This morning I continue our series entitled, “Standing on a Word from God.” This is Part 9. We have been looking at the life of Abraham. Let’s go back to it today.
(Gen 17:21 CEV)
“But your son Isaac will be born about this time next year, and the promise I am making to you and your family will be for him and his descendants forever.”
Put yourself in Abraham’s shoes for a minute and think about how awesome this conversation was with God. 24 years earlier Abraham left his country and his family with a barren wife and a dream in his heart. Although he had been raised to worship idols he could see, he left everything he knew because he was believing in a God he could not see. He believed this God he could not see would SHOW UP in his life in ways he could see. So he and his wife left everything and started their journey of faith.
24 years later the Lord finally said what he was waiting to hear: he and Sarah were going to have a baby! I know what it is like to be waiting on God for something for years. It’s not that you are not already blessed, but you don’t have what you know God promised yet, and you are living in expectation, and patience, until that day comes. This is how it was for Abraham. He was financially prosperous, physically healthy, and socially established. He was blessed in many ways, but he was still holding on for the promise. And then God said what he was longing to hear. God said:
“Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. But your son Isaac will be born about this time next year, and the promise I am making to you and your family will be for him and his descendants forever.”
Imagine that. Abraham woke up that morning like every other morning. He did not know that he would hear the words he was waiting on for 24 years. God changed both he and his wife’s names. God gave Abraham specific instructions on how to seal the covenant (circumcision), He pronounced a blessing over his living son (Ishmael), gave him the name of the son of the promise (Isaac), and then told him that Isaac would be born “about this time next year.” Wow! What a day. What a blessing. What a turn-around. God showed up and turned Abraham’s seemingly hopeless situation around in one day! He did it all by simply speaking words. Abraham had to have the faith to believe those words and receive God’s promise in his heart.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- You may be blessed in many areas, but that does not mean that God wants you to relax your faith for what He promised. He wants you to believe Him for EVERY PROMISE spoken over your life to come to pass.
- When you live in expectation of God’s promises you are not bothering God. You are actually honoring Him by showing him that you believe what He said. You believe it SO MUCH that you live in expectation of the manifestation of it.
- Abraham waited 24 years to hear those words from God. No matter how long you have been waiting, don’t give up. Your day is coming. It SHALL come to pass!!!
- You must receive what God says by faith. All of this happened with words. God changed Abram’s name with a word, gave him the instructions for the circumcision in words, pronounced a blessing over Ishmael with words, named the son of promise with words, and told him exactly when Isaac would be born with words. Abraham did not physically have Isaac in his hands yet, but that made no difference. As far as Abraham was concerned, he could already see Isaac running around. God’s wants you to receive His words JUST LIKE it was the actual manifestation of the promise.
- When you truly receive a Word from God, you start walking in it as if you already have it. God may not speak to you like He did to Abraham. But however God speaks, receive it! God can speak to you in prayer, while you read your Bible, in a dream while you are sleeping, in a vision while you are awake, while you are a listening to a sermon, or while you are driving your car. No matter how it comes, believe and receive what God said! This is the life of faith!
Closing Confession:
Father, this is a season of expectation for me. Like Abraham, there are things I have been waiting on for a LONG TIME! No matter how long it takes, I declare that I shall never give up. I refuse to cast away my confidence. I refuse to relax the grip I have on my faith. I know my day shall come. I know I will receive my breakthrough. I know it is only a matter of time. So I live in EXPECTATION of Your manifestation in my life. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
