Hebrew 11:4 - 40

We walk by faith, not by sight.

(II Cor.5:7)

This is in no way a weakness or an inferiority as the unbelieving world insists that it is in its ignorance; quite the contrary, it is our unshakable strength and the assurance of our inheritance of God’s promises. Faith in God is a great advantage, not a liability.

Without faith we have no assurance. It is the evidence of our assurance, the very substance of things hoped for through our belief in God and our trust in God.

Is your faith weak? Then so is your assurance. Is your confidence in Christ’s ability to completely save in doubt, then you have no assurance. Is your faith in God strong and based upon His revealed truths, His revealed character and His revealed promises? Do you trust in the finished work of Christ alone for your salvation? Then, you have your assurance! Jn.17:3.

Heb.11:4) Able obtained testimony that he was righteous, because of his faith.

It was Jesus Christ Himself who declared that Able was righteous. Mat.23:35.

Able demonstrated his faith through his Worship. Gen.4:4.

His innocent blood still cries out for justice! Gen.4:10.

What do you think about the blood of the millions of innocents slaughtered in the holocaust of abortion? Do you think that God does not hear and that He will not judge justly? Rev.6:9-11.

5) Enoch was pleasing to God. Gen.5:22-24 – He walked with God and was translated into His presence. Think of it; it is possible for a man to please God! Do you believe that? Do you desire to please God? Do you seek to walk with God daily?

Enoch demonstrated his faith by his Walk. Gal.6:7; Jas.1:22; 2:26.

6) The centrality of the necessity of personal faith in anyone who would please God.

This is one of the most informative verses in the Bible regarding man’s relationship with God.

This verse also serves to explain why so many people in the world, both religious and nonreligious, fail to recognize or accept the fact that God is active in the world and that He intervenes in the affairs of men; they have no first hand experience of His presence or of His providence, because they either do not believe that He hears and answers prayer, or they do not even believe that He really exists at all. They Will not seek Him or yield to His Spirit in faith.

7) Noah demonstrated his faith and reverence for God by his Work.

Gen.6:8-9 – Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. He was a righteous man and blameless in his generation and he walked with God. (He had an ongoing personal relationship with God, like Enoch had).

God warned him about the coming flood; Noah believed God even though he probably had never actually seen rain before (Gen.2:5; 7:4) and he had certainly never seen or ever head of such a thing as a world wide flood, yet he went to work immediately to build the ark (something else that he had never seen before), he believed God, he acted upon his belief; he had faith.

By contrast; the rest of the world did not find favor in the eyes of the LORD. They obviously had no faith in or fear of God; and so the righteousness of Noah’s faith was a condemnation upon the rest of the unbelieving inhabitants of the earth. Jn3:18-19.

8) Abraham heard and obeyed God’s call and he believed God’s promise without ever seeing the promise land; he Went. Lk.9:57- 62.

9) He Waited for God to fulfill His word. He passed on his faith to two generations directly and to the entire household of the faith community ultimately. Ro.4:16; Gal.6:9.

10) Faith is waiting with anticipation and with full expectation of vindication for hope.

We with Abraham look forward to moving from tents/ temporary dwelling places; to The City of God/ permanent and built by God Himself upon unshakable foundations.

11) Sarah’s faith was rewarded; her faith was in God and in His promise.

12) Faith can receive supernatural blessings.

13) Think of it; all of these mentioned and more yet to be named, died without receiving the fullness of the promises and yet thy died in faith and their faith still lives and the promises will yet surely be fulfilled for them; because the one who gave them is faithful.

This is our example and this is our hope. Don’t settle in here; this is not our final home.

14) Keep pressing onward.

15) Don’t look back; cast off every encumbrance that holds you down.

16) Don’t settle for less than God has provided for you.

17) Do not be afraid to trust God in the difficult things; times of trial, of testing, of darkness and of temptation.

18) Remember the promise and the One who made it.

19) Even faith unto believing that God will raise the dead.

20) Exercise faith in the blessing of your children and for the future blessings of your loved ones.

21) Bless your grandchildren in faith; believing God for His faithfulness.

22) Count on God’s continual faithfulness even if it may be the case that you might die in faith before it comes to pass.

23) Trust God over men; even over men in power who may promise great things.

24) Do not be drawn away from God by the lure of worldly pleasures and power.

25-26) There are choices we must make in life, the choosing of which will demonstrate the state of our faith.

27-28) Moses demonstrated his faith through his actions and his choices.

29-30) The people followed Moses’ example and stepped out in faith (so should we).

31) Rahab’s faith delivered her family and herself from destruction, her faith was demonstrated by her choices and her actions.

32-38) The bible is filled with examples of people of faith, examples for our instruction and encouragement.

39) This fact serves as a further example of the strength of their faith in God and in His trustworthiness.

40) God has included us, the Church of Jesus Christ, in His plans for the demonstration of His rewards for the faithful people of God from the very beginning.