05-20-2026 PART 3: Walking by Faith Instead of Taking Control
Section 1
Continuing the teaching about faith, Dr. Dave explains why believers must learn to see life through faith rather than through personal control, logic, or self-reliance. Faith is not only the way believers please God, but also the very method God has chosen for receiving grace, salvation, and daily guidance. The danger comes when people stop walking by faith and begin taking over situations themselves, attempting to force outcomes through human planning and understanding. Using David’s sinful census in 1 Chronicles 21, the teaching shows how Satan tempted David to place confidence in visible resources and numbers rather than trusting the Lord. Knowing what someone possesses is not sinful by itself, but relying on personal inventory instead of depending upon God leads people away from faith and into pride, fear, and self-dependence.
Section 2
To make the lesson practical, Dr. Dave shares several personal illustrations showing how easily human beings try to arrange circumstances according to their own desires. From a childhood baseball memory to Abraham and Sarah attempting to “help” God fulfill His promise through Hagar, the pattern remains the same: impatience causes people to seize control instead of trusting God’s timing and process. James 4 reinforces this by warning against arrogantly planning the future while forgetting how temporary and fragile life truly is. Jesus Himself taught that believers cannot bear spiritual fruit apart from remaining connected to Him. The central point becomes unmistakable—when people run life independently from God, they eventually create confusion, frustration, and unnecessary hardship because they are operating outside the strength and wisdom only God can provide.
Section 3
Near the close, the focus turns toward the freedom and stability that come from trusting the Lord fully instead of leaning on personal understanding. Proverbs 3:5-6 becomes the foundation for the final encouragement: trust in the Lord with all your heart, refuse to rely solely upon human reasoning, and remain mindful of Him in every area of life. Dr. Dave explains that believers receive peace by casting their burdens upon God through prayer rather than carrying every problem themselves. Walking by faith does not mean ignoring reality, but seeing every circumstance through confidence in God’s presence, wisdom, and faithfulness. The teaching closes with a simple but powerful reminder: when believers trust God instead of constantly trying to control everything themselves, the Lord is able to straighten the path before them and guide them safely forward.
