Romans 4

¹⁸ In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. ²⁰ No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, ²¹ fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. ²² That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”

In hope he believed against hope. Imagine that statement. Even hope was hopeless but he believed, he had hope that it will happen. I think this is something self help books can never equipped us to do. In our own human strength, it is impossible to hope against hope. It is not just a hopeless case, it was an impossibility.

Abraham did not weaken in his faith even if all things consider it was hopeless. He was 100 years old, Sarah has never been fertile and add to that she is now way past fertility. She was old, really old. But the Scripture said, NO UNBELIEF made him waver concerning the promise of God but he grew strong in his faith. HOW can you grow strong in faith when all things are not going your way and it might even be impossible to achieve what God has promised.

but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, ²¹ fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

Abraham was strong when he gave glory to God. It is the first time I saw this verse in this light. It means when we live our lives for the glory of God – our faith will be strengthened. He was basically saying it is no longer my business if Sarah will have a child – it is God’s business. All he requires of me is to believe and trust in His power and sovereign will because no matter what I do, I can never give Sarah a baby.

His life was lived for the glory of God. Imagine the stunt to announce to the whole world that Grand pa Abraham and Lola Sarah will have a child. They were fully convinced. They were not second guessing. They know God can do it. They have been living for the glory of God and they understood when you live for God’s glory the supernatural is a natural occurence. It is no longer by our own might and power but by the Spirit of God’s power!!!

²³ But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, ²⁴ but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, ²⁵ who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Jesus is still in the business of giving us hope. Hope to believe against hope. Jesus is our hope. Everything is possible. Don’t believe the hype, believe in the hope we have in Christ.