This morning I continue our series entitled, “Standing on a Word from God.” This is Part 6. The Bible says:
(Gen 17:4-6 ERV)
This is my part of our agreement: I will make you the father of many nations. I will change your name from Abram to Abraham, because I am making you the father of many nations. I will give you many descendants. New nations and kings will come from you.
14 years transpire between the end of chapter 16 and the opening of chapter 17. By this chapter Abram is 99 yrs. old. It had been 24 yrs. since he took his bold step of faith and left Haran to follow God. He had experienced many victories and was abundantly blessed, but the promise of becoming a great nation had not yet come to pass. He was still standing on the Word. He was still believing. He was still waiting on God to do what He said He would do.
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I am God All-Powerful. If you obey me and always do right, I will keep my solemn promise to you and give you more descendants than can be counted.” Abram did what most would do if God manifested Himself before them; Abram fell flat on his face. God went on to say, “I will make you the father of many nations. I will change your name from Abram to Abraham, because I am making you the father of many nations. I will give you many descendants. New nations and kings will come from you.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham.
a) In Biblical times your name was very important. Your name was supposed to be representative of your character, attributes, and nature. Abram meant “exalted father.” At this point Abram technically fit that name. But he had not truly received God’s best yet. God added one Hebrew letter to Abram’s name and changed it to Abraham. This name is more specific and it means, “Father of many nations.”
b) God wanted Abraham to call embrace his identity and call himself the Father of Many Nations, even before it happened. Opening your mouth and openly declaring what God said, before it happens in the earth, is part of the life of faith.
2. Powerful things happen when you identify yourself with God.
a) The Jews have given God many names. One of the names is considered to be the most sacred. The name we use in English as Yehovah (or Jehovah) is also referred to as the Tetragrammaton (or word of four letters). In Hebrew Yehovah (YeHoVaH) is spelled without the vowels, hence a name with four letters. When God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, He added one of these letters to his name. God changed Abram’s name by giving him a portion of His OWN name. The image is that God was putting His stamp on Abraham. He was putting His own name on his son. This changed everything for Abraham and it also changes everything for us! We are called by His name!
b) Once Abraham was able to identify with God directly, he went from “doing” to “being.” God had blessed Abram with many possessions to this point, but now the greatest blessing came. It was the blessing of identity. Once you can look in the mirror and see yourself as you see God, there is nothing God cannot do through you.
c) The greatest blessing is the blessing of knowing who you are in God. You can seek God for “things” all you want, but material blessing is a lesser blessing. The greater blessing comes when you know WHO YOU ARE in God!
d) Once you know who you are, you don’t pursue the blessing. You know the blessing is already on you, in you, with you and for you. YOU ARE THE BLESSING and God sends you into this world to be an agent of supernatural change.
e) This is the greatest revelation you can receive from God: As Jesus is, so am I, in this world! (1 John 4:17). The day you look in the mirror and see Jesus, is the day you start living AS Jesus in this world. From that day forward, you will never see limits, because you know God is IN you and He is working THROUGH you!
Closing Confession:
Father, this is a season of expectation for me. I have confidence that You will do what You said You would do IN me and THROUGH me, because I know who I am. I know who I am because I know whose I am. I graduate from DOING to BEING. I am who You say I am. I can do what You say I can do. I am in Christ and Christ is IN me. You put Your name on me. You put Your stamp on me. I covered by Your blood, called according to Your purpose, and called BY YOUR NAME! As Jesus is, so am I, in this world! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
