Trusting God's Promises

Good evening. Picture this: You’ve been praying for the same thing for years. Maybe it’s a wayward child, a health concern, or a financial breakthrough. You’ve marked anniversaries of your prayers, watched others receive what you’re asking for, and wondered if God has forgotten your address. The waiting feels endless, and doubt whispers that maybe it’s time to give up hope.

Tonight, we continue our series on "Old Testament Characters," focusing on one of the most well-known figures in Scripture—Abraham—a man called by God to walk a journey of faith that would not only change his life but also change the course of human history. Abraham's story is fundamentally about waiting—waiting 25 years for a promised son, waiting decades to see God's covenant unfold, waiting with nothing but God's word to hold onto.

Our big idea tonight is simple:

Trusting God’s promises demands both patience and faith—especially when we face long delays, deep doubts, or difficult trials.

Faith Begins with a Step

Genesis 12:1–3 “1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.””

The account begins with a call—a bold, life-changing call from God to Abram (later called Abraham). At 75 years old, God tells him to leave behind everything familiar-his land, his people, his security—and to follow Him to an unknown place.

Imagine Abraham’s conversation with Sarah: “Honey, pack your bags. We’re moving.” “Where are we going?” “I don’t know, but God will show.” “When will we be back?” “We’re not coming back.”

And with this call comes a promise:

I will make you into a great nation

I will bless you

All people on earth will be blessed through you

The call of God comes with promises that require faith. Abraham obeyed without knowing the full picture. He stepped into the unkown based solely on god’s character and word.

How often does God ask us to step out without showing us the destination?

Faith begins when we take that first step, trusting in the character of the gGod who calls.

Application:

In your own life, where is God calling you to trust Him without seeing the outcome? Maybe it's accepting that job transfer, starting that difficult conversation with your teenager, or taking that step toward reconciliation. In 2025, when we want GPS precision for every life decision, God still calls us to walk by faith. The God who called Abraham is the same God who calls you—and His promises still hold.

So Abraham took that first step. But just because we step out in faith doesn’t mean doubt disappears. That brings us to the next scene.

2. Reassurance in Doubt

Genesis 15:1–6 NKJV

1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” 2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” 5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

Years have passed since the initial promise. Abraham is now in his 80s and still childless. The dream of becoming a great nation seems impossible. Doubt creeps in like a fog, and Abraham asks an honest question: “What can you give me since I remain childless?” god doesn’t rebuke him. INstead, He reassures him, taking him outside to gaze at the stars

“So shall your descendants be” verse 5

and then comes a key verse:

Genesis 15:6 “6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”

This moment becomes the foundation of Paul’s teaching on justification by faith in Romans 4. Abraham wasn’t declared righteous because of his works or his law-keeping—he was declared righteous because he believed God’s promise. This is the same faith that saves us today.

Faith is not the absence of doubt—it is the choice to trust God despite the doubt.

God invites your questions

God answers with reassurance, not rejection

Application:

Are you in a season where God's promises seem delayed? Are you questioning His timing? Maybe you're praying for a spouse, a child, healing, or breakthrough, and the silence feels deafening. Bring your doubts to Him. His word will remind you of His faithfulness. And remember—the same faith that justified Abraham justifies us when we trust in Christ.

3. Provision in Trial

Genesis 22:9–14 NKJV

9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” 12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” 13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

Fast forward years later: Isaac, the promised son, has finally been born. Abraham is now around 115 years old. But then God gives Abraham an unthinkable test: "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering."

Picture the three-day journey to Mount Moriah. Every step must have been agony. Isaac even asks, "Father, where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham's faith-filled response: "God will provide for Himself the lamb."

Abraham obeys. Step by agonizing step, he climbs the mountain. He builds the altar, arranges the wood, binds his son. Imagine the inner turmoil: the promise is tied to the very son he’s about to lose. Sometimes, the very thing God asks us to surrender is the thing we hold most dear. But just as he raises the knife, God intervenes.

Genesis 22:12 “12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.””

And God provides a ram for the sacrifice.

This is a moment of profound faith—Abraham trusted that even if Isaac died, God could still fulfill His promise. Hebrews 11:19 tells us Abraham believed God could raise the dead.

And heere we see a powerful foreshadowing of Christ:

Just as Abraham was willing to offer his only son, God did not spare His only Son, Jesus

Just as God provided a ram, God has provided Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Application:

Some of you are walking through your own trials. The mountain feels steep. The cost feels high. But know this:

God sees you

God provides

And in Jesus, God has already provided for your greatest need—salvation.

Conclusion: Trusting in the Waiting

Abraham’s life teaches us:

God's promises are trustworthy, even when fulfillment takes time.

Faith involves stepping out, waiting patiently, and surrendering fully.

In Christ, every promise of God finds its “Yes” and “Amen.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Tonight, I want to challenge you with three specific actions:

If you're waiting for God to move, remember Abraham waited 25 years for Isaac. Your timeline is not God's timeline, but His timing is perfect.

If you're doubting God's promises, bring your questions to Him like Abraham did. He's not threatened by your doubts—He's ready to reassure you with His word.

If you're facing a trial that feels impossible, look to the God who provides. Just as He provided a ram for Abraham, He has provided Jesus for you.

Whatever you are waiting for, trust Him. Whatever doubts you carry, bring them to Him. Whatever trial you face, look to the God who provides. The same God who called Abraham out of Ur, who gave him Isaac in old age, who provided a ram on Mount Moriah—that same God is with you tonight.