HABAKKUK: WEEK 3 - LIVING BY FAITH
Living By Faith
Habakkuk 2:4
This is the third sermon in our series from the book of Habakkuk in the Old Testament. If we were to summarize the book of Habakkuk with one word, it might be waiting.
The longer Habakkuk waits, the heavier the pressure becomes. The direction gets blurry. He finds himself at the end of his rope. He wants God’s will, but this time trusting God does not feel exciting—it feels difficult.
In week one, we discussed questioning God. Habakkuk asked why God would allow Babylon to rise to power. The sermon was titled When Life Doesn’t Make Sense.
Last week, we discussed that God is at work even when we do not see Him at work. Just because we cannot see God moving does not mean God is not working.
This week, I want to focus on the principle God gave Habakkuk in the middle of his struggle.
Faith Is Rarely Understood
God said, “The just shall live by faith.”
That is a wonderful statement. We ought to write it down, frame it, and hang it in our homes. But what does it really mean?
Habakkuk wanted God to give him answers, but instead, God gave him faith.
How many times in life have we sought answers from God, only to discover that God was teaching us something deeper along the way?
I am reminded of the movie The Karate Kid. Daniel wanted to learn karate so he could defend himself. Mr. Miyagi agreed to teach him—but first Daniel had to paint a fence. Day after day, he painted. Then Mr. Miyagi told him to wax all the cars: “Wax on, wax off.”
Eventually Daniel became frustrated.
“I came here to learn karate, not work for you!”
But then Mr. Miyagi threw a punch, and Daniel instinctively blocked it using the same motion he had learned while painting the fence. A kick came, and Daniel defended himself with the wax on, wax off motion.
Without realizing it, he had been trained all along.
I am not trying to spiritualize The Karate Kid, but that is often how God works.
We ask for answers, and God says, “Let Me teach you something deeper.”
Sometimes that leaves us scratching our heads.
“Why is God doing this?”
“Why is God allowing this?”
The Apostle Paul asked three times for God to remove the thorn in his flesh. Instead of immediately removing it, God replied:
Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and forgotten in prison. Through it all, God never handed him a clear timeline. God never explained the full plan.
Yet in the end Joseph could say:
Naaman had leprosy in 2 Kings 5. Others were healed publicly, but Elisha instructed Naaman to dip seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman resisted.
Why not the cleaner rivers of Damascus?
Because to receive his miracle, he had to act by faith, even when it did not make sense.
We all face things in life we do not understand—heartache, disappointment, struggle, despair.
But may we keep walking with God, trusting that one day He will use it all for His greater purpose.
Faith Continues Through Life
God told Habakkuk:
The key word is live.
God did not say, “Use faith to get over this hurdle.”
He did not say, “Use faith until you get to the next season.”
No—He said faith becomes the pattern, the foundation, and the pillars of the justified life.
I believe many people want to die in faith, but very few people want to live by faith.
This statement, “The just shall live by faith,” appears several times throughout Scripture.
In Romans 1:17, Paul emphasizes justification.
In Galatians 3:11, Paul emphasizes freedom from the law.
In Hebrews 10:38, the emphasis is endurance.
This truth is woven throughout the Bible, but it is also woven throughout our lives—from salvation, to freedom, to perseverance.
Even when it does not all add up, the message remains:
The just shall live by faith.
Faith Is A Personal Choice
Notice one small word in our text:
Our relationship with God is personal.
We can each say:
“He died for me.”
“He paid my sin debt.”
“He forgave my sins.”
“One day I am going to Heaven.”
Salvation is personal.
But our ongoing faith toward God is personal too.
The just shall live by his faith.
As your pastor, I want to provoke you to good works. I want to push you toward service. I want to see God use you. I want your family to finish well.
But God calls you to exercise faith.
I believe Heaven’s favorite conduit is faith.
We send faith upward, and God sends blessing downward.
Noah obeyed by faith. He built a boat in a desert.
Abraham obeyed by faith. He left home not knowing where he was going.
Moses obeyed by faith. He endured opposition, stood before Pharaoh, and declared, “Let my people go!”
If we are ever going to truly obey God, it will require faith—trusting what God says even when we cannot yet see the end result.
We came to God by faith.
But strangely, the longer we walk with God, the more tempted we are to drift away from faith and rely only on what we can see and control.
Maybe we have been hurt.
Maybe time feels short.
Maybe we simply want to protect what is ours.
Maybe we are in a season where we just want to play it safe.
Habakkuk had to trust that the rise of the Chaldeans, the struggle of Israel, and the unclear plan of God would somehow work out for good in the end.
He had to exercise his faith toward his God.
God gave rebuke and warning to the wicked.
But to the justified—to the child of God, to the forgiven, redeemed, born-again believer—God says:
“Keep living by faith.”
God did not ask the lost world to live by faith.
Throughout Scripture, He continually challenges His people to live by faith.
And the same challenge remains for us today.
The just shall live by his faith.
Habakkuk 2:4
This is the third sermon in our series from the book of Habakkuk in the Old Testament. If we were to summarize the book of Habakkuk with one word, it might be waiting.
