By Clarence Dalrymple If God says He will do something for you, He will do it! He always keeps his promises. God means what He says and says what He means. God will not mislead you or direct you to failure! God will always guide you in the right direction, but there are some things that you have to do in order to receive direction from Him. Remember that even when every demon in hell stands against you, the God of Abraham remains faithful to all of His promises. He can do anything, but He cannot fail! He will not fail his own people who put their total trust in Him. If there is any failure, it is in people’s ability to follow God. But there are keys to receiving the fulfillment of God’s promises, and we can look at Abraham’s life to see an example of Abraham allowing God’s will to be done in his life. 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. 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 4:19-21
God Chose Abram To Follow Him God spoke to Abram to get out of his home country, and from his family, from his father's house and go to a land that He would show him. God created a nation that He could express Himself through, but He needed someone who was faithful to obey Him. God knew Abram would follow Him. Abram was 75 years old when God spoke to him and he obeyed God and left the place where he had been raised. He took his wife and his nephew Lot and began his journey in following God’s direction. It was not easy for Abram to leave his family and familiar surroundings. Many times, we cut the blessings of God off because we are afraid to move away from our family or the town we grew up in. Abram conquered the fear of the unknown and headed in a direction where he did not know anything about the land or the people. He stepped out only on God’s word. Because of his obedience, God put His blessing upon Abram and his descendants. Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3 This is the covenant, or contractual agreement that God made with Israel. And this is why, even today, that Israel is referred to as God’s chosen land. Later on, when Moses lead the Israelites out of Egypt, the law was added so that there would be a standard of behavior for all to follow. God visited Abram and made a covenant with him God assured him in a vision He was his shield and exceedingly great reward. God will always confirm His direction to us. It may not be in a dream or a vision, but we will know in our spirit if we are making the right decision. We will have peace to continue the journey. After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” Genesis 15:1 Abram and his wife Sarai had no children. But God promised the impossible to them. He said that his own child would be used to fulfill the promise. It was naturally impossible. Both Abram and Sarai were advanced in age—well past childbearing. But God is the God of the impossible And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one (Abram’s servant) shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Genesis 15:4-5 God spoke and set the boundaries of Israel at that time. The boundaries of the country of Israel were set by God and are not moveable. On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates— the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.” Genesis 15:18-21 God changed Abram’s identity When Abram was 99, God appeared to Abram and reinforced and confirmed the covenant that was made earlier with him. Names were very important in the Old Testament. When there is a name change, it signifies a change in identity. Abram meant “High Father”, but the name Abraham meant Father of Many Nations. Sarai’s name meant princess. Her name was changed to Sarah, meaning the mother of many nations. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in[f] which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” Genesis 17:1-8 God Has Only One Plan in Mind—His! Although Abraham did not doubt God, he became impatient. Many times, if the promise is not fulfilled right away, we begin to work on “Plan B.” It took 25 years for God’s plan to come to pass in Abraham’s life! God is not obligated to work on our timetable so we can be comfortable! God always works on His timetable, and faith requires that we trust Him. There is only God’s perfect will—the “permissive will of God” is our Plan B. Plan B is never God’s plan. He has one plan and anything else is our way of trying to help God out! After waiting so long for the promised baby, Sarah suggested a Plan B. Abraham consented and the result was Ishmael was born to Sarah’s maid. Many times, people substitute their Plan B Ishmael for God’s promise because they become impatient and then become doubtful of God’s promises. Ishmaels are not the perfect plan. We may have to nourish our mistakes for a season. Repentance shortens the season, but we may have to live with the consequences of our Plan B for the rest of our lives. Abraham Believed God Even though Abraham sinned and produced Ishmael, God did not hold it against him and continued to fulfill Abraham’s destiny. The word "believe" means that Abraham made an "Unqualified Commitment" of himself and all he was or ever would be, to God. The Hebrew meaning of the word "believe" not only "in loving trust", but it also means "give yourself wholly up", or to "become part of Himself and