Placed Before God for a Commission

FROM: MARCH 3 @ MARCH 9, 2020

TOPIC: “Placed Before God for a Commission” Romans 4:13-25 My struggle is with myself because my eyes see and they lead me to doubt (to not be sure of something or someone, to not be decided by something). I cannot remain in that despair, because, then, I would lose my life of struggle, which has been entrusted to me and granted in eternity. If I lost days doubting and troubled, complaining, then I would destroy FAITH in my being. And if I had absence of faith that would imply on my part, a very bad treatment of the power of God!

I. It was not through law that God gave Abraham the promise that he would be heir of the world (Romans 4:13).

A. But THROUGH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES BY FAITH.

1. That promise of God was for Abraham and his offspring.

2. Moses’ law was given to the people of Israel 430 years after Abraham (Galatians 3:16, 17) so, this promise was given to Abraham long before the law.

3. It was an unconditional promise of grace, TO BE RECEIVED BY FAITH (Vs. 16).

4. We receive everything THROUGH FAITH!

5. It is the same kind of faith through which we now obtain the justice of God!

6. The expression heir of the world means that he would be the father of the Gentile believers as well as of the Jews (Romans 4:11, 12); that he would be father of many nations (Vs. 17, 18), not only of the Jewish nation.

7. This will be fully accomplished when the Lord Jesus, from Abraham's lineage, takes the scepter of the universal empire and reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. How long do we have to wait? Well, it will be the time God has decided. FAITH sustains us! Everything He says in the Word is to be expected with THE FAITH we have.

B. Abraham was placed before God for a commission (a mandate, a task).

1. Because Abraham BELIEVED in hope against hope (Vs. 18).

2. The promise came to Abraham because of HIS FAITH and not because of the fulfillment of the law (Vs. 22).

3. This was the promise: God promised Abraham a posterity as innumerable as the stars of the sky and the sand of the seashore (Genesis 22:17)!

4. But everything was against all human hope; Abraham believed God in the hope that he would become the father of many people, or nations, not caring about his personal circumstances in that moment.

5. In the struggle one drowns, but IN FAITH it is possible to see what is not present now!

6. (Vs. 19) Abraham did not weaken in faith for anything, nor for his old age or Sarah's. In what have you become weak?

7. Because you don't believe anything, or do you? Have you become weakened? Is there no strength, or encouragement? And are the demons having a party with you? If so, it will be because of your absence of faith! Because there is no prayer and then all evil is manifested! Something you could have avoided with your faith and through the prayer of faith.

8. (Genesis 12:1-4) When Abraham received the promise, he was seventy-five years old and still had life. Now, in Genesis 17: 1, 15-21) he was ninety-nine years old! He was already like dead, and Sara was also sterile and older (Vs. 19)!

9. (Vs. 20) He was fortified (increased his strength, stronger); HE DID NOT BECOME WEAK IN HIS FAITH. The apparent impossibility that this promise would never be fulfilled did not make him hesitate!

10. God, God, God had said it! And Abraham believed Him! This was what decided the compliance!

11. "...gave glory to God." Honoring Him as the One whom could be depended on to fulfill His promise. We should do the same, but when faith fades away, we fall silent in the midst of terrors.

12. When there is faith the probability is challenged! Faith is used in everything we need to move God’s hand!

13. He was fully (Vs. 21) convinced that God is powerful to do what He had promised him.

14. Abraham knew God and was totally confident that God was totally powerful in doing what He had promised.

15. Abraham knew that it was reasonable that the promise could occur, because God Himself had told him, and that is the most certain thing in life and the universe! For Abraham there was no risk in believing it!

16. GOD FELT PLEASED THAT THERE WAS A MAN WHO BELIEVED HIM (Vs. 22)!

17. And for that He credited justice on Abraham's account, in Abraham's account! Therefore, Abraham was a man of justice (in acting and judging).

18. ABRAHAM HAD BEEN FREE OF CONDEMNATION AND HAD BEEN JUSTIFIED BY A HOLY GOD THROUGH FAITH!

19. (Vs. 24) This is also for us when we believe!

20. Our faith is also counted as justice when we believe God, who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

21. When God sees that you believe Him, you please Him so much that He sees you as a righteous man, as a pious one! It will be a great sigh for Him to find one who believes Him!

22. He will not see in you the greatness, nor authority, nor strength or power; but when He sees that you are capable of believing Him, that makes Him happy. Abraham credited justice in that way!

23. SATISFY GOD WITH YOUR FAITH! God will say: This one believed me; therefore, everything will work! Amen.