Hebrews 11:6 NLT: And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

 

What Is Faith?

Faith — a strong conviction that God is Creator and that Jesus is the Messiah, and that God is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do

 

 2 Kings 5

1. Separation

Verse 4: getting out of your comfort zone to do something new

• One of the biggest enemies of progress is comfort.

“Everything you want but don’t have is outside of your comfort zone.” — John Maxwell

• Sometimes it’s necessary to leave where you are to embrace something new.
• Separate from:

1. Media
2. News
3. Negative relationships

 

2. Preparation

    Verse 9: Namaan waited at the door for a response from Elisha.

• Sometimes our faith will be tested in waiting.
• Things may not happen as quickly as we would like or in the most ideal circumstances.
• God has called us to patiently endure.
• When we endure, our character is being developed.
• Some never grow because they turn and run every time they face testing.

 

James 1:2–4 NLT: 2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

 

Hebrews 10:36 NLT: Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

 

“Your faith is only as strong as the test it survives.” — Myles Munroe

 

 You may have to endure:

1. Disappointments 

2. Delays

 

Galatians 6:9 ESV: And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

 

3. Expectation

Verse 11: Namaan expected Elisha to wave his hand over him and heal him.

• Sometimes it’s easy to get upset and lose heart because things are not happening like we thought they would.
• Sometimes wrong expectations can prevent us from operating in faith.
  • Sometimes the breakthrough we’re looking for is on the other side of obedience.
  • Namaan had to set aside his expectations and trust God.

 

Questions:

1. What do you need to separate from?
2. Are you running from preparation?
3. Are your expectations getting in the way of trusting God?