Three Ways You Can Exercise Faith
Introduction
The islanders were cannibals. Nobody trusted anybody else. His life was in constant danger. He had come to tell them the good news about Jesus. He wanted to translate John’s Gospel into their language, but he discovered that there was no word in their language for ‘trust’, ‘belief’ or ‘faith’.
John Paton (1824–1907), a Scot, had travelled to the New Hebrides (a group of islands in the south-west Pacific) determined to tell the tribal people about Jesus, but he struggled to find the right word for ‘faith’. One day, when his indigenous servant came in, Paton raised both feet off the floor, sat back in his chair and asked, ‘What am I doing now?’ In reply, the servant used a word that means, ‘to lean your whole weight upon’. This became the expression that Paton used. Faith is leaning your whole weight upon Jesus.
Psalm 124:1–8
Psalm 124
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 If the LORD had not been on our side—
let Israel say—
2 if the LORD had not been on our side
when people attacked us,
3 they would have swallowed us alive
when their anger flared against us;
4 the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
5 the raging waters
would have swept us away.
6 Praise be to the LORD,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird
from the fowler’s snare;
the snare has been broken,
and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
Commentary
Faith as trust when under attack
‘Faith is the bird that sings when the dawn is still dark,’ wrote Sir Rabindranath Tagore.
There are times in all of our lives when our faith is tested. We come under ‘attack’: ‘When everyone went against us’ (v.2, MSG) and there seems to be a ‘torrent’ (v.4) of ‘raging waters’ (v.5) – temptations, doubts, fears, and so on.
These things could overwhelm you, but for the fact that the Maker of heaven and earth is on your side (v.1). Faith means trusting that he won’t leave you defenceless. He frees you from the traps: ‘Their grip is broken; we’re free as a bird in flight’ (v.7, MSG).
David is one of the most tried and tested figures in the Bible. Like David, remain faithful to God. Trust in the Lord. He will protect you from raging torrents and from being ‘swallowed alive’ (v.3). Your ‘help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth’ (v.8).
Prayer
Hebrews 11:17–40
17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.
23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be ill-treated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.
31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and ill-treated — 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Commentary
Faith as choice, perseverance and expectancy
What does heroic faith look like? Moses was the supreme figure in Israel’s history. He rescued them from slavery. He gave them the Law. In today’s passage, the writer shows that Moses was pre-eminently a man of faith.
As we have seen, the word ‘faith’ carries a number of meanings. It describes your whole relationship with God – trusting in him, leaning your whole weight on Jesus, and having the courage to act on your belief. Through the example of Moses, we see three ways in which you too can exercise faith:
Faith as a choice
Moses was ‘no ordinary child’ (v.23). He was brought up in the Egyptian royal household and received a first-class education and training. He was also physically good looking (Exodus 2:2). So many people strive today, as they did then, for money, sex and power. Moses could have had them all in abundance.
Moses had another great advantage – the faith of his parents (Hebrews 11:23). Pharaoh’s daughter gave Moses’ mother the job of bringing him up. However, at the end of the day, Moses himself, like you and I, needed to make a choice.
He could have chosen ‘to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time’ (v.25). However, ‘he chose to be ill-treated along with the people of God’ (v.25). Moses chose to be identified with a group of people that those with an upbringing like his regarded with contempt – a slave nation, the people of God. By identifying with them he brought upon himself danger, scorn and suffering.
He made this choice because ‘he regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt’ (v.26). Compared to the pleasures of the world, which are fleeting, God offers you an everlasting reward.
Faith as choice is the faith that justifies. This initial act of faith can be summarised with the mnemonic:
Forsaking All I Take Him (FAITH)
Faith as perseverance
Moses left Egypt twice. The first time he was fleeing as a criminal after killing an Egyptian. The second time, he left as leader of the people of God. In between, he persevered with courage and determination. He ‘persevered because he saw him who is invisible’ (v.27). His eyes were opened to the whole spiritual realm.
From the moment of choice to the moment of triumph, there will be many battles. This is the pattern in the Bible. First comes the call, then the problems. Finally, there is the fulfilment. In between, keep persevering and trusting.
This kind of faith can be summarised in another mnemonic:
Feeling Afraid I Trust Him (FAITH)
This aspect of faith is one that is particularly stressed by the author of Hebrews. It is also probably what Paul had in mind when he lists faithfulness as a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).
Faith as expectancy
When I interviewed Pastor Rick Warren at the Alpha Leadership Conference, he asked rhetorically: ‘Why does God use me?’ And he gave the answer: ‘Because I expect him to use me.’ Joyce Meyer defines expectancy as ‘a joy-filled looking forward to receiving a desired result’.
Moses heard God. He did what God told him to do. He knew that God had the power to kill, but he believed he would pass over the Israelite homes that were sprinkled with blood (Hebrews 11:28). He believed in God’s power to perform signs and wonders, such as the crossing of the Red Sea (v.29).
Expectancy is that mysterious surge of confidence that God will perform a mighty work. In the first three Gospels, nearly two-thirds of the references to faith occur in relation to miracles. Faith here must be understood to be trusting in God’s power.
The writer goes on to give many other examples of faith in the Old Testament, including those ‘who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned into strength’ (vv.33–34). I particularly love the fact that God turns your, and my, weaknesses into strengths.
He concludes this sweep of history by saying something quite extraordinary: ‘God had a better plan for us’ (v.40, MSG). He is saying you are better off than Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samson, David, and all the others. ‘Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised’ (v.39, MSG). While they could only look forward to something better, you live in the age of the Spirit and have received this better and fuller revelation in Christ.
