Strengthened In Faith

(Abraham) who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be." And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness."

Romans 4:18-22

When God told Abraham that he would have a son in his old age, he didn't consider the odds of that happening by looking at the natural circumstance of his age. Abraham believed so fully in the character of God that there was no room for doubt in his mind. He knew that God is not a liar so he was fully convinced that if God said it would happen then it would. Abraham knew God's character so well that he didn't need to see miracles happen to believe God. That is what made Abraham a righteous man.

Our faith should be based on God's character, not the miracles He performs. If faith is based on miracles then Israel should have been the most faithful people ever seen. They were witness to all the plagues of Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. Yet after seeing all these things, when they were in the wilderness they thought God had brought them there to die instead of believing the promise that He was bringing them to a land flowing with milk and honey. Miracles have a tendancy of fading in our memories, so where will our faith be when it seems nothing is happening?

When it would seem as if God is doing nothing, we cannot look to our natural circumstances. "But as it is written: 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.' But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God...But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:9-11;14 We lose faith by looking at our circumstances through the spirit of man (with our natural eyes) rather than the Spirit of God who was given to us.

The Spirit of God was given to us so that we might know Him intimately. The more intimately we know Him the more faith in Him we will have, despite our circumstances. God's actions may prove His character, but eventually we need to get to a place of such intimacy with Him that we don't need to see His actions in order to believe in His character. That is faith.

Rachel