The Unexpected

The weathercaster says to expect rain tomorrow, so what do you do?

Generally, we prepare for the weather. We want to dress appropriately for the rainy weather. We ensure we have our umbrella and gather our appropriate footwear like rain boots and cover-ups such as raincoats. Some of us even take it a bit further by speaking what we believe by telling others, even the cashier while picking up groceries, that we are getting rain tomorrow.

But thunderstorms with lightning, hail, and tornadoes are in your area instead of just rain. Your vehicle gets dinged up, you have some trees down, and there is debris everywhere. You complain along with everyone else that there was not enough warning, yet you continue to believe the weathercaster's words day after day because most of the time, the weather performs what is spoken. I once heard my Dentist say, "Oh, that weather tricked me today; I don't know why I let the sun fool me; it always does."

Believing in some things is easier to believe than others. The weathercaster speaks; therefore, we believe. Even when the weather takes an unexpected turn with no promises, we expect sunshine eventually. We believe in the promises of God until our plans take an unexpected turn; therefore, we stop believing in the promises. I bet our Angels appointed to help us say, Oh you of little faith, all day long! (Hebrews 1:14).

Nothing is Impossible

God asked Abraham a critical question in Genesis 18:14; "Is there anything too hard for the LORD?" He told Jeremiah (32:27), "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me? Jesus told his disciples, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God (Luke 18:27).

If we can believe the weathercaster's words even on days they may get it wrong, why is it so hard to believe in Our Heavenly Father, who never gets anything wrong? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. The Everlasting God who made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, visible and invisible. The Creator of you and I. The Righteous God Who can not fail. Yahweh, who said that there is nothing too hard for Him. Jehova Jireh, who gave us the gift of grace. The Lord God who invites us to be partakers of His divine nature. El Shaddai, whose words never return back to Him void!

Paul demonstrated that we need to speak the word of faith. He said, According as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak. Paul and his workers considered not and, with the same spirit of faith, continued to speak of their faith in Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:13).

All Eyes on Abraham

Let's take another look at Genesis 18: 1-15 and 17: 15-22; God asked Abraham this critical question; Is there anything too hard for the Lord?

Abraham knew he was old and thought his and Sarah's fruit-bearing days were over. He could not testify according to Psalm 93:12-15, but once God spoke it, he believed for it.

When God appeared to Abram at the age of ninety-nine, He changed his name from Abram to Abraham and said, "I have made you a father of many nations. He changed Abraham's wife's name from Sarai to Sarah, blessed her to be the mother of many nations, and blessed her to give Abraham a son. Vs. 17 tells us that Abraham laughed to himself because he saw himself as old. And his wife Sarah (Vs. 14) couldn't help but laugh when she heard that she would have a child, even though she was old and past the age of childbearing and knew her husband was also old. God thinks nothing of His promise; after all, He is our Heavenly Father whose thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our ways His ways (Isaiah 55: 8). 

Apparently, Sarah and Abraham underestimated themselves just because of their age! What they saw themselves as, old and useless, was far from how God thought of them; the Father of many nations and the mother of many nations! God sees you as His new creation in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a New Creation." The old things like condemnation, lack, fear, sickness, doubt, and darkness are gone. Just like God gave Abraham and Sarah His best, He also wants to give you His best.

What has God called you?

Underestimating ourselves is just what we do. Our plans become cloudy; however, we keep the faith. Then it rains on our plans; we simply put on our rain gear and keep the faith. But when it storms, fear causes us to shelter in place, and we begin to stagger instead of holding fast to the confession of our faith.

In some ways, we are like Abraham and Sarah, God gives us a task to carry out, and we laugh because the task is beyond anything we can imagine ourselves doing. We map out our plans according to what we believe we can master, not what we believe God can master.

When God told Abraham to leave his country and his people and go to the land that He would show him, He promised Abraham that He would make him into a great nation, that Abraham would be blessed and be a blessing, and that his name would be great. God promised Abraham that He would curse those who cursed him and that all peoples on earth would be blessed through him (Genesis 12:1-3).

Being called the Father of many nations was funny to Abraham, but he obeyed God. He gathered his family and their things and journeyed into the land of Canaan and considered not his nor Sarah's age.

The Bible says that Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that, what God had promised, He was able to perform (Romans 4: 20-21).

Abraham had no idea where he was going but believed in God, even through the storms.

Together with each step of faith, God made known the promises.

God's promises are for all the earth. The thing is that we can't receive the promises of God if we don't know His Word. Not knowing the Word of God keeps us under the law. You are a new creation; old things have passed away! The Bible says that faith comes by hearing. Just like you heard the weathercaster say that tomorrow would be rain and you prepared accordingly by faith, the same way faith in God and His Word come by hearing what God said in His Word so that you can become fully persuaded of His Word (Romans 10:17).

Listen, stand firm when you believe that God has called you to do something big or small, don't begin to give way. Satan wants you to consider your limits. He intends to immobilize you to keep you from completing what God has purposed in your heart to do. To stop the power of God from flowing in your spirit. Don't! Choose to receive the Blessings of Abraham and consider not, but be fully persuaded that God has the power to do what He promised for you, your ministry, your career, your family, your children, your business, your relationships, and so much more! (Romans 4:20-21).

If you belong to Christ Jesus, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29). Remember, He who promised is faithful. He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20 NIV).

Study Guide

Hebrews 10:23

Genesis 12, 13, 15: 4-5, 17,
24:34

Genesis 16

Joshua 21:43

2 Corinthians 1:20

Prayer (Psalm 72:18-19)

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever; And let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.

The Victory is Already Won!