In the movie Raiders of the Last Ark, Indiana Jones has to cross over a gulch where there appears to be no way. It’s all part of a puzzle to acquire one of the relics that he collects. In the riddle to find the relic, he is supposed to step out, and a way will appear. Jones doesn’t have faith in the riddle, so when he gets to the gulch, he throws out sand and discovers an invisible bridge to the relic. That’s how a lot of Christians treat their faith. God has something incredible for them if they will step out in faith, but they don’t out of fear.
Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Hall of Fame
Chapter eleven is what is known as the Fatih Hall of Fame. It goes through history and lists how the famous Bible characters showed their faith. Before the author of Hebrews gets there, he gives us the clearest and concise definition of faith in the Bible. Faith is being sure of things we hope for like heaven and the conviction that things like the Holy Spirit exist. For there to be faith, there has to be hope and conviction. If there weren’t, there wouldn’t be belief.
The Essence of Faith
We grow in our faith by trusting God to work in situations that seem improbable. When we don’t have a solution, and God brings one out of the blue, our faith grows. When everyone desserts us, we have to believe that God is right there with us. This is the essence of faith and something that each believer needs to grow in.
Step Out in Faith
Faith is like a muscle. The more we work it, the stronger it is. If we expect it to suddenly appear after long periods of neglect, we will find that it has atrophied. At the same time, our faith is not a magic wand granting every desire that we have. Faith always has to work within the context of a sovereign God. Step out in faith today by trusting that the Holy Spirit is leading you.