Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

We walk by faith, not by sight . . . while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. (2Co_5:7 and 2Co_4:18)

Our walk as Christians is a day by day journey from where we are to where the Lord wants us to go (both spiritually and geographically). This walk is a faith walk and it’s by faith, not by sight. "We walk by faith, not by sight."

The natural man

When we are born into the world and grow as children we are taught to walk by sight, it is the natural way for man to walk, and it is also the same for the proverbial walk through life’s journey. When we are walking by sight we take our bearing and position from the things that we see, we learn very quickly not to walk into things because they hurt us and slow us down. Also if its another person we walk into they tend to get upset, so walking by sight is exactly what it says, we are making use of one of our human senses to guide us which in this case is sight.

As natural born people we generally have no overriding direction and so we make our own direction in life. We use points of reference in our life journey and decide where we would like to end up, this is called self determination and dependant on our race, creed colour and social circumstance we usually choose something that is appropriate. Likewise as people who have not yet found Christ’s love our trek through life is influenced by what natural abilities we have. The natural man uses his abilities and talents the best way he can to provide for himself and his family, he considers his needs and forges his way through life using what he has.

So in brief, the natural man:

• Takes his reference and position from what he see’s around him
• Determines his own direction and destination
• Uses his natural abilities for his own ends

The Christian

But when Christ enters our lives and we are born again of his spirit everything about us begins to change, a metamorphosis takes place as God re-creates and restores us to how he made us to be. The way we talk changes, the way we dress may change and our walk also changes, as we begin to walk by faith and not by sight.

People around us notice the change, old friendships may get difficult because the person we were is not the same. Also the basis for those old friendships no longer has any common ground, commonality or connection and it is difficult as we no longer take our reference from what we see and recognize naturally but we are looking to what God says. Everything is new, the old is washed away this is the miracle of salvation.

The Christian:

• Where as before we took our reference from what we could see, there is now another dimension to our sight. We look with different eyes and take our bearing and reference in relation to what God says. Like a sailor reading a map that was before incomplete or looking at the stars veiled by cloud. We now see clearly the map is completed and the sky is clear as we take our position through faith.

• Our direction in life and our destination now have a set course. There is no longer a debate within our hearts or doubt, because like a traveler we now have a destination, which then determines and enables our course to be plotted to get there. If a man has no destination, he then has no vision and a man without vision is like a dream without the necessary action to make it real and more than a dream. The bible says

Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish;

§ Our abilities and talents are God given and quite simply when we give them back to God and allow him to work through us. The talent that was given to us truly becomes a gift and is multiplied many times as it is given out, thus blessing those around us.

Matthew 25:21 His lord said to him, well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things; I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.

The other alternative is that we can bury what we have been given and not use it but we will inevitably loose what we don’t use.

There is also thought here for those with creative gifts. Because once we become Christians our hearts and lives become Gods, and only through his authority over the heaven’s and the earth are we able to be really creative, it is his realm it is his deal. Because evil cannot create it can only pervert or bend what God has already made. So if you have a creative gift know that it truly is the greatest blessing, let it flow do not doubt it, because God we will be in it because he is in you.

• When we walk by faith a blessing comes into our life. This is because as Gods word permeates our soul there come’s a surety and stability in us we become a safe place for others, this is something that cannot be reproduced by self confidence or self determination. We become a light in the world and it is this that attracts those wandering in darkness, Like a moth drawn to the flame, as we were once in darkness drawn to Christ’s burning presence so other are drawn to the light of Christ in us. We become as place of blessing and blessing surrounds our life like a fragrance, we become if you like a pleasant land

Isaiah 62:4 You will no more be called Forsaken; nor will your land any more be called Desolate; but you will be called My Delight is in her, and your land, Married; for Jehovah delights in you, and your land is married.

So in short things are not as they always appear, and in fact they never are because natural sight is only partial sight. Think about Joseph he was sold to slave traders by his own brothers and it never looked like he would make it, let alone be Prime Minister of Egypt. Genesis 37:20 But during his captivity he was recognized by his masters and those around him as different. It could be seen that he was walking the different road of Faith and was recognized as a man of God and time after time blessing surrounded him in the direst circumstance.

Consider Moses, before God truly got hold of him and changed his walk he could barely talk properly, but he became the saviour of a nation and led 2 million people out of captivity.

There was the shepherd boy David standing before Goliath. It did not look like David would even get a punch in on the giant, but as he walked by Faith he cut off his head, and in one instant prevented two huge army’s from slaughtering each other. He then became one of the most anointed worshippers and leader’s ever known.

Then finally think about Gods own beloved son and his most incredible walk of faith. Consider the Christ as he hung on Calvary’s cross and recognize it to be the greatest example of things not always being as they appear. Because as Jesus hung between heaven and earth his life blood running out of him, the picture to all was a shattered and broken body. It was meant to be statement of Roman authority and power, it was meant as a warning by the religious establishment of the day to proclaim that the godless heart of man had defeated the most godly man that ever lived. "Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst . . . Him . . . you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death" (Act_2:22-23).

But in fact, God was at work, preparing a resurrection victory over sin and death for all who would believe. "Whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it" (Act_2:24).

My friends thing are rarely what they seem and only through Gods eye of faith can we perceive the truth, let our walk be a walk of faith, let us see faith at work in others and believe that one day we will here those blessed words “ Good and Faithful servant”