HAVING A WINNING FAITH
Series: Faith, The Heartbeat of an Authentic Christian Living
MEMORY VERSE: 1 John 5:4
SCRIPTURE BASIS
30 By faith the walls of Jericho
30 By faith, the Israelites marched around the walls of Jericho for seven days, and the walls fell flat.
31 By an act of faith, Rahab, the Jericho harlot, welcomed the spies and escaped the destruction that came on those who refused to trust God.
Preamble:
So far in this series we have studied about the following heroes listed in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11
- Antediluvian period.
- Abel
- Enoch
- Noah
- Patriarchal Period:
- Abraham
- Isaac
- Jacob
- Joseph
- Exodus Period:
- Moses
Today we are going to study about:
- Joshua
- Rahab the prostitute.
INTRODUCTION:
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
and your ways are not My ways.”
⌊This is⌋ the Lord’s declaration.
13 For it is God who is working in you, ⌊enabling you⌋ both to desire and to work out His good purpose.
1. WE MUST HAVE A TRUST THAT TRIUMPHS
The word translated “faith” in this passage is the Greek word: πίστις pistis; from 3982; faith, faithfulness:—faith(238), faithfulness(3), pledge(1), proof(1).
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
“There could be no trial run, no rehearsal to give confidence.”-- Philip H Hacking
2. WE MUST HAVE A TESTIMONY OF TRUST IN GOD
31 It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
The name Rahab means:
Rahab #1 (ra’-hab) = Insolence; fierceness; (root = to rage; to be fierce; to make courageous). Job 9:13 Isaiah 3:5 Proverbs 6:3 Psalm 138:3 . A poetic name applied to Egypt Psalms 87:4 Isaiah 30:7
EDBN
The word translated Prostitute is the Greek word πόρνη pornē; prob. from πέρνημι pernēmi (to export for sale); a prostitute:—harlot(6), harlots(1), prostitute(2), prostitutes(3). Whore.
34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
23 The men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all the other relatives who were with her. They moved her whole family to a safe place near the camp of Israel
24 Then the Israelites burned the town and everything in it. Only the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron were kept for the treasury of the Lord’s house. 25 So Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the house, because she had hidden the spies Joshua sent to Jericho
3. WE MUST REALIZE THAT TRUE FAITH ACTS (FAITH IN ACTION)
31 It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
13 that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death.”
23 So the young men who had scouted went in and brought out Rahab and her father, mother, brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel
CONCLUSION:
13 For “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”
