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Hebrews 11:6 (NLT) 6 "And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him."
Romans 14:23 (NIRV) 23 "But those who have doubts are guilty if they eat. Their eating is not based on faith. Everything that is not based on faith is sin."
Matthew 9:29 (NIV) 29 "Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith it will be done to you"
Matthew 17:20 (NIV) 20 "He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Matthew 21:22 (NLT) "You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, yu will receive it."
I. DEFINITION OF A MIRACLE
Romans 4:17 (NIV) "As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations."[a] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were."
A. Two types of miracles that God does.
1. He gives new life to something that's dead.
2. God creates something out of nothing.
II. HOW GOD PREPARES YOU FOR A MIRACLE
Romans 4:18 (NIV) 18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
A. When God wants to do a miracle in our life - It starts with a dream, a vision, a goal, an idea, a thought, or promise from God.
Genesis 12:1-3 (NIV) 1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.
2 "I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."
B. When God wants to do a miracle there needs to be a decision - am I going to obey God or not?
Genesis 12:4 (NIV) 4 "So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran."
C. When God wants to do a miracle sometimes there can be a delay.
Genesis 15:1-6 (NIV) 1 "After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward. "
2 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."
4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." 5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness."
D. When God wants to do a miracle sometimes there can be difficulties.
Genesis 17:1-4 (NIV) 1 "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. 2 I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." 3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations."
III. THE KIND OF FAITH GOD REWARDS
Romans 4:17-22 (NIV)
A. How did Abraham overcome the temptation to give up?
1. Vs. 17 (NLT) "That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing."
Faith is not a postive mental attitude but whom are you putting your trust in?
2. Vs. 18 (NLT) "Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”
The promsie is only as good as the person who gives it. God always makes good on His promises.
3. Vs. 19 (NIV) Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead.
He looked beyond the circumstances.
4. Vs. 20-21 (NIV) "Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised."
All the time he was working for the promise to be fulfilled he was thanking God. The highest form of faith is thanking God in advance.
CONCLUSION:
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