Choosing Faith: Hope in Adversity Through Jesus
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound theme of hope and faith, particularly in the face of adversity. We began by acknowledging that many of us are struggling with various challenges—be it medical, relational, financial, or spiritual—and feel on the brink of losing hope. The essence of our gathering is to remind ourselves that our hope should be firmly placed in Jesus. Misplaced hope in worldly things will always lead to disappointment, but hope in Jesus is steadfast and eternal.
We delved into the story from Numbers 13 and 14, where the Israelites sent spies to Canaan. The majority returned with a negative report, filled with fear and doubt, while only Joshua and Caleb brought back a report of faith. This narrative serves as a powerful illustration of how our perception—our "filters"—can shape our reality. We can choose to view life through the filter of faith or the filter of unbelief. The ten spies saw giants and fortified cities and concluded that they were like grasshoppers in their own eyes. In contrast, Joshua and Caleb saw the same giants but believed that with God, they could overcome.
We discussed how our personal filters, shaped by our past experiences, education, and upbringing, can either lead us to faith or to fear. Doubt is a natural human experience, but it becomes dangerous when it leads to unbelief, which is essentially rebellion against God's word. We examined how doubt can evolve into deception, decision-making based on fear, and ultimately, division and devastation.
The call to action is to adopt the "minority report" mindset of Joshua and Caleb. This involves calming the voice of doubt, clarifying God's promises, humbling ourselves, encouraging one another, and promoting unity. Faith is not a feeling but a choice to trust and obey God, even when circumstances seem insurmountable. As a community, we are encouraged to be a people of faith, to speak truth with kindness, and to trust that our best days are ahead of us because God is in control.
### Key Takeaways
1. Hope in Jesus: Our hope must be firmly placed in Jesus, not in worldly things. Misplaced hope leads to disappointment, but hope in Jesus is steadfast and eternal. When we feel on the brink of losing hope, we must turn our hearts fully to Him and declare, "All our hope is in you, Jesus" [40:21].
2. Filters of Faith vs. Unbelief: We all have filters shaped by our past experiences, but as followers of Jesus, we must choose to view life through the filter of faith rather than unbelief. Unbelief is essentially rebellion against God's word, while faith allows us to see God's promises and possibilities [51:32].
3. Doubt and Deception: Doubt is a natural part of our human experience, but it becomes dangerous when it leads to deception and unbelief. Doubt suspends us in indecision, while unbelief is a firm choice to reject God's word. We must not stay in doubt too long, as it can lead to a faulty perception of reality [58:48].
4. Courage and Unity: Courage is not the absence of fear but the decision to do what is right despite fear. Joshua and Caleb demonstrated this by encouraging the Israelites to trust in God's promises. Promoting unity and speaking truth in faith, not fear, are essential for a community of believers [01:29:34].
5. Faith as a Choice: Faith is not a feeling but a deliberate choice to trust and obey God. This choice often comes with an inner witness of the Holy Spirit, affirming that we are on the right path. We must decide to believe God's report and promises, even when circumstances seem daunting [01:27:29].
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[40:21] - Introduction and Call to Hope
[42:42] - Reading from Numbers 13 and 14
[47:32] - Moses' Intercession and God's Response
[50:04] - Tisha B'Av and Historical Context
[51:32] - Filters of Faith vs. Unbelief
[55:04] - Personal Story: The Lake and Faulty Filters
[58:48] - Doubt vs. Unbelief
[01:00:23] - The Paradigm of the Ten Spies
[01:03:26] - Practicing the Divine "But"
[01:10:52] - The Danger of Doubt and Deception
[01:14:53] - Decision and Strongholds
[01:17:33] - Head Space and Identity
[01:20:55] - David and Goliath: A Lesson in Faith
[01:27:29] - The Minority Report: Faith in Action
[01:31:46] - Conclusion and Call to Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Numbers 13:1-3, 25-33
2. Numbers 14:1-10, 20-24
3. Hebrews 11:6
#### Observation Questions
1. What was the report brought back by the ten spies, and how did it differ from the report of Joshua and Caleb? ([44:11])
2. How did the Israelites react to the negative report from the ten spies? ([46:08])
3. What was God's response to the Israelites' reaction, and how did Moses intercede for them? ([47:32])
4. According to the sermon, what are the two basic filters through which we can view life? ([52:31])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it significant that Joshua and Caleb had a different spirit compared to the other spies? How does this relate to the concept of faith? ([47:03])
2. How does the sermon describe the progression from doubt to deception, and ultimately to division and devastation? ([01:00:23])
3. What does it mean to have a "minority report" mindset, and how can this mindset impact a community of believers? ([01:27:29])
4. How does the story of the Israelites in Numbers 13 and 14 illustrate the dangers of unbelief and the importance of faith? ([56:07])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you placed your hope in something other than Jesus. How did that experience turn out, and what did you learn from it? ([40:21])
2. Think about the filters through which you view life. Are there any "faulty filters" that you need to address? How can you begin to see life through the filter of faith? ([55:04])
3. Doubt is a natural part of our human experience, but it becomes dangerous when it leads to unbelief. How can you move from a place of doubt to a place of faith in your current circumstances? ([58:48])
4. Joshua and Caleb demonstrated courage by encouraging the Israelites to trust in God's promises. How can you show courage in your own life, especially when facing fear or uncertainty? ([01:29:34])
5. Faith is a choice, not a feeling. What specific steps can you take this week to choose faith over fear in a challenging situation you are facing? ([01:27:29])
6. The sermon emphasized the importance of promoting unity and speaking truth in faith. How can you contribute to unity within your small group or church community? ([01:30:02])
7. Reflect on the concept of the "divine but" mentioned in the sermon. How can you practice this in your daily conversations and thought processes to focus on God's promises rather than the challenges? ([01:03:26])
Devotional
Day 1: Hope Anchored in Jesus
Our hope must be firmly placed in Jesus, not in worldly things. Misplaced hope leads to disappointment, but hope in Jesus is steadfast and eternal. When we feel on the brink of losing hope, we must turn our hearts fully to Him and declare, "All our hope is in you, Jesus." This is a reminder that worldly things are transient and unreliable, but Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. By anchoring our hope in Him, we find a foundation that cannot be shaken, no matter the storms we face. [40:21]
Hebrews 6:19-20 (ESV): "We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have placed your hope in something other than Jesus? How can you begin to shift your hope back to Him today?
