Sunday Message Summary, 24 January 2021
When Abraham received the promise of GOD, he took Him at His Word, and he was not fazed by the circumstances he was facing (Romans 4:19-21). Abraham knew that his situation was not permanent but there is a permanent GOD, who when He gets involved, changes everything. Similarly, the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, not having received the promises, confessed the promises of GOD as though they had already received them. They took GOD at His Word! When we take GOD at His Word, the facts do not matter. This is the mind, mentality, mindset, perspective, and mental disposition of faith. A mind of faith moves towards GOD and is fully persuaded that GOD will do what He says.
Nothing in this world, the world past, and the world to come, will please GOD other than faith. It is therefore not the obtaining of things that pleases GOD, but faith. Abraham thanked GOD because he was fully persuaded and rest wholly on GOD. The only thing he had was the Word of GOD. Can we thank GOD in our current situation even if there is no physical evidence of the things we are asking for? Like Abraham who did not set his mind on his situation, we should set our minds on things above and see things from God’s perspective (Colossians 3:1-2). Abraham was made strong in faith, giving glory to GOD because he did not set his mind on what was happening. Abraham did not focus on his own problems (Romans 4:19) because though there are problems here on earth, we cannot overcome or have victory if we focus on our problems or situations. When we focus on our problems and situations, we end up hopeless and we give up. When we focus on our troubles there is a high likelihood that we will backslide (Hebrews 11:15).
Faith is there to be lived, our minds being set on GOD and what He has promised. Those who focus on their problems and the difficulties of life end up hopeless and give up, making the Word of God unfruitful and unproductive (Mark 4:18-19). When our focus is wrong even our confession will be wrong, but we are good to go when we set our minds on GOD and His Word. We should not allow the cares of this life to come in and choke the Word of God and thereby cause us to fail to possess the promises of GOD. A man of faith sets his mind on GOD and things above, and we are given perfect peace when we do not focus on things on this life, our challenges, cares, or concerns (Isaiah 26:3). Faith operates from a heart and mind that is full of the peace of GOD, and faith cannot and will not operate from a doubtful heart and worried mind.
Abraham reasoned by faith in his mind, his mind was set on God, and he was fully assured that GOD would do what He had promised. Faith made more sense for Abraham than the facts did. When we reason by what we see, feel, and hear, we will always be defeated. Faith is spiritual, so we ought to perceive and see in the realm of the spirit. If we have not seen or perceived in the realm of the spirit, we might not receive in the realm of the physical. What is more logical for a child of GOD is more than what the eye can see because we are more wired in the realm of the spirit, than the realm of the senses. When we are wired in the realm of the senses, we cannot possess what GOD has promised to us. What is our reasonable conclusion of faith on things that we are going through, in this time we are going through? We should conclude everything on the Word of GOD.
Like Abraham, who did not set his mind on his situation, we should set our minds on things above and see things from God’s perspective.
0 Comments