Faith That Pleases God And Overcomes The World

1
Faith That Pleases God And Overcomes The World

• Lessons From Hebrews 11

2
Understanding Faith

• A description of what faith is does (Heb
  111-3)
• It is the foundation of our hope for the future
  and it is the evidence of things which we
  cannot see
• True faith is not blind, irrational, or
  illogical but has strong trustworthy evidence
  at its foundation (Rom 1017)
• An example is our faith in how this world was
  created
• Faith is not just an academical acknowledgment
  of something Its a way of life!
• Faith impacts our decisions, priorities,
  speech, and thoughts! It changes the way we
  live!
• It is how we overcome this world! (I John 54)

3
Believes In And Pursues God

• Three examples that help us understand what this
  kind of faith looks like (Hebrews 114-7)
• Abel How true faith worships (vs. 4)
• Enoch How true faith walks (vs. 5 See
  Genesis 522)
• Noah How true faith obeys (vs. 7 See Gen.
  622, 75)
• Does our faith cause us to believe in and seek
  after the Lord? (Hebrews 116)
• Begins with a firm believe that God exists (Rom
  120-21)
• Causes us to diligently seek, or pursue, God
  His will for our lives to please Him
  (Acts 1727 Phil 38)
• How are you seeking God? (I Jn 11-3, 23 2 Pet
  15, 10)
• Takes a trust that God will reward (Luke 622-23)

4
Embraces Gods Promises As Reality

• Abraham and Sarahs lives centered around Gods
  promises to them (Heb 118-12, 17-19)
• Faith caused them to obey Gods command to leave
  their homeland and become a pilgrim (vs. 8)
• No matter where they went it was never home!
  (vs. 9-10)
• Trusted that God would follow through with
  giving her a child in her old age (vs. 11-12)
• Probably the greatest test was God command to
  offer his only son as a sacrifice (vs. 17-19)
• Note Pauls summation of Abrahams faith
  Contrary to hope believed, did not waver,
  strengthened in faith, was fully convinced (Rom
  417-22)

5
Embraces Gods Promises As Reality

• This type of faith characterized not only Abraham
  and Sarah, but all the patriarchs (Heb 1120-22)
• Isaac blessed Jacob Esau concerning the future
• Jacob blessed his grandchildren when he was
  dying
• Joseph gave instructions concerning his bones
  Total trust in Gods promises made so long ago!
• The principle When God made a promise it was
  as good as done! (vs. 13-16)
• Four keys we need to develop in our own faith
• Complete confidence in the promises God made to
  them
• Held those promises dear to their hearts
  embraced them
• Understood their citizenship was Heaven openly
  confessed it
• Had a refusal to look back because their focus
  was on Heaven
• Do we trust live by Gods promises (Rom
  420-21)

6
Values The Spiritual Over The Physical

• Spiritual and eternal things meant more to Moses
  then the physical and temporary (Heb 1123-28)
• He valued Gods children over his Egyptian
  family
• Saw sins pleasures as only temporary
• Valued Heavens glory over any of the power,
  prestige, or riches Egypt could offer (Acts
  721-22)
• Understood God was mightier His power more
  real than Pharaoh and so he stood boldly
  against him
• Lived by an eternal perspective Saw people,
  forces, things, and events in relation to
  eternity!

7
Values The Spiritual Over The Physical

• Two more examples given from Israel
• Israels faith in facing battles (Heb 1129-30)
• Rahabs faith in Gods might over Jerichos
  walls choosing Gods people over her own (Heb
  1131)
• Principle The spiritual becomes more real and
  more valuable than the physical!
• Like Pauls attitude sacrificial spirit (Phil
  37-11)
• It is a challenge to put this life and the
  things we face in an eternal perspective (2 Cor
  416-18)

8
A Faith That Will Make Sacrifices

• The Hebrew writer closes with those who
  withstood great trials of faith (Heb 1132-37)
• An attitude exhibited both in the Old Testament
  times and in the new (Esther 416 Acts 7 etc)
• This principle of faith gave them the power to
  overcome Satan and his forces (Rev 1211)
• This world is not worthy of such people! (vs.
  38-39)
• True faith is willing to make sacrifices!
• Jesus never hid the cost of following Him! (Mt
  1624-26)
• This is the key not only to overcoming battles
  from without, but also from within! (Heb 122-4)

9
Conclusion

• Faith that pleases God and overcomes this world
  is faith that
• Believes in and pursues God
• Embraces Gods promises as reality
• Values the spiritual over the physical
• Is willing to make sacrifices to stand and
  persevere

10
Romans 121-2

• 121 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud
  of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay
  aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so
  easily entangles us, and let us run with
  endurance the race that is set before us,
• 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and
  perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before
  Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and
  has sat down at the right hand of the throne of
  God.
• 3 For consider Him who has endured such
  hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you
  may not grow weary and lose heart.