By Faith

Hebrews 11:1-2, "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. God gave His approval to people in days of old because of their faith."
Many examples are given in this chapter of people who are living by faith. Many people who followed God were mighty warriors, men who were blessed tremendously. "By faith these people over threw kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death." (Heb 11:32-35) These people were made great, because of their faith. God told them to obey Him and in their faith they stepped out and did mighty things. They were never guaranteed victory, but because God told them to "do" something, they did it. It was by their faith that they obeyed God. In our faith we work for Him; we obey Him.

"But others trusted God and were tortured, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free. They placed their hope in the resurrection to a better life. Some were mocked, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in dungeons. Some died by stoning, and some were sawed in half; others were killed with the sword..." (Heb 11:35ff) In this case some may ask God, "why?" I believed You; I stepped out in faith and did what you asked and yet I suffered. We do not obey our Lord to get rewarded. We obey Him because we have faith in Him. In our victories and in our defeats, He is glorified. Our position is to obey Him, so that He is glorified.

Stephen was a mighty man of faith, wisdom, grace and power, yet he died a horrible death. He stepped out in faith and he spoke the words that sentenced him to death. But his reward was not of this world. "But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand. And he told them, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!"...they stoned him." (Acts 7:55ff)

We are not supposed to have faith so that we can have things here. We are to have faith so that God is glorified and in return we will receive eternal salvation. We all have different seasons in our faith walk. There are those seasons when we step out in faith and we are elated because of our triumphs. Then there are other times when we walk in faith and we are persecuted because of our faith. I think that God gives us victories to strengthen our faith and He allows us to suffer to test our faith. Are we following Him to get something? Or are we following Him because we love Him? Are we doing His work to make us feel good? Are we helping others for our benefit? Are we working for Him because we can get something from Him; or are we living by faith, because we love Him?