RETURN TO SYLLABUS
HEBREWS 12:3-13
LESSON #30
FAITH AND THE TRIALS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
v MEMORY VERSE: HEB 12:6
v WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT THE FULLNESS
OF FAITH THROUGH HEB 11?
Ø FAITH BRINGS INTO REALITY WHAT YOU ARE
PRAYING FOR EVEN BEFORE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE IT.
§
BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT YOU RECEIVED
THEM EVEN BEFORE YOU SEE THEM AND YOU WILL HAVE THEM. (MAR 11:23-24).
Ø FAITH DOES NOT ONLY DEAL WITH THE
PROMISES OF GOD BUT IT IS AN UNCEASING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.
Ø FAITH IS HEAD KNOWLEDGE PLUS ACTION,
WHICH RESULTS IN HEART FAITH. (JAM 2:17)
Ø OUR PROFESSION OF FAITH IS IMPORTANT,
FOR OUT OF THE MOUTH
THE HEART
SPEAKS. (MAT 12:34)
Ø THE WALK OF FAITH INCLUDES SACRIFICE. (ABEL)
§
WE ENTER THE CHRISTIAN WALK OF FAITH
THROUGH THE SACRIFICE
OF JESUS CHRIST. OUR FAITH WALK DEMANDS WE SACRIFICE OUR OWN DESIRES.
Ø THE WALK OF FAITH INCLUDES WALKING WITH
HIM. (ENOCH)
§
THE FAITH WALK DEMANDS WE WALK WITH HIM
IN A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP DAILY KNOWING GOD CONTROLS OUR LIVES.
Ø THE WALK OF FAITH INCLUDES WORK (FAITH
IN ACTION). (NOAH)
Ø FAITH IS A GRADUAL PROCESS OF GROWING
WITH GOD. (ABRAHAM)
§
THE STARTING POINT OF FAITH IS NOT
ALWAYS PERFECT AND COMPLETE, BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL AND PATIENT WITH US.
§
GOD REVEALS HIS PLAN STEP BY STEP, BUT
ONLY AFTER WE OBEY THE FIRST STEP, DOES GOD REVEAL THE NEXT STEP.
§
OBEDIENCE IS THE LIFE OF FAITH. (ABRAHAM)
· FAITH IS A CONSTANT RELIANCE AND A
FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE, REVEALED AND PERFECTED STEP BY STEP.
§
FAITH HAS AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE. (ABRAHAM)
· FAITH IS FOR DAILY LIFE HERE AND NOW,
AND ALSO FOR THE ETERNAL FUTURE.
· AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE IS THE ONLY WAY
TO MAINTAIN YOUR FAITH IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.
§
FAITH CREATES AN ATMOSPHERE IN THE HOME
THAT IS PASSED ON TO CHILDREN. (ISAAC, JACOB, JOSEPH)
§
FAITH IS ALWAYS A CHOICE THAT YOU MAKE.
(MOSES)
· YOU CHOOSE GOD OR THE WORLD. YOU CHOOSE
TO WALK BY FAITH OR BY SIGHT.
§
FAITH IS A SPIRITUAL BATTLE (JOSHUA)
· IN THE BATTLE OF LIFE, THERE'S A TIME
TO BE STILL AND WAIT ON GOD. IT MEANS WE WAIT FOR GOD'S PERFECT TIMING.
§
FAITH CREATES THE POWER OF ENDURANCE
AND PATIENCE.
¨ THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FAITH WITHOUT
DIFFICULTIES AND TESTING.
§
THE FOCUS OF FAITH MUST BE JESUS, THE
AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF IT.
· THEREFORE, THE ANSWERS TO PRAYER MUST
BE ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL.
v READ HEB 12:1-2
Ø THE TWO THINGS WE LAY ASIDE IN ORDER TO
RUN THE RACE OF FAITH:
§
SIN
§
HINDRANCES
· WHAT ARE HINDRANCES?
¨ THEY ARE THINGS THAT KEEP US FROM
SPIRITUAL GROWTH.
Ø THE CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ATHLETE
RUNNING A RACE:
§
HE IS FOCUSED AND CONCENTRATED ON THE
GOAL.
§
HE GIVES HIMSELF TOTALLY TO THE TASK
SET BEFORE HIM.
· FOR THE CHRISTIAN, IT IS THAT ETERNAL
PERSPECTIVE WE TALKED ABOUT.
§
HE IS WELL TRAINED.
· FOR THE CHRISTIAN IT MEANS KNOWING THE
WORD OF GOD.
§
HE IS SELF-DISCIPLINED.
§
HE PUTS ASIDE EVERYTHING THAT
WILL HINDER HIS TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT.
· HE PUTS OFF EVERYTHING THAT WILL
HINDER THE RUNNING OF THE RACE.
Ø CHARACTERISTICS AND QUALITIES FOR THE
RACE:
§
THE NECESSARY QUALITY FOR A LONG
RACE IS PATIENCE (1).
§
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS REFERRED TO AS A
"WALK" BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH AND ENDURANCE INVOLVED, AND BECAUSE IT OCCURS ONE
STEP AT A TIME.
