Monday, April 18, 2011

If God Said It, It's Done

     Regardless of the length of your relationship with God, sometimes life brings some very challenging moments.  All of those moments can challenge what we really believe, who we trust, and if we have the stamina.   Can I really do what God is calling me to?  What if I fail God?  Or what if I hurt the name of Christ?  What if I succeed, will I stay humble?  Sometimes, the “what if’s” can keep us from stepping out to trust God.  The Christian walk stays strong through an unshakeable trust, even if our knees our knocking.  It doesn’t mean we walk blindly to the circumstances surrounding us, we trust God always with the outcome or fulfillment of the promise.  Faith is overlooking the facts but accepting God’s promise to prevail.  Although Abraham is the “father of our faith”, he teaches us to keep the faith in the most impossible situations. 
     If anyone is familiar with the Bible, Abraham’s story of waiting for God’s promise teaches us some valuable truths.  First, life is going to bring challenges to completely oppose your faith.  In the physical, Abraham and Sarah couldn’t possibly have a child due to their age.  Abraham was about a hundred years old, so he wasn’t physically able to produce an heir.  Although his wife was a beautiful woman, physically she was still unable to carry a child.  According to Romans 4:18, “Against all hope” is how scripture describes the situation.  Does this sound like your situation?   
     Second, we need to be realistic about our situation; we need to face the facts. What were the facts for Abraham? He couldn’t fulfill God’s promise through his strength.  No matter what, Abraham couldn’t do it.  All of the odds were against him.  What are you waiting for?  What is the promise God has spoken to you?  What are the odds against you?  Is it time, money, or circumstances?  The beautiful truth of the situation, we can’t do it in our strength.  We have to rely on God to complete His promise.  The power of faith is resting in the character of God and the Truth of the Word without wavering.   During the waiting period, it’s easy to get impatient or allow the enemies lies to cause your faith to waver.  DON’T give the enemy the opportunity to rob your promise; God isn’t like man who lies.  It isn’t easy to be patient but it’s worth it at the time of fulfillment.  It can be completely tiring to wait, especially to see other’s walking in God’s will.  GOD WILL FULFILL HIS PROMISE FOR YOUR LIFE!  Was Abraham patient through the “waiting” period for the promise?  No, he slept with his wife’s handmaid, Hagar, who nearly destroyed his family.  If anything, we learn from this story, it’s better to wait on God. 
     Lastly, we need to allow our faith to bring glory to God. “Abraham was FULLY PERSUADED that God had power to do what he had promised.  This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:22)  How do we bring glory to God with our faith?  We are persuaded ONLY God can fulfill it.  I don’t have to work on this or that; God is powerful enough to take care of it.  So, many times we try to “help” God out to rush the situation along.  It’s time to re-evaluate our faith, are we persuaded God is powerful enough to do it?  Maybe the waiting period was to make us recognize, we can’t do it.  It’s all up to God!  If that doesn’t take the pressure off, I don’t have to do nothing but trust.  God is preparing you for the promise; it may be sooner than you think.
     When the promise is fulfilled, it will be so amazing and beyond your imagination.  It doesn’t mean we are not fearful to step out of the boat but we trust the One who created the waters.  What has God promised you?  Take heart in this little truth, “If God said it, it’s done.” 

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