Hope Against Hope

I found the key to Joyful victorious living!!!

“In hope against hope, he believed…”
Romans 4:18

New favorite verse! Yes! In hope against hope. What does it mean? Glad you asked. Read further.

“In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. And it was also credited to him as righteousness.”
Romans 4:18-21

So against all hope of this world and of the flesh which Abraham had no hope in, he chose to hope in the promise of God. He crucified the flesh (I’m no good. It’s scientifically impossible, It will never happen, etc…), he “did not waver in unbelief but grew in faith.” Now, Abraham also must have acted upon his belief, because we never hear of Isaac being born of immaculate conception! In Genesis we read (Dara paraphrase) that Abraham went to Sarai and said, “Darling, I know we have not made love in 20 or so years and that you never bore a child, but let’s get it on!” God was faithful to his promise and Isaac was born.

This is the key to victory in our race of life. We can’t look at the flesh (physical or in reference to our old ways of getting our needs met) because we just see hopelessness. But we can look to the cross and the promises of God and walk in belief (act as if it’s true), give glory to God, and hope (a certain expectation of things to come) that what God has promised, He is able to perform. This, dear children and friends, is walking in righteousness and will help you to overcome the despair of this world.

May you find victory through God’s word of promises and the hope of your renewed spirit.