Faith and Promise

Pastor Keith Hassell

Foundation Scripture: Romans 4:1-25

I. Abraham is the father of those who believe

A. The sons and daughters of Abraham are sons and daughters of promise

B. The sons and daughters of Abraham are sons and daughters of faith

II. The promises of God are granted to us through faith (v. 13)

A. Not the righteousness of the law

B. Through the righteousness of faith

C. Romans 10:1-10 The righteousness of faith for salvation

D. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are you saved through faith

1. Salvation (Greek: sozo): meaning salvation, healing, deliverance, preservation, soundness of mind

E. Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

F. Romans 4:14-16 Faith makes the promise sure to all

III. Hope is the foundation for faith

A. Romans 4:18 “Who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken.”

B. Without hope, you have no foundation for faith (hope for healing, health, financial prosperity, salvation, deliverance, marital restoration, etc.)

IV. Faith comes by hearing and seeing

A. Romans 10:17 “So then, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”

B. Whatever truth we begin to hear from God’s word, we can begin to develop faith for (salvation, healing, deliverance, preservation, prosperity, etc.)

C. John 2:23 “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.”

D. Faith can also come as we get in an environment where faith and miracles are being released.

V. Faith brings substance to hope

A. Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

1. New English Bible: “And what is faith? Faith gives assurance to our hopes, and makes us certain of realities we do not see.”

2. Jordan Bible: “Now faith is the turning of dreams into deeds; it is betting your life on the unseen realities.”

3. Amplified: “Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things we hope for, being proof of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality---faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.”

B. Romans 4:19 Abraham was not weak in faith, he did not consider his own body nor the deadness of Sarah’s womb.

1. Being weak in faith is looking at the things that are seen rather than at the things that are not seen (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

C. It is not enough to believe God can (hope) , we must believe that God has and will (faith)

D. Faith is NOW

1. Yesterday is fact

2. Tomorrow is hope

3. Today is faith

VI. Faith is composed of belief and confession

A. Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness

B. Genesis 17:5 God changed Abram’s name to Abraham (confession)

1. Abram means Exalted father

2. Abraham means Father of a multitude of nations

3. One year later, Abraham received the promised son, Isaac

C. Romans 10:9-10 Believing unto righteousness and confession of the mouth unto salvation.

D. Mark 11:12-14 (the fig tree withered), 22-24 “So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever SAYS to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not DOUBT IN HIS HEART, but believes that those things he SAYS will be done, he will have whatever he SAYS. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, BELIEVE that you HAVE RECEIVED THEM, and you WILL have them.’”

E. Numbers 14:28 “Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you.”

F. We are strengthened in faith through our confession

1. Romans 4:20-21 “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.”

VII. Faith and Patience

A. Hebrews 6:11-15 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises . . . So after he (Abraham) had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.”

VIII. The lessons of faith are for us today

A. Romans 4:23-24 “Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.”

B. Have you lost hope?

C. Have you allowed your hope to become faith?

D. Do you need patience to endure until you obtain the promise? (James 1:2-4)