The Path To Victory Pt 1 Abraham Series

The Path to Victory Pt 1 Abraham

Key Character: Abraham, in the next 2 weeks we will also look at Moses, and King David

Main Theme: Obedience to God’s call leads to victory, and our feelings of inadequacy are proof that we must rely on Him.

The Call to Obedience

“Have you ever assembled furniture and felt like you had extra screws left over? Like maybe you missed something?… That’s how many of us feel when God calls us—we think we’re missing something or not qualified, but those feelings remind us to rely on God.”

Obedience, not personal ability, determines our effectiveness in God’s Kingdom.

When we obey, we step into God’s plan and begin to follow His path to victory.

Abraham is a foundational figure in the Bible, known for his faith and obedience to God. However, like all human beings, he had moments of moral and character failure. These failures are significant because they highlight his humanity and God’s grace in working through flawed individuals.

Abraham – Called to Trust the Unknown

Genesis 12:1–4: Abram Journeys to Egypt

1 ?Now the Lord said to Abram,

“?Go forth from your country,

And from your relatives

And from your father’s house,

To the land which I will show you;

2 And I will make you a great nation,

And I will bless you,

And make your name great;

And so you shall be a blessing;

3 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 will be blessed.”

4 ?So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

The Call to Leave Everything

• Abraham was told to leave his home and follow God to an unknown land.

• He obeyed without knowing all the details (Genesis 12:1 – “Go from your country… to the land I will show you.”).

Where Would Abraham Be If He Hadn’t Trusted?

• Still in Ur, living in comfort, but without God’s covenant promise.

• There would be no “Father of Many Nations” legacy.

Ephesians 3:20: ?Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us…

Lets gain some perspective on Abraham: Abraham is recorded as a man who Lied About His Wife to Protect Himself (Twice)

Rushing God’s promises creates problems rather than solutions. Faith requires patience.

1. Lying About His Wife to Protect Himself (Twice)

Failure: Deception out of fear

• Genesis 12:10-20 – During a famine, Abraham and Sarah went to Egypt. Fearing that the Egyptians would kill him to take Sarah (who was beautiful), Abraham told Sarah to say she was his sister instead of his wife. Pharaoh took Sarah into his palace, but God intervened and sent plagues to Pharaoh’s house, revealing the truth.

• Genesis 20:1-18 – Abraham repeated the same lie with King Abimelech of Gerar. Again, God stepped in to protect Sarah.

Moral Issue:

• Abraham’s actions show a lack of trust in God’s protection and a willingness to compromise truth to save himself.

• Instead of standing in faith, he put Sarah at risk for his own safety.

Lesson:

• Even the “father of faith” struggled with fear. God’s faithfulness does not depend on our perfection but on His promises.

2. Taking Hagar to “Help” Fulfill God’s Promise

Failure: Impatience and lack of trust

• Genesis 16:1-6 – God had promised Abraham and Sarah a son, but when years passed without a child, Sarah suggested that Abraham have a child with her servant, Hagar. Abraham agreed, and Hagar conceived Ishmael.

• This led to jealousy, mistreatment, and division in his household, as Sarah grew resentful and mistreated Hagar.

Moral Issue:

• Instead of waiting on God’s timing, Abraham relied on human solutions to fulfill God’s promise.

• The consequences of this decision led to generations of conflict between Ishmael’s descendants (Arabs) and Isaac’s descendants (Israel).

Lesson:

• Rushing God’s promises creates problems rather than solutions. Faith requires patience.

3. Laughing at God’s Promise

Failure: Doubting God’s ability

• Genesis 17:17 – When God reaffirmed that Sarah would bear a son, Abraham laughed and questioned if a man 100 years old and a woman 90 years old could have a child.

• Genesis 18:12-15 – Sarah also laughed when she heard the promise.

Moral Issue:

• Even Abraham, a man of faith, struggled with doubt when God’s promise seemed impossible.

• Though God had proven Himself faithful before, Abraham’s human logic still caused him to question God’s supernatural power.

Lesson:

• Faith is believing in God’s ability, not our own limitations.

4. Failing to Lead His Family in Righteousness