Text:       Hebrews 11:1-6

By:           Whiskey, Joshua

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INTRODUCTION

Faith has been regarded as the power of the world. The power of faith is the power of living and the power of doing. This means people live and do according to their belief system. Nobody is better than his belief system and nobody is successful than his belief system.

The book of Hebrews 11 tells us about faith.  “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. . . . But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb 11:1, 6 NKJ). 

Hebrews Chapter 11 tells the power of faith:

1. Faith Makes One To Know The Unknown

There are many things that are just beyond the power of human mind to grasp.  The carnal man cannot know them. But by faith these unknown became known to the human mind. In Hebrews 11:3 we read, “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”

How do we know how the world came into existence?  It is only through faith. This faith is said to come by the word of God.  God reveals it and we know it. Without God man can never know anything.

2. Faith Makes One To See The Unseen 

The power to conceive an idea is the power of faith. Nothing in the world ever happens without faith.              Everything that is made was first conceived in the mind and then actualized into reality. Faith is that which sees the unseen, conceive it into an idea and then brings it to reality.

• By faith we know that God exists.
• By faith we know that heaven is real.
• By faith we know that humans will live eternally.
• By faith we know that death is just a physical separation and that there is life hereafter.
• Faith makes one to see the unseen.
• By faith people have moved from lower realm to higher realm.
• By faith, godly people have accepted things and those things became theirs.
• In Hebrew 11:13 it is said, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”

• Faith Makes One To Please God

It is only by faith that God can be pleased. Since faith comes from the word of God, when we hear and know what God wants us to do and we do exactly, then He is pleased. In Hebrews 11 we are told of countless people that please God by faith. That is, they did exactly as God has commanded.  “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks” (Heb 11:4 NKJV).

Abel’s sacrifice is said to be excellent because he did it as God has commanded him. For that reason, he obtained a witness that he was righteous. God Himself testified to the sacrifice of Abel that it was excellent and declared him righteous.  In Hebrews 11.5, “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ‘and was not found, because God had taken him’; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

Enoch did not die because of his faith. Imagine the confusion when the people did not see him.

• But he was not lost.
• God was the One that took him because he pleased God.
• Enoch pleased God by faith.

In Hebrews 11:7 we hear of Noah,  “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”  Probably in the time of Noah there was no rain or there was rain but they have never had an idea of flood. But When God told him of a rain that will destroy the whole world he believed.

The author of Hebrews says, “Noah was moved with godly fear and prepared an ark for the saving of his household.” Faith made Noah to please God. In Hebrews 11.8 we are told of Abraham, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”

Faith made Abraham to accept that where he was going was better than where he was. For that reason he obeyed. As he obeyed God, God was pleased with him and he became the father of faith.

3.  Faith Removes Fear From People.

Any where there is faith, fear seems to diminish. Fear makes people to fail but faith makes people to be courageous. Because of faith, Moses’ parents were not afraid of Pharaoh. “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command” (Heb 11:23 NKJ). Moses’ parents will not allow Moses to perish like the other Israelites’ children because of faith. They saw something unique in him. They had faith that he was going to be a savior even when he was tender and fragile. For that reason, they had the courage to hide him and later put him in a place where Pharaoh’s daughter will see him.

In Hebrews 11.24-27 we are told of Moses, By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,   25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of  in,  26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.  27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 

• It was as if Moses took after the faith of his parents.
• He was not afraid of the wrath of the king.
• Faith makes him not to fear.

4.   Faith Makes People To Do The Impossible.

With human beings, there are things that are impossible. But such is not with God.  For that reason, faith in God has made God’s people to do the impossible. In Hebrews 11.29-30, “By faith they (Israelites) passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.”

It is impossible for a man to walk through the sea. But faith of Moses made the children of Israel to do so. Moses believed strongly that as God has commanded if he should stretch his staff, the sea will dry up and so he did and the sea dried up.  It is by faith that Daniel stopped the mouth of the lions (an impossibility to man). It was faith that made Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego to quench the violence of fire. By faith they all did the impossible.

CONCLUSION 

• Faith is so important.
• Without faith no one can please God.
• Without faith no one goes to heaven.
• Faith has taken people to places and had made people to do wonders.

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