The Bible tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God, and there are many valid reasons why this is so. For starters, we can never fully understand God, for His ways are past finding out, so with every new revelation of Himself to us, it takes more faith to learn even more.
And this cycle goes on and on indefinitely so it becomes necessary that at every stage of growth in the Christian’s life, that more faith needs to be exercised. In other words, we can never reach the point in our experience where we can say we have believed enough, for there will always be more to believe.
Abraham is called the father of the faithful, for in his life he exemplified to a great extent, the type of belief in God that is necessary to live victoriously in this present world and on into the next. It is the type of faith which according to the Bible can quench all the fiery darts of the devil. Let’s read:
Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].
6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
In other words, this type of faith will block every device and snare the enemy can think of hurling at us, for the Bible says it can quench “all” the fiery darts, and all means all. The Bible study for this evening will focus on what Abraham believed, and how his faith in God directly affected all of his decisions, his interpretations of life’s experiences, and consequently all of his planning.
The first and foremost aspect of Abraham’s faith is that he really believed that God is able to do anything. This singular element of faith in God opens the door to limitless possibilities that defy logical reasoning, and when observed by the secular mind, may even seem to border on insanity.
It is very important for Christians to often fellowship with like minded believers, for those who put their trust in God do reason along completely different veins of thought than those who do not believe, and so their ideas, expectations, conclusions and interpretation of life’s experiences are as far as the east is from the west.
There are two main aspects of Abraham’s faith that radically altered his overall outlook on life, and these two factors should be given very serious consideration by every Christian living in the 21st century.
(1) Abraham believed that nothing is impossible with God. An unbeliever will be limited in his expectations to what finite science dictates as being plausible, logical, and reasonably possible, and that’s why the expectations of a believer and a non believer cannot be reconciled, for one has limits while the other has none. Let’s read:
Genesis 15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
This promise was made to Abraham when he was about eighty years old, and his wife was not only barren, but had passed the stage of menopause, yet when God spoke these words of promise to him, he broke out in a big smile of belief, knowing that God could fulfill whatever he had promised.
Now it is true that conventional medicine has its limits, and science as we know it will undoubtedly recommend that, on account of Abraham’s expectations, he should be immediately admitted to a mental institution. If any person were to ask their doctor if it is possible for a woman who has passed menopause to have children naturally again, the unanimous answer would be absolutely not.
How do we know this for a fact? We know because we asked and did the necessary research. According to conventional science on this matter, the average woman goes through menopause between the ages of forty and early fifties, and in some rare cases, the time is stretched to her late fifties.
However, once the process of ovulation comes to a end, and the monthly cycles cease, the average woman would not think about having children naturally. There is only one problem with this science, in that it does not take into account, the fact that people like Sarah and Abraham are not average, and therefore the conventional limit of late fifties does not apply to those women to whom God has promised children.
Sarah was not only done with menopause for several years, she was about ninety years of age when she became pregnant, which is about thirty five to forty years after the time that conventional wisdom says any woman can reasonably expect to have children, hence the reason why we say that a nonbeliever will most likely interpret a Christian’s expectations as either insane or radically unreasonable. Let’s read:
Genesis 18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah [were] old [and] well stricken in age; [and] it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
Genesis 17:17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall [a child] be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
However, there is another important aspect of Abraham’s faith
(2) Abraham believed that this world was not his permanent home, and so all of his interpretations of events, his outlook on life in general, and even his estate planning were driven by this fundamental perspective of life, that he was just a pilgrim passing through temporarily, on his way to a much better place. Let’s read:
Hebrews 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.
And now, fully armed with these two radical elements of faith in God, Abraham is prepared to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, for whatever evil or unexpected turn of events comes his way, the shield of faith will dissolve them either by (1) His interpretation, (2) His expectation, (3) His pilgrimage, or (4) God’s limitless possibilities.
Let’s start with the first pillar of the shield of faith: (1) Quenching by His interpretation of events.
After Isaac, the long awaited son of promise was born, a startling command came from God for Abraham to offer him as a living sacrifice on mount Moriah. This command coming directly from God seemed to be at odds with the very nature of God, for it required the life of a human being, something God had never required of any parent.
