Choosing Faith over Fear

In Hebrews 11:27 I read, “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.” (NIV)

Moses made some intentional resolutions about how to live his life, and it’s important that I do too. One of Moses’s resolutions was this: He chose to live by faith rather than by fear.

I’ll face the same choice over and over. When it comes, will I choose to live by faith or by fear?

The Bible says in Hebrews 11:27, “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible” (NIV).

Moses went to the most powerful man in the world and said, “You know those slaves that are building all your pyramids? I’m taking them, and we’re all leaving. You’re not going to have slave labor anymore. Let my people go.”

Moses had every reason to be afraid. He was standing against the most powerful man on the planet. In those days, Pharaoh was considered a god, and whatever Pharaoh said was the law.

And here comes Moses, saying, “We aren’t going to do what you say anymore. I’m not afraid of you because I report to a higher authority.” It took some guts to do that!

I would like this same kind of faith in my life, so that I can overcome my fear. I’m learning that the closer I get to God, the more I’m going to be filled with faith. The further away I get from God, the more I’ll be filled with fear.

Faith cannot be overemphasized enough for it’s importance for the rest of my life. The Bible says, “Whatever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23 TLV).

How many times did I sin this week? Anything I did that wasn’t done in faith, that I did in doubt, was a sin.

The Bible also says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). How many times did I please God this week?

If I want something to change in my life, then stop complaining and start believing. God is not moved by complaints. God is moved by faith: “According to your faith let it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29 NIV). My faith has a big impact on what God does in my life.

Here’s the key: What matters is not the size of my faith but the size of our God. A little faith in a big God gets big results!

In summary, by faith I need to persevere by focusing on God. Moses made some intentional resolutions about how to live his life, and it’s important that I do too. One of Moses’s resolutions was this: He chose to live by faith rather than by fear. In life, I’ll face the same. When it comes, will I choose to live by faith or by fear? Moses went to the most powerful man in the world and said, let my people go. Moses had every reason to be afraid. However here comes Moses, saying, “We aren’t going to do what you say anymore. I’m not afraid because I report to a higher authority.” I would like this same kind of faith in my life, so that I can overcome my fear. The closer I get to God, the more I’m going to be filled with faith. The further away I get from God, the more I’ll be filled with fear. Faith cannot be overemphasized enough for it’s importance for the rest of my life. “Whatever is not of faith is sin.”  “Without faith it is impossible to please God”. How many times did I please God this week? If I want something to change in my life, then stop complaining and start believing. God is not moved by complaints. God is moved by faith: “According to your faith let it be done to you”. My faith has a big impact on what God does in my life. What matters is not the size of my faith but the size of my God. A little faith in a big God gets big results!

It took faith for Moses to give up his place in the palace, but he could do it because he saw the fleeting nature of great wealth and prestige. It is easy to be deceived by the temporary benefits of wealth, popularity, status, and achievement, and to blind to the long-range benefits of God's Kingdom. Faith helps me to look beyond the world's value system and to see the eternal values of God's Kingdom.