FAITH CALLS IT DONE

Saturday 7 September

(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Romans 4:17 (KJV)

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 (KJV)

Abraham is known as the ‘father of faith’ because he ‘believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness’. Believed what? In Galatians 3:8, it clearly shows us that his belief was in the gospel.

‘And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham.’ So Abraham believed the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is what is meant by ‘he believed God.’

He knew that God would sacrifice His own son which is why he told Isaac‘ God will provide for Himself a lamb’. To put this in perspective, it was approximately 2,000 years before Jesus died on the cross that Abraham made this declaration. He knew about the resurrection because he must have been shown it. Most likely in a vision.

Think about it. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 tells us that the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. As far as Abraham was concerned, he lived His life in the light of what would take place in the future. This is the major difference between the faith of the patriarchs and our faith. Their faith was the ‘substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.’

Our faith is complete in Christ and looks back from the finished work of the cross towards what has already been done. We talk like God. Notice God is referenced as having this mentality and not Abraham. Why? Because Jesus in the heart of the Father, was ‘slain before the foundation of the world’ (Revelation 13:8b). In other words, Jesus salvation is His total perspective. Everything He sees and has seen since creation, is through the lens of His redemptive plan. Don’t miss this point!

Faith calls the future, the past, in the present. Why? Because it is already done in the spirit. Everything ‘pertaining to life and godliness’ He has given or delivered to us in Christ. Past tense.

Faith is a spiritual ‘thing.’ You can’t see it or perceive it with the senses but you can see the effect of it just like you can’t see the wind but you can feel its effect. Through faith, we bring the unseen into the seen realm.

Apostle Paul encourages us to ‘look at the things which are unseen, which are eternal.’ Faith is eternal. 1 Corinthians 13:13 lists faith as one of the three things that abide and will forever remain.

APPLICATION

Take hold of what belongs to you in your health, finances etc and call it done in Jesus name, using your faith to produce what the Word declares is yours.