Words of Life|Pastor Balan Swaminathan|HIPM

Faith Hall of Fame | Walls of Jericho

Hebrews 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.

God wants you to pull these walls down by faith today. 

- Wall No1: Walls of Jericho built within us - This wall is built by us, not seen by others
- Wall no 2: Walls of Jericho built around us - This wall is built by us, but seen by others
- Wall no 3: Walls of Jericho built by others

God wants us to take a step of faith to make a shout of praise so that these walls will fall trembling down. 

If we do that, God wants to build walls around us.  At times God build walls around us to get something done in our lives. 

Faith Hall of Fame | Red Sea

This sermon explores the faith of the children of Israel as they crossed the Red Sea.

Hebrews 11:29  ²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

Exodus 14:10-29 By faith children of Israel passed through the Red Sea

God wants us to forget our past, build up our faith and move forward. 

Faith Hall of Fame | Moses

We see five achievements of Moses by the faith He had on God.

- By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter
- By faith Moses chose to suffer affliction with the people of God than enjoying the passing pleasures of sin
- By faith Moses thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.
- By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible
- By faith Moses commanded people of Israel to keep Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts that the angel of death would not kill the firstborn

Matthew 11:30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Faith Hall of Fame | Moses' Parents

Some of the key characteristics of Moses' parents especially his mother Jockebed that led them to such a great faith in God:

-  A knowledge about the time in which she was living
- An awareness of the consequences of disobeying King's command
- Willing to risk their lives for God's plan to be fulfilled
- Expecting to get favor from the enemy
- Willing to let go what belongs to God

Faith Hall of Fame | Joseph

Hebrews 11:22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

- Joseph had a certain future hope, being a man of faith
- Joseph believed that the children of Israel will depart from Egypt.
- His belief was that his bones will be buried along with his father's.

What does this mean today to us?

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Faith Hall of Fame | Jacob

Hebrews 11:21 ²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

Jacob's faith could foresee the things that are yet to happen on the land.

Faith Hall of Fame | Isaac

What is Isaac's faith?

- Isaac's faith in God that leads to obedience to his father.
- His prayer life, that he could ask God for a blessing that was missing in his life.
- His faith in sowing the seed, even in season and in out of season.
- His faith in digging the wells of Abraham that are covered by mud

Such a faith in God made Isaac to bless his children even at the old age.

Today, God wants us to be a blessing to others.

Faith Hall of Fame | Abraham Offered Isaac

Hebrews 11:17-19 ¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ¹⁸ of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” ¹⁹ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative (symbolic, allegorical or metaphorical ) sense.

What made Abraham to demonstrate such a faith in God?

What was the reason for such a faith of Abraham in God?

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Faith Hall of Fame | Sarah

Hebrews 11:11-12 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

When we think about Sarah, it comes to our mind Sarah as a woman of failure.  We can understand Abraham a man of faith.  But some time we hesitate to accept Sarah as a woman of faith.  But since God considered her a woman of faith, certainly we want to know what kind of faith Sarah had.

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Faith Hall of Fame | Abraham

Unlike Abel, Noah and Enoch, the life of Abraham is addressed in the scriptures in detail. 

As we will note, Abraham did not come from a godly home. In fact, his father was an idol worshiper.  Thus, Abraham was brought up in a home with heathen, ungodly ideas.

Yet, though he was born into a home of pagan idolaters, he became a great man of God who left an example for those who would follow in his footsteps and walk by faith in the promises of God.

- By faith Abraham obeyed the call of God
- By faith he went out not knowing where he was going
- By faith he dwelt in the foreign land as a stranger
- By faith he waited for the city built by God

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