So how did these regular Joes manage to do things so incredible that their stories have now been told for thousands of years? “By faith.” What? Yes, by faith! “By faith” all of these regular Joes in the Bible became great warriors and did powerful things because of their obedience to God that was by and in faith. Hebrews 11-12 walks us through this amazing reminder of these regular Joes and the powerfulthings their obedience in faith accomplished: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Rahab…

”What more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, 
Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith
conquered kingdoms, 
enforced justice, 
obtained promises, 
stopped the mouths of lions, 
quenched the power of fire, 
escaped the edge of the sword, 
were made strong out of weakness, 
became mighty in war, 
put foreign armies to flight…
received back their dead by resurrection…
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 
let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which slings so closely, 
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith, 
who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, 
and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God…
Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, 
and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 
for our God is a consuming fire.”
Hebrews 11:32-35a; 12:1-2, 28-29

“By faith” and obedience to God their stories can become your stories. You too can defeat armies, enforce justice, raise dead people to life, and conquer kingdoms. This is not a joke or a myth or even a dream. This is reality! It has literally happened before and it can literally happen again with YOU being the regular Joe who rises to greatness and does POWERFUL things for the Kingdom of God.

Those regular Joes decided to believe in the power of God, to believe that they were a part of an eternal Kingdom that cannot be shaken, and to believe that they were given the same authority that Christ had so that they would do even greater things than Christ did. THIS is the vibrant Life of a true Believer—the Life that every Believer is called and equipped to live, whether you realize it or not. Going to church every Sunday, praying before dinner, giving a penny here and there to poor people does not cut it and it’s notthe abundant Life that God desires you to have. BELIEVERS, YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY AND POWER TO CONQUER KINGDOMS!!! How much more will God give you the grace and authority to conquer your own personal problems? “Look to Jesus.” He is an infinite source of grace and power who can neverbe conquered and who will always help His children.

God loves you. And if you are a Believer, God has equipped you. He equips the called, as the saying goes. God SO deeply desires you to live in freedom personally and to live this abundant Life that is spent walking in the miraculous. He has given you His Word, His Counselor, His helper and a whole slew of mighty weapons. But the choice is yours. You have to pick up the sword that lies in front of you. You have to answer the battle call. You have to choose to walk in an obedient faith with the One who has chosen YOU to bring His unshakable, unconquerable, and unending Kingdom to this earth NOW.

What a privilege and honor to serve such a Loving and Living and Powerful God who uses regular Joes like us to conquer evil and spread His Kingdom of freedom! Amen?!

This is my deepest desire for you and for me: to live a life worthy of the calling to which we’ve been called and worthy of the One who has called us. Man, I love Jesus!

As always, I'd love to hear from you if you have any questions or comments!

With love from Phnom Penh—
Sarah