Abraham's Faith: Trusting God's Promises Against All Odds
Summary
In reflecting on the faith of Abraham, we are reminded of the profound power and necessity of faith in our lives. Abraham's journey is a testament to the strength of belief in God's promises, even when circumstances seem insurmountable. God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, a promise that seemed impossible given his and Sarah's advanced age. Yet, Abraham's faith did not waver. He believed in God's power to quicken the dead and call things into existence that were not. This faith was not passive; it was active and obedient, leading Abraham to act on God's promises despite the apparent impossibility.
Faith, as demonstrated by Abraham, is not merely a mental assent but a deep trust in God's character and promises. It is a conquering grace that fights against unbelief and finds its strength in the omnipotence of God. Abraham's faith was rooted in the understanding that God is both the creator and the one who raises the dead. This dual belief provided a firm foundation for his confidence in God's promises.
In our own lives, we are called to exercise such faith, especially in times of spiritual deadness or when facing seemingly insurmountable challenges. We are encouraged to trust in God's ability to create and resurrect, to bring life and fulfillment to His promises. This faith is not dependent on our circumstances but on the unchanging nature of God. As we trust in Him, we are transformed, justified, and made righteous in His sight.
Key Takeaways:
1. Faith in God's Promises: Abraham's faith was unwavering despite the impossibility of God's promise. He believed in God's power to bring life from death and to create from nothing. This teaches us to trust in God's promises, even when they seem impossible, knowing that His power is limitless. [08:14]
2. Active Faith: True faith is not passive but active and obedient. Abraham's faith led him to act on God's promises, demonstrating that genuine belief results in action. Our faith should likewise lead us to live in obedience to God's word, trusting in His guidance. [49:14]
3. Faith in Times of Trial: Faith is most needed in times of trial and spiritual deadness. Like Abraham, we are called to trust in God's power to resurrect and create, even when we feel spiritually lifeless or face overwhelming challenges. [16:49]
4. Seeing Through God's Eyes: Faith allows us to see ourselves and our circumstances as God sees them. Abraham was called the father of many nations before it was a reality. We are encouraged to view our lives through the lens of God's promises and His perspective. [45:08]
5. Justification by Faith: Abraham was counted righteous because of his faith. Similarly, when we believe in Jesus, we are justified and made righteous in God's sight. This is not based on our works but on our faith in His promises and His power to fulfill them. [53:15]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Scripture Reading: Genesis 15 and Romans 4
- [05:25] - The Holdfasts of Faith
- [06:08] - The Struggle of Faith and Unbelief
- [07:01] - Abraham's Faith Against Death
- [08:14] - God's Power to Quicken the Dead
- [09:09] - The Creating Power of God
- [10:59] - Lessons from Abraham's Faith
- [13:59] - The Time for Exercising Faith
- [16:49] - Faith in Spiritual Deadness
- [19:55] - Faith in Temporal Troubles
- [22:51] - Faith in the Church's Revival
- [25:02] - The Creating Power of God in Us
- [31:35] - Believing in God's Resurrection Power
- [43:43] - The Outcome of Faith
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Faith of Abraham
Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 15:1-6
2. Romans 4:16-17
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Observation Questions:
1. What promise did God make to Abraham in Genesis 15, and how did Abraham respond to it? [00:25]
2. According to Romans 4, what was counted to Abraham as righteousness, and why was this significant? [01:32]
3. How does the sermon describe Abraham's faith in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances? [08:14]
4. What are the two key aspects of God's power that Abraham's faith relied upon, as mentioned in the sermon? [10:59]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of "faith in God's promises" challenge the way individuals typically respond to difficult situations? [08:14]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that active faith should manifest in a believer's life? [49:14]
3. How does the sermon illustrate the importance of seeing through God's eyes, and what impact does this have on a believer's perspective? [45:08]
4. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between faith and justification, and how does this relate to the believer's standing before God? [53:15]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a promise from God that seems impossible in your life. How can you strengthen your faith to trust in His power to fulfill it? [08:14]
