Romans 4:18-2518 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
Is there a situation in your life that seems to be against all hope?
I believe that our Magnificent God revels in these kinds of situations, because He knows that we will have no other option but to see that only He could have brought us through!
19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead-since he was about a hundred years old-and that Sarah's womb was also dead.
God doesn't ask us to pretend that things are not as they are in the natural. Sometimes we need to face the fact that ___________________. The key is in the next verse...
20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
OH! What a mouthful!
He did not waver through unbelief...he trusted that what his God has told him was true.
He was strengthened in his faith as he did not waver.
21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Fully persuaded! He was sure that the Lord would honor His promise.
22 This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness."
23 The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone,
24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness-for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
These words are here as a promise to us. That when we believe him, when we take Him at His word, he will credit that righteousness to us.
He is blessed by our believing Him!
Heb 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
NKJV
So then, WITH faith we are pleasing Him!
I want to please God don't you?!
I want Him to be blessed by the belief I have in my heart towards Him.
What is your "against all hope" situation?
Believe God.
Things may not work out the way you would have planned it,
but you can know that when you believe Him, He is pleased with you.
He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
He is the same today as when those words were written.
If you are comfortable, share about how God came through in an "against all hope" situation for you. Your testimony may be just what someone needs today!
30 comments:
Thank you for this post! I am believing God right now that he can work out a situation for us, but I still have those lingering little "doubts" in my mind. Your statement that says "things may not work out the way I would have planned, but when I believe Him, He is pleased with me" really gives me comfort and hope. God knows the big picture, and I must just give control over to Him. Please keep our family in your prayers today.
Our against all odds situation would have had to be after the Katrina storm. With no way to earn money and no electricity in so many areas- we were concerned. But God in His great wisdom had given my husband workers who could not only lay brick but were former tree cutters.
So during this time they were all able to support their families and keep working. My husbands contractors were happy that they did not have to look elsewhere for help.
God was our protector during that time.In more ways than one.
Our hope in Him was secure.
Thanks for posting this! After the last few weeks, God has definitely worked out our against all odds situation. When the doctors told us they thought I had cancer, I just refused to believe it. Even when I was down and kept thinking the "what if's" I knew God was right by my side and He was walking with me thru it! I gave God all my fears, hopes and anger.
With all the people praying for me (many of whom I'd never met) I am now a FIRM believer in the power of prayer. Our Hope in Jesus Christ just brought us thru one of the hardest times of our lives!
Linette,
I am so thrilled that you are on THIS side of that trial!!
God is so good.
The doctors report was horrible, but God had a different plan!!
You are a walking testimony of these verses!
Sue
Thank you for this post, so much faith in those words. I have taken the word believe as my own. I have believe signs all over my house to remind me that God will heal Isabelle and I believe that.
God has delivered us from so many situations that seemed hopeless, and in His time and in a perfect way that I could not have orchestrated. I have learned that I cannot manage this situation but have to lean not on my own understanding and because of that I feel my faith is strengthened daily.
Oh Annie,
Your Isabelle is so beautiful, I love seeing your pictures of her.
I'm sure God has showed you so much love as you walk this walk with her. He is so faithful.
She is precious, thanks so much for sharing.
Sue
Hmmm....good food for thought....gonna have to think about that one.
Sue,
Thanks for your thoughts...I think there have been many seemingly hopeless moments for me but in hindsight they seem silly to even mention because I think about how little faith I demonstrated.
I often felt my journey to motherhood was an against all odds situation. I was waiting for the answer of how to proceed to be displayed in neon lights and it just wasn't coming that way. Through a series of events, God revealed that adoption from China was the answer.
Now when I hear the word "worry" come out of my mouth, I try to immediately turn it around and rather than dwell on it, pray about it and hand it over to God.
Have a HOPE-filled day,
Lisa
I don't post much, but I wanted to let you know what a blessing your blog has been to me. :D
lady_msnow,
Thanks so much! That means alot to me.
Sue
Oh that passage gets me charged every time I read it. It has been the resounding theme of my year so far. I am learning that Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word! I have to say that the Bible Study “Believing God” has had an profound impact on my walk with the Lord – it has marked me and changed me. I love the verse that says "Faith is being SURE of what we HOPE for and CERTAIN of what we do not see". I wish I had my Greek Bible with me right now because I read that one of the definitions for the word for “HOPE FOR” means 'wish something to be true' I love that God considers that faith lol - wishing something to be true!
There have been many times that I have seen God work as a result of my small faith – praise Him He’s so good! BUT right now there is a bigger prayer of faith that I am praying - so when it happens I'll be sure to share it. I know it is in His timing and I'm not even sure if it is something He would want but it is a burning desire in my heart and I'm just choosing to believe that He could do this if He wanted too.
Thanks for your post it has really encouraged me today – against all hope – to still keep believing! AMEN!
Jesus gives us hope when all hope seems lost... I became a young widow raising an infant son at the age of twenty-five. Through the years, through the hurt and pain, I've seen God supply again and again. He is faithful. He doesn't promise this life will be easy, (John 16:33), but when we know Him as Savior, He promises to be with us every step of the way. And for that, I'm forever grateful.
God bless you Sue as you reach out with the love of Jesus to others:)
My story would take too long to tell/write all of the details.
I will try to tell the gist of it. Back in 1989, my 14 year old marriage fell apart. We divorced.
We both knew it was wrong. We didn't really want it. We were tired. We didn't know what else to do at that time. Well, we did know what to do, but we weren't ready. But, soon after the divorce, we knew that was NOT what we wanted. We both turned EVERYTHING over to God, FINALLY, and a little less than 3 years later, we re-married...each other...same date as before....same rings. This time our 9 year old son was as much a part of the wedding and plans as we were. If you were to hear him talk it was "our" wedding.
