Don’t settle for the ordinary when God has you set up for the extraordinary
Isaiah 54 barren
Sarah
Hebrews 11:11 by faith Sarah
After she had the baby-
Genes 18:14 she laughed
:15 denied she laughed
Is anything to hard for the Lord – she realized
5 times God promised a son
Genesis 17:16, 17:2, 17:7
Genesis 15:4
Genesis 12:2
Chapter 18-21 25 years promise halfway she gives Hagar 13 years later Issac
The Promise Has a Problem
- Sarah was barren
- Sarah was old
Genesis Sarah gives Hagar to Abraham
Galatians Sarah bears a son in the flesh name, Ishmael via Hagar
God heals Abmilecs barren women and Sarah saw this miracle
God was letting Sarah and Abraham know that he controls who gets pregnant and who don’t
First, Peter, chapter 5, verse six, Sarah Calls, Abraham
She called him lord when order was reestablished in the home I’m Genesis
She had him at 90 but she was able to enjoy him for 34 years.
Hebrews 11:11-12
Now as we look at Sarah, after she tried to help God be God, by giving her hand maiden Hagar to her husband Abraham to have a son that God had promised between her and Abraham.
In this verse we now find her with renewed faith and able to conceived although she was in her barren years, just as the Lord had promised.
This lesson will allow us to see Sarah’ faith in our God that specializes.
We will not spend much time in addressing how impatient she was when she was in her barren state, but we will see a one hundred eighty degree turn around in her faith from being impatient in her faith, to trusting God for the impossible.
So, let see how Sarah’ renewed faith conquered the impossible.
First of all . . .
- HER FAITH SHIFTED FROM WHAT SHE COULD NOT DO, TO WHAT GOD COULD DO (v.11)
“It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep His promise.”
(N. L. T.)
One of the things that damage our faith is that we put too much faith in what we can do instead of what God can do.
We simply forget that He is sovereign, and He can do whatever He wants to, whenever He wants to.
Sarah had that problem as well, she attempted to give God a helping hand by giving her handmaiden to her husband Abraham to have a child that God had promised to her and Abraham.
And because of her helping hand, she found her household in turmoil because of her lack of faith.
She actually put her handmaiden on equal ground as she.
But in the verse we see a shift in her faith from what she could not do, to believing what God can do.
We must understand when it comes to your faith, you must remember that God is not locked into a time frame like we are, but He is eternal and does not wear a Rolex on His arm to stay on schedule for delivery of our prayer request like UPS.
Now although God took His time in giving Abraham and Sarah what He had promised,
Sarah had to learn that God is never late, but He is always on time and her faith in God’s ability to deliver what He promised, made it possible for them to have a son in their barren years.
Secondly . . .
- BECAUSE OF HER RENEWED FAITH, SHE RECEIVED MORE THAN SHE HAD IMAGINED (v.12)
“And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead.
A nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.”
As we look at this verse, we see that Sarah with her renewed faith.
She believed not only God, but she believed that He could do the impossible, and God rewarded her for her faith.
He allowed her to received the impossible.
As for Israel, Israel exists today because Sarah believed the impossible promise of God.
Look at the believers around the world, those who profess to be born again by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for their sins.
They exist today because Sarah believed the impossible promise of God.
I too had to have an experience somewhat like Sarah.
I see something else in verse 12.
Not only was Sarah barren but the text said that a whole nation came from this one man who was good as dead.
In other words Abraham was no spring chicken neither.
But God through His promise allowed Abraham to father a nation with so many people that like the stars they cannot be counted.
Only God can do that.
