Living Our Faith Out Courageously.

Boldly Living Out Our Faith

We become believers of God by having faith in God.

A. What is Faith?

Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) 1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2. Definition of biblical faith

A. This definition is one that has its focus on the bible

1) Biblical faith - Is a persuasion to accept facts that are discovers and taught from the bible.

3. God has already done His part.

A. He is ready to respond to our faith in Him in all circumstances.

B. Are we ready to put God to the test.

4. Sometimes faith requires;

A. Us to wait.

Wait for God to move and us follow.

Wait for a door to open for us to walk through.

B. Sometimes faith requires;

Us to make the first move knowing God is going to guide us through.

God is calling us to Courageous Faith - Vs. 1-13.

Tension was mounting among nations.

A. This lead to a war that caused Lot to be taken captivity and all his belongings were taken from him.

B. Lot the nephew of Abram but more like a son.

Vs. 1 - Four invading kings.

They came from the area of Babylon and Elam (Persia).

Vs. 2 - Five defending kings of Palestine.

Vs. 3 - The battlefield was the valley of Siddim, the Salt Sea (Dead Sea)

2. This was no small war.

A. It was a major conflict.

Vs. 4 - The reason for the war.

A revolt by the Palestinian states against the rule of a foreign government - Chedorlaomer.

Chedorlaomer had conquered Palestinian 12 years earlier.

A. He had enslaved and taxed them.

3. In the 13th year they rebelled (Vs. 4b).

Vs. 5-9 (don’t read just share) - They surrounded the cities and forced them out into the valley of Siddim.

Four kings had taken on Five kings (vs. 9).

Vs. 10-11 - The kings of Sodom & Gomorrah suffered a humiliating defeat.

Vs. 12 - Lot was taken captive.

Three things to note here.

Lot was now living in Sodom.

Lot lost all his possessions.

Lot was a prisoner of war.

Vs. 13 - The call for courageous faith.

This fugitive could have gone to any place to seek freedom.

A. He chose to locate Abram.

2. The question is Why?

A. His own safety and help.

Abram offered him the greatest hope.

Why? He had heard of Abram’s faith.

B. Abram was sought in this moment of crisis because he was a man of Faith.

God is calling all believers to walk courageously in our faith daily.

Individuals will face different crises in their life.

A. When they come to this point they will be looking for people that have real substance to offer.

B. Your faith is what they are looking for at this point.

2. Believers must;

A. Standing strong in their faith daily.

B. Be alert the the crises that arise in the lives of others.

C. Be ready to help.

1 Corinthians 15:58 (KJV) 58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Gal. 6:2 - Bear ye one another’s burdens.

Galatians 6:9-10 (KJV) 9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Vs. 13b - Abram had prepared for a moment like this.

He had formed fellowship and friendships with others.

God had promised Abram the land of promise.

A. This didn’t come without opposition.

B. Along the way Abram had formed these friendship with these other leaders.

3. Abram was now prepared to act in this moment of crisis.

Vs. 14 - Courageous Faith is Called to Duty.

When he heard that Lot was taken captive Abram didn’t hesitate to act.

Remember Lot had not treated Abram fairly.

A. He acted greedy (taking the best land)

B. Lot was attracted to the world.

C. Abram could have said, he got what he deserve.

He made his bed let him lay in it.

3. Abram refused to fall back on this.

A. Abram rose to action.

4. Believers we have been saved from a life that deserved death and separation from a loving God.

A. God didn’t set back and say figure it out.

When a brother is overtaken by an enemy we are called to courageously rise up to help free our brother.

Galatians 6:1 (KJV) 1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Vs. 14-15 - Abram acted with Wisdom in His Courageous Faith.

Abram chose loyal trained men born in his household.

He planned a wise strategy (vs. 15)

He launched a surprise attack at night.

Abram took part in the rescue mission.

Today’s Application

God is calling us to reach the captives.

A. People are enslaved in sin.

2. We must partner together and help one another to reach others with the gospel.

3. We must take part in this effort.

A. Remember we all will stand and give account for ourselves.

What will happen if we never go after those who are bound by sin.

Vs. 16 - There is compassion and unselfishness in courageous faith.

Walk through verse 16.

Abram gave back to a people he knew what doing wrong.

A. See God freed you from your sin.

B. We should give unto others regardless what they have done with the hope of free them from their sin.

3. Remember Abram had stumbled in his faith.

A. What did God do?

B. Restore him.

Conclusion

Story of the little boy giving out tracks on a raining Sunday evening (saved in stories for sermons - Simple save drive - Hope for the Lonely).