“It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying -- “he disappeared, because God took him”. For before he was taken up, he was known as a person that pleased God. And it is impossible to please God without faith.” (Hebrews 1:5-6 NLT).
In all my years of ministry the issue that challenges me most is the immature way we western Christians in general understand the meaning of “Faith”. Like you I’ve heard people say; “I have faith to be healed” or, “I have faith for a new home”, or “I have faith to birth a church”, or “I have faith to buy a new car and the list goes on and on. These “goals” (that’s what I call them), are good and helpful, but do we really know how to have faith to believe God for the impossible in our lives and circumstances, or are we being exposed as having faith in nothing much at all?
Enoch’s faith was simply, “he pleased God”, We know nothing more about him other than that fact. He walked close to God for 365 years (Gen. 5:24) before God took him. We know nothing about all the miracles in his life, healings, provision etc. etc, etc. No, all we know is that he “pleased God”! So much of our lives are occupied with material things, like property, things and money to the extent that we easily miss the point when true faith has to do with pleasing God rather than pleasing ourselves.
Now Noah, on the other hand heard God tell him to build an Ark --- and he did! It took him 100 years, but he built it and it wasn’t raining either when he built it. What Noah did was impossible because he saw the invisible picture of the Ark throughout all those 100 years as he believed God’s amazing word spoken to him on what the purpose of the Ark must be. So when the flood eventually came Noah’s faith had achieved the impossible and saved human and animal life to replenish the earth. The only man on earth at the time who walked in “close relationship with God”. (Gen:6:9). Noah obviously “pleased God”.
If you and I are ever to test the Almighty Resourses of God, we must have faith to see and do in the Holy Spirit what is humanly impossible, and believe that it’s not impossible with God, (Matthew 19:26) that’s what Jesus said. Doreen and I often share together about whether we have the faith to believe God for that which is impossible for us, but not for God. If it’s not impossible with God, then clearly it’s not impossible. Material things are possible, because we can see them, for example, buildings, property, vehicles, homes etc. However, can we choose to believe like Enoch, Noah and all those listed in the 11th chapter of Hebrews whose faith believed for what they could only see as impossible. Like 20 year old and strong Isaac obediently laying on the altar of sacrifice while his 120 year old weak father Abraham raised the knife over him! That’s the faith I’m talking about! Or, Jephthah’s daughter agreeing with her father’s vow to God that she would die a virgin. That’s the faith I’m talking about! Or, our Lord Jesus on the cross crying out “Eli, Eli, lema, sabachthnai”? ‘my God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” That’s the faith I’m talking about! The faith of God in us inspired by His Holy Spirit whereby we begin living and believing in a way that “pleases God”. It wont cost much, – just everything!
That is a much richer, fuller and truer life, than simply having faith for a car park at the supermarket!
In His Grip
+ Harry