Heroes of Faith
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.... But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." - Hebrews 11:1-2, 6
When you look in the mirror, do you see a hero? Webster's Dictionary defines a hero as:
"a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability; an illustrious warrior."
Heroes perform great feats that make an impact on the world and leave a legacy. Their lives mean something, and their achievements are remembered through many generations like a child's dream of being a hero. In their heart, they desire that their lives are remembered, something that says, “I was here!”
As adults, we find that life often interferes with our heroic aspirations. Our lives get busy and frantic. We make poor decisions and fail. Our hopes crumble, and we may view ourselves as failures. Often, we struggle to make it through the day. A "hero" is not even close to how we see ourselves.
I was sentenced to 40 years in prison and viewed myself as a total failure in life. There was no way – to my reasoning – that God could ever use me. Yet God chose me because in my weakness, He could reveal His strength. He not only gave me a purpose, but God provides everything I need to carry it out. You too may be questioning your value, but God has called you to be like a hero.
Look again at Webster's definition. Heroes are often of divine descent and are endowed with great strength. As Christians, we already have the makings of heroes. Through Jesus’ atoning sacrifice, we are identified as children of almighty God (1 John 3:1). As co-heirs with Christ we have authority, unlimited power, and weapons of spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:12-13). We have a unique function in the body of Christ which no one else can fulfill (Romans 12:3-16). All we need to do is stand up and answer the call to battle.
The Bible has many heroes that God used with a few recounted in Hebrews 11: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David, Samson and so on. Each of them was weak, mistake-prone, and a typical human. What set them apart was their faith. They each had struggles and failures, yet they had faith in God. God promised and they believed. They had an identity that went beyond what they could see. You see, faith is not simply positive thinking, but our belief in the power of God to do that which He promised to do (Hebrews 11:6).
Our identity is found on God's promises and is not influenced by our natural ability or our failures. He says that we are new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are called to faith in these promises, regardless of our fears and failures. The adversary, Satan, uses our fears to challenge our identity. He makes us question, "Did God truly say...?" Fear says that we do not measure up and are unfit for God's calling. Fear says that I cannot, while faith says God can.
This world is living in darkness and misery. Many people have never heard the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and believe that they have fallen beyond His grace. They failed in life and feel unloved and unlovable. Thus, our purpose is revealed. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus rewards His heroes. None of them thought that they did anything special. They questioned, in essence, "Lord, when did we do any great thing for you?" Jesus replied in verse 40: "...inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
We are all caught up in a spiritual battle, whether we acknowledge it or not. God has called us and uses us as a hero. We must each ask ourselves, "how can I be a hero?" and "who can I impact today?" Who is your "less than the least" that you can fight for? We each have the opportunity to offer hope, house the homeless, feed the hungry or visit prisoners. They need you, and God has called. Go and be their hero of faith.
