Progressive Faith - Part 4

By faith Moses, when he was come to years (grew up), refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect for the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red sea as if by dry land: which the Egyptians attempting to do were drowned. —Heb. 11:24-29

The Faith of one man allowed GOD to advanced an entire race of people.  The desperate needs of people may touch GOD’s heart, but it’s Progressive Faith that moves Him to deliver.

In Review…

1. By faith Moses, when he was come to years — Entering the path of Faith requires a decision to grow up (spiritually), because coming to years is a spiritual, not a numerical, destination. 

 

2. Refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter — Walking by Faith begins with REFUSING to continue in your present condition. 

 

3. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season — Progress In Faith is made by CHOOSING what we need over what we want. 

 

4. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect for the recompense of the reward. — Progressive Faith ESTEEMS GOD’s favor over the pursuits of men.

 

5. FORESAKing Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king — Progressive Faith requires fearlessly Forsaking the things that resist what GOD is changing you into.

 

6. Endured as seeing him who is invisible. — Progressive Faith will Endure and overcome Satan’s opposition while staying focused on Christ. 

 

Today’s Message…

 

7. kept (Covenant) the passover, and the sprinkling of blood

GOD’s plan to the Israelites depended upon Him breaking Pharaoh’s will.  In order for that to happen, all Israel had to KEEP Covenant with GOD, so that GOD could treat Pharaoh’s resistance against them as an attack against the Covenant!

Is. 49:24-25  Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be rescued?  For thus says the LORD: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued, for I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children.

GOD is Paternal Love and desires to deliver us and meet our needs.  But His greatest desire is that we Know, believe, and KEEP His Word.  If you  KEEP His Word GOD will KEEP you…

3John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.

GOD has placed everything He wants to give us and do for us into His Covenant Word.  So KEEPING Covenant  w/ GOD isn’t just Believing His Word, but DOING His Word.  For example…

Jesus said, I give you authority over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means harm you.   But the way you act on that promise is Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 

With every Promise of GOD there is an Act of Obedience to the Word that triggers the Covenant.  So that GOD contends with those who contend with you because they are challenging Him.  THAT is the primary principle of Progressive Faith. 

 

So that GOD could deliver Israel from the death angel and slavery He gave them 2 things to KEEP in order for them to walk with Him in Covenant: The Blood and The Passover 

By KEEPING the Blood and the Passover Israel Kept Covenant w/ GOD and Progresses by Faith into their deliverance!

 

TODAY we KEEP The Blood by KEEPING Jesus’ Words...

Heb. 12:24-25 (You have come) to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel…

 

And we KEEP The Passover by KEEPING Fellowship with the Body of Christ sacred.

Eph. 4:14 …That we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Eph. 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

Eph. 4:16 from whom the whole body, JOINED and HELD TOGETHER by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

 

Nothing derails Progressive Faith quicker than failing to KEEP Covenant with Jesus’ Body.  When we break the JOINTS with which the Body is HELD TOGETHER, we are breaking fellowship with Him.  GOD gives to His Body the wisdom and power to overcome satan’s aggression!

1Cor. 12:12-13  The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.   Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into ONE BODY by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.

We must KEEP Faith with the Body of Christ because GOD weighs how we treat Him by we treat His Body.   GOD has set His Church among the nations as the Light of the World.  And we must understand that…

Imperfect things can be sacred!

The Body is the extension of Christ in the world.  And when we KEEP it sacred we receive the blessings GOD has appointed through it.  Ps. 133 …For there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life forever.

TODAY, this message must resolve with an admonition…

Satan is tearing into the Church to get at the Covenant and nullify its effect upon the nations.  Each one of us must recapture our vision for KEEPing the Covenant of GOD, as members of the Body of Christ, for the sake of GOD’s plan for the world.