Strong in the Faith—Part 3

Originally published in Issue 87 of Calvary Chapel Magazine

Calvary Chapel Magazine mourns the passing of Kay Smith, wife of CC founder Chuck Smith. Kay passed away Friday, August 13, at age 94. She joins her beloved husband, who died on October 3, 2013, in heaven. Kay was an essential part of the CC movement, a prayer warrior, a popular Bible teacher, and caring mentor for women. CC Magazine will feature an upcoming series of articles describing the gracious influence she had on current pastors’ wives.

And being not weak in faith, he [Abraham] considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he [God] was able also to perform. Romans 4:19-21, KJV

Today we conclude studying the several keys of the faith Paul taught in the passage above, looking at the example of Abraham. Previously we saw that Abraham did not stagger at the promises of God through unbelief because of the impossible circumstances or the obstacles to the promises. Secondly, Abraham thanked God in advance for the promises that He was going to perform because he fully trusted Him to be true to His word.

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God is Able

We look now at the final key of faith: Abraham was fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He [God] was able to perform. So the questions I want to ask you today are: Can God do it? Can He supply your needs? Is He able to meet your problem?

“Of course,” you say, “He is able. God can do anything.”

Hang on now, that is your first key. Not only is it a good thing to say that God can do it, but I want you to know today that God can indeed do it. That is where you start. Then faith goes on from there. You come to the place where you say, “I know that God is going to do it.” Just hang on and keep trusting Him because God is faithful, and He will keep His promise. He will keep His Word.

I encourage you to give God a chance to work in your life, whatever your need might be. God wants to work, and God will work if you will just give Him that chance.

Justified by Faith

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. … Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Romans 3:24, 28, KJV

As believers, not only do we know that our justification is by faith—that we are not justified from keeping the law but through our trust in His promises and in His Word. If you don’t understand that, then pray and ask God to open your eyes.

But also, as a believer in Jesus Christ, you have so many of these exceeding rich and precious promises in His Word:

As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:3-4

Through these great and precious promises, we see that we are partakers of the divine nature, His nature. He will give us His divine power for everything we need in this life: to be godly, to walk in glory and virtue. He has promised. He will do it. We need to stand strong in faith, believing, and not stagger in unbelief at our own limitations.

Today, if you are in need, know that God is able. I encourage you to give God a chance to work in your life, whatever your need might be. God wants to work, and God will work if you will just give Him that chance.

Closing prayer: Father, we do thank You that we can put our trust and confidence in You—knowing, Lord, that what You have promised You are able also to perform. So Lord, may we just put our faith, our confidence, and our trust in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Numbers 6:24-26, KJV.

 

All verses above are quoted from the New King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

© 2020 Calvary Chapel Magazine. All rights reserved. Articles or photographs may not be reproduced without the written permission of CCM. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.® Used by permission.