When Hope Seems Impossible

Have you ever been in a situation where the math just didn't work? You looked at the circumstances, you ran the numbers, and no matter how many times you calculated it, the answer came back the same: impossible.

Maybe it was a financial situation. You looked at the bills, looked at the income, and there was no way to make it work. Maybe it was a relationship that had deteriorated so badly you couldn't imagine it ever being restored. Maybe it was a diagnosis the doctor gave you, and the prognosis left no room for optimism. Maybe it was a dream you'd carried for years that finally died—and you buried it.

We've all been there. That place where hope runs out.

And here's what makes it worse: we live in a culture that worships certainty. We want data. We want guarantees. We want to see the outcome before we commit. We've been trained to believe only what we can verify, measure, and predict.

So what do you do when God asks you to believe something that defies everything you can see? Or goes against human reasoning?

That's exactly where we find Abraham in our text this morning. And what Paul tells us about Abraham's faith in these verses isn't just ancient history. It's a blueprint for how we're supposed to trust God today—especially when hope seems impossible.

Here's the main idea I want you to hold onto this morning:

Real faith believes God's promise even when the evidence says otherwise—and that faith connects us to the power of the resurrection.

That's it. Real faith believes God's promise even when the evidence says otherwise. And that kind of faith connects you to the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.

Let me read our text. Romans 4:18-25

Romans 4:18–25 NKJV

18 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.” 19 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. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

Context:

Before we dive in, let’s recap what’s been going on so far in this letter to the Romans. Paul has been building a case for justification by faith alone. He's shown that no one—Jew or Gentile—can be declared righteous before God based on works. The Law doesn't save; it exposes our need for a Savior.

Then Paul brings up Abraham as exhibit A. Why? Because Abraham was the father of the Jewish nation. If anyone had credentials before God, it was Abraham. And Paul has already demonstrated in verses 1-17 of chapter 4 that Abraham was declared righteous by faith—before circumcision and before the Law.

Now, in verses 18-25, Paul zooms in on the nature of Abraham's faith. What did it look like? How did it function? And most importantly, what does it have to do with us?

The answer is everything. We learn from Abraham that we can…

Believe God's Promise Even When the Evidence Says Otherwise (vv. 18-19)

Look at verse 18:

Romans 4:18–19 NKJV

18 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.” 19 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.

I want you to notice the phrase at the beginning: "contrary to hope, in hope believed." Some translations say "against all hope, in hope he believed."

The Greek phrase here is literally translated "beyond hope, upon hope." It's a paradox. From a human standpoint, there was zero reason to hope. But Abraham chose to anchor his hope not in what he could see, but in what God had said.

Abraham believed. This isn't just intellectual agreement. It's personal trust. It's casting yourself entirely upon someone else's word. Abraham didn't just think God's promise was theoretically possible. He staked his life on it.

And what was he believing? That he would become the father of many nations. Paul quotes Genesis 15:5 here: "So shall your descendants be"—as numerous as the stars in the sky.

Now let's be honest about the situation. Verse 19:

"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."

Paul doesn't sugarcoat this. Abraham was nearly a hundred years old. Sarah was ninety. From a reproductive standpoint, they were both dead. The Greek word for "dead" here means "having been made dead" or "as good as dead." This is the same Greek root word we get the English word "necrosis" from. There was no life left in their bodies for producing children.

And Sarah's womb? Paul uses a word from the same root word—"deadness." Her womb wasn't just inactive. It was dead. She had been barren her entire life. This wasn't a temporary problem; it was a permanent condition.

So here's the picture: God makes a promise to a man whose body can't deliver and a woman whose womb can't conceive. And God says, "You're going to be the father of many nations."

Everything Abraham could see told him it was impossible.

But here's the key: Paul says Abraham was "not weak in faith" when he considered these facts. He didn't ignore reality. He faced it squarely. Abraham carefully observed the facts. He wasn't in denial. He knew exactly how bleak the situation was.

But—and this is crucial—he didn't let the evidence overrule the promise.

This is where so many of us get stuck. We think faith means pretending the problem doesn't exist. That's not faith. That's delusion. Real faith looks the impossible situation straight in the eye and says, "I see you. But I trust the One who spoke."

Warren Wiersbe puts it this way: "Abraham did not walk by sight; he walked by faith. What God promises, He performs."

If you haven’t already, here’s what we can learn to do: Face your impossible situation honestly—but don't let it define your faith.

What's the "dead" situation in your life right now? What you believe to be the dead end job you find yourself in? The prodigal child who shows no signs of returning? The health crisis that has no medical solution? The financial hole that keeps getting deeper?

I'm not asking you to pretend it isn't real. I'm asking you to stop letting it have the final word. The evidence matters—but it doesn't get to overrule God's promise.

Believe God's promise even when the evidence says otherwise.

Here’s the next thing we learn from Abraham.

Strengthen Your Faith by Focusing on God's Power, Not Your Problems (vv. 20-22)

Now look at verses 20-21:

Romans 4:20–21 NKJV

20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

Paul says Abraham "did not waver." The word Paul used means to judge between, to evaluate, to be divided in one's mind. It's the idea of being in a mental courtroom, weighing the evidence, going back and forth.

Paul says Abraham didn't do that. He didn't put God's promise on trial. He didn't say, "Let me examine the odds and decide whether this makes sense." He refused to let unbelief turn him into a skeptic.

But here's what's even more powerful: Paul says Abraham was "strengthened in faith." It means to empower, to make strong. This is related to the word dynamis, which means power.

