STRONG FAITH

Abraham

Abraham is used in Scripture as an example of someone who had strong faith. Romans chapter four verse 20 says Abraham was “strong in faith.” This chapter is very descriptive of the kind of faith that pleases God. But Abraham had the “full assurance of faith” that we have talked about before. Not all Christians have this kind of faith. We could read about the faith of Abraham and become discouraged. But it is meant to encourage us. It is possible for us to have the same kind of faith he had. When a Christian has strong faith, he himself is said to be strong. Strong faith makes us strong; weak faith is the reason we are discouraged, continually overcome by sin, and unable to make progress in holiness.

Hope Against Hope

The King James Bible records Abraham as one who “against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations.” Another translation says, “In hope against hope he believed.” This is a great statement. But just what does this mean?

Believing The Promises

God came to Abraham one night and promised him he would have a son. God promised that his family would number more than the sands of the sea. To Abraham this would have been a strange statement since he was almost 100 years old and Sarah was 90. According to nature they were too old to have babies. So we can immediately see the difficulty Abraham would have in believing God’s words. He knows his and Sarah’s bodies are reproductively dead. God’s promise is contrary to all natural appearances. The whole history of the human race is against it. It seems everything is against it. Every reasonable argument is opposed to him having children. Even common sense is against it. There was no chance whatsoever for this to happen. It is a completely hopeless situation. It is impossible. Yet Abraham believed. Many of the promises given to us in Scripture seem to be impossible. For example, how can people as sinful as we are be forgiven by faith alone? Can we really become children of God? Can God die? Do we believe that faith plays a big part in the progress of our sanctification?

Impossible

Still Abraham believed. This is what the text means when it says, “Who against hope believed in hope.” There was no chance of this ever happening. It had never been done before. Abraham has to believe the impossible. There are two negative problems facing Abraham. One was the reproductive deadness of his own body and also the deadness of Sarah’s reproductive system. Secondly, the scope of the promise is enormous. A family as large as the sand in the sea. And yet Abraham believed. He believed the impossible. This is the most important of the characteristics of strong faith. Strong faith requires believing the impossible. The same is true when it comes to the promises regarding our sanctification. Do you believe it is possible for sin not to have victory over you while you are here on earth? Do you believe He will provide for your needs? Do you believe He will be your comforter? Do you really believe you can be filled with all the fullness of God? These are promises God has given us while we live here in this fallen world. Strong faith plays a major roll in receiving them.

God Said It

Abraham believed God and he had nothing else to go on other than God’s word. God said it, Abraham believed it, that was enough. Take God at His word. Nothing could honor God more that to believe what He says just because He says it. Abraham did not ask for proof. He did not ask for confirmation. He did not need it. He did not seek it. Strong faith is content to believe in God’s bare word.

Certain

Faith is not just a mere hopefulness. It is not just whistling in the dark to keep up your courage. Faith is not something vague and uncertain. Real faith is an assurance that what God says is true. Abraham was fully persuaded. He was strongly convinced; he was certain and confident. But the Bible says that this was given to him by grace. This faith was given to him by God. As God was giving the promises to Abraham He was also giving Him the faith he needed to believe it. Verse 16 says it as clear as it can be stated, “Faith is by grace so the promises might be sure.” If God had not given to Abraham this strong faith then the promises would not have been sure. The covenant was not based upon Abraham’s faith. It was grounded on God’s grace. God wanted to make sure that everything happened just like He wanted it to happen.

Use

Make this a request of yours. Ask God for more faith. Ask Him for more grace. Ask Him for more of the Holy Spirit, Luke 11:13. Not just once or twice. How long? Make it your life time commitment. Never stop, never give up. Keep asking and you will receive. He promised.