Faith Overcomes the Fear Factor

Read Hebrews 11:1 & 6

Jesus has inspired faith and incited holy boldness in the lives of countless heroes of the faith.  Today He invites you to join their ranks.

His invitation to “Take up your cross and follow Me” is an invitation to enter on the path of exciting service and walk it by faith and not by sight.

If you want exemption from boredom and immunity for a mundane life, then unreservedly accept His invitation. The Bible is replete with examples of individuals who took God at His word and obeyed. You see, whatever else faith is, it is obedience to the Word of God.

Perhaps the late Dean W. R. Inge put his finger of indictment on us when he wrote: “Christianity is a creed for heroes and we are harmless, good-natured little people who want everybody to have a good time.”

Are you ready, spiritually prepared that is, that if we were to be entering a time more difficult than ever now in America you have spiritual resources to sustain you? Hopefully that will never happen, but what if? Do two things to bolster your life. One, practice not feeling sorry for yourself and don’t complain about little hangnail problems. Develop a positive vocabulary. Learn how to find the good amid the bad.

Second, study, memorize, and apply scriptural principles in interpreting the events of life. “Study, show yourself approved….” This takes time.

Doubt is an attack on God’s character. 

Faith is mere confidence in God’s character. It is simply belief that God means what He says and will do what He promises.

Belief and trust are two words used frequently in Scripture to identify how we should respond to the Lord.

One Hebrew word for believe is AMEN. It means “to use God as a foundation; to lean on Him.”

The word for “trust” is BATAK. It was originally a wrestling term meaning to “body-slam” an opponent. Applied to our faith life, it means to pick up your problems and body-slam them before the Lord.

Who have you been pleasing? Yourself? A peer group? I invite you to come on a venture with me and resolve no longer to be a marginal, rootless person.

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for…” Only when we respond to this creed like our heroes before us with faith does Christianity become for us, and those who observe us, a mighty force which gives dynamic radiance to life.

Hebrews 11: 1 says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Then this theme is continued in verse 6, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him…”

I am including in this post with the following poem I learned while in college with the prayer it might be helpful to you, and worthy of your memorization.

“God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river, turbid and deep.

But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.”