(Rom 4:19 MSG) Abraham didn’t focus on his own impotence and say, “It’s hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child.” Nor did he survey Sarah’s decades of infertility and give up.
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. It would have been understandable if Abraham had given up on his dream of having a child with Sarah. After all, they had messed up and pursued a child another way, their mess up produced a strife to deep that it still remains today (between Jews and Muslims), and besides that, they were way too old to have children. But in spite of their flaws and failures, and in spite of their old age (human impossibility), they still had a promise from God and they were crazy enough to believe that He would still do what He promised He would do. They believed God, even when the circumstances looked hopeless. Can the same be said of you?
Think about Abraham’s situation for a moment. He was about 100 yrs. old and his wife is about 90. They were both past the “normal” child producing age and Sarah had been barren all her life. Both sides of the equation were flawed and the probability of this couple producing a baby was slim-to-none; if not impossible. Get the picture? Understand the equation? Now, add to it a promise from God. God not only promised that they would have a child, but that they would become the fathers of many nations and kings. When you factor IN a promise from God you must also factor OUT the limiting dynamics that were previously considered. Paul says that Abraham did not focus on his limitations, nor did he focus on the limitations of Sarah. Humanly speaking, Abraham was unreasonable, his expectation was unnatural, his hope was unusual; and it all stemmed from a capacity to believe that was (and still is) uncommon. But what Abraham did, you and I can do today. We can believe God and we can continue to operate in faith, even when all the human evidence is telling us to give up. That’s what this series is all about!
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Your failures don’t disqualify you from the promise: God does not have to wait until Tuesday to know what you are going to do on Tuesday. God knew all you would do – failures, flaws, and all – and He still gave you the promise. So don’t allow the devil to make you think that you have disqualified yourself from what God has qualified you for!
2. God can do it for you: God can do for you what He did for Abraham. God does not play favorites. God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), but He is a respecter of faith. If you want Abraham-like results you will need Abraham-like faith. However, you will never exercise Abraham-like faith, until you expand your capacity to believe and you take your limits off of your limitless God.
3. Factor out every limit: What limits have you factored into your faith equation? Stop factoring IN what God has already factored OUT. What you see as a hurdle, God sees as a greater aspect of your testimony. When it is all said and done you will be able to say, “In spite of…,” “God did…” But you will never have that testimony if you don’t keep your faith switch in the “ON” position.
Closing Confession: Father, I choose to believe You and Your Word over any hindrances, obstacles, or limitations in my life. I factor IN Your Word and I factor OUT every limit. Your grace looks past my failures and flaws. Thank You Father that I don’t have to earn Your goodness. I will never be able to earn what You have done, nor what You will do for me. I love You and honor You so much that I seek to operate in faith every day of my life. No matter what it looks like, I refuse to say my situation is hopeless. Like Abraham, I have uncommon faith and I receive uncommon results. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
