Hebrews 11:32-34 (NKJV) And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
The above Bible characters of the Old Testament did not live to witness the coming of the Messiah and all that He did to restore mankind to Himself. Yet they persevered and believed in God’s promise. They went through persecution, trials and tribulations and held on to the conviction without being moved by their natural circumstances. They lived a lifestyle of faith. And it is this lifestyle that God wants us to have because the righteous shall live by faith established on the Word of God.
There is always a process when we step out in faith. It is not going to be easy, but we are assured that God’s grace is sufficient for us. It is through faith that each Bible character had to act on God’s instructions and subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness and obtained promises.
The Lord “calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (Romans 4:17 NKJV). Gideon in the Old Testament had to look at himself as a mighty man of valor though he did not feel like one. He had the faith in God to come against the multitude of Midianites with only 300 unarmed men, each with just a pitcher, a trumpet and a torch! Gideon had to believe that the simple acts of breaking the pitcher and shouting out from different corners of the enemy camp, “the sword of Gideon and the Lord” were good enough to cause the enemy to flee in terror.
While we have faith in what God has spoken to us, there must be a corresponding action to step out and believe what He has spoken to us. What God has spoken to us is the title deed, the anchor and the substance to our faith!
Similarly, the Bible records for us that Jephthah spoke to the Lord at Mizpah and when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, he acted and went out conquering. Jephthah knew that there would be no victory apart from the Lord and therefore, he took time to speak to the Lord at Mizpah. Have you taken time to speak to the Lord about your situation? What is He saying to you? If you have not spoken to Him and sought His wisdom, then you are still acting on your own!
Our fight of faith probably will not be a physical battle. However, we need to walk in faith and patience to inherit the promises of God for our lives to overcome our battles. We can take comfort that we have the full counsel of the Word of God and the help of the Holy Spirit. The Lord’s hand is on our lives where He will make use of the experiences that we had in the past to glorify His name now and in the future.
Just as the Spirit of the Lord was upon Jephthah to carry out the task given to him, there is also an anointing upon each of our lives to stand in this position if we view work as a form of worship to God. As we step out in action by faith, God’s wisdom and strength will be upon us.
Sermon Series: You Are in the Hall of Faith (Part 2)
凭着信心，行动起来！
希伯来书11:32-34我又何必再说呢？若要一一细说，基甸、巴拉、参孙、耶弗他、大卫、撒母耳，和众先知的事，时候就不够了。 33他们因着信，制伏了敌国，行了公义，得了应许，堵了狮子的口， 34灭了烈火的猛势，脱了刀剑的锋刃；软弱变为刚强，争战显出勇敢，打退外邦的全军。
上面经文里记载的这些旧约人物都没能活着见证弥赛亚的到来, 以及祂使人们回到祂里面所做的一切。 然而他们信靠神的应许坚定不移。 他们承受了逼迫, 试炼和苦难, 外界境况无法动摇他们坚定的信心。 他们活出了信心的生命。 而信心的生命正是神对我们的期望, 因为, 因为义人必因信得生，这信是建立在神的话上的。
当我们凭信心里跨出去的时候, 总会有一个过程，这并不是容易。 但我们确信神的恩典够我们用的。 正是因着信, 圣经记载的每个人物靠着神的引导行事, 他们就制伏了敌国, 行了公义, 得了应许。
耶和华是”那使无变为有的神”(罗马书4:17)。 旧约里的基甸不得不把自己看成是大能的勇士，虽然他自己并不觉得是。基甸对神有信心, 他带着没有武器的300人，去攻击米甸人的大部队，每个人只拿着角, 空瓶和火把。 基甸坚信简单的方法 – 打破瓶子并从敌营的四围吹角喊叫”耶和华和基甸的刀” – 就足以让敌军落荒而逃。
当我们对神的话有信心时, 必须有相应的行动付出并相信祂对我们说的话语。 神对我们所说的话是我们信心的确据, 锚定和实底。
与此类似, 圣经记载了在米斯巴, 耶和华的灵降在耶弗他身上, 他将自己的一切话陈明在耶和华面前, 并付之于行动, 去制伏敌人。 耶弗他知道, 离开了神就没有可能得胜, 他花时间在米斯巴寻求神。 你是不是也花时间将自己的一切陈明在神面前呢? 神是怎样和你说的呢? 如果你不曾与神说话, 没有去寻求神的智慧, 那么你还是在按照自己的想法行事。
信心之战可能不是一场有形的战斗。我们需要行在信心和耐心里面, 领受神赐予我们生命的应许, 从而得胜。 我们感到欣慰, 因为我们有神的话语和圣灵的引导。神的手在我们的生命中, 祂要用我们过去的经历，在现在和将来荣耀祂的名。
如同耶和华的灵临到耶弗他，使他完成所交给他的任务, 如果我们把工作看作是一种对神的敬拜方式, 我们每个人的生命也会得到膏抹。当我们凭信心行动起来时, 神的智慧和大能就会临到我们。
讲章系列：你在信心的殿中 (第二部分)