§
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS ALSO REFERRED TO
AS A "RACE" BECAUSE OF THE INTENSE EFFORT AND DISCIPLINE INVOLVED THAT REQUIRE
THE DEDICATION OF BODY AND MIND.
Ø CHRIST THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR
FAITH (2)
§
HE IS THE FOUNDER, AND PIONEER. HE
PLACED THE MEASURE OF FAITH IN YOU WHEN YOU FIRST ACCEPTED HIM AS SAVIOR.
§
HE WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE TRIALS OF
LIFE THAT WILL PERFECT YOUR FAITH, AND WILL BE THERE TO REWARD YOU IN THE END.
v READ HEB 12:3-13 TRIALS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AND THE CHRISTIAN'S
HOPE
Ø DON'T LOSE HEART
§
WHAT SHOULD WE DO WHEN WE GET
DISCOURAGED?
· CONSIDER JESUS' SUFFERING AND HOW
LITTLE WE SUFFER IN COMPARISON.
¨ IF PERFECTION COULD NOT COME EXCEPT
THROUGH HIS SUFFERING, HOW MUCH MORE DO WE NEED SUFFERING TO PERFECT US.
· WHAT SHOULD BE YOUR ATTITUDE IN
PERSECUTION AND TRIALS?
¨ READ 1PET 1:7
Ø DON'T CONSIDER SUFFERING LIGHTLY AS NOT
BEING IMPORTANT.
§
THINK ABOUT WHAT IT'S DOING FOR
YOU RATHER THAN WHAT IT IS DOING TO YOU.
¨ NEVER SUFFER THE LOSS IN YOUR SOUL
BECAUSE OF THE TRIALS OF LIFE.
Ø MAKE SUFFERING YOUR GREATEST GAIN BY
LOOKING TO WHAT JESUS WILL MAKE PERFECT IN YOUR LIFE.
§
ASK GOD WHAT YOU SHOULD BE LEARNING
THROUGH THE SITUATION IN WHICH YOU FIND YOURSELF.
¨ RECEIVE EVERY INWARD AND OUTWARD
TROUBLE AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIE TO SELF.
¨ MEET CHASTENING WITH "FAITH"
RATHER THAN "SIGHT", FOR TO THE FLESH IT IS GRIEVOUS. WHEN IT IS MET WITH FAITH,
IT IS RODUCTIVE.
¨ CONSIDER SUFFERING AS A SIGN THAT GOD,
YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER, LOVES YOU LIKE A SON.
Ø IF YOU STRUGGLED WITH RECEIVING
DISCIPLINE
FROM YOUR
EARTHLY FATHER AS A CHILD, YOU WILL STRUGGLE WITH RECEIVING DISCIPLINE FROM YOUR HEAVENLY
FATHER.
¨ SUBMISSION TO CHASTENING HELPS TO FORM
AND TO PROVE THE CHILD-LIKE SPIRIT OF THE BELIEVER.
Ø THEREFORE, BEAR IT WITH JOY AND NOT
BITTERNESS.
Ø READ JAM 1:2-4,12 GOD'S UNIVERSITY OF CHASTENING
§
A TESTING OF FAITH PRODUCES PATIENCE.
§
PATIENCE PRODUCES PERFECTION
(COMPLETENESS) AND WHOLENESS.
§
ENDURANCE IS REWARDED WITH A CROWN OF
LIFE.
Ø WHAT DOES CHASTENING PROFIT US?
§
IT REMOVES THE FOOLISHNESS OF
REBELLION. (PRO 22:14 PRO 14:18}
§
IT HELPS US TO GAIN WISDOM AND SUCCESS. (PRO 4:10-13
PRO 23:12-19}
§
IT CAUSES US TO ENTER INTO TRUE LIFE.
(PRO 9:6 PRO 13:20)
§
IT PRODUCES HOLINESS IN US. (HEB 12:11)
· BECAUSE WE WILL RULE AND REIGN WITH
CHRIST WHEN HE RETURNS, WE NEED TO BE TRAINED AND READY FOR THAT POSITION.
§
GET INTO SHAPE!!
· HEB 12:12-13 IS AN ADMONITION TO GET
INTO GOOD RUNNING SHAPE FOR THE CHRISTIAN RACE.
¨ PREPARE YOUR HEART FOR
"ENDURANCE".
¨ MAKE JESUS YOUR "FOCUS". HE
IS THE ONE WHO HAS ALREADY ENDURED.
¨ KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE END OF THE RACE.
(AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE)
v APPLICATION OF HEB 12:3-13
§
WHAT IS YOUR RUNNING CONDITION IN THE
CHRISTIAN RACE?
§
WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD THE TRIALS
YOU GO THROUGH?
§
WHAT CAN YOU DO SPECIFICALLY THIS WEEK
TO IMPROVE YOUR ATTITUDE?
§
IF YOU ARE GOING THROUGH A SPECIFIC
TRIAL AT THE MOMENT, WHAT IS
GOD TRYING TO TEACH YOU THROUGH IT?
v PREPARATION FOR HEB 12:14-29
§
READ HEB 12:14-29 THE FIFTH WARNING
¨ WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND COMPARISON?
(18,22)
¨ WHAT IS THE SIN?
¨ WHAT IS THE WARNING?