Devotion of the Heart: These All Died in Faith

By Pastor Derek Gitsham

"These all died in faith not having received
the promises, but having seen them afar off,
and were persuaded of them, and embraced them,
and confessed that they were strangers and
pilgrims in the earth. Hebrews 11:13

The phrase, “these all died in faith” is more
poignant than at first appearance. The battle
for the saint is hottest in the realm of our
faith. Jesus’ remarks to Peter that Satan hath
desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat,
but I have prayed for you that thy faith fail not,
and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

The statement Satan has desired to have you is
quite alarming. But the good news is we don’t read
that he did have him, only desired to have him. Could
it be that Jesus is saying that if he had gotten
Peter, would it be because his faith had failed?
It sounds like it could be. Our faith is continually
under attack, though the test of faith in 1 Peter 1
is something that God allows for the purpose of
increasing our faith and to burn the mixture out
of it.

Why are the words “they all died in faith”
important? Because there is no guarantee
for the saint that he will finish believing
God, unless we stay true to what living by faith
really means. The worth “faith” is a noun and
means faithfulness. There needs to be faithful
living to God if we are going to believe God to
the end. Because I have believed God once is no
guarantee that I will go on believing Him to the
end.

Believing God is tough work. It certainly is a
work. Jesus said in John 6:29 “This is the work
of God that you believe on Him and Jesus Christ
whom he hath sent.”

Dying in faith is what we all want: staying in
faith will depend on my relationship with God if
it is to survive. Paul says very clearly, “Faith
worketh by love” i.e. by a relationship. Stay
intimate with God and you will keep on believing.


faith
believing God