We Must Live and Speak by Faith

Scripture: Acts 13:11

“Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.

Insights: I must confess of all the steps we have learned about this week, this third step is the hardest for me personally.  There have been many times in which I have depended on the Holy Spirit for power.  There have also been many times in which I have stood my ground against those who have expressly opposed the gospel.  This third step, however, I have been less confident in my faith journey up to this point.  I sense the Holy Spirit is growing me in this area, but I still find myself falling and stumbling.  I continue to have to return back to the Lord and ask, with a repentant heart, for His forgiveness and then I press forward with greater anticipation of His goodness and grace.  This third step I am referring to is living and speaking by faith.  Look back at our verse today.  Paul, again in the power of the Holy Spirit, states to this magician, “Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.”  When was the last time you spoke blindness on a person?  Do you understand what I am getting at this point?  Many times God pricks our heart and calls on us to speak by faith.  Whenever God calls us to speak by faith, it implies He calls us to live by that very same faith.  When His Spirit prompts us to speak a word of faith, if you are like me, you then have this follow-up thought, “but what if what I am about to say doesn’t happen, how will God [and what I really mean is how will I] look when this doesn’t happen.”  As a result, many times, I just don’t speak a word of faith at all.  Beloved, Satan knows we battle against this thought.  Because he knows this fact, he does to us what he did to Eve in the garden.  He tries to convince us we cannot trust God and he whispers lies into our ears trying to prevent us from speaking and living by faith what God has told us to say and do.  Let us rise above Satan’s attacks and believe the Father and obey Him.

Questions:

1. Are you living and speaking words of faith?

2. Are you living by earthly sight and fearful of God not working in the midst of your situation?

Prayer: Father, all too often I live in fear.  Forgive me when I allow my fear to supersede my faith.  Grow me in Your grace and may I be a person of faith and power in You.  Amen.