(Read Romans 4:16-21)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing to look at The Law given under Moses vs. the Grace provided by Jesus. For the last two days we have been looking at what made Abraham righteous. It was obviously not his obedience to the Law, because the Law came 430 later. And God surely did not bless Abraham because he did everything right, for his mistakes are well documented. Simply put, God wanted to bless Abraham because of His grace and Abraham believed God with his faith. We can do the same.
Let’s continue in Romans 4. Paul said, “So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift.” Notice how the promises of God are given by Grace (a free gift) and they must be accessed by faith. Paul went on to say, “And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.” You are I are not under the Law, but if we have faith, like Abraham did, we can receive like he received.
Paul then went on to explain how Abraham believed God for Isaac. The Lord had already said, “I have made you the father of many nations,” but it had been 24 years since Abraham stepped out in faith and he still did not have any children with Sarah. Paul says, “Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing. Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations.” Abraham had a promise from God and he kept believing that God would be true to His word, even though all human hope was gone. Paul continued, “And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.”
So what does this mean to you today? Here are a few golden nuggets:
1. The promises of God are given by Grace (a free gift) and they must be accessed by faith.
2. We serve a God who can give life to situations that seem dead. It’s never too late for God and there is nothing too hard for God.
3. When you have a promise from God, you must believe God will fulfill that promise and you must keep believing, even when all natural evidence tells you to give up and even after all human hope is gone!
4. Abraham refused to stop believing. His body (from the waist down) was not working, and back then there was no Viagra. Not only that, but Sarah was 90 years old and she had not been able to have children all her life. His stuff was not working, and her stuff had never worked, but Abraham believed God anyway!
5. Abraham staggered not at the promise of God, through unbelief, because he refused to consider his body dead. If you choose to consider everything the world tells you about your situation, you will stagger, stumble, and your faith will probably falter. But if you resolve to “consider not” you will “stagger not.”
6. When you are fully persuaded that God will do what He said He would do in your life, you are not moved by what you see, you are only moved by what you believe!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for Abraham and the example I see in him. You blessed him because You wanted to, because You planned to do it before the foundations of the world. And when You told Abraham what You wanted to do in his life, he had the audacity to believe it. Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness. And he kept on believing, even after all human hope was gone. Like Abraham, I am a believer and not a doubter. I believe my God. Lord, You reveal to me what You want to do in my life by Grace and I then stand in faith to believe, receive and pursue it. I chase after You and my purpose with by faith. I am fully persuaded that You will do what You have promised to do in my life. Actually, I believe it’s already done in the heavenly realm and it is only a matter of time before it manifests here on earth. I keep on believing, no matter what the earthly circumstances look like. When things get bad, and it looks like it will not happen, instead of giving up, I get excited, because all the bad situation means is that it will be a greater testimony when it finally happens. I refuse to consider the doubt the world wants me to consider. Instead of staggering at the promises of God for me, I am strong in faith, believing my God, trusting Him the entire time, knowing that what You have promised, Lord, shall come to pass in the earth, because they are already done in heaven! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
