When I can't see

We talked about seeing God in the things around us

what about when we can’t see God?

Prayers unanswered

fear

lose hope

sight

Faith means choosing to believe and to trust God, even when you don’t see a way. Somehow you know a way will be created.

https://rizzarr.com/2016/01/24/have-faith-when-its-hard-believe/

Praying for it

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Prayers are heard by God BUT there is a spiritual battle going on

Satan wants to destroy you

while waiting for prayers to be answered

doubt, discouragement & dissapointment, impatience

Daniel has a vision of an angel

Daniel 10:12–13 ESV

Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,

Daniel prays and is discouraged b/c it’s been a while and he hasn’t seen any answer to prayer

Angel shows up to let him know the status

heard from day one and have been in an intense battle over this

Michael the Arch Angel came to help me so that I could come and tell you that an answer is on the way

A delay is not a no but it means that God has sent an army who is fighting for you

we are a vessel to carry the message of Jesus throughout the world

Cup

sin in cup

sexual impurity

drunkenness

addiction

gossip, bitterness, hatred,

unbelief

envy, ungodly desires, wrong focus

A delay is not a no but it means that God has sent an army who is fighting for you

we can hold on becasue we know that God has not given up on us nor has He quit fightiing for us

We need faith

Hebrews 11:1 ESV

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

(end of 10)

assurance: confidence that it’ll happen

conviction: truth or verification

not like gambling

leaping into the dark

into the light

Russian rullet

we are comfortable with faith in many things

I don’t worry about my next breath

step

car

bed to hold me up

family to turn on me

experience builds faith

not believing in Him but believing Him

Faith is a choice

experience builds faith

It’s easier to believe when everything lines up and the moon is shining brightly in the sky

but what about when the clouds move in and it seems like light is a thing of the past?

faith is still a choice

in the moments of difficult faith are times for potential growth in faith

or if we let go of our faith they can be a time of great hinderance to our faith

car sickness

read a book

eyes say not moving

ears hear road noise are moving

contradiction

roll down window and allow your hand to feel the air helps b/c there is more sensing what is true than what is false

this is true about our faith

when circumstances followed by satans tactics try to have you doubt what you thought was true about God

Hand out the window:

read His Word

remember how good He has been to you and those around you

grace & mercy, kindness, rescued you,

Seek Him rather than draw away

Psalm 13:5–6 ESV

But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Sp 13:5-6

remember last weeks message about the moon in the sky and how beautiful it was

sometimes we see a full moon & other times partial, sliver or none

just because I can’t see the whole moon or even see it at all doesn’t mean that I don’t believe that it is still there

at times our view of God may be obstructed by our circumstances

we can’t see His goodness

don’t feel His power

can’t hear His voice

Our Father has an incredible track record

more constant than the moon or the sun

Psalm 42:5–6 ESV

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

Psalm 42:

remember how good God has been

the way we speak can change our hearts

talk about how terrible their spouse is

they prepare their heart for failure

even a great wife could not please a husband who has hardened his heart to her love

a man who is constantly speaking positive truth about his wife will be so in love with her when he arrives home that the same relationship

if you keep saying that you can’t or God won’t

you are short changing yourself

have faith and live in light of your faith in God

faith is an action

James 2:17 ESV

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

we can’t just say that we believe but we must act like it

Where have you felt in the dark?

where do you struggle to have faith?

hardship

pain

salvation