Faith to Move Forward Through Life's Challenges

Life is full of challenges, and every one of us will face moments that feel insurmountable—our own “Red Sea” experiences. These are not a matter of “if,” but “when.” Jesus himself told us that in this world we will have trouble, but he also promised his peace and his victory. The key is not to avoid difficulty, but to have faith to go through it, trusting that God is with us every step of the way.

Faith is complete trust—where we place that trust shapes how we respond to life’s obstacles. Too often, we put our trust in things that cannot sustain us: social media, finances, our own strength. But true faith is anchored in God alone. The story of the Israelites at the Red Sea is a powerful reminder that sometimes, even when we are exactly where God wants us, we will face overwhelming opposition. The Israelites were hemmed in by the sea in front and the Egyptian army behind, yet they were precisely in the place God had led them.

Our natural responses in these moments are fear, doubt, and the temptation to go back to what is familiar—even if it means returning to bondage. We question why things are hard, forgetting that God may have already spared us from even greater dangers we cannot see. The challenge is to resist the urge to retreat and instead stand firm, watch for God’s salvation, and move forward in faith.

God’s instruction to the Israelites was simple: “Go forward.” He didn’t ask them to figure out how the sea would part—he simply called them to take the next step. As they obeyed, God not only parted the waters but also protected them from their enemies, showing that he is both our defender and our provider. The Red Sea was not just an obstacle; it became the very means by which God destroyed their pursuers.

Every story of faith in Scripture—Abraham, Moses, David, the disciples—shows that the path through difficulty is not about having all the answers, but about trusting God enough to take the next step. The sea in front of you is real, the opposition behind you is real, but God’s presence and power are even more real. Don’t let fear, doubt, or your own words hold you back. Take the step. God will see you through to the other side.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Faith is not the absence of obstacles, but the assurance that God is with us in the midst of them. The Israelites were exactly where God wanted them—between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army—yet it was in that place of pressure that God’s power was revealed. Our faith is proven not when life is easy, but when we trust God in the hardest moments. [11:04]
• 2. Our natural response to difficulty is often fear and the desire to return to what is familiar, even if it means going back to bondage. God’s deliverance sometimes leads us into situations that feel harder than what we left behind, but he knows what dangers he has already spared us from. Trusting God means moving forward, even when the way seems impossible. [15:25]
• 3. The words we speak in moments of crisis can either build our faith or undermine it. Moses told the people to “be silent” and watch what God would do, because complaining and negativity can steer us back toward defeat. If we cannot speak words of faith, it is better to remain silent and let God work. [23:47]
• 4. God’s presence is both before us and behind us—he leads us forward and protects our backs. When we focus on the threats behind us, we risk losing momentum and missing what God is doing ahead. God’s promise is that he will fight for us, defend us, and use even our greatest obstacles to defeat our enemies. [26:12]
• 5. Taking the step of faith often means moving before we see the way open. Like Indiana Jones stepping onto an invisible bridge, sometimes the miracle happens after we move, not before. The Red Sea parted as the Israelites obeyed and moved forward; our breakthrough may be one step of faith away. [28:42]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:10] - Introduction: Faith to Go Through
• [03:05] - Defining Faith and “Going Through”
• [05:30] - The Reality of Life’s Challenges
• [07:45] - Hebrews 11: By Faith
• [10:20] - The Red Sea: Facing Impossible Situations
• [13:00] - Israel’s Fear and Temptation to Go Back
• [15:25] - God’s Deliverance and Our Perspective
• [18:10] - The Power of Our Words in Crisis
• [20:30] - God’s Command: Go Forward
• [23:47] - Taking the Step of Faith
• [26:12] - God’s Protection: He’s Got Your Back
• [27:27] - The Leap of Faith: Moving Before Seeing
• [29:55] - God Uses the Red Sea to Defeat Our Enemies
• [31:40] - Faith in Real Life: Not Faking It
• [34:17] - Daily Pursuit of God and Obedience
• [36:22] - Examples of Faith Throughout Scripture
• [37:37] - Final Challenge: Go Forward in Faith

Bible Reading

1. Exodus 14:10-22 (NKJV) — > 10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.
> 11 Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us to bring us up out of Egypt?
> 12 Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”
> 13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.
> 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”
> 15 And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
> 16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
> 17 And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen.
> 18 Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
> 19 And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them.
> 20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.
> 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.
> 22 So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

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

3. John 16:33 (NKJV) — > These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

Observation Questions

1. According to Exodus 14, what was the Israelites’ first reaction when they saw the Egyptian army coming after them? ([11:04])
2. What specific instructions did God give to Moses and the Israelites when they were trapped between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army? ([23:47])
3. In Hebrews 11:29, what does it say was the key to the Israelites crossing the Red Sea?
4. What role did the pillar of cloud and the angel of God play during the crossing of the Red Sea? ([26:12])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think God sometimes leads His people into situations that seem impossible or overwhelming, like the Israelites at the Red Sea? ([11:04])
2. The Israelites wanted to go back to Egypt when things got hard, even though it meant returning to slavery. Why is it so tempting to return to what is familiar, even if it’s not good for us? ([15:25])
3. Moses told the people to “be silent” and watch what God would do. Why do you think our words and attitudes matter so much in moments of crisis? ([23:47])
4. What does it mean that “the Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace”? How does this change the way we face our own “Red Sea” moments? ([26:12])

Application Questions

1. The sermon said, “Faith is not the absence of obstacles, but the assurance that God is with us in the midst of them.” Can you think of a current or past situation in your life that felt like a “Red Sea” moment? How did you respond, and what would you do differently now? ([11:04])
2. When you face something hard, is your first instinct to move forward, freeze, or want to go back to what’s familiar? Why do you think that is? ([15:25])
3. The Israelites’ words in crisis were full of fear and negativity. What are some ways you can guard your words and attitudes when you’re under pressure? ([23:47])
4. God told the Israelites to “go forward” before the sea parted. Is there an area in your life where you sense God is asking you to take a step of faith, even though you can’t see the outcome? What would it look like to obey? ([28:42])
5. The sermon mentioned that God’s presence is both before us and behind us—He leads and protects. How does knowing that God “has your back” change the way you approach challenges? ([26:12])
6. The pastor said, “If you don’t have something of faith to say, don’t say anything at all.” How can you practice this in your daily life, especially when you’re tempted to complain or speak negatively? ([23:47])
7. The Israelites’ breakthrough came after they took a step of faith. What is one practical step you can take this week to move forward in faith, even if you don’t see the way yet? ([28:42])