Acting on Faith

Memory Verse

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Introduction

I heard an analogy once. A man who was an incredible tightrope walker had strung a rope from one cliff to
another—across a canyon. In front of an audience, he asked if they believe he could walk across and back without
falling. They weren’t sure, but he did it, and their faith in him increased. Then he asked if they believed that he
could walk across while pushing a wheelbarrow, and again they weren’t sure, but he proved himself worthy by
doing so. He proceeded to walk across with the wheelbarrow full of items, each time adding more, and each time
returning successfully. He eventually walked across and back with his own assistant in the wheelbarrow. And
when he asked if they believed that he could push the wheelbarrow with several people in it, time they were
certain he could accomplish this. Then he asked some of the audience to get in.

No one volunteered.

In the same way, we struggle to take our faith in God from “belief” to “action”. It seems like a giant leap. Most of
us are hesitant to take even the first step.

Discussion

Do you believe in God? Do you believe Christ died, and then came alive again, all for your sins? Do you believe
that God is always there for you and available to help you? In what ways do you live like you believe this? In what
ways do you live like you don’t believe it?

Read

Joshua 3:13-17

Questions

According to the beginning of verse 15, what was the current condition of the river?

Read verses 15-16. When did the water stop flowing?

Written by Melissa Fisher, May 2010

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Notice that it doesn’t say, “Before their feet touched the water…” God didn’t stop the waters before the priest’s
feet touched the water. He wanted them to have faith that He would do what He said. He wanted them to act on
that faith.

Imagine you that you are one of the priests carrying the ark. God has told your people that he is taking you to a
wonderful place. And suddenly, as he guides you, you approach a flooding river. You’re probably thinking, Okay
God, you parted the Red Sea, so part this river and let’s go! But then God says, “…as soon as the priests who carry
the ark…set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off…” (Verse 13). Wait a minute—you
want me to get my feet wet first?

Taking the first step of faith can sometimes feel like a stab in the dark. Will God protect me? Will he really do
what he says? When have you been scared to do something you know God is asking you to do?

One thing I have learned about faith is that faith is not blind. Faith is like trust. We trust someone because they
have earned it. In the same way, God gave us reasons to have faith in Him long before he ever asked us to act on
that faith. How?

Let’s start with the creation of the world. Or even the Israelites. Up until this point, God has brought multiple
miraculous plagues onto their enemies, spared the Israelites from death, led them through the desert, provided
daily food from heaven…and these are only a few examples.

Now let’s think about you. Can you name a few things that God has done for you in your life? What are your
blessings? What about your spiritual mentor? Or your child? Or the fact that God gives us second (and third and
fourth) chances in life?

Read John 3:16. What is one major blessing God has done for you?

James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demos believe that—and shudder.” What
do this verse mean?

At the end of James chapter 2, it says, “…faith without deeds is dead.” While we certainly cannot earn our
salvation, we do need to display our faith by what we do.

Conclusion

God doesn’t have to prove himself to you. He already has—by sending Christ, who died and came back to life, to
give us salvation. This extraordinary act is enough for us to have faith to get our feet wet.

Luke 16:10 says, “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much…” (NASB). Your faith will grow as
you take each little step. But are you willing to take that first step today?
Written by Melissa Fisher, May 2010
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Life Application

Take some time to think about taking the next step in faith. Maybe it’s even that first step of committing your life
to God and trusting him to lead you. Maybe it’s making the decision to take yourself out of some harmful
relationships, and trust that God will provide you with good ones. Or maybe it’s another decision that takes faith
to act on. Whatever the situation is, pray about it, seek advice from a Christian friend or mentor, and, most
importantly, take the step of faith toward God. Get into the wheelbarrow. Trust Him. You won’t regret it.

Psalm 37:28 “For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but
the offspring of the wicked will be cut off.”

Further Study

James 2:14-26

Hebrews 11

Written by Melissa Fisher, May 2010

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.