Faith That Just Believes 8/23/20262

 Corinthians 5:1-7  nkjv1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

❓ How often do you have to see before you can trust what God has promised in the Scripture❓ 

⭐   Powerful things happen when we have a faith that doesn’t have to see to believe.****) “Faith is not simply believing what God says; it is trusting His Word enough to live by it.” ***)

➤   v7)  7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. ➤    vGenesis 15:3-6)  3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one[c] born in my house is my heir!” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” 5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

• Abraham simply believed what God told him.
• Can you imagine?
  • The God they never heard about or knew.
  • God told Abraham to pack up everything and leave his family, friends, future, etc.
  • And go where he didn’t know where he was going!!!!

v6)  But it says Abraham believed.  Before he did anything and it was counted to him as righteousness!

💥Yet even as believers we are so much like Thomas.  vJohn 20:25) 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 

• Thomas had lived and walked with Jesus.
• Heard him teach, preach and raise the dead, yet he still had a faith that needed to see.

➤ Jesus told him after Thomas saw Him. vJohn 20:29) 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 

⭐   We are to have a faith that is not influenced by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7)

• A faith that simply believes what God says, regardless of what the circumstances are around us.

💥  Faith without sight means:

• Trusting God when you don't know  or see what comes next.
• Believing His promises when circumstances seem to contradict them.
• Obeying Him even when you cannot see where obedience will lead.
• Holding on to hope when there is no visible reason to be hopeful.
• Believing God's character when you don't understand His plan.

💥   Faith that just believes:1. Changes our thinking and how we believe.v1) We know….2. It changes our desires, goals and the things we want in life. v2) earnestly desire3. Changes our perspective on death and dying. v4)4. Causes us to realize how important our salvation is and to know we have been clothed with Christ.v3)5.  Causes us to walk in the Spirit and not by our flesh!!! Become Spiritual people. v5)6. Takes away the sting of death. We don’t fear death. v8)

Affects 

⭐  Just according to the verses we read.

1.   It gives us a whole different perspective on life and how we live it. v1) 1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2.   It keeps us from stumbling on the temporal by keeping us focused on the eternal. v1)

3.   v4) It keeps us living for the right things and is always preparing us for the day our faith is made sight, and we see God face to face. v4)

4.   It causes us to grow, depend and learn how to live life by walking in the Holy Spirit He gives us as a comfort and a guarantee to His promise. v5)

5.   It removes the fear of death. v6)   Not that anyone should want to quit this life, but to eagerly look for the life yet to come.

What does this teach?

⭐  I.   Know what God says! v1) 1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 

• Read the Word. Pure Word. As much as you read and study other materials.

***) “Walking by faith means trusting the One who sees the whole road when all you can see is the next step.” 

⭐  II.   Believe what God says. v6-7) 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.****) “The life of faith is choosing to build our life on what God says rather than on what our circumstances tell us.” ****)➤   Let us be fools   I Corinthians 3:18-19)  18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 

⭐  III.  Walk by what God says by walking in the Spirit v5) 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.***)“When we stop allowing what we see to determine how we live and begin walking by the Spirit, we discover the power of trusting God beyond our circumstances.” 

A. As we read the word of God, we plant the seeds that make faith grow.  vLuke 8:11) 

• Not books or Bible material.  Just sitting at His feet and listening to His word. 

B. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.  vRomans 10:17)

C. We nurture it by believing it and following what it says.  Conforming our life to its teachings.  vRomans 12:2) - John 8:31-31)

D. Then it transforms our lives. Our thinking, goals, motives and dreams.

• Brings God’s peace, joy and confidence
• We are given a faith that is practical, real, alive and powerful. 2 Corinthians 5: v5-7) 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

Start learning to simply believe what God says and living life according to the Scripture, and the power and freedom that comes from the truth of God will transform our lives.