Radical Faith: Walking by Faith, Not by Sight-Sermons Notes for Sunday, January 18, 2026
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” — 2 Corinthians 5:7
There’s a reason faith is called radical. It asks us to step forward when we can’t see what’s ahead. To trust in something bigger than our circumstances. To believe before we have proof.
Hebrews 11:1 defines it beautifully: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Faith isn’t wishful thinking—it’s substance. It’s evidence. It’s real, even when we can’t touch it or measure it with our five senses.
Faith as the Fruit of Transformation
In Galatians 5:22, faith appears alongside love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, and goodness as fruit of the Spirit. This isn’t coincidence. Another way to understand “fruit of the Holy Spirit” is as evidence of a spiritually transformed person who is connected to Jesus Christ.
When you’re connected to the vine, fruit grows naturally. And faith? Faith is one of those fruits.
But here’s the thing about radical faith—it’s not passive. It’s an active choice and a step of obedience and trust in God’s character and promises.
Let me break that down into three powerful truths about what faith does.
1. Faith Asks in Confidence
James 1:5-6 (NIV) tells us:
“If you do not have wisdom, ask God for it. He is always ready to give it to you and will never say you are wrong for asking. You must have faith as you ask Him. You must not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like a wave which is pushed around by the sea.”
Notice the promise here: God is always ready to give. He will never criticize you for asking. But there’s a condition—you must ask in faith, without doubting.
Doubt makes us unstable, tossed around like waves. But faith? Faith anchors us. It allows us to approach God with confidence, knowing He hears us and He responds.
What do you need to ask God for today? Wisdom? Direction? Provision? Ask—and ask with confidence.
2. Faith Trusts and Stands Strong
In 2 Chronicles 20:20 (NIV), Jehoshaphat stood before the people of Judah and declared:
“Listen to me, O Judah and people of Jerusalem. Trust in the Lord your God, and you will be made strong. Trust in the men who speak for Him, and you will do well.”
This was spoken as they headed into a battle they couldn’t win on their own. They were facing impossible odds. And Jehoshaphat’s response? Trust.
Trust in the Lord = strength. Trust in His word = success.
Radical faith doesn’t ignore the challenge. It faces the challenge while standing on the unshakeable foundation of who God is. When everything around you is uncertain, your faith in God’s character makes you strong.
3. Faith Believes in the One God Sent
In John 6:28-29 (NLT), the people asked Jesus a simple but profound question:
“We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”
Of all the things Jesus could have said—pray more, give more, serve more—He said this: Believe.
The work of faith isn’t complicated, but it is profound. It starts and ends with believing in Jesus. That’s the foundation. Everything else flows from there.
Your Next Step
Radical faith asks in confidence. It trusts and stands strong. It believes in Jesus.
Where is God asking you to step out in radical faith today? What wave have you been tossed by that faith could anchor? What promise are you struggling to believe?
Faith doesn’t require perfect circumstances. It requires a perfect God—and you already have one.
Walk by faith, not by sight.
Based on sermon notes from Sunday, January 18, 2026
