DAY 126—The Way Forward—Walk By Faith

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” — 2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV)
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“This is my story… this is my song… praising my Savior all the day long.” Those familiar words capture something deeply personal about the Christian life. Every believer who has encountered Jesus has a story of grace, redemption, and transformation.  Acts 22 gives us one of the most powerful testimonies in all of Scripture as Paul stands before an angry crowd and shares the story of how Jesus Christ changed his life forever.

Paul had just been falsely accused, beaten, and nearly torn apart by the mob in Jerusalem. Yet instead of responding with bitterness or fear, he uses the opportunity to testify. That is what walking by faith looks like. Faith sees every circumstance—even painful ones—as an opportunity for God’s glory.

Standing before the hostile crowd, Paul begins by identifying with them. He shares his Jewish upbringing, his training under Gamaliel, and his former zeal in persecuting Christians. Paul wanted them to know that he understood exactly where they were coming from because he had once stood in the same place. “I persecuted this Way to the death” (Acts 22:4).

Then comes the turning point—the Damascus Road. Paul recounts how a great light from heaven suddenly shone around him and how he heard the voice of Jesus saying: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 22:7). In that moment, Saul realized that the Jesus he had rejected was truly alive and truly Lord. Everything changed.

Conversion is not merely turning over a new leaf—it is encountering the living Christ. Paul was not reformed; he was transformed. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). And like all true transformation, it began with surrender. When Paul asked: “What shall I do, Lord?” (Acts 22:10), his life was forever redirected.

Blind from the heavenly encounter, Saul is led into Damascus where God sends a man named Ananias to him. Imagine Ananias’ fear. Saul’s reputation as a persecutor of Christians was well known. Yet Ananias obeyed the Lord. Luke records: “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law… came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight’” (Acts 22:12–13).

What grace we see here. The man who once hunted believers is now called “Brother Saul.” That is the power of the Gospel. Jesus takes enemies and makes them family. “For you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

Ananias then speaks God’s purpose over Saul’s life: “The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone” (Acts 22:14–15). Saul was saved for a purpose. And the same is true for every believer. Salvation is not merely rescue from something—it is calling into something. Scripture says: “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Ephesians 2:10).

Dr. Tony Evans wisely notes that God did not reveal Saul’s full purpose until Saul obeyed the command to go to Damascus. That is often how God works. Many people want to know God’s complete plan while refusing to obey the clear instructions He has already given. But faith does not demand the whole map before taking the first step. Faith obeys God one step at a time.

This is the essence of walking by faith. We follow Jesus even when the future feels uncertain. We obey even when we do not fully understand. It takes surrender to leave behind what is familiar and trust the leading of God’s Spirit. Yet throughout Scripture, God always honors obedience. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5).

Sometimes we think radical obedience requires massive faith. But Jesus said: “If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed… nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20). It is not the size of our faith that matters most—it is the object of our faith. Small faith in a great Savior can move mountains.

And how does faith grow? Paul later writes: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). Faith grows when we spend time in God’s Word, remember His promises, and watch His faithfulness unfold over time.

Paul’s testimony also reminds us that following Jesus often leads into difficulty, not away from it. When Paul mentions the Gentiles in his defense, the crowd erupts in anger. “Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles” (Acts 22:21). That single word—Gentiles—revealed the heart of Paul’s mission and exposed the religious bigotry of the crowd.

Warren Wiersbe describes Acts 22 as Paul’s “starting point, turning point, and finishing point.” His starting point was his Jewish identity and background. His turning point was his encounter with Christ and his calling to the Gentiles. His finishing point involved suffering, imprisonment, and delay as God continued unfolding His plan in His perfect timing. Yet through it all, Paul remained faithful.

Paul understood something many miss—God was doing a new work through the Gospel. Gentiles were now fellow heirs in Christ. As Paul later wrote: “This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body” (Ephesians 3:6). What incredible grace. Most of us reading this today are beneficiaries of Paul’s obedience to that calling.

And that raises some searching questions for us:

• Where is God calling you to follow Him?
• What nets is He asking you to leave behind?
• Who has He placed on your heart to reach with the Gospel?
• Are you willing to trust Him even when the path ahead feels uncertain?

Paul was willing to go and willing to wait. He endured rejection, imprisonment, and suffering because he knew Jesus was worth it all. Walking by faith does not mean the journey will be easy—it means Jesus will be faithful every step of the way.

Today, choose to walk by faith and not by sight. Obey what God has already revealed. Trust Him with the unknown. Follow where He leads. Because the safest place you can ever be is in the center of God’s will. And remember—your story, surrendered to Jesus, can become a testimony that points others to Him. “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
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Prayer
Father, thank You for the transforming power of the Gospel and for the example of Paul’s faithfulness and surrender. Help us to walk by faith and not by sight, trusting You even when we cannot fully see the path ahead. Give us courage to obey Your voice and follow wherever You lead. Strengthen our faith through Your Word and remind us of Your promises when fear and uncertainty arise. Use our lives and our testimonies to point others to Jesus Christ. Teach us to live with boldness, humility, and complete surrender to Your will. In Jesus’name, Amen.

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