Our 2nd marriage saw it's 15 year anniversary in August of this year.
The healing, forgiveness, renewal of love for each other between 1989 - 1992 was All totally due to God, working through us & us allowing Him to work in us & change us.
What had looked like a "hopeless" situation, turned to hopeful and now HOPE for all eternity in Jesus Christ.
I pray this super-mini version of my story may help someone today.
Sincerely,
Jackie Carl
this theme of "believing God" has come up all over my world recently...hmmm sounds like the Lord is hinting at a certain Bible study that I need to get my hands on!!
I have always wanted many children, and after I heard that I couldn't have any more (after our fourth), I was devastated. I know that may seem silly, but I truly felt that God meant for me to have more children. And then He opened my eyes to the wonders of adoption and I felt such joy! I now know that He meant for me to keep building our family, but in a different way. He ALWAYS provides hope, even in the most difficult of circumstances. This is just one instance (not as private as some other times I've experienced) where God has granted me hope.
What a great post.
I love hearing your stories.
So heartfelt, some make me cry and others make me smile.
Our God is so wonderful isn't He.
He can take the ashes of our lives and make them beautiful.
Thank you all so much for sharing!
Abby- It's a great study!!
My testimony...
My doctor(s) told me I'd never have children(heart condition), after 5 years of marriage God surprised us...though the doctor(s) said she would be born with many problems(because of medications I was on prior to knowing I was indeed pregnant)...testing me all the way through...to the birthing room...a room filled with experts from all over...(can't be shy with 10 people waiting on you)
she came out perfect...we put our trust in Him...her name from the fourth month, when I found out I was indeed pregnant meant Consecrated to God.
I am now the mother of 6...5 through adoption and as of right now we are waiting on God on another adoption to Guatemala.
He is faithful...you can trust Him too! Hold on, your about to embark on an adventure!
*at times the adventure will be hard, but remember He is in control!
You have the most inspiring posts, and it's because you have a gift for writing, but also because you are presenting the truth in a loving way. Thanks for being here. Thanks for this post.
Kimmie- thank you for giving us another reason to rejoice in our God!
Scarlet- that is so sweet, thank you. I pray all is going well for you!
Please visit my site. I have an award for you.
Blessings!
Thank you for this awesome post!!!
God is using you in a special way through your blog. Please continue to write and express your love for him and your understanding of his word to others who read and may not always comment. You never know if that person reading your blog... may be unreachable face to face. However, you may be God's instrument to reach someone so that they have a personal encounter with Jesus as their Savior.
Thank you for sharing God's love and his word with others!
Angela
Angela,
Thank you, you have no idea how that touches my heart tonight.
(((hugs)))
Sue
Ah, once again you are a blessing to me, Sue. Thank you.
~Toni~
against all hope for me...
last night it happened to me again...happens about once a month...i was startled in middle of night by our dog barking but when i tried to wake up, i had partial paralysis and couldn't fully awake and it is simply terrifying, so unreal, and i can't communicate, and i cried out on the inside to my beautiful God, and tried to still my heart---Be Still!...usually, in about a couple of minutes, my body returns to normal and i can call out to my husband and he prays for me and my good God gives me the ability to go right back to sweet sleep...when i awoke this a.m., God spoke to me in my QT out of Psalm 143...v. 3 says Satan makes me dwell in darkness and v. 8 says let the morning bring word of your unfailing love and v. 9 says I hide myself in You...i have had these horrifying dreams and night terrors since I was very little but I am convinced more than ever that "No one can snatch me from my Father's Hand." I can't make these night terrors go away but my God can and even if He doesn't... I can trust my good God in the middle of it...and He is giving me rest and no fear of the night for what may happen but when I'm experiencing it, it is terrifying...I am a victim of gang rape and severe childhood trauma but that doesn't define me---it's not about my story but all about my awesome God---it's all about Him. Thank you for reminding me to trust Him on this day when I awoke with tears streaming down my face to look for his unfailing love. I found it.
Bev,
Oh sweetie, I will be praying for you.
You are so right, you (we) are not defined by our pasts. We're no longer victims and God makes beauty out of our pain.
There are countless women who struggle as you do and don't know Him and power of His love and security.
Let the pain of the past be a testimony of the faithfulness and healing power of our Great God.
From victim to victorious.
((((hugs))))
Sue
Dear Sue... Today is the first time I read your blog. I had an "urgency" to find something meaningful online, and kept meandering around people's blogs in search of the RIGHT thing to read. I praise God He led me to your blog today. What you wrote was written JUST for me! Or at least, it feels that way. Just the last while I've been hearing God speak to me through others... (see http://babeless.blogspot.com/2007/10/she-came-bearing-gifts.html )... I am so grateful! We serve an ALL-mighty God. One who loves us so much more than we deserve, but somewhere along the line I had stopped believing it. I hear God calling me back into His fold again. I'm so relieved!
I have always strugged with this, Sue. Believing Him. Trusting Him. Thanks for this...love it, need to read it, need to believe it!
Hugs...Susan
This is so wonderful, Sue! Thank you for this today. God has done SO Many wonderful things in my life and yet I always find myself worrying and doubting! This post helps put it all back into the proper perspective.
Blessings to you,
Julie
Mine was a time of living through domestic violence and then again when 3 of my children were diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative retinal disease; especially the day my 14 year old was told he will go blind.
No, everything hasn't always been or gone as I hoped; but I have faith in God; which is what keeps me going each day.
Wow.....I am encouraged...thanks for sharing.:o)
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