January 25, 2026

EXTRAORDINARY FAITH:

HOW TO WALK WITH GOD

January 25, 2026

Dr. Dondi Costin

Dr. Costin opened this sermon, “Walking by faith in God,” using the example of spatial disorientation some pilots have experienced. Probably one of the most notable ones for many who are living today was the plane crash of JFK, Jr., in 1999. The NTSB concluded spatial disorientation was the probable cause for John Kennedy, Jr.’s ‘Graveyard Spiral,’ making him think he was going up when he was heading straight down. As Dr. Costin said, going by your feelings, rather than trusting the instrument readings, can be fatal. But disorientation can also occur in a Christian’s life. Operating by complete trust in God’s leading, rather than your feelings, is one of the most critical lessons you can learn. As we continue our series on “Extraordinary Faith,” pray that you seek the Lord with such singleness of heart that your whole being lives to know and obey Him. Remind yourself often that having true faith in God is more important than anything else you can do while on this earth.

Focal Passage: Hebrews 11:1, 6, 24-28 12:1-3; Gen. 37-50; Exo. 3-4, 12:11; Matt. 6:19-21, 24, 19:22-24; Mark 8:34-36, Jn. 3:16, 14:12, 15:5; Acts 4:12, 7:20-22, 30-35; 1 Cor. 5:7-10, 10:13; 2 Cor. 1:18, 20-22, 4:7-9, 16-18, 5:15, 17, 12:8-10; Gal. 6:9; Eph. 2:8-10; Phil. 1:6, 3:13-14, 3:20-4:1; Jas. 1:2-4; 1 Pet. 4:19, 5:10; 1 Jn. 5:11-13.

Leave your comfort zone:

  • Read Hebrews 11:24-25. Was Moses comfortable in his role as a royal in Pharaoh’s court? When he decided to align himself with his Hebrew brothers, what happened to his Egyptian ‘friends’? Why would a man make such a change in life?
  • Does it amaze you that Moses had learned God’s favor was to be embraced rather than Pharaoh’s? If you were in that same situation, what would have been the difficulties?
  • Will someone paraphrase the burning bush scene with God and Moses? What did God tell Moses He wanted him to do? How did Moses respond? Why was he willing to be counted as an Israelite earlier in his life, but now—hearing from God in person—he made excuses that God was calling on the wrong person? Can you make a difference and make excuses both at the same time? Do you think you do not trust your abilities, when really you do not trust God’s ability to use you? Do you ever leave your comfort zone, or do you live in it?

Look to your reward: 

  • Read Heb. 11:26. Once Moses made the choice to obey God, did he do it half-heartedly? Dr. Costin shared realities that God wants us to understand as we dedicate ourselves to growing our faith. Does anyone recall any of them? (God continually pursues a love relationship with us that is real and personal, speaking through the Holy Spirit, the Bible, prayer, and circumstances. He is always at work around us and invites us to join Him in that work. As He invites us to join Him, it leads us into a crisis of belief, requiring faith and action, and we may have to make major life adjustments to join Him. As we experience and obey Him, He accomplishes His work through us.*)
  • What are the verses you know that speak of our reward if we persevere following God?

Live by faith, not by sight:

  • Read Heb. 11:27. Last week, we asked for a definition of faith, also asking if it is a simple word (it isn’t!). For each ‘level’ of faith, what are the promises you hide in your heart to get you through? Saving faith? Trusting God to save you from your sins. Sanctifying faith? Trusting God to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ. Suffering faith? Trusting God to grow you through every trial. Serving faith? Trusting Him to empower you for every good work. Satisfying faith? Trusting Him to satisfy every hope we have in Him.
  • What—or who–is the object of your love, something you can see, or is it God? Is a change needed?

Let God be the Hero of your story:

  • Read Heb. 11:28. What were some of the remarkable acts of God Moses saw during those forty years he led the Israelites? Each time a miracle occurred, what was reinforced in Moses’ life? How does that example affect your faith? When God does something special for you, does it grow your faith?
  • Read James 2:23. What is special about this verse? Of all the persons in the Bible, only two had this title; who were they? Read John 15:15. How wonderful is this?

Close: 

The writer to the Hebrews penned verses in 12:1-2 that give us some awesome facts: we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who have persevered in their faith. We often let the weights of this world—both treasures and people—distract us from being sold out 100% to obeying God, and yet we have God’s power to lay those weights aside—else He wouldn’t have told us to. We have sins that can trap us, keeping us from seeing God or the reward He’s waiting to give us when we finish the race He has set before us, but we can lay them aside also. What a lot of content in one verse. It is followed by the thought that we continually look to Jesus both as our example, our head, and our creator. Beyond that, He wrote our book—the one that is referenced many times in Scripture, which contains our entire life, our faith, our sorrows, and every thought we think. He is the one who will finish our faith—if we will be obedient, looking to Him for every decision so that we continue to persevere.

Jesus is the one who considered the cross to be nothing compared to the joy that would be His when He would sit at the right hand of the throne of God, watching Revelation unfold.

Why can’t we keep these things in our minds also, as Christ did? How would it be if the Bible said, “John (or Joe, or Mary, etc.) considered the trials on this earth to be so unimportant when compared to the joy of being with God for eternity, knowing it is so amazing that nothing we can think of it can compare to it,”?

By Sandy Day

January 25, 2026

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