Faith When It Is Tough

Application: Its impossible to see the finish when you focus on the results. A Christian walks by faith and not by site. (2cor 5:7)Have you ever had to trust God with the results and walk by Faith? We have a choice to let go and let God or hold on and do it ourselves. I challenge you this morning to think about a situation you can't control and let God take over.

( mountain tops- Satan you won/ valleys - Satan give up- the slide down - lull- the climb up-too hard- --- but because of life events and knowing our destination as believers and the worlds destination we persuade men)

Romans 4:1–25 NKJV

1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” 9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. 13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 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.

1. Abraham Believed God at His Word.

Genesis 15:6 NKJV

6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

Genesis 17:24 NKJV

24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

Romans 4:3 NKJV

3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

The Jews assumed Abraham was justified by his works:

The major premise is that, if a man could be justified before God by his own human efforts, then he has ground for boasting in himself. The minor premise is that Abraham, as a man, was justified by works. The necessary conclusion would be that Abraham therefore has something to boast about.

The major premise is true: If a man could be justified by works, he would indeed have something to boast about, because he would have merited his own salvation.

But, as Paul goes on to demonstrate, the minor premise is not true. Consequently, the conclusion is untrue. Abraham did not have anything in himself to boast about before God.

As we have seen he was justified by Faith.

After commanding Abraham to leave his country and his relatives and to go to the land that would be shown to him, God sovereignly and unconditionally promised, “I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” ().

With no guarantee but God’s word, Abraham left his business, his homeland, his friends, most of his relatives, and probably many of his possessions. He abandoned his temporal security for a future uncertainty, as far as his human eyes could see or his human mind could comprehend

His faith was not perfect bc when he faved famine he abandoned trip and went to Egypt telling pharaoh Sarah was his sister

When told he would have descendants he abandoned his wife and slept with Hagar having Ishmael

But he always came back to God and we see this when Isaac was born and God told him to offer him up

Gen 22:8-

Genesis 22:8–11 NKJV

8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together. 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.”

Hebrews 11:17–19 NKJV

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Faith is simply a convicted heart reaching out to receive God’s free and unmerited gift of salvation.

2. David Believed God had the ability to pay the price for sin.(6) (psalms 32)

Romans 4:7–8 NKJV

7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

Psalm 51:2 NKJV

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.

Psalms 51

3. By Faith all humanity can come to repentance (13-17)

Romans 4:13–17 NKJV

13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

Jews believed salvation came by outward expression and in this case circumcision

Jews used and Paul used the same to express how was Abraham counted righteous.

Paul phill 3:5-points toward obedience not faith

Genesis 17:10–14 NKJV

10 This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; 11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 13 He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

W

Philippians 3:5 NKJV

5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;

1 John 2:2 NKJV

2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

John 3:16 NKJV

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Luke 5:32 NKJV

32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Is

Isaiah 53:4–5 NKJV

4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

4. Abraham had Hope in the impossible. (18-22)

Romans 4:18–22 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.”

Hope, in this case, is the desire for something that might be true or might happen, whereas faith is the firm confidence that it is true or will happen.

5. Jesus death was pointless without the resurrection because we are Justified.

Romans 4:24–25 NKJV

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.

Romans 4:

What a message!

None is righteous no not one, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

But it's not what we do, where we live, who we are kin too, it's not bodily change we have made, it's not a religion, it's not a church, it's not how we act nor is it a law we obey but it's believing in the God of this universe who saw us as broken and loved us enough to come in the flesh as the form of a bondservant , Jesus Christ, who lived, died , and rose again!! It's the faith we found in Him to pay the price for our sin and because of that we are obedient not because that's what justifies us but it is because we realize we owe it all too him. If you don't know him today here is your chance !