Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
When you see footprints, you can be sure that those footprints mean that someone whose feet those prints represent have been at that place. When reading Hebrews 11, you find the footprints of faith. Faith always leaves a footprint so that others can walk the same path. If I were to try to understand what faith is, I would go to Hebrews 11 and study the chapter to see what I need to do to live by faith.
Throughout my life, I have always been challenged by the faith of others. I was challenged as a young man by the faith of my parents. I was challenged as a young preacher by the faith of my pastor. I have been challenged throughout my life by the faith of the great men of the past. Then, I read the Scriptures, and my faith is continually challenged. What do these challenge me to do? They challenge me to attempt something great for God. However, when I look at those who challenged my faith and compared their impact to those in Hebrews 11, I see several footprints of faith that they left behind for others to follow. Let me share these footprints.
Hope is the first footprint of faith. Every person who has lived by faith had a hope of something happening. You cannot live by faith without having a hope of something great happening in your life. If you don’t have hope that God can do something great, you are not living by faith.
Trust is the second footprint of faith. Belief in God’s ability to come through is what causes you to trust Him when reality says you are a fool. I would rather look like a fool and trust God by faith than to be a fool not to trust God and live in doubt. Every person who has lived by faith had a great trust in God and His promises to always care for His own and honor their faith.
Fear is the third footprint of faith. What fear does faith produce? The fear that you will not please God with your life. No, this is not a fear of man, but a fear of disappointing God through your lack of faith. A person who lives a life of faith will have a great fear in their heart that one misstep of doubt will ruin what God is trying to do through their life by faith.
Obedience is the fourth footprint of faith. Faith doesn’t have to see the other side of obeying God; it just has to trust that God knows where He is leading you. If you are not willing to obey God in every aspect of your life, you will struggle to live a life of faith. It takes obedience to what God tells you to do to live a life of faith. Any trace of disobedience in your life is a trace of self-trust and not of faith in God.
Action is the fifth footprint of faith. Any person who has lived by faith always acted upon their faith. To say you are living by faith and not acting upon what you believe God can do through faith is a lie. Faith always pushes God’s people into action. You cannot live a life of faith and enjoy the fruit of faith if you are sitting and doing nothing. The life of faith is always evidenced by the action they took by faith.
Vision is the sixth footprint of faith. Those who live by faith have a great vision that others cannot see. If you don’t desire to see the miraculous, you will never walk the life of faith. Faith always has a vision greater than your capability, but to take action on that vision is what lets you see the miraculous in your life.