The devil obviously used this opportunity to hammer Abraham with fierce temptations that were based on what God had previously stated about taking the life of another human being. The law of God specifically states “Thou shalt not kill”, and therefore, according to the devil, Abraham must be suffering from serious hallucinations. Let’s read:
Genesis 4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee [shall be] his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Another fiery dart that was hurled at Abraham was the stipulated consequences for taking another person’s life. Let’s read:
Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
And so with these and other darts coming fast and furiously at him in his hour of trial, Abraham pulls out the shield of faith and proceeds to quench all of the arrows of satan through his interpretation of God’s command.
He reasons that since God is the Creator of all human life, maybe, just maybe in this instance, He was going to do something He had never done before, by raising Isaac back to life after the sacrifice was completed. How Abraham discovered this possibility is anyone’s guess, but it must have had to do with his belief that nothing is impossible with God. Let’s read:
Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten [son].
11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
11:19 Accounting that God [was] able to raise [him] up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
That’s why we keep going back to the issue of expectations, based on one’s faith in God.
Very often modern science tries to manage our expectations based on our limited knowledge of science, but as stated before in a previous Bible study, the word “Omniscience”, which describes the limitless knowledge of God, is actually made up of two words, Omni- Science, which refers to a type of knowledge which transcends all known scientific laws and conclusions. And that’s why the Christian’s expectations are often considered by the secular mind as being very radical and unreasonable.
(2) Quenching through pilgrimage.
The fact that Abraham was not expecting this world to be his final home puts an entirely different spin on the experiences he would pass through on this earth. Some of these experiences would be good and some of them would be bad, however it would not matter to Abraham anyway, for as a pilgrim, he was just passing through, and thus any experience as pertains to the things of this life would be at best, temporary in nature.
And so, a next fiery dart was hurled from satan’s quiver, which has to do with the contentious and often bitter issue of inheritance. Families have often been torn apart by this issue of who gets what, and so the dart of materialism often pierces the hearts of some who claim to be pilgrims.
After a few years had elapsed in the land of Canaan, both Abraham and his younger nephew lot became very rich and increased in this world’s goods because of the blessings of God. According to the Bible record
they became so wealthy that a potential family feud threatened to alienate them because the land was not large enough to house their wealth, and so it came to a head when Abraham decided to resolve the issue.
At the meeting Abraham reached for the shield of faith and decided to let Lot take the lead in choosing whatever part of the inheritance he desired, and then what ever remained would be Abraham’s portion. This agreement was suggested by Abraham even though God had promised the land of Canaan to him. Let’s read:
Genesis 13:1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.
13:2 And Abram [was] very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
13:5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
13:6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
13:8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we [be] brethren.
13:9 [Is] not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if [thou wilt take] the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if [thou depart] to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
13:10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it [was] well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, [even] as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
13:11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
13:12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched [his] tent toward Sodom.
In today’s world, with all the lawsuits and bitter recriminations which often take place between brethren and family members over the issue of inheritance, it may seem as if Abraham got a raw deal by surrendering his right to choose first, but Abraham did not look at it this way, for in his mind, he was just a pilgrim passing through, and therefore the quarrels and fights over material things must be left to those who intend to stay here.
And so, by using the pillar of pilgrimage on the shield of faith, he was again successful in quenching all the fiery darts of the devil in such matters.
(3) Quenching through expectation.
Because of Abraham’s expectation of a new city, whose builder and maker is God, his estate
planning was directly affected, for he apparently did not put heavy emphasis on social security, and life insurance, and IRA’s as is often done by those who live alone for this life.
There are those who are consumed with planning in the minutest detail, all of the intricate and extensive logistics pertaining to retirement, life insurance and finally death. Then again there are funeral homes which now offer discounts and payment plans for those expecting to die. These payments can now be made using one’s credit cards, and additional “Grave” discounts can be obtained if a person were to prepay their own burial.
While it is good to plan, and to execute judiciously and wisely, the matters which pertain to this life, we must also be careful not to become overly consumed with planning for the future to the point where all our energies and thoughts are absorbed in providing for the things of this life. Christ specifically warns us of this very, fiery dart which is often hurled at the Christian. Let’s read:
Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
12:16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
12:18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, [and] be merry.
12:20 But God said unto him, [Thou] fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
12:21 So [is] he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
And an additional warning is issued to those “Pilgrims” who claim to be looking for the soon return of Jesus in the clouds of heaven. Let’s read:
Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and [so] that day come upon you unawares.
21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
After the stock market crashed during the recent great recession, many people committed suicide, for in their minds, life was not worth living anymore, without their hopes and dreams of material wealth. Many others became discouraged and stopped going to church altogether, because they believed that God had deserted them.
