Faith is the confident expectation of a coming good.
Hebrews 11:1-3, 6 “1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible... 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
1-You have to have confidence in the unseen. Key word in this passage is “Now”. If you wait until you see it to believe it, you have no faith. Note verse 6, it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God without faith.
I Kings 18:41-44 “41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “ There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” 44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”
2-Sometimes we have to believe in things that seem ridiculous, but we must believe (have faith) anyway. “There is the sound of abundance of rain.” There had been no sound yet. Elijah was instructing Ahab to have faith.
3-We have to hang on to the little things (ie, the cloud the size of a man's hand).
4-Sometimes we have to wait and go through the process (like Elijah's servant did in this story).
Mark 8:23-25 “23 So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. 24 And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.” 25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.
Waiting for the manifestation of what we have faith in is like popping popcorn.
1-Sometimes God has to get you out of your comfort zone before the promise can be fulfilled (Mark 8:23a). (Going from popping corn in a kettle to a microwave.) Sometimes He expects you to close the door on relationships with the doubters in your life. (Closing the microwave door.)
2-You have to be obedient and act on whatever God is telling you to do, whether that be looking toward the sea, allowing Jesus to put spit in your eyes, or sometimes there is nothing for you to do, but continue to praise Him while you wait. (You have to push the buttons on the microwave).
3-We have to be patient and wait until the proper time. We tend to jump the gun and rush in before the promise is fully matured. (We open the microwave at the sound of the first pop.)
4-When it is the proper time it will be clear that it is time. (The microwave beeps to let you know that the popcorn is done.) When the microwave gets the hottest, the popcorn is almost done. When the test, the waiting, the impatience is almost too much to bear, the manifestation of the dream is about to happen.
The only way that the devil can beat us is if we quit! Don't quit! Don't try to open the microwave before it's time. You will have some popcorn, but it won't be a full bag and it won't be the best it could be.
In my life personally, there are two clear visions that God has given me. Who I'm going to marry and that I am to write Christian novels. I tried to jump the gun with who I'm going to marry. I learned a few years ago that when it's time it will happen, so I have completely accepted that as I go on with life, praising God and living for Him, knowing that it will come to pass eventually. On the rare occasion that I do doubt it, I just remember the little things and re-read my journal if necessary to take me back to the time when God promised it. As for the writing, well, I have to do it. I get so busy with the distractions of everyday life that I haven't made the time for what God has called me to do. The funny thing is that I was just talking to a friend about this on Saturday and asking her to pray about the distractions I face when I try to write. This sermon was on Sunday morning. I love it when God does that!
This sermon was very encouraging to me. Sometimes I just need a reminder that God always keeps His word and these things will come to pass.
