Faith That Heals Part 2

Abraham reached beyond the limits of his own mind and the limits of what other people had told him. “Against hope he believed in hope.” Against natural hope he believed in supernatural hope. Against the ability that he had, Abraham believed in God’s ability.

Romans 4:19, in the original Greek says: “Without growing weak in faith he considered his body and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.”

The Greek says, “he considered.” (The King James version of the Bible translates this incorrectly.) The literal Greek says Abraham faced the facts. It’s okay to look at the facts, but just don’t judge the promises by them. 

The Greek word for considered in this verse means to add it up. He calculated and came up with the conclusion that he couldn’t do it.

But Romans 4:20 says, “He did not stagger in unbelief at the promise of God, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.”

Abraham looked at his circumstances and, instead of becoming weaker in faith, he actually became stronger in faith.

If you’re in a position today where you know you can’t make something happen, you’re in a great place. Because as long as you think you can trust in yourself you’re not going trust (have faith) in God.

The word stagger in verse 20 in the Greek means to make a judgment. Abraham didn’t stagger. He didn’t make a judgment against the promise. He made a judgment against his ability to make it happen, but not against God’s promise.

Abraham could have looked at the circumstances and said, “I don’t believe God,” but he didn’t.

Why? Because he was perfect?

Oh no, he was far from it. Abraham made mistakes. He had some faith accidents on the way to receiving his promise, but God had made him a promise, and Abraham kept going back to it.

There may be times in your faith walk when you start to feel swayed away from the promise. You know what you need to do. Go back to the promise.

When I was first coming up into the faith message in the 70s, it was a really popular thing to have confession pages. You would tape them to your mirror, stick them in your car, or keep them in your pocket. The idea was that they would remind you of the promises of God. It was a good idea, something I think people need to get back to doing.

You need to be reminded of the promise because your body, your circumstances, your friends, your mind, and the devil are constantly trying to tell you, “This isn’t working. You’re still sick. You’re still poor. This stuff doesn’t work.”

If you don’t know the promise, or if you’ve forgotten the promise, then there’s nothing for you to put your trust in.

You have to keep looking at and saying the promise. That’s why your confessions are so important — not because your confession is going to make it happen, but because it keeps the promise before your eyes and your ears.

According to Romans 10:17 faith (trust in God) comes from hearing God’s Word.

Abraham had God’s Word. He remembered the promise everyday when he saw the sand and the stars.

Romans 4:20 says, “He did not stagger in unbelief at the promise of God but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.”

The more he looked at his inability, the stronger in faith he became. Look at your inability and say, “Yeah, but here’s God’s promise. I can’t, but God can. I can’t, but He promised.”

Romans 4:21 says, “And being fully convinced that what He (God) had promised He was also able to perform.”

Abraham was full of confidence, he was absolutely certain that the God who promised would also do it. He was fully convinced.

How did he get there?

By focusing on the promise.

Sometimes we question God’s ability and willingness. If God is willing then He makes a promise. If He makes a promise then He has the ability. The two things go hand in hand. If he promised it… He will do it.

In part 3 we will talk about 5 steps you can take in receiving healing.