Focus on the Promises

Romans 4:18-19 King James Version (KJV)
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb.

If we are to start living by faith, we must stop considering the circumstances that counter the promises we have from God. Weak faith considers the circumstances while strong faith doesn’t; it only considers the Word of God. Abraham had a promise from God that he would be the father of many nations. This promise was given to him at an old age when he and his wife were past the age of having children. In the natural, they could not have children but God said that they would. God even changed his name from Abram to Abraham (Abraham meaning the father of many nations). In the natural, there wasn’t a chance but He had a Word from God – a guarantee!

You and I have many promises from God in His Word, and yet so many Christians (AKA “believers”) devalue the promise by looking at the natural and saying things like, “well, I don’t know how that’s going to happen? I don’t know if God can do that?” Someone who speaks like that is just being carnal. If that’s you, you need to get into the Word of God and start believing it! Abram saw the natural and was in the natural but he chose to believe God’s Word above the natural. When we have challenges and problems in our lives we shouldn’t focus on them, we should focus on God’s promises to us. It amazes me how many “believers” will say something like, “I know God said that I should do X, Y and Z, but I don’t have the money for it…” Don’t you think that God would provide for you to be able to fulfil His instructions to you? I’ve gone on many mission trips all over the world and every single time I’ve committed to going, I’ve never had the money before I committed and stepped out in faith. To-date I have ministered in 8 different nations and each time that I received an invitation to go I pray and follow the peace that I have, not the finances. I even make commitments before I have a visa because I am following God, not circumstances. Living by faith means that you choose not to consider the circumstances or be governed by circumstances by choosing to focus on the promise of God.

God gave a promise to Abram and said, “you’re going to be the father of many.” From the moment that Abram received the promise he would have been challenged by what he felt (old) and what he saw (old). He would have seen Sarah (who was old) and been challenged every day to choose to believe God’s Word over His circumstances. I love how God did something significant to help Abram not to consider the natural: he changed his name! Your name is something that people use every day and something you hear every day. Your name is also linked to your identity. Every single day Abram would have been challenged by what he felt and what he saw but he would also have had somebody call him by his new name, “Abraham”, which means “the father of a multitude” or “the father of many.” How significant that even though he was being confronted with the natural circumstances which were contrary to the promise of God, he would have had people calling him “Abraham”; declaring God’s promise over him – that he is the father of many!

Don’t allow what other people say to determine how you see yourself. Don’t allow what other people say about your circumstances to dictate your faith. We should surround ourselves with people who will build us up in our faith but when people around us are not speaking faith we shouldn’t be moved by their opinions. Keep filling your mind and heart with God’s Word and it will help you to guard your heart against unbelief.