"As it is written: ´I have made you a father of many nations.´ He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed-the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were."

Introduction: When the Israelites lived in Egypt, they lived according to their reason and senses. However, when they came out of Egypt with Moses, they could no longer follow their former way of life. Now, they had to live by faith with the invisible God.


1. The ways of a carnal person´s life.
    - According to common sense, what can be sensed does exist and what cannot be
       sensed does not exist.
    1) They should see with their eyes.
    2) Hear with their ears.
    3) Smell and taste.
    4) Feel with their touch (1Co 2:14).

2. The ways of a spiritual person´s life.
    - The life that calls things that are not as though they were.
       Spiritual things such as God, the Word, the work of the Holy Spirit, heaven and
       hell cannot be experienced by our senses.
    ● The spiritual world.
    1) It is in our thoughts (Pr 4:23; Eph 3:20).
    2) It is in our dreams (Phil 2:13; Ps 81:10).
    3) It is in our faith (Heb 11:1; 1Co 2:9).
    4) It is in our words (Pr 18:21; Mk 11:23).
    - A spiritual life is to live by faith and the heart.

3. What is seen is ruled by what is not visible.
    1) A negative mind gives birth to negative circumstances.
        ⓛ Negative thoughts.
        ② Negative dreams.
        ③ Negative faith.
        ④ Negative words.
        - I have no purpose in my life. I am sick of it. Everything is a total mess. I am
          exhausted. It is annoying.
    2) A positive mind gives birth to positive circumstances.
        ⓛ Positive thoughts.
        ② Positive dreams.
        ③ Positive faith.
        ④ Positive words.
        - My life is wonderful. Everything is great. I am happy. I feel good. I am pleased!

4. God calls and fulfills things that are not as though they were.
    ● When Abram was discouraged, God told him to count the stars (Ge 15:5).
    1) He was encouraged to picture himself having as many children as the stars in the
        sky, even though he had no child at the moment.
    2) He dreamed in his heart of having as many children as the stars in the sky.
    3) He believed (Ro 4:17).
    4) He had his name changed so that he could speak out what he believed
        (Ge 17:5, 15-16).
    - As a result, at the age of 100, he was able to gain a son.


Conclusion : When the Israelites were called to live a spiritual life by faith after having lived a carnal life for a long time, they had difficulty in following God´s command. For forty years in the wilderness, the Israelites struggled in conflict between flesh and spirit, senses and faith. The same thing applies to our lives. We undergo plenty of conflict in our heart when we believe in Jesus and decide to live by faith after having lived our lives by human reason and senses. It is only faith that can change our life, circumstances, and destiny.