Day 2: Filters of Faith vs. Unbelief
We all have filters shaped by our past experiences, but as followers of Jesus, we must choose to view life through the filter of faith rather than unbelief. Unbelief is essentially rebellion against God's word, while faith allows us to see God's promises and possibilities. The story of the spies in Numbers 13 and 14 illustrates this vividly. The ten spies saw giants and fortified cities and concluded that they were like grasshoppers in their own eyes. In contrast, Joshua and Caleb saw the same giants but believed that with God, they could overcome. [51:32]
2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV): "For we walk by faith, not by sight."
Reflection: Think about a current challenge you are facing. Are you viewing it through the filter of faith or unbelief? How can you begin to see this situation through the eyes of faith?
Day 3: The Danger of Doubt and Deception
Doubt is a natural part of our human experience, but it becomes dangerous when it leads to deception and unbelief. Doubt suspends us in indecision, while unbelief is a firm choice to reject God's word. We must not stay in doubt too long, as it can lead to a faulty perception of reality. The Israelites' doubt led them to see themselves as grasshoppers, which was a deception that prevented them from entering the Promised Land. [58:48]
James 1:6-8 (ESV): "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
Reflection: Identify a doubt that has been lingering in your mind. How can you confront this doubt with the truth of God's word today?
Day 4: Courage and Unity in Faith
Courage is not the absence of fear but the decision to do what is right despite fear. Joshua and Caleb demonstrated this by encouraging the Israelites to trust in God's promises. Promoting unity and speaking truth in faith, not fear, are essential for a community of believers. Courageous faith inspires others and fosters a spirit of unity, helping the community to move forward together in God's promises. [01:29:34]
Joshua 1:9 (ESV): "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Reflection: Who in your community can you encourage today with a word of faith? How can you promote unity and courage within your circle of influence?
Day 5: Faith as a Deliberate Choice
Faith is not a feeling but a deliberate choice to trust and obey God. This choice often comes with an inner witness of the Holy Spirit, affirming that we are on the right path. We must decide to believe God's report and promises, even when circumstances seem daunting. Joshua and Caleb chose to believe in God's promise despite the giants in the land, and their faith was rewarded. [01:27:29]
Hebrews 11:1 (ESV): "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
Reflection: What is one promise of God that you need to deliberately choose to believe today? How can you act on this faith in a practical way?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Because there is always hope in Jesus. As a matter of fact, if your hope is not in Jesus, it's a misplaced hope. And I want to ask you this morning, if you would say, not to me because I have no power, but if you want to say to the Lord, I need for my hope to be placed fully in you King Jesus." [40:21] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "There is grace to move forward in faith. There is never grace to go backwards because to go backwards requires fear, and God does not work through fear. God works through faith." [48:29] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Faith is not a feeling. You don't feel faith. Faith is a choice that you make. Sometimes that choice can be accompanied by an inner sense of knowing or an inner witness of the Holy Spirit that you are going in the right direction. But faith is not a feeling. Faith is a choice that we make." [01:27:29] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We are a part of a culture that needs that faith. Every bit as much in this fellowship, we need to be a people of faith. We need to be a people that does not deny that these are days where we feel like we are being shaken, but we are being shaken in the hand of an eternal God who does not change." [01:30:38] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "I speak to you this morning, Bethesda Community Church, with all the truth and the passion of my heart, as led by the Holy Spirit, as I know how to be, our best days are still in front of us and not behind us. God does not shake those things for which he has no purpose." [01:32:46] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "The filter that you wear determines the way that you perceive or interpret every event around you. As a matter of fact, before I started growing up in the Lord, I accepted Christ when I was 19. I was a mess when I came into the kingdom of God. If anybody could say they had a spirit of rejection, it would be me." [57:13] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Unbelief is the state of having made a decision, and that decision is the refusal to believe the word of God. Doubt, we all experience it. Don't stay there too long in that place of indecision. But unbelief, unbelief is a firm choice that you and I have the potential of making." [59:54] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When you look at the ten spies that brought back the bad report, I would like to lighten it up and call it negative, but scripture calls it a bad or an evil report. And I will do what scripture does, and I will call it what it is." [01:00:23] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You cannot defeat what you're in agreement with. And David refused to be in agreement with an uncircumcised Philistine. There is a world out there that does not know Jesus. Sinners sin and I am not mad because sinners sin. I'm frustrated because I'm not out there declaring Jesus boldly and loudly enough so that they can stop being sinners and become Christians and followers of Jesus." [01:19:42] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The process of faith looks like this. The first thing that the minority report did was they calmed or quieted the people. They sought to calm or to quiet. Do you guys realize that faith begins by stealing the voice of doubt and unbelief? When faith begins to move in, when we choose faith, we are still the voice of unbelief." [01:28:30] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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