Sermon # 8 - El-Shaddai, Our Almighty God Series

We read in Genesis 17:1, When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the Almighty God. Obey me and always do what is right. (GNB)

There is a specific reason why the word of God mentions that Abram was ninety-nine years old when the Lord appeared to him. When God first called Abram to leave everything to follow after Him, Abram was seventy-five years old. God promised Abram that He would bless him with numerous descendants, but though Abram was eighty six years old, the promise of God was still not fulfilled. As Abram and Sarah grew more and more anxious, Sarai gave Abram the idea to have a child thorough her servant maid Hagar, with the hope that through that child her family could be established. The consequence of that decision which was based on their own understanding, and dependence on the flesh, was the conception of Ishmael, whose birth caused much turmoil, and grief to Abram and Sarai. Abram and Sarai by their haste, and impatience to wait for God’s timing, lost the presence of God in their lives.

From the age of eighty-six until the age of ninety-nine, for thirteen long years Abram received no word from God. Abram must have regretted that he left everything behind, been perplexed, felt helpless, and must have longed to hear the voice of the Lord again. At ninety-nine years of age, Abram had come to a point of frailty, and had to depend entirely on the Lord to do the impossible in his life, so as to fulfill the promise He had made.

We believe in a God who knows our inmost thoughts, fears, and longings. He also desires to perform extraordinary deeds, and wonders in our lives. However, when we like Abram and Sarai go ahead with our own plans, depending on our own intellect, we may find temporary solutions to our problems, but they will ultimately take away peace from our lives. When we choose to have the blessings of this world, we often lose out on the presence of God.

God knows the exact time when we should receive certain blessings, but generally we get restless when there are delays to our requests, question God about the same, and try to achieve these blessings with our own efforts. We must constantly remind ourselves that we can afford to forfeit anything in this world, but should never come to place where we miss out on the presence of God in our lives. The top priority in the life of every believer who has been called by God, saved by His precious blood, is that we should consistently hear His voice, walk in obedience to His word, obey His will, and live in His presence every minute of every day.

Just like Abram left everything to follow God when he received the call of God, so we too have left our customs, traditions, relationships, have heeded the voice of God, and have ventured on this journey of faith. But if we yearn to reach the Promised Land, it is vital that we constantly seek the counsel of God in every single decision we make. In many ways we are tempted like Abram to accomplish things in our flesh, and in our own strength, but we must understand that anything that is done without God’s grace, strength and approval, may give temporary relief, but will become a huge burden in the end.

The Lord taught the Israelites to depend on Him

When the Lord brought the people of Israel out of Egypt, He led them through the wilderness where there were no people, only because He wanted them to learn to trust Him completely. There were six lakh men alone apart from women, children and livestock that the Lord led through the wilderness for forty years. Throughout that arduous journey they were in lack for nothing for the Lord provided for them with food, water, shelter, clothing, victory and above all His very presence to accompany them.

God wants us to depend on Him because His strength is far greater than our human strength, and His wisdom far wiser than our human understanding. In many people’s lives it is their self, and not the Lord who sits enthroned in their hearts. They therefore do those things that seem best to their own thinking and desires, the consequence of which will only be for our harm. We must instead, choose to let the Lord reign supreme in our lives, listening to His counsel and living according to His will, for only then are we assured of a life of triumph.

Hagar sought God when she was at the end of her tether

After the birth of Ishmael, Sarai began to torment Hagar, and Hagar instead of calling out to God right where she was, decided to run away from her mistress. When Hagar came to a point where she had no more strength in herself, only then did she cry out to God in her distress, and the Lord answered her.