To Encourage You

Hebrews 11:32-39 “And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated —of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, (were) commended through their faith . . .”

As Hebrews 11, which is often called “The Faith Chapter,” comes to an end, it gives a list of people who were commended for their faith.  Some are named, but others are not.  The list contains some of the great heroes of the Bible, people like Gideon who was victorious in a battle in which he faced overwhelming odds; Samson, who slew more Philistines in death than he did during his life; David, who as a young boy slew the Philistine giant Goliath; and Daniel, who was thrown into a lion’s den but came out completely unscathed.  It’s such a list of miraculous events. It is the fact that they believed God as they faced such overwhelming obstacles that made all the difference as to the outcome.  They lived victoriously by faith.  The Bible is filled with such examples.

However, the list above also includes those who did not have such victories. It lists those who were tortured and died horrible deaths such as by stoning, the sword, and even by being sawn in two! Yet, these people, in the face of overwhelming suffering, endured that suffering because of their faith. In all that they faced, they never turned away from their God.  The faith which every one of these people shared was the means by which they all not only lived victoriously, but suffered and died victoriously. They all followed the model of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who also lived with power over sin, the devil, physical infirmity, nature, and death.

Jesus rose from the grave with a demonstration of His greatest power, a power that has given eternal life to all who believe.  That’s what faith in Christ does for us, for we trust not in ourselves but in the One who can raise the dead.  It’s because we know Him that we can have peace in the midst of the storm, trusting Him to have His glorious way with us, whether it be by life or by death.  It’s a life of victory no matter what.

Those who don’t have such faith surely have no such victory. For them, life is lived trusting in who knows what, but who knows what is always infinitely weaker than God. And in death – there is no confidence, there is no peace, for even if there is a show of peace, it is nothing more than wishful thinking. Whatever or whoever they’re trusting in never came back from the grave and it or they cannot tell them what’s on the other side. 

Those who know Christ know One Who is life and One Who has conquered the grave. That’s why it is only the believer in Christ that can confidently say with the apostle Paul, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). It’s such an awesome thing, this life of faith!