The longer Habakkuk waits, the heavier the pressure becomes. The direction gets blurry. He finds himself at the end of his rope. He wants God’s will, but this time trusting God does not feel exciting—it feels difficult.
In week one, we discussed questioning God. Habakkuk asked why God would allow Babylon to rise to power. The sermon was titled When Life Doesn’t Make Sense.
Last week, we discussed that God is at work even when we do not see Him at work. Just because we cannot see God moving does not mean God is not working.
This week, I want to focus on the principle God gave Habakkuk in the middle of his struggle.
“Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” — Habakkuk 2:4
Faith Is Rarely Understood
God said, “The just shall live by faith.”
That is a wonderful statement. We ought to write it down, frame it, and hang it in our homes. But what does it really mean?
Habakkuk wanted God to give him answers, but instead, God gave him faith.
How many times in life have we sought answers from God, only to discover that God was teaching us something deeper along the way?
I am reminded of the movie The Karate Kid. Daniel wanted to learn karate so he could defend himself. Mr. Miyagi agreed to teach him—but first Daniel had to paint a fence. Day after day, he painted. Then Mr. Miyagi told him to wax all the cars: “Wax on, wax off.”
Eventually Daniel became frustrated.
“I came here to learn karate, not work for you!”
But then Mr. Miyagi threw a punch, and Daniel instinctively blocked it using the same motion he had learned while painting the fence. A kick came, and Daniel defended himself with the wax on, wax off motion.
Without realizing it, he had been trained all along.
I am not trying to spiritualize The Karate Kid, but that is often how God works.
We ask for answers, and God says, “Let Me teach you something deeper.”
Sometimes that leaves us scratching our heads.
“Why is God doing this?”
“Why is God allowing this?”
The Apostle Paul asked three times for God to remove the thorn in his flesh. Instead of immediately removing it, God replied:
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9
Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and forgotten in prison. Through it all, God never handed him a clear timeline. God never explained the full plan.
Yet in the end Joseph could say:
“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” — Genesis 50:20
Naaman had leprosy in 2 Kings 5. Others were healed publicly, but Elisha instructed Naaman to dip seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman resisted.
Why not the cleaner rivers of Damascus?
Because to receive his miracle, he had to act by faith, even when it did not make sense.
We all face things in life we do not understand—heartache, disappointment, struggle, despair.
But may we keep walking with God, trusting that one day He will use it all for His greater purpose.
Faith Continues Through Life
God told Habakkuk:
“The just shall live by his faith.”
The key word is live.
God did not say, “Use faith to get over this hurdle.”
He did not say, “Use faith until you get to the next season.”
No—He said faith becomes the pattern, the foundation, and the pillars of the justified life.
I believe many people want to die in faith, but very few people want to live by faith.
This statement, “The just shall live by faith,” appears several times throughout Scripture.
In Romans 1:17, Paul emphasizes justification.
“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” — Romans 1:17
To be made right with God takes faith.In Galatians 3:11, Paul emphasizes freedom from the law.
“But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.” — Galatians 3:11
Stop trusting in works. Trust the God who saves and sets free.In Hebrews 10:38, the emphasis is endurance.
“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” — Hebrews 10:38
You do not have to quit. You do not have to turn back. You can endure life’s problems through faith.This truth is woven throughout the Bible, but it is also woven throughout our lives—from salvation, to freedom, to perseverance.
Even when it does not all add up, the message remains:
The just shall live by faith.
Faith Is A Personal Choice
Notice one small word in our text:
“The just shall live by his faith.”
Our relationship with God is personal.
We can each say:
“He died for me.”
“He paid my sin debt.”
“He forgave my sins.”
“One day I am going to Heaven.”
Salvation is personal.
But our ongoing faith toward God is personal too.
The just shall live by his faith.
As your pastor, I want to provoke you to good works. I want to push you toward service. I want to see God use you. I want your family to finish well.
But God calls you to exercise faith.
“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 11:6
I believe Heaven’s favorite conduit is faith.
We send faith upward, and God sends blessing downward.
Noah obeyed by faith. He built a boat in a desert.
Abraham obeyed by faith. He left home not knowing where he was going.
Moses obeyed by faith. He endured opposition, stood before Pharaoh, and declared, “Let my people go!”
If we are ever going to truly obey God, it will require faith—trusting what God says even when we cannot yet see the end result.
We came to God by faith.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” — Ephesians 2:8
But strangely, the longer we walk with God, the more tempted we are to drift away from faith and rely only on what we can see and control.
Maybe we have been hurt.
Maybe time feels short.
Maybe we simply want to protect what is ours.
Maybe we are in a season where we just want to play it safe.
Habakkuk had to trust that the rise of the Chaldeans, the struggle of Israel, and the unclear plan of God would somehow work out for good in the end.
He had to exercise his faith toward his God.
God gave rebuke and warning to the wicked.
But to the justified—to the child of God, to the forgiven, redeemed, born-again believer—God says:
“Keep living by faith.”
God did not ask the lost world to live by faith.
Throughout Scripture, He continually challenges His people to live by faith.
And the same challenge remains for us today.
The just shall live by his faith.
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