Now let us go back to Hebrews 11 and let us pick up verse 27 as an example. It is written: “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king [the Pharaoh]: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.” It is almost clear that there can be three scenarios here in this verse and in every similar verse which is written in chapter 11. The three scenarios are these:
(1) There could have been written this: “Moses had faith but he didn’t forsake Egypt, but became Pharaoh.” Could it have been written that way? Would God have taken Moses as His servant? Saying, “Oh, now you are Pharaoh. My task is easy now. I can deal directly with you, now let My people go, Moses.” Would God have done that? I don’t believe that at all.
(2) The second scenario: “Moses forsook Egypt because he was fed up with the food, being pampered with the same style of life and he just wanted to get out into the world and experience other things.” Would God have taken him? “Now you are out, you are Mine.” You see, things don’t work that way.
(3) The third scenario is: “By faith Moses forsook.”
In other words, in anything we do, there are always three scenarios:
(1) We did something because we felt, because we understood, because we desired, because this or because that. And so we did it, and we do millions of things like that, because it satisfies our own selves.
(2) We do receive light from God, we do receive faith but we do not act on it. Is it possible to receive faith from the Lord and not act on it? Is that possible? Unfortunately, too many times it is possible.
(3) We do receive faith from God and we not only have it, and we know we have it, but we act on it. We do it, we use it, and if we do (and that IF is capitalized)… IF we do — then that faith becomes living! Please remember that, IF we do — then that faith becomes living, otherwise it will become or remain dead!
Can a man lose his faith? Or can his faith fail? Let us go and read Luke 22. I’m sure you know these two verses, Luke 22:31,32: “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”
What was the faith of Peter that was about to fail? Do you know that? In Matthew, do you remember? Matthew 16:16, who was that but Peter who stood up and said: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Was that pure faith? Well, the Lord testified that it was faith, and not his colour dream, not a product of his soul.
And his faith was about to fail and the Lord prayed that his faith fail not. And the reason we can find right there as we go further in Luke 22:33, in what Peter says: “And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.” Now, THAT I call a colour dream, that I call the dung of the soul! “And he [Jesus] said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou (even) knowest me.” THAT is reality that Peter had no idea about. Thank God for Peter, because we can learn a treasure of information and truth and faith through Peter.
You also know that in the New Testament there are three times that the Spirit inspired the writers to write this statement: “The just shall live by faith.” The references are Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38. And when I reread them I could not get any more meaning out of them, except that the Lord said this: It is not written: “The just shall have faith”, but “The just shall live by faith”! And THIS is the difference, for many, many Believers; for they have faith, but live not accordingly. Many believe in the Scriptures, many believe in the Lord, but not “as the Scripture says”… not as the Scripture says! Because if they would believe “as the Scripture says”, they would do what the Scripture says and what the Lord says — and rivers of living water would flow from within their innermost being! (Jn.7:38) So I believe we can witness mountains and mountains of dead faith.
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To be continued next week
brother Hanola
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