Faith Demands Sacrifice
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” - Hebrews 11:6
In Joshua 6, God sent Joshua to the city of Jericho for what, at the time, seemed like an impossible task—to bring down the walls of Jericho and gain access to the city (mind you the embankment retaining wall was 12-15 feet high, and 46 feet above that, at the top of the embankment, was another wall 26 feet high and six feet thick wall).
God asked Joshua and his army to march around the wall for 7 days until the walls came down. Despite the skepticism of many, Joshua believed God and the walls fell. Joshua was obedient to the will of God, and he gained the victory.
Faith demands sacrifice through actions and beliefs. If Joshua had told God that the task was impossible and that he did not have the time nor the energy to march around the wall, he would have been disobeying God’s command.
God’s promises today are just as certain as they were in biblical times. He may not ask us to bring down a wall, but he does ask us for patience, for trust, and for faith. Waiting on and trusting God is a sacrifice because we are relying on the strength of a higher power, and not on our own. We may be told by others that it’s crazy to have faith. However, faith is counter-cultural and lives outside of the carnal mindset.
We must have the strength to believe that our sacrifice is worthwhile because we are looking to please God and not man. What is God asking you to sacrifice today? Instead of seeing it as a burden, I challenge you to see it as a blessing. He would not ask you to do something that does not work in your best interest. Trust that your sacrifice will pay off.
In Joshua 6, God sent Joshua to the city of Jericho for what, at the time, seemed like an impossible task—to bring down the walls of Jericho and gain access to the city (mind you the embankment retaining wall was 12-15 feet high, and 46 feet above that, at the top of the embankment, was another wall 26 feet high and six feet thick wall).
God asked Joshua and his army to march around the wall for 7 days until the walls came down. Despite the skepticism of many, Joshua believed God and the walls fell. Joshua was obedient to the will of God, and he gained the victory.
Faith demands sacrifice through actions and beliefs. If Joshua had told God that the task was impossible and that he did not have the time nor the energy to march around the wall, he would have been disobeying God’s command.
God’s promises today are just as certain as they were in biblical times. He may not ask us to bring down a wall, but he does ask us for patience, for trust, and for faith. Waiting on and trusting God is a sacrifice because we are relying on the strength of a higher power, and not on our own. We may be told by others that it’s crazy to have faith. However, faith is counter-cultural and lives outside of the carnal mindset.
We must have the strength to believe that our sacrifice is worthwhile because we are looking to please God and not man. What is God asking you to sacrifice today? Instead of seeing it as a burden, I challenge you to see it as a blessing. He would not ask you to do something that does not work in your best interest. Trust that your sacrifice will pay off.
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