As we continue our Spartan Faith series through the "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11, today we're learning that when God's getting ready to do something big in your life, he will often tell you to step away from the comforts of what you know to take a journey of faith. God did exactly this in the life of Abraham...calling him to his own "Spartan Faith" to take hold of greater blessings that God prepared for his life! Today, we're going to learn 3 things about Abraham and his Journey of Faith. Like Abraham, if you want to experience God at a whole new level, your own faith journey will involve a Leaving, a Living, and a Looking.
LEAVING
See, in Genesis 12:1, we learn that God called Abraham to leave the comforts of his native land, called "Ur" to a new land that God was preparing for him. At this moment in history, the whole world was rebelling against God, and the people of Ur were at the center of it. Abraham was called to leave a culture marked by idol worship to trek to God's "Promised Land." Before Abraham really even knew where God would take him, he was called to have great FAITH. Do you remember our definition of faith? Dr. Tony Evans defines faith as "acting like God is telling the TRUTH before you see the results."
While Abraham did not know exactly how God would bless him at the time, he left his world and walked by faith! Now, I want to encourage you to take a moment and be honest with yourself: Is your present position making you miss God's future blessings? Abraham had a choice to make, and so do we. Will you trust God's plan and take a Journey of Faith to where he is calling you in your life today? If so, it's time to leave the security of what the world offers to live by faith!
LIVING
See, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, then God has a bigger purpose for you that he wants to fulfill. In fact, one way to know you are growing in your Christian faith is when your passion for the world is dying and your passion for Christ is growing. Abraham left the comforts of Ur to live in temporary tents on the way to the land God promised him. Abraham knew this was not his permanent home, and that God was preparing him to take hold of the Promised Land. You know, Abraham needed some development before he got to God's destiny for him, and his breakthrough didn't come through for a whole 25 years. Instead of being discouraged, this should give us hope - that God works on us before giving us a destiny that would cause us to forget Him! So, as Abraham and his family lived by faith, they were looking forward to God's Promised Land.
LOOKING FORWARD
We see in Hebrews 11:10 that "Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God." As Christians, this is actually our hope... While we may have many years left to live on Earth, we can look to Heaven, our Promised Land, like Abraham. If you act like this world is all there is, then what you do in this life doesn't really matter. However, if you believe that EVERYTHING ripples into eternity, then God can use you to change the world! So, what do you have to leave today? How will you live by faith? I encourage you to put on a new perspective, to look forward to your Heavenly Home and offer your life to Christ Jesus! He will lead you to where you need to be on this Earth, and safely bring you home to Him in Heaven one day.