Day 135 - Living by Faith
Anthony Gantt
“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.” – Hebrews 11:8 NASB
This week, we are discussing the power of faith. As mentioned earlier this month, faith comes when we believe in something before we have physical proof. Often, we will stand on the promises of God by faith either to receive something or to be delivered from something. Abraham, as we read in Hebrews 11, had faith to obey the commands of God for his life and stepped out on faith. He was willing to give up his only child, not knowing the outcome fully. Yet, he obeyed and had confidence in the things unseen.
A man who doesn’t know God is entirely governed by himself (his will, intellect, and emotions). A man of God, however, will be led by the Spirit of God. When the Spirit of God enters our lives, He guides us into all truth. According to John 16:13, He will not speak on his own; He will only speak what He hears from God the Father.
Obedience is the essential ingredient to living a life of faith. When we hear the Spirit of God guiding us, our job is to obey. We may not understand what God is saying or asking of us now. I’m sure Abraham didn’t understand when God asked him to sacrifice his only son! Still, Abraham was obedient, and in the end, God spared his son’s life, and Abraham was rewarded for his faith.
We will never be able to experience the power of faith unless we are willing to obey. Obedience opens the door to God’s will in the life of a believer, which leads to purpose, which in turn is the physical manifestation of God’s will in our lives on display for others to see.
Next Steps
- Think about it: Is there a time when I disobeyed God? How did that turn out?
- Think about it: Is there a time when I obeyed God? How did that turn out?
- Action Step: Seek God’s instruction today and be obedient to what you hear from the Holy Spirit.