Great Examples of Faith - Hebrews 11 & 12

“FAITH is the CONFIDENCE that what we HOPE for WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. ² THROUGH their FAITH, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. ³ By FAITH we understand that the entire universe was formed at GOD’S command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.”

 “³²…It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. ³³ BY FAITH these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. ³⁵ Women received their loved ones back again from death.” Hebrews 11

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on JESUS, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, HE endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now HE is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ³ Think of all the hostility HE endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. ⁴ After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.” Hebrews 12

There are fourteen other testimonies what happened as people acted by faith in this chapter 11, and if you’re lacking strength I encourage you to read about them.  And there are many others all thru the Bible, but in a short sum people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, shut the mouths of lions, quenched fiery flames, escaped death, and even some people was resurrected. So the question is, WHAT’S HOLDING YOU TO BELIEVE THAT GOD CAN DO THE IMPOSSIBLE IN YOUR LIFE TODAY?

Because if out of NOTHING, GOD said “let there be light” as it just got created… what’s up with that? HE did it! And HE CAN for HE IS a supernatural GOD, HE can be everywhere at the same time (OMNIPRESENT), HE has all the power to do even the “impossibles” of humanity (OMNIPOTENT), and HE knows it all (OMNISCIENT).

What’s interesting is that the very next chapter, let us know a very important key in this “believing” matter, and it relates to the fact that there are others (people surrounding us) who are looking to the way we react to things.  The enemy of our lives, satan, he tries to intimidate us so we stain our witnessing before the world so others cannot see the right picture, in order to prevent them from living for God or even knowing HIM. Here we are also given the things we ought to do to overcome that pressure, which is none other than keeping our yes on JESUS remembering that HE is the One who initiates and perfects our faith, and thinking about all the things HE endured for you and me. It goes a bit more by saying “after all, you haven’t not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin”, which if you’re reading this, its true.

Then, I encourage you keep your eyes in GOD, wake up with your praises as HE get you up in the morning or whenever you do, Psalm 143:8-12 is really to the point to get your day going HIS way, and so when things do not go “your way”, believe GOD is “holding your horses” for HE has something better coming up for you.  And so it will be easier for you to worship HIM for what HE had saved you from, and the crowd of witness will give GOD the glory, for you, as you’re witnessing to the world who you Master is.