The Willingness of Faith
Hebrews 11:8-10
Isaiah 65:11 (NIV)
But as for you who forsake the Lord and forget my holy mountain, who spread a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny,
Galatians 3:7, (NIV)
Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.
Galatians 3:9 (NIV)
So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
1. Faith is willing to leave where you are at
Hebrews 11:8, (NIV)
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
Genesis 12:1-4, (NIV)
The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." So Abram left, as the Lord had told him;
Genesis 12:1, (NIV)
The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.”
2. Faith is willing to go without knowing
Hebrews 11:8, (NIV)
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
Hebrews 11:8, (NIV)
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
Genesis 12:1-2, (NIV)
The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. (God didn’t say where that land ws...) "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
Hebrews 11:8, (NIV)
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
3. Faith is willing to worship while you wait
Hebrews 11:9, (NIV)
By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
Genesis 12:6, (NIV)
At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
Genesis 13:14-15, (NIV)
The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.”
Genesis 12:7, (NIV)
So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
Genesis 12:8, (NIV)
From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD
Genesis 13:3-4, (NIV)
From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD
Genesis 13:18, (NIV)
So Abram moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD
Genesis 14:18-20, (NIV)
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Genesis 15:9-10, (NIV)
So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon." Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half.
Genesis 17:1-3, (NIV)
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,
Genesis 18:1-3, (NIV)
The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. He said, "If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.
Genesis 21:12, (NIV)
God said to him, "Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.
Genesis 22:9, (NIV)
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.
Romans 4:18-21, (NIV)
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead — since he was about a hundred years old — and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
4. Faith is willing to focus on the invisible
Hebrews 11:10, (NIV)
For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
2 Corinthians 4:18, (NIV)
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Ephesians 2:6, (NIV)
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
Colossians 3:1-2, (NIV)
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
