God’s Grace in Romans | True Hope |
We saw from our last discussion the creative power of God’s word in Abraham’s life when he told him I have made you a father of many nations. Abraham believed in a God who calls those things that be not as though they were because what God speaks becomes reality.
Then the apostle continues;
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. Romans 4:18
When God made a promise to Abraham, there was nothing physically possible within his power to assist him in bringing forth the promise. His body was literary dead and Sarah’s womb dead too.
All that God spoke to him was “against hope.” Against all rational grounds of hope. Without supernatural aid, it was a tale to laugh at, which at difficult times he and his wife did (Genesis 17:17, 18:12).
But something is resounding “Who against hope believed in hope.” Where there is no hope, how do you still believe in hope?
This is a supernatural kind of hope. Only God can give this kind of hope. I often meet a lot of people who say I hoping that this would be and that would happen and right behind their eyes I only see a wish.
Many times they are not persuaded it will happen or they are persuaded it would happen but it’s just a mere desire.
This kind of hope against all hope, where your condition looks outwardly dead and hopeless but you are completely convinced change is on the way can only come from heaven.
How do you receive this kind of hope?
We hear;
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4
Observe this statement “through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
Biblical hope comes from the word of God. The scriptures are given to us with thousands of promises to provide comfort, patience, and hope.
If Abraham was just wishing that maybe he would have a son through Sarah, if he was just saying that this person has it so I too will have mine, he never would have had comfort, patience, and this supernatural hope.
He exercised a divine kind of hope which comes through the word of God even as we hear “according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.”
Our hope must be according to that which is spoken by the Lord to us, if not it is just a mere wish. God’s word is the only source of genuine hope. A hope that never fails (Romans 5:1—5)
Then we hear:
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 Sara’s womb: Romans 4:19
Once he heard from God nothing could stop his persuasion. Once we receive a word from the Lord we ought not to consider anything other than the power of God to do that which he has spoken.
Our God is the God of the impossible. There is nothing too hard for our father. So, our eyes, heart, and hope must be fixed on the word even as…
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. Romans 4:20-21
It’s amazing what Abraham did “giving glory to God; ” Imagine Abraham going about giving God glory, declaring God’s goodness that he was a father of many nations when his body was dead and Sarah’s womb also dead. Many today think it’s foolishness and mere blabbing.
True faith speaks (2 Corinthians 4:13). Confessing what God says about you even when you have not seen it yet is giving God glory, saying the same thing with God, and accepting or receiving the manifestation.
Confession
Father, I thank you for your word. In your word are precious promises laid up for me as a partaker of the riches of Christ.
I declare that the word is giving me hope, comfort, and patience. I am persuaded that I am blessed with all spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ.
All these blessings come upon me and the manifestation overtakes me in Jesus’ name. Hallelujah!
Prophetic Insight
In an encounter with the Lord, I heard “Dear Child, look not to your insufficiency, don’t be dismayed by your need. I am not limited to your emptiness, neither am I to your performance.
It’s all about my love and will to bless you. Look away from yourself and trust my love, power, and faithfulness to perform my word.
It may look worthless but trust me, I am faithful, I will not fail you.”
If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:13
Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church.