By Faith

Anything?

Jeremiah 32:26–27 NKJV

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?

Last week we looked at Romans Chapter 5 v 1&2 and saw how our right standing before God is based on faith and not on our efforts.

Mark 4:35–41 NKJV

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

How is it that you have no faith?

The disciples were in an impossible situation but had not yet learned that with God all things are possible

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Sometimes when we think about faith we think about a wish or something we hope for…that is not the case at all

The word faith is also translated faithfulness

There are two words here to describe faith, Substance and evidence

The word substance here is Hypo stasis

It means “That which manifests itself, that which can be seen or that which takes concrete shape” “coming into existence” something unseen becomes seen

Fermentation - yeast is dissolved in a liquid and cannot bee seen. But during the process of fermentation a particulate matter becomes visible at the bottom of the container - the substance or result of the action of the unseen yeast

It is the evidence that the yeast has been at work!

So faith is the tangible action of what we believe not what we see

You may recognize the term Stais - meaning an equilibrium between INTERdependant elements - existing in harmony with the elements around us

So hope here is not an objective assessment of what a man can achieve but a subjective expectation of what a man considers to be the possibilities hence a man determines what he hope and how he hopes.

Our hope is in God, His promises and His ability not in the desired outcome

Romans 4:16–22 NKJV

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Faith is demonstrated according to the one who is gave the promises

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”

You see the objective truth was that he and his wife were unable to have children according to their efforts but…is anything impossible for Me says the Lord! It was contrary to the physical reality that he had a more sure foundation for his promise.

and not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

Look at the word used here - NOT being weak, did not consider, did not waver at the promise through unbelief! WHY? He was FULLY convinced that HE WHO PROMISED IT and that strengthened his faith

Abraham learned a hard lesson when he tried to bring about the promise of God through his own actions - Ishmael

When we get into seemingly impossible situations we have a tendency to tell God how to resolve our challenges!

I say we pray directional prayers to God instead of directly to God

You know what I mean, God let me win the lottery, God let me be promoted God…you fill in the blank. These are directional prayers and when God does not respond in the way we want we say He doesn’t answer prayer!

Direct pray says God Your Word says If I seek first Your Kingdom then You will met my needs. Lord please meet my needs!

It seems that we always rate of issues either easy, difficult but possible, or surely impossible so we approach God the same way.

what we need to realize is that it is God who wills and works in our lives for HIS purposes

2 Thessalonians 1:11 NKJV

Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power,

So faith isn’t hoping for something it the evidence - proof or persuasion or confidence of what we believe

2 Thessalonians