is a reference to Eden and “east” is an echo of Adam and Eve being driven from the garden “east of Egypt.”

Essentially, Lot is saying, “to get the paradise I want, I’ve got to get away from God.”

And you will find, in your life, some of your closest friends/family saying the exact same thing.

And when you’re moving towards the Lord and the other person is moving away from the Lord, you’ve got to make the difficult decision of letting that person go.

This couldn’t have been easy for Abram! They were family! (Might hit close to home?) Sometimes, even with family, we’ve got to remove a stronghold by releasing a relationship.

Unless you’re covenanted together through marriage (in which there are different rules of engagement) it would be unwise to maintain intimacy with people who drag you away from the Lord.

Different Plan

So sometimes we release people because they’re going a different direction.

Sometimes we release people because God has a different plan.

If you go back to God’s initial call of Abram he tells him to leave his “land, his relatives and his Father’s House.” (Gen 12:1)

If Abram was to leave his relatives then why did he choose to take his nephew along with?

To take Lot with him was an act of disobedience before the Lord. From this passage we’re starting to understand WHY God might’ve wanted Abram to leave Lot behind.

So why did Abram take him?

Maybe it was an act of mercy because he didn’t want Lot to be by himself?

More likely, however, it was a lack of faith in God’s original plan.

Abram and Sarai were unable to have children. Yet, God’s promise to Abram was a promised land that his offspring would inherit.

Abram assumed since God’s not giving me biological children then Lot must be the heir to that promise.

But God’s promise wasn’t to be fulfilled through Lot. It was to be fulfilled through Issac, the son of Abram and Sarai.

Abram needed to separate from Lot not just because they were going in different directions.

He needed to separate from Lot because he wasn’t part of the original plan.

Better Blessing

The reason I know that is because as soon as Abram makes this difficult decision, the Lord responds with an affirmation of his promise.

Genesis 13:14–16 (CSB)

14 After Lot had separated from him, the Lord said to Abram, “Look from the place where you are. Look north and south, east and west, 15 for I will give you and your offspring forever all the land that you see. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted.

Notice in these verses how God doesn’t just affirm his promise but he amplifies it. (Gen 12:7; 13:15)

It’s not just “your offspring” it’s “you and your offspring.”

It’s not just “this land” It’s “all the land you see.”

It’s not just “for now.” It’s “forever.”

It’s not just one or two children. It’s offspring “like the dust of the earth.”

When we repent of our sin and return to a life of worship.

And when we remove sinful strongholds and release unholy relationships.

God is eager and willing to bless us beyond what we could even ask or imagine.

This is the faithfulness and goodness of God in renewing our faith.

Total obedience unlocks the fullness of God’s blessing. Always.

If you want God’s best for your life then hold nothing back in your obedience.

The fullness of God’s blessing is found in the completeness of our obedience.

Personal App

Are there any strongholds in your life that are keeping you from the fullness of God’s blessing?

Are there any relationships in your life that are becoming unnecessary barriers of what God has called you to do?

Are you stuck in the mud, spinning your wheels, because you’ve commited yourself to path that was never part of God’s original plan?

That doesn’t make you uniquely disappointing in the kingdom of God. Even Abram found himself in that place.

But Abram didn’t stay there. He chose to renew his faith by removing those strongholds and releasing those relationships.

Will you be willing to do the same?

BUILD A BETTER FUTURE

Repent of sin and return to a life of worship.

Remove strongholds/release relationships that keep you from moving forward.

The last step of renewing your faith is given in verses 17-18.

Genesis 13:17–18 (CSB)

17 Get up and walk around the land, through its length and width, for I will give it to you.”

18 So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the Lord.

This is such a powerful picture of what happens when you renew your faith.

To renew your faith you must reorient his life around God’s will for his future.

That’s exactly what Abram does. In a very practical and profound way he uproots everything and established a new life based on God’s promise.

When you begin to renew your faith, all of a sudden you’re able to hear the voice of God again. All of a sudden you’re reminded of his promises.

It’s like Abram has his radio tuned up. With those strongholds released and life of worship back in place he’s able to hear God’s voice and be reassured in his promise.

The same thing will happen to you.

But it’s important that you not just “hear” what God says but that you build upon his promise.

God says, “GET UP. WALK AROUND. Here’s what I’m about to do.”

And immediately Abram gets up and moves his tent from Bethel to the Oaks of Mamre. (MAP)

Abram builds a new altar because God is about to do a new work.

There’s something about joining God in a work that brings your faith right back to life.

Do you remember Jesus’ restoration of Peter? “Do you love me?” Yes. “Feed by Sheep.”

Just because you failed doesn’t mean that God is done.

There’s a whole wide world out there that is in need of God’s mercy and grace.

We don’t have to be perfect vessels. We just need to be willing.

Servants who will pick themselves up after they fall and allow their faith to be restored.

Conclusion

Do you need to have your faith restored this morning?

Are you willing to repent and return?

Are you willing to remove and release?

Are you ready to reorient your life around God’s will for your future.