22 Mile Hike of Faith

John 4:46-54 NLT

Today is the Sunday before the 4th of July, but I don’t want to talk about America or freedom today, I want to talk about faith!

There is so much in the American world that works to diminish our faith, tear down what we believe, and try and disprove the Bible and work of the Holy Spirit as emotional weakness or anti-science.

The reality is - we who have chosen to follow Christ live in a counter cultural world to our society, and although America was blessed to begin as a Christian nation with roots of faith, and though we should remember that - we must acknowledge that regardless of what turn our nation takes, we will still be a people of faith who will believe in the VOICE OF GOD and WORD of GOD even when we cannot see!

John 4:46–54 NLT

46 As he traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die. 48 Jesus asked, “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?” 49 The official pleaded, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies.” 50 Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home. 51 While the man was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well. 52 He asked them when the boy had begun to get better, and they replied, “Yesterday afternoon at one o’clock his fever suddenly disappeared!” 53 Then the father realized that that was the very time Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” And he and his entire household believed in Jesus. 54 This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did in Galilee after coming from Judea.

1. BELIEVE WHAT YOU CANNOT SEE

Jesus wants us to believe what we do not see

(he questions the people in this account on this very issue that they won’t believe unless they can see a miracle)

Believing without seeing is the definition of Faith from Hebrews

Hebrews 11:1 NLT

1 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

Was JEsus speaking to this official who came to him or to the crowd around him --- was he addressing the issue in the hearts of people that they want to see the miraculous in order to believe in Him

How often does society mock at God disbelieving the miraculous things He has done, and demanding to see a sign in order to believe????

How many times do we as Christians pray and we are surprised when we see the answer? We did not believe Jesus was going to do it!

If I look at the culture around us, I am reminded that we in the church need to come back to a place of being a people of faith and reliance upon the supernatural workings of God - even when we cannot see ---

we need to stop treating our religion with an expectation of if you perform I will follow and realize that when we follow - He will perform!

IN the days ahead as America traverses some dangerous territory - we need to be a people who believes before we see

Even in following Jesus with saving faith Christ says to Thomas

John 20:29 NLT

29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

IN PRAYER WE OFTEN HAVE TO

Hold on for the answer when you cannot see it immediately!

I believe there are days ahead where we will have to stand in great faith believing on God’s promises in His Word and what He speaks through the Spirit - but the answer will not be something we can make up or see in a distance...

This man had to walk 22 miles from where he met Jesus to home - that was 22 miles he had to believe in what he could not see until he was met by his servants a day later and told his son was healed...

How many of us are willing to believe the voice of God spoken to us when we cannot see an answer readily, immediately, or even in the near distance?

2. TRUST WHAT IS SPOKEN

Jesus wants us to trust His voice and His Word - what has he spoken in the Word and what has he spoken by His Spirit?

what is done in the heavenly realm - what we bind is bound and loose is loosed

Matthew 16:19 NLT

[19] And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven."

Matthew 18:18-19 NLT

[18] "I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. [19] "I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.

The Lord speaks to us in two different ways ---

HIS WORD!

Psalm 119:105 NLT

105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

2 Timothy 3:16 NLT

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

Hebrews 4:12 NLT

12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

God speaks TRUTH into our lives through His Word, and He will never contradict that Word in our lives — more often than not, the answers we seek our found right in God’s Word if we would only surrender to it and believe.

HE ALSO SPEAKS THROUGH THE SPIRIT

Revealed to Elijah as the “still small voice” - today we often know is the Holy Spirit speaking life by making God’s Word come to life with His promise to us, or correction, or instruction...

When the SPirit speaks do we believe it is the voice of GOD and obey???

Watching a movie about Mormonism and how off they could go, but I realize there was a time that we in Pentecost desired to hear the voice of God - because of the wayward and nutty acts of some, we have become skeptical to listen for the voice of God — but He is still speaking to surrendered hearts not looking for their own glory but for HIS!

God is also answering prayers and giving promises to HIs people - if we would trust HIM!

Proverbs 3:5–6 NLT

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

THIS FATHER received a WORD FROM JESUS regarding his son’s healing! He would have to begin a 22 mile journey believing that word to be true...

The Lord may have spoken promises into your life and you may be in the 5th, 10th or eve 21st mile of your journey - you have not seen the answer yet, but do you believe? are you still trusting?

3. EXPECT REWARDS FOR OBEDIENT FAITH

Answers occur before we experience their arrival - faith is rewarded. (The very hour Jesus spoke it - it happened

This man encounters his servants who ran out to meet him with the good news that his son was healed. Now - he still has not seen for himself — how easy to believe the word of others yet to struggle with Christ speaking the impossible into our lives!!!

The key part of this is that they spoke a time the boy became well, the very hour Jesus proclaimed He was healed.

The answer was immediate, even though the man would not see the answer immediately

God has often done the work when He has spoken a Word, we just have not seen it — but obedience will find the reward is waiting.

OBEDIENT faith IS WHEN WE ACT UPON what is spoken and hold fast and seek

Hebrews 11:6 NLT

6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Do we believe that GOD rewards our faith?

Too often we have not seen our selfish requests answered because we have asked amiss according to God’s plan, and therefore we cease to ever believe again that God will answer prayer --- when God speaks He delivers to those who walk in OBEDIENCE.

IF God has said He will do something, don’t go out and behave like it is not going to happen… may your actions respond as if you had seen the answer already ---

CONCLUSION

Do you believe in what Jesus promises even when you cannot see it, or see how it could be?

Do you trust what the Lord has spoken in His Word and to your heart through His Spirit?

(Tithing is a key element the Lord plays this out in our lives)

Do you walk in obedient faith awaiting the REWARD?