So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV
Faith pleases God. Anything that hurts our faith is dangerous and needs to be eliminated. When Israel took Jericho, they utterly destroyed everyone and everything except a young harlot and her household. Sounds severe, but God knew that this wicked Amorite city would pollute Israel’s faith and cause her to sin (Deuteronomy 20:17-18).
What is your Jericho? What needs to be rooted out and utterly destroyed because of its negative influence on your walk with Jesus? When I asked myself this question, living by sight came to mind. Sometimes the visible facts seem to contradict God’s promises. When I trust my five senses more than what God has said, I am living by sight.
Rahab, on the other hand, lived by faith. She too was an Amorite living in Jericho. She was even engaged in prostitution, yet she and her household were rescued. Rahab is held up as an amazing example of genuine faith twice in the New Testament (Hebrews 11:30-31; James 2:25). When given the opportunity to hide the two spies, she jumped at this chance to express her faith in God, even though doing so meant risking her life. Real faith trusts in God’s promises, regardless of circumstances, and not in what is seen. Her faith saved her life and the lives of her whole family.
Living by faith saves us from our doubts and fears. Faith saved Rahab, faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6) and Christians are created to live by faith (Galatians 2:20). Whenever we don’t, we suffer and fall short of God’s glory.
Joshua proclaimed a curse on whoever would try to rebuild Jericho (Joshua 6:26). When I return to walking by sight instead of living by faith I am rebuilding my Jericho and open myself to another type of curse. God has delivered me from the limitations of a natural life, so like Rahab, I can live a supernatural life of faith no matter how daunting the facts appear. When I choose to believe my bleak circumstances instead of God’s promises, I feel miserable. I have lost the comfort of my faith and am experiencing the curse that comes from rebuilding the life God said to destroy.
Blessings,
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Thank you for reminding us to live by faith – not only it pleases God when we do live by faith but also it saves us from our own doubts and fears. Hebrews 11 is one of my most favorite chapters in the whole Bible.
Rahab is one of the very few ladies in Christ’s genealogy, Along with Tamar, Ruth, Wife of Uriah (Bathsheba), Mary. I guess Sarah, Leah, and Eve also qualify. I’m sure there’s a whole bunch I’ve missed. It must have been important to the writer to keep Rahab in Jesus’ genealogy.
Debbie – God has gifted you so wonderfully to share His Word. I love you!
Thank you Debbie for reminding me of the “supernatural life of faith, no matter how daunting the facts appear.” The key to happiness is simply having faith in that what God puts us through always has a way to “prosper and grow” us. Another “key” is to live to share that testimony of what GOD has done!
Pray for me to fix my eyes on what is eternal. I want to please God.
I love this line from above : ” I can live a supernatural life of faith no matter how daunting the facts appear. “. Amen.
Amen, indeed, Stephanie! How we need to remind each other.