This morning I continue our series entitled, “Standing on a Word from God.” This is Part 27. We have been looking at the life of Abraham for well over a month. By now you know his story. God spoke to Abram when he was 75 years old. God called him out of the land of Ur. Amazingly enough, without a Pastor to listen, a church to attend, a Bible to read, or a praise team to sing-him-happy, Abram had the faith to leave everything he knew to embark on a journey of discovery into the unknown. When he was 99 years old, God changed his name to Abraham. When he was 100 years old, 25 years after the promise was given, Abraham and Sarah had a baby. The baby was part of the blessing, but he was not the full blessing. God promised to bless the entire planet through Abraham. Abraham’s descendants were supposed to live on forever, being a blessing to this world. So the boy was the conduit for the FULL blessing. Without the boy, the FULL promise could not come to pass. When the boy was 17 years old, God told Abraham to offer him up as a sacrifice. After 42 years of walking with God, a 117 year old Abraham walked up a mountain ready to do what God said, BY FAITH! Since he was willing to sacrifice the boy, God did not require it of him. Abraham passed the test, the boy gave birth to a nation, and that nation still lives on to this day.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- If you look at the amazing life of Abraham, you must acknowledge the fact that his story is a story that was birthed in the heart of God. His story is not one Abraham came up with on his own. God called Abraham was he was 75 years old. God promised to make his name great. God promised to bless all the families of the earth through him. This was not Abraham’s idea. This was not something birthed in the heart of a man, who in turn asked his God to bless it. No, faith is actually something birthed in the heart of God and a man (or woman) has the audacity to believe it and attempt it in the earth. Faith is not about what you want. Faith is about what God planned before the world began.
- Every promise in the written in the Word of God is a promise from God for you. A promise from God is a revelation of divine intention. This revelation is designed to inspire your faith and actions . But it will not inspire you if you do not know it. If you are going to do what God said and walk in His promises, you have to know the Word of God — both the written Word and the Word He speaks to you. If you don’t know the Word, you cannot have faith, because you don’t know what to have faith for. Faith begins where the will of God is known. Faith begins in God’s heart, not your own.
- If you are going to live by faith, you must read the Word of God and get it down in your heart. Further, you must develop an ear to hear what God is saying. You read the Word to learn what God said in the past. But at the same time, you must open your heart to hear what God is saying to you today. You must have BOTH!
- Like Abraham, God has already prepared things for you to receive, experience and accomplish in this world. But you will never pursue them if you do not know what they are. This is why you must read the Word and develop a ear to hear the Holy Spirit.
I will mention these three last points briefly and expound on them tomorrow.
- Listening is the key to learning from God. The ultimate goal for us is to be led of the Holy Spirit in all things. This is how Jesus lived and this is how we are supposed to live.
- Knowledge is the key to change. You won’t change into what God designed if you are ignorant of what He planned.
- Revelation is the key to faith. If you don’t know what God is saying to you right now, you don’t know what to ask for in prayer, what to pursue in action, or what to say when God sets up divine appointments for you.
Closing Confession:
Father, this is a season of expectation for me. I expect to experience all You planned. I expect You to reveal what YOu planned before the world began. As You do, I declare that I will live by every Word You speak to me. I read Your written Word daily to learn what You said. But more importantly, my heart is open to hear Your voice daily to know what You are SAYING to me in this season. Living this way I will leave a mark in this world that will not be erased. I will do this by Your grace. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
