Walk by Faith

                                                                                                                                                

Aloha Dearest Family,

                Many of us, if not all of us, have heard the verse about walking by faith and not by sight.

  “For we walk by faith, not by sight:” (II Corinthians 5:7). 

I have heard this verse taught and referred to on countless occasions. This is a great admonition and encouragement, but few know just what this means. Just “how” do you walk by faith and not by sight? It is important to understand what are we to have faith in and why we are not to walk by sight.

                All men and women from the time of their birth have utilized the five senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch) in order to learn.  Our five senses were designed by God to allow us to live and enjoy His creation. But the senses were never meant to be our only source to gain information. Romans 10:17 says, 

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  

In the Bible, faith refers to when we believe something that God has said. Faith is not mysterious. It is choosing to believe what God says over anything else that comes to us through the five senses. Walking by faith is choosing to understand your life by what God has revealed rather than the world’s wisdom. Is there any wisdom that the world has that can be compared to God’s? NO!!!

                As great as the five senses are, they can be fooled and therefore can be unreliable. God’s promises can ALWAYS be relied upon in all circumstances, no matter what the senses may indicate. Matthew 14 has a great example of what we are discussing.

                “Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” (Matthew 14:25-29a)

Jesus told Peter, “Come”. In this one word was the promise to Peter that he could do just what Jesus was doing. Peter literally believed this invitation and stepped out of the boat and started walking to Jesus – on the water. 

“And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me! And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.” 

When Peter “saw” the wind and the waves around him he began to be afraid. Sight is in the category of the five senses. He started out walking by faith but then he started to walk by sight, which caused him to be afraid and start sinking. But Jesus was there and reached out his hand and saved him. Notice how Jesus called Peter “thou of little faith”. With “little faith” he was able to walk on water. He could because he believed the promise given to him by Jesus.

                God promised Abraham that He would make him the father of many nations. The only problem was that his wife, Sarah, was barren. She wasn’t able to have children. Furthermore, Abraham was an old man. And Sarah was an old woman.  Abraham could have walked by the five senses and wondered how God was going to pull this off. But because God Almighty had promised it, Abraham chose to belief the promise rather than his impossible situation.

                ”And being not weak in faith, he (Abraham) considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” (Romans 4:19-21)

Here is one man that could have easily walked by sight. But Abraham became “fully persuaded” that what God had promised, He was able also able to perform.  Abraham, in the Bible, is called the father of all those that believe. Believe what? Believe in God’s promises.

                What about us today? Some may say,” If God made these kinds of promises to me today, I would surely believe.” But I say to you, the Bible contains the Words of God. In God’s Word are many “great and precious promises” (II Peter 1:4). They are for us today. God wants us to claim these promises for our own. All we have to do is believe what He has promised, get out of the boat, and start walking. Not by sight but by faith.

                                   Love Always, Ray