Now watch this connection. Verse 21 says Abraham was "fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform."

Do you see what Paul is doing? Abraham's faith was empowered (endynamoō) because he focused on God's power (dynamis/dynatos). His faith grew strong by understanding how strong God is.

This is the secret of faith. Faith isn't strong because of the person exercising it. Faith is strong because of the object of faith. When Abraham looked at himself, he saw weakness and death. But when he looked at God, he saw unlimited power. And the more he looked at God, the stronger his faith became.

Kenneth Boa writes: "There was nothing in Abraham that gave him strong faith, but there was everything in God that gave him strong faith."

And what was the result? Verse 21 says he was "fully convinced." This means to be completely certain, to carry full conviction. Abraham reached a place of settled confidence—not in himself, but in God's ability to deliver.

And notice what Abraham did in the middle of all this: he gave glory to God. Before the promise was fulfilled. Before Isaac was born. Before there was any evidence that God would come through. Abraham worshiped.

That's what real faith looks like. It glorifies God in the waiting. It praises Him before the answer comes. It says, "God, I don't know how You're going to do this, but I believe You will—and I'm going to honor You in advance."

Verse 22 then brings it home:

Romans 4:22 NKJV

22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

The word "accounted" is the same word Paul’s been using. It's an accounting term—to credit, to reckon to one's account. God looked at Abraham's faith and credited righteousness to him. Not because Abraham was perfect. Not because he never doubted. But because he trusted the promise.

What does this teach us? Stop meditating on your problems and start meditating on God's power.

Where you fix your attention determines the strength of your faith. If you spend all your time focused on the problems in your life, your faith will shrink. But if you spend your time remembering who God is—His faithfulness, His power, His track record—your faith will grow.

This week, try something. Every time you catch yourself spiraling into worry about your impossible situation, stop and redirect. Say out loud: "God, You are able. You are powerful. You keep Your promises. I trust You."

Strengthen your faith by focusing on God's power, not your problems.

Now comes the application.

Romans 4:23–24 NKJV

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,

Connect Your Faith to the Resurrection (vv. 23-25)

Paul makes it crystal clear: Abraham's story wasn't just written for Abraham. It was written for us. The same principle that worked for Abraham works for every person who believes.

But here's where it gets even better. Abraham had to believe in a God who could bring life from his and Sarah's dead bodies. He didn’t have the Bible like we do today to let him know what God had already done. We get to believe in a God who has already raised Jesus from the dead.

This is resurrection language. It's the same word used throughout the New Testament to describe Christ's bodily resurrection.

Think about what this means. Abraham looked forward to something that hadn't happened yet. He believed God could bring life from death without ever seeing it. We get to look backward at something that has already happened. The resurrection of Jesus is a historical fact, verified by eyewitnesses, confirmed by centuries of testimony.

Abraham had to believe in the dark. We get to believe in the light of an empty tomb.

And when we believe in the God who raised Jesus, verse 24 says righteousness "shall be imputed to us." Same word—logizomai. God will credit righteousness to our account. Not because we've earned it. Not because we deserve it. But because we've trusted in Christ.

Now verse 25:

Romans 4:25 NKJV

25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

This is an important verse. Paul summarizes the entire gospel in one sentence.

The word "delivered up" is —to hand over, to deliver. This echoes Isaiah 53:12, where the Servant of the Lord is "delivered" for the transgressions of the people. Jesus was handed over to death by the Father's plan to pay for our sins.

The word "offenses" means—trespasses, transgressions. Every sin you've ever committed, every way you've fallen short, every offense against God's holiness—Jesus was delivered to death because of all of it.

But that's only half the story.

Paul adds: "and was raised because of our justification." The resurrection wasn't just proof that Jesus was alive. It was God's declaration that the payment for sin had been accepted. The sacrifice was sufficient. The debt was paid. Justice was satisfied.

Christ's death dealt with our sin. Christ's resurrection secured our standing.

This is why faith in the resurrection isn't optional. Romans 10:9 will say, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Belief in the resurrection is the non-negotiable core of saving faith.

And here's the incredible connection: the same God who brought life from Abraham's dead body is the same God who brought Jesus out of the grave. And He's the same God who wants to bring life into your dead situation.

If you haven’t already done so: Place your faith in the risen Christ and receive the righteousness He offers.

If you've never done that—if you've been trying to earn your way to God, trying to be good enough, hoping your good outweighs your bad—I need you to hear this: that's not the gospel. The gospel says Jesus died for your sins and rose again. And all you have to do is believe.

That's it. Trust the promise. Believe in the One who was raised.

And if you're already a believer, be reminded today: your standing with God doesn't depend on your performance. It depends on Christ's resurrection. You are righteous not because you've gotten your act together, but because God has credited Christ's righteousness to your account.

Connect your faith to the resurrection and receive God's righteousness.

Conclusion

Here's what I want us to see this morning: Abraham's faith wasn't strong because Abraham was strong. His faith was strong because his God was strong. He looked at the One who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence—and he trusted.

You and I are invited into that same faith. But we have an even greater foundation. We don't have to look forward to something that hasn't happened. We get to look back at an empty tomb. The resurrection of Jesus is the proof that God can do what He promises.

So whatever impossible situation you're facing today—believe God's promise even when the evidence says otherwise. Strengthen your faith by focusing on God's power, not your problems. And connect your faith to the risen Christ, receiving the righteousness He freely offers.

Because the God who raised Jesus from the dead is more than able to handle whatever you're facing.

Let's pray.