2. Consider a situation where you need to act on your faith. What steps can you take this week to demonstrate active obedience to God's word? [49:14]
3. When facing trials, how can you remind yourself of God's power to resurrect and create, and how might this change your approach to challenges? [16:49]
4. Think of a time when you viewed a situation through your own perspective rather than God's. How can you shift your mindset to see through God's eyes? [45:08]
5. In what ways can you remind yourself daily of your justification by faith, and how does this assurance affect your relationship with God? [53:15]
6. Identify an area in your life where you struggle with unbelief. What practical steps can you take to combat this and strengthen your faith? [06:08]
7. How can you encourage others in your community to develop a faith like Abraham's, especially during times of spiritual deadness or trial? [19:55]
Devotional
Day 1: Trusting in God's Limitless Power
Faith in God's promises is exemplified by Abraham, who believed in God's ability to bring life from death and create from nothing. Despite the impossibility of God's promise that he would be the father of many nations, Abraham's faith remained steadfast. This teaches us to trust in God's promises, even when they seem impossible, knowing that His power is limitless. Our faith should be rooted in the understanding that God is both the creator and the one who raises the dead, providing a firm foundation for our confidence in His promises. [08:14]
Isaiah 46:10-11 (ESV): "declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it."
Reflection: What is one promise of God that seems impossible in your life right now? How can you actively choose to trust in His limitless power today?
Day 2: Living Out Active Faith
True faith is not passive but active and obedient. Abraham's faith led him to act on God's promises, demonstrating that genuine belief results in action. Our faith should likewise lead us to live in obedience to God's word, trusting in His guidance. This active faith is a conquering grace that fights against unbelief and finds its strength in the omnipotence of God. As we act on our faith, we align ourselves with God's will and experience His transformative power in our lives. [49:14]
James 2:17-18 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
Reflection: What is one specific action you can take today to demonstrate your faith in God's promises? How can this action reflect your trust in His guidance?
Day 3: Faith in Times of Trial
Faith is most needed in times of trial and spiritual deadness. Like Abraham, we are called to trust in God's power to resurrect and create, even when we feel spiritually lifeless or face overwhelming challenges. This faith is not dependent on our circumstances but on the unchanging nature of God. By trusting in Him during difficult times, we are transformed, justified, and made righteous in His sight. Our faith allows us to see beyond our current struggles and trust in God's ability to bring life and fulfillment to His promises. [16:49]
2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (ESV): "For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead."
Reflection: Think of a current trial you are facing. How can you rely on God's power to bring life and hope into this situation today?
Day 4: Seeing Through God's Eyes
Faith allows us to see ourselves and our circumstances as God sees them. Abraham was called the father of many nations before it was a reality. We are encouraged to view our lives through the lens of God's promises and His perspective. This perspective shift enables us to live with hope and confidence, knowing that God's promises are true and His plans for us are good. By seeing through God's eyes, we can embrace our identity in Him and trust in His purpose for our lives. [45:08]
2 Corinthians 4:18 (ESV): "as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
Reflection: How can you begin to see your current circumstances through God's eyes today? What changes when you view your life through the lens of His promises?
Day 5: Justification by Faith
Abraham was counted righteous because of his faith. Similarly, when we believe in Jesus, we are justified and made righteous in God's sight. This is not based on our works but on our faith in His promises and His power to fulfill them. Our justification is a gift of grace, received through faith, that transforms our relationship with God and assures us of our place in His family. As we embrace this truth, we are called to live in the freedom and joy of being justified by faith. [53:15]
Galatians 2:16 (ESV): "yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."
Reflection: How does understanding your justification by faith change the way you view your relationship with God? What steps can you take to live in the freedom and joy of this truth today?
