Being Strengthened in Faith
God had promised Abraham that he would have a son, one who would become the seed of many nations. Remarkably, Abraham didn’t flinch at this promise, even though he was well past the age of siring children. The essence of true faith is found in this single verse. “And not being weak in faith, he [Abraham] did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Romans 4:19, NKJV).
To the natural mind, it was impossible for this promise to be fulfilled; but Abraham didn’t dwell on the hopelessness. According to Paul, the patriarch gave no thought to how God would keep his promise. He didn’t reason with God, “But, Lord, I have no seed to plant. Sarah has no life in her womb to conceive. My wife is past the ability to bear children. How will you do it, Lord?” Instead of entertaining such questions, Abraham simply did not consider it.
When God is at work producing a faith that is better than gold, he first puts a sentence of death on all human resources. He closes the door to all human reasoning, bypassing every means of a rational deliverance.
The faith that pleases God is born in a place of deadness. I’m speaking here of the deadness of all human possibilities. It is a place where man-made plans flourish at first then die. It is a place where human hopes bring temporary relief but soon crash, adding to a sense of helplessness.
Have you been at this place of deadness? Has it seemed like you have no options left? The heavens are like brass when you pray.
I declare to you that this is God at work. His Spirit is working to get you to stop considering the impossibilities. Stop looking to human ways and means, trying to think your way out of your situation. The Holy Ghost is urging you, “Quit hunting for help from some man. Quit focusing on how hopeless you think your situation is. Those are hindrances to your faith.”
May the same words be said of us that were said of Abraham, “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to perform” (Romans 4:20-21).
