Hebrews, chapter 11, mentions some great men and women of faith. This chapter cites some of the great things they did—by or through faith. These men and women are excellent examples of the transforming power of faith.
Many people confuse merely believing with having faith in God. Through mental assent, one agrees with the teachings of the Bible and accepts them as being true. But biblical faith goes further than that. It includes trust in God and translates into corresponding works.
Faith without works is dead. Even the devils believe to the point of trembling (James 2:19). But not one of them will act upon what they believe and change their ways.
In a corporate setting, true faith comes to unbelievers through hearing about Jesus and His redemptive work on the cross. “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher” (Romans 10:14, KJV). These words written by Apostle Paul underscore the importance of the gospel we must preach. It must be Christ-focused so unbelievers can hear about Jesus and place their trust in Him.
Being a pastor, I continue to be amazed at how the simple message of faith in God and His Son can have such transforming power in the life of those who believe it. This life-transforming power is evident in Hebrews, chapter 11. The men and women mentioned in that chapter did the things attributed to them because of their faith in God. For example, here are three life-changing benefits of faith:
1. Faith Gives Us a “Conviction of Things Not Seen.”
Faith is the phenomenon that causes us to embrace invisible things and refuse to turn them loose (Hebrews 11:1). Unbelievers can’t understand it because we can’t show them anything tangible to make it make sense. At times, we may have more questions than answers about what we feel so strongly about. But faith keeps us moving forward.
Perhaps some of you are on such a faith journey even as you read this. You sense God calling you to a cause. You can’t see it yet, but it is as real to you as if you can see it. I want to encourage you to continue walking by faith. You will see it in due season if you faint not.
2. By Faith, We Understand Things That Defy Human Logic.
For instance, “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:3, NASB). This verse makes no sense to an unbeliever. They ask, “Some invisible being you Christians call God spoke, and the creations appeared? Really? You gotta be kidding me.”
Note that this verse does not say we know but that we understand. Of course, we don’t literally understand God’s creative works. The word for understand, used in the verse above, means to perceive with the mind. No matter how illogical that verse may seem to the human mind, it doesn’t seem far-fetched to those who have faith.
It is this transforming power of faith that enables us to read certain declarations in the Scriptures and fully embrace them while unbelievers mock them as nonsense.
3. Faith Revolutionizes Our Outlook on Life.
“All things are possible to him who believes,” Jesus says (Mark 9:23). I am an African American who was born in the inner city. My father left us when I was in grade school. My mother was left struggling to raise eight children alone.
But when I came to Christ, my faith in God radically transformed my outlook on life. I know that I am not limited by the color of my skin, my socioeconomic roots, or by which side of the track I was born on. In this life, I am limited only by my faith in God.
By the Word of the Lord, I say the same to you as well—you are only limited by your faith in God. Let that truth be the source of your outlook on life.
Maintaining Faith in an Unbelieving World.
Based upon what I have shared in this post, the importance of becoming and remaining deeply rooted in your faith should be abundantly clear. We live in a world dominated by the spirit of unbelief.
If you want to become or remain a man or woman of faith in this unbelieving world, you must spend time in the Word of God daily. Doing this will deepen your faith and safeguard you from the spirit of unbelief. This is a serious area of concern. Jesus asked the question, “When the Son of man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”(Luke 18:8, NASB).
Copyright © 2024 by Frank King. All rights reserved.