Quotes
True faith as the work of God is not a thing to be put down; it is a conquering grace and makes a brave fight against wicked unbelief. While doing so, faith has her eyes open, and she in due season spies out grounds of confidence. She looks at God himself, she considers the days of old, she remembers her own experience of the right hand of the most high, and thus she lifts her eyes to the hills whence cometh her help. [00:06:20]
Abraham had received an assurance from the Lord that he was to be the father of many nations. His faith in this promise underwent great trials. Whether is the sweet honey of promise, there the wasps of doubt will be gathered together. A promise calls for faith, but through our natural depravity, it awakens unbelief, and there is a struggle around the sacred promise, such as that represented in the prayer, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." [00:05:28]
The patriarch's faith settled down upon God's power to quicken the dead, and he found in that unquestioned faith a foundation for the firmest confidence. The truth of God's power to quicken the dead met all the difficulties of Abraham's position. He argued, "What if my body be dead? God can quicken it. What if my wife be in this matter as one dead? By God's power, she can receive strength." [00:08:14]
Abraham had a second holdfast in the creating power of God. The Lord had spoken to him concerning his seed as though it existed and had said, "I have made thee a father of many nations," as though these nations were already born. He had changed his name from Abram to Abraham, which means father of a multitude. Yet when he entered his tent, no child fondly climbed his knee, no babe smiled from the arms of Sarah. [00:09:09]
Faith beholds her visions in the night; she wants not earthly light. A blind man loses nothing by the set of sun, and faith loses nothing by the removal of outward evidences. Faith has wrought many of her greatest deeds in hours which seemed least suitable for her undertakings. Like David's hero, she slays her lion in the pit in the time of snow; like Jacob, she wrestles with the angel and wins the victory when night has fallen on all the world. [00:13:59]
Now is a special time, poor sinner, for believing in God that quickeneth the dead. Now is thy choice opportunity for testing the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus, who said, "I am the resurrection and the life." God can keep his promise of grace to thee, even to thee, if thou believest, for he quickeneth the dead. If thou believeth that all the dead shall rise at the last day, cast thou not believe that though thou art spiritually dead, God can quicken thee? [00:16:49]
When death crushes down the church and there seems no sign of revival, then should we believe in the God of resurrection. The carnal man cares nothing for the condition of the church of God, but the spiritual man takes pleasure in her stones and favors the dust thereof. Some of us would sooner suffer personal calamity than see the cause of God and truth in a low condition. [00:22:51]
Abraham believed and looked at things from God's standpoint. As it is written, "I've made thee a father of many nations before him whom he believed, even God." Abraham looked at the promise as Abraham, and he could not see how it could be. He had no child, and his wife was old, but God calls him by the name which signified "father of a multitude" because he viewed him as such. [00:45:08]
Abraham as the outcome of his faith obeyed God in all things, a very essential point this. Believing God, he left his estates in Ur of the Chaldees and came to Canaan to live in tents and wander about like a gypsy, that he might dwell where the Lord had called him to sojourn, alone, a stranger in a strange land. If you believe the promise of the gospel, you will come out from the world, you will come out from sin, and you will become one of those strangers who followed Jesus whithersoever he goeth. [00:49:14]
All true believers, like Abraham, obey. Obedience is faith in action. You are to walk in the steps of the faith of father Abraham. His faith did not sit still; it took steps, and you must take these steps also by obeying God because you believe him. That faith which has no works with it is a dead faith and will justify no one. How should a dead thing justify? [00:49:33]
Justification by faith is no fiction; it is a fact that the believer is just, is saved, is complete in Christ Jesus. God give us to see this fact even as he sees it, and then being justified by faith, we may have peace with God. Next, you see that Abraham considered his body now dead. Our authorized version runs thus: he considered not his own body now dead. [00:53:15]
The moment you believe in his risen son, God counts you righteous, and as you keep on believing, God accounts you righteous. "Oh, but I'm a poor imperfect creature." God counts you righteous. "I strive after holiness, but I am not what I want to be." God counts you righteous. God never makes mistakes; he never miscounts. If he counts a man righteous, that man is righteous, depend upon it. [00:53:15]
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