Persistent Faith
Photo of Mount Moriah where Abraham was told to sacrifice his son Isaac, but God provided a lamb for the sacrifice.
Below is the Message Audio followed by Typed Notes.
Persistent faith refers to a steadfast and unwavering trust in God, characterized by perseverance and endurance despite challenges, trials and circumstances.
Abraham’s Persistent Faith.
God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” The promise would be fullfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ to redeem sinful man.
Abraham’s Trial showed his Persistent Faith. Genesis 22:1,2,6-13 “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of….And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.”
The Apostle Paul in confirms Abraham’s Persisting Faith in Romans 4:20-21 "Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised."
Bible statements that instructs people of faith to practice Persisting Faith that Perseveres.
Hebrews 10:36 "You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.”
James 1:3 “knowing that the testing of your⁺ faith produces perseverance.”
People of Persistent Faith in the Bible.
Joseph’s Persisting Faith in Egypt. Genesis 45:7-8 “God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God."
Moses’s Persistent Faith delivers the people of Israel from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. Exodus 14:13-16 “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever.” The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.”
David’s Persistent Faith during his struggles with his enemies. 2 Samuel 22:1-7 “And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul: And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.”
Job was said to be “…a man that was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” His faith persisted even though God allowed Satan to attack him: Job 1:8-9&12 “And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.” Satan caused Job to lose all his children and his wealth, and his wife said to him “curse God and die.” Because of Job’s Persistent faith God restored all his losses: Job 42:12-13. “The LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters.
In order for people of Faith to Persist in Faith they need to:
Remain steadfast in Bible study.
Prayer to God seeking God’s direction in daily life.
Reliance on the Holy Spirit.
Fellowship with other believers which can be encouraging.
Sharing God’s word with family and friends.