become part of His divine will." "And he believed in the Lord, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness." Genesis 15:6 Four Steps That Abraham Followed to Receive the Fulfillment of God’s Promise And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 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 4:19-21 1. Abraham Considered Not Abraham did not take into account the natural circumstances that told him it was impossible for him and Sarah to have a child. He did not let those circumstances influence his faith. Do not misunderstand. Do not ignore the natural circumstances and do something crazy. Many times, people do things that are out of God’s will and then when it does not work, they blame God for telling them to do it. But when you believe you will receive the fulfillment of a promise from God, you cannot focus your natural circumstances. God give life to the dead and speaks of non-existent things that He has foretold and promised as if they already existed. "(As it is written, I have made you a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickens the dead, and calls those things which be not as though they were." Romans 4:17 2. Abraham Staggered Not Sarah first response to the news that she would have a baby at 90 years old was to laugh. That is a totally normal reaction to such news. Abraham did not question or doubt God's promise, even though he was influenced by Sarah to impregnate her maid. He though the Plan B was the way God would work. Sarah was trying to help God, and later on did repent of her sin of unbelief. The Bible says "by faith Sara received strength to conceive seed and she bore a child when she was past age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised." Hebrews 11:11 A person who constantly wavers between faith and doubt will not receive anything from God. "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.” James 1:6,7 The enemy will always try to get you to focus on your circumstances. If he can get you to consider everything around you, he can get you to stagger at and forfeit the promises of God. So do not consider the situation or the circumstances! And do not try to help God out! God is more than able to keep His promises to you! 3. Abraham Gave Glory to God This is an important step that enabled Abraham to receive from God: “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, GIVING GLORY TO GOD.” Romans 4:20 Abraham gave glory to God for the blessing before it ever happened. He trusted that God was capable and thanked God before he ever saw the fulfilled promise. You have to believe God & thank Him for the answer when you pray. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6 The Living Bible Translation puts it like this: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers.” You may be facing obstacles or situations that have you boxed in—financially, domestically, physically, or emotionally. While these facts do exist, – only consider what God says about you. 4. Abraham was Fully Persuaded Abraham’s full trust was in God. He knew God would do what He said he would. In Acts 27, the Apostle Paul was on a ship bound for Rome. The wind & the waves tossed the boat back & forth so violently that the men on board the ship gave up all hope of living. After several days, Paul encouraged them with a message that the angel of God had given him. He said, “therefore take heart, men, for I BELIEVE God that it will be just as it had told me” “So keep up you courage, men, for I HAVE FAITH in God that it will happen just as he told me.” Acts 27:25. Just as Abraham before him, Paul was fully persuaded that God would do just what He said! "For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?" Romans 3:3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. Hebrews 4:3 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” Mark 5:36 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Mark 9:23 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:24Mark 9:24 In God’s Kingdom, BELIEVING always precedes SEEING While the world says, “Seeing is believing,” the Bible says just the opposite. We must make a choice to believe God’s Word and reject the lies of the enemy. Then, and only then, will our eyes of faith see what is going on in the spiritual realm. That is why Jesus pointed out to those standing at Lazarus’ gravesite: “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40. Do not be overtaken and blinded by your natural circumstances. Instead, ask God to open your spiritual eyes as He did for Abraham, who believed (saw beyond the circumstances). When your spiritual eyes are opened, you will recognize that you are not alone. God is with you, and He has a massive spiritual arsenal at your disposal. You are His child, and His Spirit is alive within you. Now is the time to allow faith to rise up within you, enabling you to advance God’s Kingdom and overthrow the power of the enemy. Stand strong! Believe God’s Word, and you will see His plan for your life fulfilled and His glory manifested in your life! You will be a great testimony of God’s power in this day! Comments are closed.
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AuthorsPastors Clarence and Pat Dalrymple desire to see every person strengthen their faith by gaining revelation knowledge of the Word of God. |