In Hebrews 11 we read about men and women who exemplified great faith. These are our great cloud of witnesses who underwent often horrific situations because they held to a belief that wasn’t popular. Yet, often they didn’t even see what they were believing for take place in their lifetimes. Obviously they weren’t thinking that “If this happens, then it is true.” No. They new it was true regardless of what happened.
What is faith anyway? Faith is simply “trusting in something you cannot explicitly prove,” (GotQuestions.org). It is having confidence that what you expect to happen will take place. It is the assurance that our beliefs are true regardless of what we see, (Heb 11:1) Faith is the action behind our belief.
How could these witnesses have stood firm in their faith through such great opposition? These people had a strong connection with the unseen, spiritual world. They knew there was more than what their natural senses experienced. They knew beyond doubt because they either saw or heard what God was going to do or they saw into a world normally unseen.
In 2 Kings 16, the king of Aram came looking for Elisha in Dothan. Elisha asked God to open the eyes of the servant to see that the hillsides were filled with fiery chariots and horses around Elisha.
For some, called to do unusually challenging things, they were given glimpses into heaven itself. Ezekiel received a vision of God’s throne before God told him to lay on each of his sides for 190 days, to shave his head and beard, to measure out his food and water, all in an effort to visually demonstrate what Jerusalem was to go through, (Ezekiel 4).
This great cloud of witnesses had an unshakeable faith because they knew what they had heard and seen. No experience or nothing people said could take away what they knew to be true.
So where does this leave us? How do we get from where we are to where we have such strong faith?
As the Holy Spirit reveals spiritual truths to us, we more easily understand we are of another world as believers. It is the truth of this other world in which we are to live out from. Though it seems simple, there are a few things we can do to increase our faith.
- PRAY — Spend time in God’s presence until God’s perspective becomes your own. How will you have strong faith if you don’t hear from God for yourself? You can hear others’ experiences, what they’ve heard, what they believe. But while this second-hand knowledge may inform your intellect, it won’t support your faith until God confirms a truth to your own spirit. There is no substitute for hearing from God directly.
- READ YOUR BIBLE — Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal God to you as you read. Read both Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament reveals God’s plan of redemption and is a foreshadows of Jesus. The New Testament completes the plan of redemption and reveals Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
- SPEAK the WORD — Learn to live from the perspective of the spiritual life within you by taking what God declared in the Word as trustworthy, applicable to you. Speak these truths out loud over your own life. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding that these truths are for you.
Further, Heb.12:1-3 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
- First, we are given great examples which give us confidence that we are not alone in what we believe.
- Second, we are to throw off what is hindering our belief, taking a serious look at what is entangling us in our daily lives, trapping us in situations we’re not able to get out of.
- Once hinderances and entanglements are identified, take them to the throne of God. God is faithful to forgive and to cleanse us when we confess our faults to him. You may need further counseling and accountability from others to overcome habits, addictions, and sins. But God is merciful toward those whose hearts are open to him, desiring to be free of these things.
- If your hinderances are more in line with faulty beliefs, seek out those who have gone through similar doubts or hang-ups. Christ centered support groups or Spirit-led counseling would be in order to provide a place where you can be honest about how you are feeling, what you are believing, and asking Holy Spirit to speak his truth to you. Transformational Prayer is a great resource to expedite freedom from faulty thinking and to gain God’s perspective on truth.
- For doubts on issues regarding God’s existence, the validity of Biblical texts, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, among other issues, seek out material to read, podcasts to listen to, or websites dedicated to apologetics where you can gain insights into the defense of the Christian beliefs.
- Third, we fix our eyes on Jesus who has begun and will complete this work of faith in us. Remembering all Jesus endured gives us the motivation to endure. But how did Jesus endure? “For the joy set before him . . .” He knew he had come from God and was going back to God. He knew his mission and what he was to accomplish. He knew the great reward awaiting him. Just as he knew, we need to know.
So let us run with patience this race set before us, enduring the shame, the abuse, the name calling, as we set our minds and hearts on the truth that we have a kingdom that is not of this world. We are not of this world. We have a home in paradise with Jesus waiting for us. Do you know this dear believer? Set your heart on it. Allow God to reveal to you the spiritual world from which we are to live and from which he resides. Because it is only in knowing we are not of this world and knowing the truth of the spiritual world will we have the faith to endure.