Walking by Faith

The Journey of Faith | Genesis 12:1-8.

   All of us are on the journey of life. We can make the journey in one of two ways. We can make the journey on the basis of what our eyes can see—that’s walking by sight. Or we can make the journey on the basis of what we cannot see—that’s walking by faith.

The Bible says we walk not by sight but by faith (2 Cor. 5:7). God wants each person’s life’s journey to be a journey of faith. Through the life of Abraham, we learn what walking the journey of life by faith really means.

I. The Call of Faith (12:1-3)

Genesis 12:1 says, “Now the LORD had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country.’” Notice that the Bible says that in the life of faith, God always takes the initiative. Somebody said, “I sought the Lord until I finally found Him.” In reality, if you ever sought the Lord, it’s because the Lord had previously searched for you. Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you” (John 15:16). God always takes the first step and makes the first move. God reached out to Abram.

A cost is also involved. God told Abram he had to leave his country, Ur of the Chaldeans, and his father’s house.

Sometimes when God sends us, He doesn’t tell us the whole story. But notice that God made seven promises to Abram in Genesis 12:2-3:

1. “I will make you a great nation”
2. “I will bless you”—God did indeed bless Abraham
3. I will “make your name great”—Abram’s name (Abraham as he is referred to later) is revered in the three major religions of the world: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity
4. “You shall be a blessing”—indeed, Abram has been a blessing
5. “I will bless those who bless you”—historically, those who have blessed the Jewish people, God has blessed
6. “I will curse him who curses you”
7. “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”—through the line of Abram, this great man who was willing to obey the call of God to faith, ultimately came the Savior. You and I have a Savior whose name is Jesus because of God’s promise to Abraham.

Isn’t this amazing? One act of obedience! God basically says, “Abraham, you follow Me; and if you will, I will bless you seven ways.”

II. The Compliance of Faith (12:4–6)

Here was Abram, settled down, prosperous business, everything going well. God spoke to Abram, telling him to follow His instructions and become a blessing to the world. The Bible says that Abraham obeyed and departed.

Faith is based on God’s Word, and faith is demonstrated by obedience. Total obedience means giving all your time, talent, and treasure. It means giving your totality to Christ. Believers should never be satisfied to be “halfway” Christians. We should go the whole route with the Lord Jesus Christ, giving Him everything we have.

III. The Confession of Faith (12:7-8)

In two symbolic ways, Abram would confess his faith in the Lord. Look at Genesis 12:7: “The LORD appeared to Abram.” When Abram arrived where God had sent him, the Lord was there to greet him. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” This means that the same Jesus who called you to follow Him by faith will meet you where He sends you.

Notice in Genesis 12:8 that Abram did two things: he pitched a tent, and he built an altar. I circled tent and altarin my Bible. Those two symbolic actions demonstrate Abram’s confession of faith in the Lord.

Abram pitched a tent. Back in Haran, he had probably been dwelling in a very nice, luxurious home. From this point on, he began to live in a tent. Why? God had made it clear to Abram that he was to live in a tent as a confession that he understood this world was his temporary dwelling, and that he was going to a city whose builder and maker is God (see Heb. 11:10).

Please don’t get too attached to this old world. Don’t drive your stakes down too deep. If you have responded to God by faith, if you are on the journey of faith, God has promised you a better world. Remember—you are a stranger and a pilgrim.

Abram also built an altar. The Bible says that he called on the name of the Lord. The altar reminded him of his devotion to the Lord—that his all was to be on the altar. We face the same lesson in Romans 12:1 where we’re told to present our bodies as “a living sacrifice.” Have you laid your all on that altar for Jesus Christ? Is Jesus absolutely number one in your life?

Genesis 12:8 also says that Ai was on the east and Bethel on the west. Ai means heap of ruins; Bethel means house of God. Abram’s altar was between his daily choices of direction for his life. Would he move his life toward the heap of ruins, or would he move his life toward the house of God?

Every day in this journey of faith, that’s the decision we must make. We have to decide if we will live toward that heap of ruins, the things of this world, or if we will we live toward Bethel, the house of God.

When you make that decision by faith, when you say goodbye to this old world and hello to the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, then you are on the journey of faith.

God bless you.