Steps of faith create a walk of obedience

If we’re stepping without the need for faith, we’re walking outside the will of God.

In a nutshell, that’s my message. But wait, there’s more!

About a month ago, I purchased my first car. A deal was made, the paperwork was signed, and it officially became mine. I was so excited! After all, I’d been looking forward to this moment ever since I first obtained my driver’s license nearly two years prior. Much to my disappointment, my prized possession needed some minor repairs. Therefore, I had to wait a couple of days before taking the car home.

​But a couple of days went by, and my car still needed work. I was disappointed. I wanted to gain possession of the car I’d just purchased. “Maybe,” I thought, “I’ll get it tomorrow.”

Tomorrow came, and my car still wasn’t ready to take home. Needless to say, I was even more disappointed. Turns out, the car wasn’t ready for another four days! On a snowy Saturday afternoon—one week after my purchase—I finally gained possession of my Chevy.

You see, there was a gap between the purchase and the possession. Between the promise and the product. And maybe that’s your dilemma today. If so, you’re not alone. Abram and Sarai have been there, too.

“Then the LORD took Abram outside and said to him, ‘Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!’” (Gen. 15:5 NLT).

Fast forward ten years.

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him….” (Gen. 16:1 NLT).

Well, this sounds likes a problem. I mean, God promised Abram many descendants. Now, it’s been a decade, and his wife can’t even have a child!

Can you relate? God hasn’t given you possession of the job He promised to give you five years ago. God hasn’t given you possession of the vision He placed upon your heart a decade ago. God hasn’t given you possession of the resource He promised to provide last month.

So what do you do? Not what Abram did.

“…But she [Sarai] had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, ‘The LORD has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.’ And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal” (Gen. 16:1-2 NLT).

Soon afterward, chaos began to erupt. Hagar treated Sarai wrongly (Gen. 16:4). Eventually, Sarai (now Sarah) demanded that Hagar and her son, Ishmael, leave her homeland (Gen. 21:10). Interestingly, Muhammed later came through the lineage of Ishmael. Today, the Islam faith nearly matches the size of Christianity.

Consider the consequences of trying to make God’s promises come true in your life prematurely.

Turns out, God had a plan for Abram and Sarai. He was, indeed, going to provide Sarai a child.
“Then God said to Abraham [Abram], ‘Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah. And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants’” (Gen. 17:15-16 NLT).

The promised son was named Isaac. And yes, Jesus Christ—the Son of God—later came through the lineage of Isaac.

Maybe you, like Abraham and Sarah, are wondering when God will come through on His promise. Maybe the car has been purchased—the promise made—but it’s still not in your possession. Whatever you do, don’t rush it. Don’t take the situation into your own hands.

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (Phil. 1:6 NLT).

In the meantime, follow God’s lead. The Bible reads, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7 KJV).

Life is a journey. “And it is impossible to please God without faith….” (Heb. 11:6 NLT).

If we’re stepping without the need for faith, we’re walking outside the will of God.