How to Live with Faith (Hebrews 11:8-19)

“What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. God gave his approval to people in days of old because of their faith.” (Hebrews 11:1-2)

What does faith look like? Hebrews 11 provides living, breathing examples of faith. Abraham teaches us three actions of faith lived out.

1) FAITH LEAVES WHAT SEEMS FAMILIAR

“It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8)

2) FAITH BELIEVES WHAT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE

“It was by faith that Sarah together with Abraham was able to have a child, even though they were too old and Sarah was barren. Abraham believed that God would keep his promise.” (Hebrews 11:11)

3) FAITH SURRENDERS WHAT SEEMS IRREPLACEABLE

“It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, though God had promised him, ‘Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.’ Abraham assumed that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.” (Hebrews 11:17-19)