LIVING WATERS from Lightbearers

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. Heb 11:27 NKJV

‘What are you hearing?’ is a common question when there is an ongoing situation that has everyones attention. “What have you heard?’ Do you know what keeps you going? It’s what you have heard! At some level God has to become real, the things of God have to become personal, the pluses and minuses in the kingdom of God, the hiccups and triumphs, have to exult and have to sting. You have to feel the angels joy when one makes it to Heaven and the Father’s pain when one goes to hell. It has to become real. What is real is what you have heard!

 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word (Grk. RHEMA) of God. Rom 10:17 NKJV

‘What is real is what you have heard.’ Ok. So…how does that work? Faith requires that you and I hear a clear word from God. There are two ways of hearing – with your ears and with your heart. That word that pierces your outer walls and enters your heart is what you believe. I agree with the guy who says that it is hard to trust some one who hasn’t suffered at least to some degree for their faith because in sacrificial suffering, in real testing, it has to become real, or why suffer? This is why the fellowship of those who have suffered, of those who have endured is so sweet. Lincoln said that he was forced upon his knees with the utter conviction that he had no other place to go. When circumstances force you to choose to believe God, they are unintentionally bringing you great blessing. What you have heard in your heart becomes real!

There are two great sections of the book of Hebrews with their accompanying practical application sections – the mission of Christ (Hebrews 3:1-4:13) and the priesthood of Christ (Heb 5:1-10:18). The practical side is introduced by the words ‘having therefore’ (Heb.4:14-16 and 10:19-12:29). In that last practical section is the great chapter on faith.

…in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Eph 2:15 NKJV

I saw something in Hebrews Eleven that made me joyously amazed at the wonder of the divine design of God. The people listed are not only in chronological order but in experiential order. Abel is first and he is faiths example of worship. Enoch is second because he is faiths example of a walk with God. But you must learn to worship before you can walk! Then Noah is third because he is faiths example of witnessing for God. You must walk with God before you can be a witness! What I realized is that each of us, if we stay faithful and sometimes even in spite of it, by divine plan and order is a link in a chain of growth and progression towards the perfect will of God. By God’s perfect plan – far bigger than we can appreciate – we are foundation stones for future generations to grow up in God. God’s house is being built. You and I have a greater purpose than what we have ever conceived, so stay faithful!

Let’s look at the enduring faith of five of our heroes from Hebrews Eleven…

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. Heb 11:8-9 NKJV

Talking about laying a foundation, you have to love the pioneers. We used to talk about being ‘pioneers on a love frontier.’ The pioneers have to be willing to sacrifice all to break the ground for the new growth to come. Faith requires courage, a strong heart. On my first trips to east Africa I thought I was going to the other side of the moon. I was so alone, so different than everyone else. I never got comfortable until I embraced that reality, and when I began to understand God’s purposes, then things began to move.

By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Heb 11:9-10 NKJV

Faith requires that you and I hear a clear word from the Lord. Those who have HEARD the Lord speak most clearly are the ones who most easily justify the sacrifices necessary to answer that call.

By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Heb 11:11 NKJV

You get a clear word from the Lord, then you judge God to be faithful to keep His word. This is how to overcome fear! You present your fear to the Lord, then listen to the inner witness in your spirit, then walk out in light of your inner witness. My inner witness has been right…every…single…time. No fear! Sarah at ninety years old had a total body healing to restore her baby factory and produce Isaac. Not to mention Abe got a little healing, himself! Don’t you want to ask God for a RHEMA word right now?

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. Heb 11:17-19 NKJV

You could trust Abraham because he had been tested, he had suffered for his faith, and he had proven his integrity. God put him through hell in the test as he became a type of the Father in the death and resurrection of His Son, who as the High Priest was offering Himself as the sacrificial Lamb for all people for all eternity. See how this fits in Hebrews? Sometimes you have to be willing to go through hell to accomplish the will of God.

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. Heb 11:20-22 NKJV

Sometimes we think we can rest on our accomplishments, that we don’t need to be fervently faithful, that we’ve already done plenty. I mention these three guys because what got them into the Hall of Fame of Faith occurred right at the end of very eventful and wonderful lives. They lived in enduring faith until these great moments. Someone once asked me ‘When does a man of God retire?’ I said, “When a man of God retires, they bury him three days later.” Our roles may change, but our hearts cannot – we must stay faithful to what we have heard! There are no second-place trophies, no participation trophies, only the reward of the Lord at the end of race, when we cross the finish line, successfully creating a link of faith for the next generation on which to build. This is enduring faith. Amen? Love you!

Remember dear one, we must be about our Father’s business…