Prayer
Ezekiel 24:1–25:17
Jerusalem as a Cooking Pot
24 In the ninth year, in the tenth month on the tenth day, the word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, record this date, this very date, because the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. 3 Tell this rebellious people a parable and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:
“‘Put on the cooking pot; put it on
and pour water into it.
4 Put into it the pieces of meat,
all the choice pieces—the leg and the shoulder.
Fill it with the best of these bones;
5 take the pick of the flock.
Pile wood beneath it for the bones;
bring it to a boil
and cook the bones in it.
6 “‘For this is what the Sovereign LORD says:
“‘Woe to the city of bloodshed,
to the pot now encrusted,
whose deposit will not go away!
Take the meat out piece by piece
in whatever order it comes.
7 “‘For the blood she shed is in her midst:
She poured it on the bare rock;
she did not pour it on the ground,
where the dust would cover it.
8 To stir up wrath and take revenge
I put her blood on the bare rock,
so that it would not be covered.
9 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says:
“‘Woe to the city of bloodshed!
I, too, will pile the wood high.
10 So heap on the wood
and kindle the fire.
Cook the meat well,
mixing in the spices;
and let the bones be charred.
11 Then set the empty pot on the coals
till it becomes hot and its copper glows,
so that its impurities may be melted
and its deposit burned away.
12 It has frustrated all efforts;
its heavy deposit has not been removed,
not even by fire.
13 “‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.
14 “‘I the LORD have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back; I will not have pity, nor will I relent. You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”
Ezekiel’s Wife Dies
15 The word of the LORD came to me: 16 “Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears. 17 Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban fastened and your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard or eat the customary food of mourners.”
18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.
19 Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things have to do with us? Why are you acting like this?”
20 So I said to them, “The word of the LORD came to me: 21 Say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary—the stronghold in which you take pride, the delight of your eyes, the object of your affection. The sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword. 22 And you will do as I have done. You will not cover your mustache and beard or eat the customary food of mourners. 23 You will keep your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or weep but will waste away because of your sins and groan among yourselves. 24 Ezekiel will be a sign to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.’
25 “And you, son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes, their heart’s desire, and their sons and daughters as well— 26 on that day a fugitive will come to tell you the news. 27 At that time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and will no longer be silent. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD.”
A Prophecy Against Ammon
25 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites and prophesy against them. 3 Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because you said “Aha!” over my sanctuary when it was desecrated and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile, 4 therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East as a possession. They will set up their camps and pitch their tents among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5 I will turn Rabbah into a pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 6 For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel, 7 therefore I will stretch out my hand against you and give you as plunder to the nations. I will wipe you out from among the nations and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”
A Prophecy Against Moab
8 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘Because Moab and Seir said, “Look, Judah has become like all the other nations,” 9 therefore I will expose the flank of Moab, beginning at its frontier towns—Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon and Kiriathaim—the glory of that land. 10 I will give Moab along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, so that the Ammonites will not be remembered among the nations; 11 and I will inflict punishment on Moab. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”
A Prophecy Against Edom
12 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘Because Edom took revenge on Judah and became very guilty by doing so, 13 therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and kill both man and beast. I will lay it waste, and from Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword. 14 I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”
A Prophecy Against Philistia
15 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah, 16 therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will wipe out the Kerethites and destroy those remaining along the coast. 17 I will carry out great vengeance on them and punish them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I take vengeance on them.’”
Commentary
Faith in times of tragedy
‘Faith is not shelter against difficulties, but belief in the face of all contradictions,’ wrote Paul Tournier.
Ezekiel’s faith is remarkable. His message is a very tough one. God is saying to his people that he has tried to cleanse them from their impurities, but they would not be clean and therefore his judgment is coming: ‘You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions’ (24:14). If we refuse to accept God’s forgiveness (which we now know is made possible through the cross of Christ), we will be judged on our own conduct and actions.
Ezekiel’s faith survives the tragic loss of his wife (‘the delight of [his] eyes’, v.16). God says he is going to take away Israel’s sanctuary – which is the delight of their eyes, the object of their affection (v.21). He is foretelling the terrible destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians.
He warns the other nations not to rejoice with malice in their hearts (25:6,15). God strongly disapproves of that feeling of secret glee (by which we can be tempted) when we see other people getting into trouble – it is the opposite of love.
When people hurt you, do not take vengeance into your own hands. Trust in God who promised that, in the end, he will ensure that justice is done (vv.15–17).
In the midst of the darkness in this passage, there is one ray of light. As the messenger arrives with news of Jerusalem’s destruction, Ezekiel’s enforced silence (see Ezekiel 3:24–27) comes to an end. This heralds a remarkable shift in his ministry. When his focus returns to the nation of Israel (chapter 33), the prophet of doom is transformed into a messenger of hope. The God of Justice will also be revealed as a God of grace and salvation.
Jesus has taken the judgment on himself. The blood of Jesus cleanses you from all sin. The Holy Spirit lives in you. Expect him to do great things through you – as you lean your whole weight on him.
Prayer
Pippa adds
In Hebrews 11:31, Rahab, who was a sex-worker, is listed as one of the people of great faith.
Faith can be found in the most unlikely places.
Verse of the Day
Psalm 124:8
Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
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References
The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel (commentary formerly known as Bible in One Year) ©Alpha International 2009. All Rights Reserved.
Compilation of daily Bible readings © Hodder & Stoughton Limited 1988. Published by Hodder & Stoughton Limited as the Bible in One Year.
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.
Scripture quotations marked (AMP) taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.