“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.  Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

A recent study shows that “97% of what you worry over is not much more than a fearful mind punishing you with exaggerations and misperceptions.” – Don Joseph Goewey

Wow. Such a powerful statistic!

If this is true, then it’s easy to conclude that most of what we’re fearful of—never actually happens!

The fear we lost sleep over, worried about and allowed to paralyze us was nothing more than a battle going on in our minds.

It was a battle between our fear and our faith.

Steps of Faith Lead to the Promised Land

In the book of Genesis, there’s a story about a man named Abram (later Abraham).

Abram was going about his everyday business in his hometown of Haran when the voice of the Lord powerfully spoke to him.

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you…” (Genesis 12:1)

Now he didn’t just throw on a backpack and fly solo on this God-ordained adventure…he took everything he owned with him!

His wife, his nephew, his wealth, his animals, etc. all join him on this journey to the promised land.

“So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth—his livestock and all the people he had taken into his household at Haran—and headed for the land of Canaan.” (Genesis 12:4-5)

This was a huge step of faith that not only affected him personally…but everything and everyone around him as well.

Could you imagine the fear he must have felt?

I know if this were me…I’d be questioning everything.

I’d think to myself…

• Am I totally losing it?
• Am I hearing things?
• Did I drink some contaminated cistern water?
• Did I eat some rotten pita bread?
• What if that wasn’t God I heard?
• What if my mind is playing tricks on me?

The ‘what ifs’ could go on forever!

But Abram didn’t allow the fear of the unknown to hinder him.

He didn’t allow the endless array of ‘what if’s’ to stop him.

“By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” – Hebrews 11:8

He took God completely at His word and followed Him wherever He was leading him.

Why?

Why would he do that?

Because he allowed his faith in God to be bigger than his fear of God letting him down.

Do You Walk By Faith or By Sight?

“But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” – Hebrews 11:6

After I got saved everything in my life started to change.

Not only was I freed from the bondage of addiction, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and depression, but I was also starting to have different goals, morals, thoughts, and even desires in my heart.

The more I read the Word of God, the more I was being transformed into the image of His Son. 

My career path was set.

I was going to school to become an elementary school teacher and had just a couple of years left until I got my degree.

Being a single mom and a full-time student though, I didn’t have enough money to provide for my son and I.

So to pay for the classes, I had to work a certain number of community service hours here at the church.

I knew one day though I’d be able to buy my own car, afford my own a place to live and be able to provide for my little family financially. 

Everything seemed to be falling into place perfectly until the unexpected happened.

The Fork in the Road

One day when I was volunteering in the front office, I came to a fork in the road.

The front office manager asked me to come on staff full time!

My first response was,“Thank you so much but….well…no…you see I’m going to school to be a teacher…”

I knew I needed a job where I’d make enough money to support us.

And the thought of making a lot less than I would as a teacher, made this choice seem impossible to reach my goals.

Plus, being a teacher had been my dream job.

So I made up my mind it just wasn’t for me.

But then out of nowhere…something amazing happened.

I heard God’s still small voice say, “Take a step of faith.”

I wrestled with those words for what seemed like an eternity.

I prayed and fasted.

I searched the scriptures for confirmation.

And finally, I made my decision.

I had my plans for my life…but God had His.

And I knew that God’s plan would be better.

I chose to walk by faith, not by fear, and obey the direction I believed God was leading me in.

The very next day, I dropped all of my classes.

I unenrolled my son in the on-campus preschool.

And I started to walk down this new journey hand in hand with the Lord.

Looking back now, I still don’t regret my decision to follow the Lord completely.

Time and time again He has provided all that we needed.

Many times in miraculous ways!

Ways it could have only been done by the hand of God.

A couple of times, I’ve even received anonymous envelopes with the exact amount of money I needed and was praying about!

So, sure taking that step of faith wasn’t easy.

There was risk involved.

But obeying God’s will for my life turned out to be the best decision I made.

It kept me humble and completely dependent on Him—for literally everything.

Where is God Calling You to Step Out in Faith?

What about you?

Is there something God has placed on your heart to take a step of faith in?

Perhaps a career change like mine, or a mission’s trip He wants you to attend?

Maybe to start tithing to your home church, or be a better steward of your finances in general?

Whatever it is, I assure you it will be the best decision you could ever make.

As you continue to walk in obedience to God’s Word, He will continue to show Himself as faithful on your behalf.

When you step out onto the waters God is calling you to walk upon…

He won’t let you sink beneath them.

He won’t forsake you or let you down.

He will give you everything you need to keep pressing forward, every single step of the way.

Key Takeaway

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” – Hebrews 11:1

You have two choices to make in life—you can either walk by faith or by fear.

As children of God, let’s stop looking at our own limitations and start looking to the One who has none.

Let’s look to…

• The One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10)
• The One who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all we could ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20)
• The One who defeated death and is infinitely stronger than the enemy (1 John 4:4)
• The One who gives us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4)
• The One who opens the eyes of the blind and sets the captives free (Isaiah 61:1
• The One who created us and called us out of the darkness by name (Jeremiah 1:5)
• The One who is preparing a place for us in heaven and the One who rose Jesus Christ from the grave (John 14:2)

Let’s choose today to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts and not lean on our own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

And, let’s choose from this day forward to take bold steps of faith wherever God is leading us. Amen?

Study Verses: Genesis 18:14, Matthew 19:26, James 1:6