Enduring Faith: Trusting God Through Life's Marathon

Enduring faith is not a sprint, but a marathon—a journey that requires perseverance, trust, and a willingness to look beyond the comforts and certainties of the present. Abraham and Sarah’s story in Hebrews 11 reminds us that faith is not about having all the answers or always feeling strong, but about trusting God even when the path is unclear and the promises seem impossible. Abraham was called to leave everything familiar, to step into the unknown, and to value God above even his most precious relationships and dreams. This kind of faith is marked by an acute situational awareness: a recognition that this world is not our true home, and that our ultimate hope lies in what God has promised, not in what we can see or control.

Enduring faith also expects to be tested. God’s tests are not designed to crush us, but to reveal and refine what is at the center of our hearts. Abraham’s test—being asked to offer Isaac—was not just about obedience, but about whether he would trust God’s character and promises even when they seemed to contradict the command. In our own lives, we face similar moments when God’s wisdom seems at odds with our desires or understanding. These are opportunities to let God be God, to trust that the tension is His to resolve, and to refuse to let anything else become our “only”—the thing we cannot imagine living without.

Crucially, enduring faith is unashamedly confident in God’s power. Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead if necessary to keep His promises. Our faith is not in our ability to understand or control outcomes, but in God’s ability to do what He has said—even when it defies human logic. The Lord’s Table is a powerful reminder of this: just as Abraham’s willingness to offer Isaac pointed forward to Christ, so the bread and cup point us to the ultimate sacrifice that secures our hope. Jesus’ death and resurrection prove that not even death can thwart God’s purposes. As we participate in communion, we are invited to recenter our lives on Christ, to let go of idols, and to receive the nourishment we need to endure in faith until the end.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Enduring faith requires acute situational awareness, recognizing that our true home is not in this world. Like Abraham, we are called to look forward to God’s promises rather than clinging to what is familiar, comfortable, or even most precious to us. This perspective frees us to obey God, even when it means stepping into the unknown. [44:18]
• 2. The journey of faith is a marathon, not a sprint, and we should expect our faith to be tested. God’s tests are not meant to expose our failures, but to help us grow and to reveal what truly holds the center of our hearts. When God’s commands seem to contradict His promises or our desires, we are invited to trust Him more deeply. [57:55]
• 3. God’s tests often reveal our tendency to make good things into ultimate things—our “onlys.” Whether it’s family, career, or personal dreams, anything that takes the place of God in our hearts becomes an idol. Enduring faith is willing to surrender even the most precious gifts back to God, trusting that He alone is worthy of our ultimate allegiance. [47:21]
• 4. Confidence in God’s power is essential for enduring faith. Abraham’s willingness to obey, even when he didn’t understand, was rooted in the belief that God could overcome any obstacle—including death itself. Our faith is not in our own understanding, but in the God who raises the dead and keeps His promises, no matter how impossible they seem. [70:17]
• 5. Communion is a means of spiritual nourishment and recalibration. The Lord’s Table reminds us that Jesus’ sacrifice is the foundation of our hope and the source of our endurance. As we partake, we are called to recenter our lives on Christ, to let go of idols, and to trust that God will sustain us until the end. [78:59]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:10] - Announcements and Ministry Expo
• [05:30] - Bible and Breakfast Hour Details
• [08:00] - Scripture Memory: Hebrews 12:1-2
• [10:20] - Opening Prayer and Intercessions
• [15:00] - Introduction to Hebrews 11 and Enduring Faith
• [34:50] - Life as a Marathon: Faith, Marriage, and Growth
• [39:37] - What Does Enduring Faith Look Like?
• [42:01] - Abraham’s Obedience and Leaving the Familiar
• [44:18] - Valuing God Above All Else
• [47:21] - The Danger of Clinging to What’s Precious
• [49:48] - Looking Forward, Not Backward
• [53:03] - The Temptation to Return to Old Ways
• [55:11] - Making a Difference While Waiting for Redemption
• [57:55] - Expecting Faith to Be Tested
• [61:56] - Wrestling with God’s Commands and Promises
• [70:17] - Abraham’s Failures and Growth in Faith
• [78:59] - Communion: Re-centering on Christ
• [91:29] - The Bread: Christ’s Sacrifice
• [93:55] - The Cup: The New Covenant
• [94:46] - Benediction and Sending Forth

Bible Reading

Hebrews 11:8-19 (ESV) — > 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
> 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
> 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
> 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.
> 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
> 13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
> 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
> 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.
> 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
> 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,
> 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
> 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

Observation Questions

1. What did God ask Abraham to do, and how did Abraham respond? (Hebrews 11:8-10)
2. According to the passage, what was Abraham “looking forward” to, and how did that affect his choices? (Hebrews 11:10, 13-16)
3. What does the text say about Sarah’s faith and the result of her trust in God? (Hebrews 11:11-12)
4. How does the passage describe the test Abraham faced with Isaac, and what was Abraham’s reasoning in that moment? (Hebrews 11:17-19; [57:55])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why is it significant that Abraham obeyed God “not knowing where he was going”? What does this reveal about the nature of enduring faith? ([42:01])
2. The sermon described enduring faith as having “acute situational awareness”—recognizing that this world is not our true home. How does this perspective change the way a person lives day to day? ([44:18])
3. When God’s commands seem to contradict His promises or our desires, what does it look like to trust God in those moments? ([57:55])
4. The sermon mentioned that God’s tests are not meant to crush us, but to reveal and refine what is at the center of our hearts. How can someone discern if something good in their life has become an “only”—an idol? ([47:21])

Application Questions

1. Abraham was willing to leave what was familiar, comfortable, and even most precious to him in order to obey God. Is there something in your life right now that you sense God might be asking you to let go of or hold more loosely? What would it look like to take a step of faith in that area? ([44:18])
2. The sermon talked about the danger of making good things into “ultimate things”—our “onlys.” Can you identify something in your life (family, career, dream, etc.) that you might be tempted to put above God? How can you surrender that to Him this week? ([47:21])
3. When was the last time you felt your faith was being tested—when God’s wisdom seemed at odds with your own desires or understanding? How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? ([57:55])
4. The passage says Abraham “reasoned that God could even raise the dead.” Are there situations in your life right now that seem impossible? How can you practice confidence in God’s power, even when you don’t see a way forward? ([01:10:17])
5. The Lord’s Table (communion) is described as a way to recenter our lives on Christ and let go of idols. How can you use communion or another spiritual practice this week to refocus your heart on Jesus? ([01:18:59])
6. The sermon mentioned that enduring faith is a marathon, not a sprint. What are some practical ways you can “run with endurance” in your faith journey this month? ([36:21])
7. Looking back, are there times when you have been tempted to “return” to old habits or ways of thinking? What helps you keep looking forward to God’s promises instead of clinging to the past? ([49:48])