“By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous….” – Hebrews 11:4 (NKJV)
In the 11th Chapter of the book of Hebrews, we read of the faith of some heroes of God and how some were tortured and died. Others were imprisoned, flogged, stoned, and mistreated all because of their faith in Christ. Our faith and actions will speak long after our life here on earth has ended. It can be the means of inspiring and encouraging others to live by faith and to look to the Lord even in the face of opposition. My question is: “How is your faith in these trying times?”
The reality is there is a spiritual battle raging all around us. As such, we should not allow our faith to grow cold. Neither should we allow the enemy of our souls to gain a foothold in our hearts. Let’s not become weary in well-doing but press on in faith. Be encouraged and encourage others in faith.
Like the other heroes of faith, let us allow our faith to speak and be seen. In so doing, God receives the glory, and others are encouraged to have faith and believe. Allow your faith to grow, and never forget to encourage others to grow in faith (Hebrews 12:1-4). God uses ordinary people and works in their lives to accomplish His will.
Heroes of the faith are everyday people who say yes to God and open their hearts and lives to Him, allowing Him to do His work in and through them. They each embrace the gift of God, that being faith, and refuse to allow themselves to be persuaded by fear or chase after worldly pleasures. If we are going to be spiritually faithful to the call of God in our lives, we need to follow in the footsteps of the people of faith. Take notice of how they lived and what they modelled as faithful followers of Christ.
As heroes of faith, do not forget the following:
1. Never forget to fan into flame the gift of faith – We need to avoid and get rid of anything that might cause the gift of faith to flicker or fade.
2. Remain focused on Christ – We are to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
3. Feed on the Word of God – We should saturate our hearts and minds with God’s Word.
4. Encourage others and endure – Do not grow weary or lose heart. Keep the faith. Your life and faith in Christ will speak even after you are gone!
Read: 1 Timothy 1:3-6; Hebrews 11:1
Bible Reading Guide: Psalms 119:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 1; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16; Jeremiah 18; Jeremiah 19; Jeremiah 20
A lion don’t give up on his prey. Why must the believer in Christ give up on his Now faith. His word is good for growth to us.