(Rom 4:18 MSG) When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, “You’re going to have a big family, Abraham!
This morning we continue our new series entitled, “Faith and Patience VOL III – Never Give Up!” by picking up where we left off in the story of Abraham. Paul’s commentary on Abraham’s actions helps us clearly see what he did and how it applies to our lives. Let’s take a closer look at this text:
1. “When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway.” I love that statement! This is the essence of this series. As believers, we must continue to believe God, even when all the natural evidence is telling us that it is NOT going to happen. As a matter of fact, God specializes in man’s impossibilities and He sometimes waits until the situation gets so bad – so far past human possibility – in order to get maximum glory out of the situation. How much glory would God have received if Abraham and Sarah had Isaac a year after they met God? If it would have happened then, it would not be a human impossibility and it would really have been “no big deal.” However, by waiting until Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 (and she had been barren her entire life), then we can clearly see that this would not have happened without God. God’s work begins where our work ends. His limitless ability is often released when we have reached our limits. We do what we can and God does what we can’t. Now we can better understand Paul’s statement. Everything was hopeless from a human perspective, but Abraham knew that God was not limited to human ability. Abraham had to ability to believe and his belief took him past his limitations. What limitations are you facing this morning? Just because you cannot do it, it does not mean that it cannot get done. There is nothing too hard for God. Why not look your circumstances in the face and believe God anyway?
2. “Deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said he would do.” Belief, faith, doubt, and unbelief are simply choice we make. Belief is you choosing to consider that God can. Faith is you choosing to establish in your heart that God will. Doubt is you choosing to consider that God might not make it happen. Unbelief is you choosing to establish in your heart that it will not happen for you. In every case, the choice is yours. Our life is a grand-sum-total of our decisions. Now we can better understand Paul’s statement. Abraham’s secret to success what that he simply “decided” to live his life upon the basis of what God said and not upon the basis of his human limitations. We can do the same thing. Many believers today do not have an audible promise from God to stand on, but they do have the written promises in the Word of God. God is as obligated and committed to His written Word than He is to any spoken Word. We all have the ability to choose to live our lives upon the basis of what God said and not our limitations. God’s promises or your limits, which will you choose?
3. “And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, “You’re going to have a big family, Abraham!”” God did it. God was true to His word. God said what He meant and He meant what He said. God honored His Word to Abraham and He will honor His Word to us! God will always back up His promises.
So what does this mean to you today? It means that you can choose to operate in belief and faith or you can choose to operate in doubt and unbelief. Either way, your life will be a result of your decisions. If you choose to operate in belief and faith, your decision will catapult you past your limitations.
Closing Confession: Father, I choose to operate in belief and faith. I believe You can and I have faith that You will. My belief gets me past my limitations. I will do all that You have blessed me to do. I do all that I can and I trust You to do what I can’t. When I have reached my limits, I look to You to operate in the limitless! I look at hopeless situations head on and I choose to believe anyway. There is nothing too hard for You. You have given me precious promises and I choose to believe and stand on those promises, even when the natural evidence is telling me to give up. When the world considers it impossible, You step in and get maximum glory. So Father, my faith is intact. I will never give up, cave in, or quit. I am a believer and not a doubter and I believe You will do all that You said You will do in my life! In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
