The Walk of Faith

The Walk of Faith

Heb. 12:1-3

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls

Intro:

Every team in sports as rules and regulations to govern the game. They choose the best players that will help them to win the championship. Each player is responsible for his or her own performance. Each player knows the rules of their respected game and understands the conditions of their team. The players must train, keeping their body in tip top shape for the game they play. Conditioning is key to overall performance of the player.

The teams goal is to reach the championship game and to win it. Every coach, player, and all involved with that team has the goal of a championship trophy at the end of the season. On the way to that championship there are wins and losses, triumphs and setbacks, heartaches and pain, and in the words of Ric Flair: “blood, sweat, and tears”. There is a driving force that causes those athletes to work on their conditioning and strength, study their opposing teams films, have a rigorous diet, and keeping themselves in check. That driving force is the belief and trust that they will win that championship. They see themselves with the trophy in hand celebrating. These athletes condition their whole life around their team and winning that championship.

We have one word for that in the kingdom of God and that word is FAITH!

Just like an athlete in a game conditions him or herself for the win, so we in the body of Christ are to condition ourselves for the win.

What is Faith?

Heb. 11:1

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

Ya’ll may be thinking: “there are a lot of definitions for faith!”

That’s because there are various ways to bring understanding. I have this definition to be my favorite of Hebrews 11:1.

Now faith is the sure confidence of things hoped for, the demonstration of things not seen.

We have a unwavering confidence in what we are hoping for and living according to what we have not see yet by that confidence.

Faith is Not an Event it’s a Lifestyle

An event happens in a moment and it’s done. Faith on the other hand is a lifestyle. We are not supposed to have faith in one area and not in another. That’s called double minded. It’s an open door for Satan to come in and wreak havoc on our minds. We must exercise our faith in every area of our lives.

If you’re in the kingdom, you’re in the game and you’re running the race of life. It’s not a sprint, but a marathon.

When scripture speaks of running a race, this is living our life according to our faith.

1Cor.9:24-27

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore, I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus, I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

We are athletes in the kingdom, Jesus is our coach, and the field of play is the world, and the kingdom of God is our championship.

Pitfalls on the field

1. Every weight that ensnares us: this means a hinderance, obstruction, or obstacle in our lives that trips us up in the race. It’s that thing you know is a problem to you, it may not be a problem to someone else, but it is to you. You can get it out of your way. It’s up to you to move it so you can run.

2. The sin which so easily ensnares us: this is that sin you know is wrong and continually do it. It’s a pitfall on the field. It’s that sin no one knows about. It causes you shame and guilt. The writer of Hebrews, and the Holy Spirit say lay it aside.

3. Endurance: how is endurance a pitfall? If you don’t have endurance, you’re not going to finish the race. You quit in the middle of the race.

Within the pitfalls Jesus is with us. Along with these pitfalls there will be consequences of our actions.

We are to lay aside the weight and the sin, but sometimes we don’t. The word tells us that God will chasten us and scourges us. In other words, we get spanked.

In sports there are penalties for not following the rules. The rules are in place, so the game can be played the right way, so all the teams and players can have a fair game, as well as safety for the players. This in turn helps the player to become a better participant in the game and a better player also.

Likewise, God, chastens us, or we would say corrects us in the kingdom for our growth and maturity, so that we will become better runners. (living a fulfilled life)

Pitfalls are:

The weight

The sin

The lack of endurance

They are a hinderance to the walk of faith. These three things can stop your walk and bring frustration and unfulfillment to your life.

Let’s Put Our Walking Shoes on

Our faith begins with Jesus. Jesus is the author or the starting point and the finisher or the completion of our faith. It begins and ends with Jesus.

Faith starts when we come to saving faith in the atoning work of Christ, (HIS death, burial, and resurrection). We accept His sacrifice and trust in His bodily resurrection. Jesus is now Lord of our lives. The walk of faith now begins. It doesn’t stop after His resurrection, faith is just beginning.

A new life has been given to us in Christ. And this is a new life to be lived in the faith of Jesus Christ. A life lived by the word of God.

How does faith come? Rom.10:17 by hearing and hearing by the word of God

How do we walk?

1. Heb.12:2 we look to Jesus. We are to keep our focus on Him. To focus on Him is to keep His word, follow His ways, and to be totally surrendered to His lordship of our lives. To yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

2. Heb. 11:13

a. To see the promises: see yourself with what Gods word says you can have and what He says is yours.

b. Be assured of those promises: you must be persuaded that the promises of God’s word are yours and He is faithful to fulfill them.

c. Embrace them: make them yours. They belong to you. Make them personal.

d. Confess them: you talk your belief. Your conversation moves you in the direction of the promises of God.

e. Which will move you to action.

This is how we win the game. This is how we embrace the kingdom and walk in faith.

We put our faith in Jesus and never draw back. As we walk this life of faith we are included with those in chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews, in what’s called the Hall of Faith.

See yourself as God sees you.

Be assured of what God’s word says about you

Embrace His word and His presence always

Confess who you are in Christ and what the word of God says about you and the life you now live in Christ.

Walk it out continually looking to Jesus. The prize is your citizenship in the kingdom of God.

Conclusion

Just like the athletes on sport teams strive and work hard to contribute their part to their respected teams to win that championship gold, we too are to strive and work hard to see the glory of God manifest in our lives, in other words the kingdom life lived in our lives.

This isn’t a walk of feelings, but a walk of faith