Faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is unseen. Faith gives us the power on the inside to see that God’s voice was like a paintbrush at the dawning of time. It moves us to give all that we have… because faith realizes that we- in and of ourselves, can only build houses on sand. Faith believes that God is the One who has built a house that cannot be shaken.
When faith lives within us, our lives leave legacies that point to God. People will remember our lives and say, “The desires of their souls were for the name of Jesus.” May our lives please Him! Even our weak attempts at faith move God.
Without living each day with faith inside us, we wouldn’t be able to please God. Faith is the stamp on my heart when I walk, not as an orphan, but as a daughter. I can cry, “Abba, Father!” because of faith’s echo within me. Holy Spirit beckons to my soul that I am God’s child, because I know (that is faith- choosing to believe) that I have a good Father who I can come boldy to. The voice of fear is silenced, as I am not tied down by its demands and lies. I seek my Father… underneath His wings I find refuge.
In the great hall of faith we remember those who agreed with this truth day in and day out. Faith opened their hearts to receive the revelation of God- the truth of His character. When we know who Jesus is rightly, we are moved by His heart with a “yes” in ours. When we see Him for who He really is, everything changes.
Faith gives us a bridge from the familiar to the unknown. Faith is the vehicle by which we lay hold of the promises of God. Abraham’s eyes were set on the city with unshakable foundations, whose architect and builder is God himself. The authority of Sarah’s faith rested in the One who made the promise that she would bare a child.
What if we, as the church, tapped into His Faithfulness?
These heroes all died still clinging to their faith, not even receiving all that had been promised them. But they saw beyond the horizon the fulfillment of their promises and gladly embraced it from afar. They all lived their lives on earth as those who belonged to another realm. Abraham was promised that his descendants would outnumber the stars in the sky. He has not lived long enough to see the fulfillment of this, but he looked beyond time, and knew that God is faithful to complete what He started and to fulfill His promises.
What are some God given dreams that God has promised would come to pass? Is it vocational: teacher, writer, preacher, or missionary? Is it lifelong dreams such as being married or having children/adopting? Are there dreams in your heart that are just seeds of what ifs? What if I could be a painter, a singer, a musician, or a businessman/woman?
Do we see beyond the horizon and embrace it from afar? Do we live our lives as ones who rule our own destinies? Or do we release our iron grip and let the One who spoke those dreams into being to fulfill the promises of our hearts? If we know His, our hearts should already be aligned with the things that are on His heart.
With faith comes seeing. Faith gives us vision for where this is all going. To dream without vision is not healthy because it causes you to despise your current situation or season of life. Vision lays a foundation of how to live your life in the little things as well as the big, this, beloved is what eventually leads you to living your dreams.
Our God given dreams can become like a vine that encircles our necks chocking us. It can halt us in our tracks. Its like water to the tree who’s roots go down deep. In Psalm 1 we see a man who’s delight isn’t in the council of the wicked, but he delights himself in the words of God, and because of this he is like a tree planted by the living streams of water and his leaf does not wither in season and out.
Our leaves are not meant to wither from season to season. Having vision of where the grand scheme of things is going satisfies our thirsty souls. The men and women listed in the great hall of faith in Hebrews 11 lived their lives on earth as those who belonged to another realm. For clearly, those who live this way are longing for the appearing of a heavenly city. And if their hearts were still remembering what they left behind, they would have found opportunity to go back. But they couldn’t turn back for their hearts were fixed on what was far greater, that is, the heavenly city.
So because of this God is not ashamed in any way to be called their God, for He has prepared a heavenly city for them. Knowing that all of this is ending in the culmination of the gospel should open our eyes even more in faith! The good news is that not only did Jesus make a way to the Father, not only is Holy Spirit in us, BUT there will be a day when God will make all new on this earth, and we will walk with Papa God again in the cool of the day. No more barriers. No more tapestries or tent where only certain people could go into the secret place. We have a part now, but when we look on the face of Jesus on that day, we will be like Him.
Having vision for the end of the story gives you eyes to see purely. Without faith we cannot see who we are, because ultimately we cannot see God. Without seeing who He is, then who are we but a flower quickly fading?
Faith inspires us, prompts us, enables us, and stirs us. Faith opens the way for us, just as it did for the Hebrews who crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land, but when the Egyptians tried to cross they were swallowed up and drowned!
