But he (Abraham) did not doubt or waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and empowered by faith, giving glory to God, being fully convinced that God had the power to do what He had promised. (Romans 4:20-21)
Pastor Brenda here. We know that our battles are not against flesh and blood, and many of us probably quote that verse often. But here’s something to consider: sometimes our wrestling against forces of darkness is as simple as choosing what we are going to believe. Unbelief is one of our greatest enemies, but we can win the battle against it by building our faith. The New Testament tells us clearly that Abraham was able to receive his promise because he grew strong in faith. Now, this didn’t happen by accident. We can’t just know that we have a measure of faith, do nothing with it, and expect it to grow. Abraham must have worked pretty hard over those years to grow his faith to the point where he became “fully convinced” of God’s promise. After all, if he’d been looking at himself or looking at Sarah, there was no natural possibility for this promise to be fulfilled; nothing about them fit the bill of “expectant parents”. But God promised Abraham that he would be the father of multitudes, and Abraham chose to believe Him.
Contrast this with the Israelites, who were unable to enter into the Promised Land because of their unbelief (see Heb. 3). When their journey started out, they were fearful and uncertain about what was to come. But as time passed, they started to grumble and complain and shake their fists at God. Eventually their fear turned to unbelief and their hearts were hardened toward their God, whose plan had been to bring them into freedom all along.
In every circumstance we face, we have the opportunity to see God move mightily on our behalf. If you struggle with unbelief, be honest with God – confess it to Him, and ask Him to help you grow an “Abraham” kind of faith. Then be diligent to feed your faith on His Word and declare His goodness. Don’t let the amount of time something might take, discourage you. Don’t focus so much on what’s going on in the natural that you forfeit your promised land! Hold onto God and know, like Abraham, that He is surely working and all His promises are yes and amen over you!