Lesson 15: God's Power Can Leave Us When We Forsake Our Faith in and Love for Him

Revelation 2:1-4 - "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for My name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first."

The Ephesian Church had it going, they were working hard, persevering, and staying away from false teachers, which is a good thing to do. But they had one big, glaring problem; they had forsaken or lost their first love. All it takes to lose our first love for Him is a little compromise here and a few excuses there and the next thing you know, it feels like God is a million miles away. The first sign to indicate that we have lost our first love is that we no longer place our full faith in God.

Hebrews 11:1-2 - “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation."

If we want to be commended by God, we need to have faith in God. Notice the definition of faith. Not only is it being sure of what you hope for, but also certain about it even though you cannot see it.

Over time we are tempted to not understand things spiritually, but naturally. We no longer trust in God. We start thinking about the odds. We fail to apply mountains of faith. We try to mentally figure it out!


In our naturalistic world, we are surrounded with and tempted to listen to statistical data as if it is the truth! But God is not bound by statistics. Take a look at what faith in God has done for some of God's children:

* Enoch was raptured to God.
* Noah survived a worldwide flood.
* Abraham received the Promised Land.
* Moses' parents saved him from death.
* Moses led the Israelites out into the desert.
* David conquered kingdoms.
* Daniel slept a night with hungry lions.
* Others endured being flogged and thrown into prison.
* Others endured torture and even refused to be released.
* Others endured being sawed in two.

These people benefited by having faith in God. They not only received the power to overcome their enemies but also the power to overcome some horrible circumstances. Faith in God does not just work for those folks in the past. It works for us today! But, as long as we refuse to place our faith in God we cause ourselves a lot of unnecessary pain and fear.

He is God! He is faithful and therefore worthy of our faith. How sad it is that many Christians are creeping around in life full of pain and fear when other Christians are skating around standing on God’s promises by placing their faith in a faithful God!

 * How have you experienced God’s supernatural protection?