In most of these cases it was the expectation harbored that consequently triggered the negative responses, for with a true pilgrim, the expectation is not centered on this world’s goods and grandeur, but rather on the immortal inheritance that God has prepared for those that love Him.
In Abraham’s case he did not even worry about burial, and graves and retirement, for according to the Bible, he did not own a single parcel of land, even though he was extremely rich. Let’s read:
Genesis 7:2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
7:3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.
7:5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not [so much as] to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when [as yet] he had no child.
Again we read of Abraham’s radical faith, and the expectations which it triggered. Since he was expecting an eternal city built by God, he apparently forgot to make preparations for his and Sarah’s demise, for in his mind, those preparations might not even be necessary, based on what he was looking forward to. Let’s read:
Genesis 23:2 And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same [is] Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
23:3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,
23:4 I [am] a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
23:5 And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,
23:6 Hear us, my lord: thou [art] a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.
Note well that all of the other princes had made prior preparations for burial for they had their estate planning done in minute detail, in so much that they could whilst living, visit their future gravesite. But Abraham had none, and the reason for this was his expectation.
The devil very often hurls fiery darts at us in our frenzied preparations for the future on this planet, and as often as they come, they can be repelled by the shield of faith, using the pillar of expectation. In other words, while the infidel or the unbeliever is losing sleep over his or her assets, and their extensive preparations for the future, the true pilgrim can sleep undisturbed, as the darts of materialism fly past his mind for they cannot disturb his peace because of his expectation.
(4) Quenching through limitless possibilities.
This last pillar on the shield of faith gives the Christian an escape route from all doubt, and the shackles of finite limits. Man’s extremity becomes God’s opportunity, and where modern science is stopped dead in its tracks, the power of God is unleashed and begins to work by completely leveling all known scientific laws and inhibitions, for God specializes in impossibilities.
In Abraham’s mind, all of the promises that God had made to him would be fulfilled with certainty, and this is what was counted as righteousness unto him, because He believed God. Let’s read:
Genesis 15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
The devil is often very successful in hurling the fiery dart of doubt at the Christian. Because the promises of God often defy logic the Christian is often tempted to believe that the word of God is too far-fetched for fulfillment to be a reality, and thus we sometimes succumb to the snare of unbelief, a condition that is becoming all too rampant in our day.
There are many Christians and pilgrims living today who stand in need of the radical faith of Abraham. Some are harassed by the fiery dart of doubt, and so they decide not to have any children for fear of the time of trouble that shall come upon all the world.
Others are afraid to make great strides in any line of work or education, because they do not know when the mark of the beast will be instituted. And there are many other pilgrims who refuse to purchase a home, because they believe that the time of Christ’s Second Advent will be soon.
While this is true and cannot be controverted because of the times in which we live, God has not asked anyone to put their education, their marriage, their pregnancy, nor their development on hold, for He has plainly stated in his word, on several different occasions that all true pilgrims will be occupied in advancing in all areas when He comes. Let’s read:
Luke 19:12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
19:13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
Matthew 24:40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
24:41 Two [women shall be] grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Here in these two passages of scripture we are commanded to be occupied, and at the same time to be watchful, and therefore our faith in these two instructions will be made manifest in our general out- look on life.
The angels of God appeared suddenly out of nowhere to the shepherds whilst they were watching their sheep, God appeared to Moses while attending to his father-in law’s livestock, and the angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias while he was ministering in the priest’s office. They were all working and “Occupied” when God appeared unto them, and thus the unnecessary obsession over the time of Christ’s arrival should never be allowed to interfere with the radical shield of faith we are to wear at all times.
In other instances the fiery darts of materialism and possessions are allowed to encroach on our faith, thus making the pilgrim’s life a burden to bear.
In our day we are surrounded by an atmosphere of doubt and increasing limits, and as a result, our ability and disposition to trust in God is becoming more protracted, being influenced by what the scientific world says, or doesn’t say.
God is now calling on all true pilgrims to zip up our boots and return to our roots, even the radical faith that was exercised by father Abraham, and the reason why this call is so urgent is because practice makes perfect, and no one will learn to trust in God overnight, when the perils of the last days shall overtake us.
We therefore end with two passages of scripture which encourage us to exercise true faith in God against all odds, and if we do, the God of the impossible will come through for us in very marked and rare ways. Let’s read:
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that [country] from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
11:16 But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Hebrews 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.
10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
10:37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if [any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
May God add His blessing to the study and doing of His every word. God bless!