30 Nov I walk by Faith and not by Sight #2

Walk By Faith Overview

Pastor’s powerful sermon on walking by faith rather than sight explores how Christians are called to be active participants in God’s kingdom, not passive bench warmers. Using the compelling analogy of a young soccer player who overcame fear and self-doubt to actively participate in the game, the message emphasizes that God has divine purpose for every believer’s life. The pastor encourages congregation members to press into genuine encounters with Jesus Christ, take steps of faith even when circumstances seem challenging, and trust in God’s timing and placement in their lives. Key themes include recognizing God’s beauty in creation, persevering in prayer for unsaved family members, and understanding that spiritual growth requires active participation rather than comfortable complacency. The sermon emphasizes that believers are God’s hands, feet, eyes, and mouth on earth – the body of Christ called to advance His kingdom through faithful action and trust.

Walk By Faith Outline

• 0:00 – Encouragement and God’s Plans: Pastor reassures congregation about God’s blessing and purpose for their lives
• 3:15 – Finding God’s Presence in Creation: Recognizing God’s glory in everyday moments and natural beauty
• 5:30 – True Encounters with Jesus: Distinguishing between religious motions and genuine life-changing encounters
• 8:45 – Persevering in Prayer for Souls: Continuing to witness and pray for family members over many years
• 12:20 – Growing from Faith to Faith: God’s desire to mature believers and use them as His body on earth
• 16:40 – Blooming Where You’re Planted: Accepting God’s timing and purpose for your current circumstances
• 18:30 – The Soccer Player Analogy: Story of boy overcoming fear to actively participate in the game
• 25:10 – No More Bench Warmers: Christians called to be active doers, not passive observers

Scripture References

Romans 12:1-8, 2 Corinthians 5:7

Key Takeaways

• God has specific plans and purposes for your life that require active faith participation, not passive observation.
• True encounters with Jesus Christ create permanent life transformation that goes beyond religious routine.
• Believers should continue praying for unsaved family members for years, trusting God’s timing for their salvation.
• Finding God’s presence in everyday moments and creation helps maintain proper spiritual perspective.
• Christians are called to be the hands, feet, eyes, and mouth of Jesus on earth through active service.
• Spiritual growth requires pressing into God and taking steps of faith even when feeling inadequate.
• God places believers in specific times and locations by divine appointment, not accident.

Walk By Faith Notes

This transformative message challenges believers to move beyond comfortable Christianity into active faith participation. The pastor begins by addressing the heart behind pastoral teaching, emphasizing that correction comes from love and desire for spiritual growth, not condemnation. He beautifully illustrates how God’s presence can be found in simple moments – sunrise prayers during commutes, walks through creation, and even appreciating winter’s icy beauty on lakes. These moments of recognition keep believers grounded in God’s goodness rather than worldly circumstances.The distinction between genuine Jesus encounters and religious routine forms a crucial foundation. True encounters with Christ create irreversible transformation that goes far beyond childhood church attendance or parental influence. When someone genuinely meets Jesus, they become new creations with awakened hearts alert to God’s magnificent power. This awakening should become the norm, not the exception, in Christian living.The sermon addresses the challenging reality of praying for unsaved family members over decades. The pastor acknowledges different approaches – from angry confrontation to loving persuasion – while emphasizing that only God can save souls. Believers must continue sharing Christ’s love and maintaining prayer, but trust must rest in God’s ability rather than human effort. Many can testify to receiving unexpected phone calls from family members who encountered God through divine intervention, often through media or unexpected spiritual encounters.The soccer analogy powerfully illustrates spiritual growth and participation. A young boy initially wanted to remain on the bench, faking injuries to avoid playing, believing he wasn’t good enough compared to other players. However, through consistent practice and encouragement, he developed both skills and confidence to actively participate. This mirrors many Christians who prefer spiritual bench warming – attending church but avoiding active kingdom participation. God calls believers to be doers of the word, actively advancing His kingdom despite feelings of inadequacy.The message emphasizes divine timing and placement. Just as we didn’t choose our birth time or circumstances, God strategically places believers in specific locations and eras for kingdom purposes. Rather than wishing for simpler times, Christians should bloom where planted, recognizing their current circumstances as divine appointments. This perspective transforms complaint into purpose and resignation into mission.Spiritual maturation involves growing from faith to faith, strength to strength, and glory to glory. When pastors teach on prayer, witnessing, love, or humility, it reflects God’s desire to elevate the congregation’s spiritual level. Believers should approach teaching with open hearts, ready to receive whatever heavenly Father wants to develop in their lives. This requires active participation in spiritual disciplines and willingness to step beyond current comfort zones.The sermon concludes by emphasizing that taking steps of faith activates God’s miraculous power. Sitting on spiritual benches guarantees missing opportunities, while active faith participation opens doors for divine intervention. Believers are called to lay hands on the sick, pray prayers of faith, and stand in the gap for others. This requires maintaining active prayer lives, refusing to give up on loved ones, and declaring household salvation as God’s promise.

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