This morning we continue our series entitled, “Refined Focus”, with an emphasis on “Focusing on God’s Finished Work”. For about a week now we have been looking at Ecclesiastes 3:15. We have coupled it with different scriptures. For the next few days we will couple it with a key passage in Romans 4.
A few messages ago I made the following statement: “Faith is not you moving God, faith is God moving you. Faith is what happens when what God has revealed to you about your future becomes so real to you, that you pursue it with divine confidence, even when it flies in the face of what you are seeing in the present.” In the passage we will look at today and for the next few days, you will see how Abraham personifies this statement.
The Bible says:
“As the Scriptures say, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This is true before God, the one Abraham believed—the God who gives life to the dead and speaks of things that don’t yet exist as if they are real.
There was no hope that Abraham would have children, but Abraham believed God and continued to hope. And that is why he became the father of many nations. As God told him, “You will have many descendants.” Abraham was almost a hundred years old, so he was past the age for having children. Also, Sarah could not have children. Abraham was well aware of this, but his faith in God never became weak. He never doubted that God would do what he promised. He never stopped believing. In fact, he grew stronger in his faith and just praised God. Abraham felt sure that God was able to do what he promised.” (Romans 4:16-21 ERV)
Let’s now read Ecclesiastes 3:15 and then get into the message. The Bible says, “That which is has already been, and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by [so that history repeats itself].”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God made plans for Abraham before the world began. Becoming a Father of many nations was not something Abraham came up with. This was God’s dream for his life. God dreamed it, but Abraham had to believe it; Abraham had to get to the point where he was convinced that God would do what He planned and said He would do in his life. We must all get to this point.
2. Abraham did nothing to earn or deserve God’s plan for his life. As a matter of fact, he did several things that (naturally speaking) one would think would get him disqualified. But God’s promise was not contingent upon Abraham’s performance. It was contingent upon God’s unearned grace. So in the end, Abraham received in the earth what God conceived in his heart in heaven.
3. God already knows what He planned. So when He reveals something to us, it is future for us, but it is already done for Him. The Lord said the following through the prophet Isaiah: “In the beginning, I told you what would happen in the end. A long time ago, I told you things that have not happened yet. When I plan something, it happens.” (Isaiah 46:10 ERV). Once again, our future is heaven’s past. That’s why Paul said in Romans 4 that God “speaks of things that don’t yet exist as if they are real.” The things that God reveals and declares may not exist yet in the earth, they may not be considered “real” in this world, but they are nonetheless real to God. God has already seen it happen and He is speaking it to you like it’s already done.
4. Abraham did not have a baby when he was 100 years old because he convinced God to give him one. No, this was not the case at all. Abraham had a baby when it was humanly impossible for him to do so because God convinced him that He was more than capable of doing the humanly impossible. Faith is not you convincing God. Faith is what happened when God convinces you!
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I have brought my life into focus in 2016. My life is no longer about me, my selfish plans or my human desires. My life is about the plans You made for me before the world began. You speak to me about Your plans. When you do, you call those things that be not as though they are already done. My role is to then believe and receive what You reveal. I declare that I do. I don’t live my life trying to convince You. I live my life by faith, because You have convinced me. Since my eyes are on You, nothing is impossible, nothing is unattainable, because nothing is too hard for You! I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
