Believe And Hope With No Reason At All, That's The Start Of Faith - Romans

Believe And Hope With No Reason At All, That's The Start Of Faith - Romans 4:18-19

Romans 4:18 Abraham believed and hoped, even when there was no reason for hoping, and so became "the father of many nations." Just as the scripture says, "Your descendants will be as many as the stars."

Romans 4:19 He was then almost one hundred years old; but his faith did not weaken when he thought of his body, which was already practically dead, or of the fact that Sarah could not have children.

I. Abraham, Our Example

II. Believe And Hope With No Reason At All

III. His Faith Was Rewarded

I. Abraham, Our Example

We are always tested in these tough times, it's the last days and the LORD is near, we need to prove more than ever our faith in the LORD. Why?

Hebrews 11:6 No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him.

We must come to the LORD by faith, because only true faith pleases Him. Faith came from the Greek word "pistis" which means assurance, belief, fidelity, reliance upon, abstractly constancy in such profession. So therefore, the easy way to understand is when you ran out of reason of hope, then believe and hope still for that is faith. You got no physical evidence to base your hope and belief, the world may laugh at you, let them laugh, but still hope and believe.

Our example is Abraham, He has no reason to hope that he will become the father of many nations, take a look at the facts, actually it's all contradicting to what he believes in.

Contradictory Facts About Abraham:

1. He is 100 years old

2. His body is practically dead

3. Sarah is barren, could not have any ability to have children

Even Sarah laughed at this, maybe you and I at same situation will laugh too, that's why Isaac was derived from Hebrew root word of "Jitschak" that means "laughter - to the point of mocking". Yeah, we know laughter is good medicine, but this laughter is different it tends to mock, the only reason Sarah laughed is because she has mocked Abraham, saying something deep inside her heart like "What, that's impossible for a 100 year old, almost dead body and me who don't have any ability to bear him children" that is in fact a laughable matter.

Let Abraham be our example, aside from the fact that the very person that she can count upon to support him as his partner in life mocked him, still never waivered in his faith, continued to believe and hope against all hope.

Romans 4:19 He was then almost one hundred years old; but his faith did not weaken when he thought of his body, which was already practically dead, or of the fact that Sarah could not have children.

Romans 5:5 This hope does not disappoint us, for God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God's gift to us.

Romans 8:24 For it was by hope that we were saved; but if we see what we hope for, then it is not really hope. For who of us hopes for something we see?

Continue to believe in God, even if you feel like laughing.

II. Believe And Hope With No Reason At All

How can you believe if all fact are contrary to what you believe? How can you hope if your case is a hopeless case? If you said you believed and hoped, you haven't used your faith at all. Faith is not belief alone. Faith is not hope alone. It's both. Raise it up a higher level. Faith is believing and hoping against all reasons of believing and hoping. When you have done this, then your faith starts to work for you.

Ruth 1:11 "You must go back, my daughters," Naomi answered. "Why do you want to come with me? Do you think I could have sons again for you to marry?

Ruth 1:12 Go back home, for I am too old to get married again. Even if I thought there was still hope, and so got married tonight and had sons,

Ruth 1:13 would you wait until they had grown up? Would this keep you from marrying someone else? No, my daughters, you know that's impossible. The LORD has turned against me, and I feel very sorry for you."

Remember Ruth? Ruth believed she will bear a son/daughter for Naomi even Naomi without having a son to marry her. That's another example of believing and hoping with no reason to believe and hope at all. Then for her, that's faith.

Proverbs 13:12 When hope is crushed, the heart is crushed, but a wish come true fills you with joy.