Pastor Giby Raphael
How many of you can praise God for the testimonies you've already experienced in your life? And how many of you are praising God in faith for what He is doing right now, even when it’s not fully clear? Now here's the big question: Can you praise Him in advance for what He’s going to do in your life next week, next month, or even next year? Hallelujah! Because we serve a God of testimonies—the God of the impossible!
Now I want us to look together at Hebrews 12:1–2. This is one of the most powerful conclusions in the New Testament. The author—some say it’s Paul, and I personally believe it is—writes, “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.”
Church, if you miss this, you miss everything. This is the final instruction: Finish your race! It doesn’t matter how you finish it. You can crawl. You can limp. You can walk. You can run. You don’t have to come first. But you’ve got to cross that line. That’s all that matters—just finish your race.
Before giving that instruction, the author gives us the reason why. That’s what chapter 11 is all about—it defines faith and then lays out example after example of people who ran before us: Moses, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Gideon, David, Samuel. They didn’t live perfect lives. Some of them did some very foolish things. But they finished their race. If they could do it, you can do it too. That’s the message.
But here’s something important. The author says it’s okay to glance at these people. Glance at their lives. Glance at their testimonies. Glance at their victories. But don’t fix your eyes on them. Don’t fix your eyes on Moses. Don’t fix your eyes on David. Don’t fix your eyes on Abraham. Fix your eyes on Jesus.
There’s a difference between glancing and fixing. When I drove here this morning, I glanced at so many things—houses, cars, signs—but I didn’t fixate on anything. It’s okay to look around. But when it comes to your spiritual race, your eyes must be fixed on one person only—Jesus Christ.
Why do you worship God?
If your praise is based on who He is—then it’s unshakable. You worship Him not because He answered your prayer, but because He is God.
Now why is that so important? Because if your praise is based only on what God has done for you—or what you’re expecting Him to do—you might be disappointed. That’s the truth. You might not get what you asked for. You might not get that healing when you want it. You might not get that breakthrough in the timing you expected. You might get persecuted, mistreated, rejected. Hebrews 11 even talks about those who were stoned, flogged, and wandered in deserts. So if your praise is only based on what God does for you, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.
But if your praise is based on who He is—then it’s unshakable. You worship Him not because He answered your prayer, but because He is God. You worship Him not because you got that promotion, but because He is worthy. That’s the deeper revelation God is calling us to.
Many people treat Sunday like spiritual insurance. They show up because they need God’s help on Monday. They tick the box and say, "Okay God, I showed up. Now help me through the week." But let me tell you something: God is not just your emergency contact. He is your Father, your Redeemer, your Friend. He deserves your worship not for what He gives but for who He is.
David said, "I’d rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked." Why? Because he knew the joy of God’s presence. Joshua stayed behind in the tent of meeting even after Moses left. Why? Because he tasted something in God’s presence that nothing else could offer.
If you can learn to draw your joy from the presence of the Lord, you become unstoppable. Because the world didn’t give you that joy—and the world can’t take it away. Everything else dries up. Human love, money, success—it all has limits. But His presence is a reservoir that never runs dry.
Now let me bring it closer to home. Some of you are saying, "Pastor, I’m trying to fix my eyes on Jesus, but I can’t find Him. I’m praying. I’m fasting. I’m doing everything I can. But I don’t see Him." Let me take you to John 6. The crowd was looking for Jesus after He fed the 5,000 and walked on water. They finally found Him and asked, “Jesus, where were you?” And what did He say? “You’re looking for me not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.” In other words, you’re not seeking me to know me—you’re seeking me to get more bread.
That hit me hard. It’s a question we all need to ask ourselves: What kind of hunger do I have? Do I want more of God—or just more from God? Do I seek His hand—or His heart? Fixation on Jesus means loving Him for who He is, not just what He can give.
Let me tell you about Gideon. God called him a mighty warrior, and he said, “Who, me?” He needed sign after sign. Even after the Spirit of the Lord came on him, he still asked for confirmation. But God was patient. And God taught Gideon something powerful—how to fixate on the unseen.
God stripped Gideon's army from 30,000 to 300. And He didn’t even give them real weapons! Just a trumpet and a torch in a jar. That’s not a strategy for war. That’s a lesson in trust. God was saying, “Gideon, I’m teaching you to trust not in what you see, but in who I am.”
2 Corinthians 4:18 tells us to fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. It sounds crazy. How do you fix your eyes on the unseen? But that’s faith. And when you do, something powerful happens. Paul says we are jars of clay with a treasure inside. We may be hard-pressed on every side—but we’re not crushed. Perplexed—but not in despair. Struck down—but not destroyed. That’s the power of fixation on Jesus.
You fixate on your boss—you’ll be disappointed. Fixate on your spouse—you’ll be disappointed. Fixate on your finances—disappointed. But fix your eyes on Jesus—and you’ll never be shaken.
I want to close with this: Even if He doesn’t give you what you ask for, He is still worthy. That’s the kind of faith that pleases God. That’s the kind of faith that separates the seekers from the lovers.
Church, this is the invitation: Let’s go to the next level. Not just coming to church for blessings—but coming to church because we love Him. Let our hunger be to know more of Him. Let our worship be for who He is. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Amen.