The Power to Match the Promise

"...The God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were." Romans 4:17

This is the God that Abraham choose to follow; to trust. Once God took Abraham out and showed him the stars to show him how many his offspring would be, He gave him his heart. Forever. No conditions. God's faithfulness is not dependent on our faithfulness.

God gives life to the dead. Hebrews 11:19

See Isaiah 48:13

My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they all stand up together.

When God speaks things are. He justifies and makes right. He gives us a standing with Him that cannot be challenged.

Romans 8:33, 34

33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns?No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Abraham became the standard for all believers. He trusted in God to intervene in his life supernaturally. He trusted that God's power could match His promises.

He acts on our behalf. The same God that raised Jesus from the dead made Abraham alive and give He and Sarah the ability to have the promised son, Isaac.

Now see Isaiah 53: 5, 6

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

By his stripes we are healed. The Lord laid on Him the iniquities of us all.

Romans 4:25

25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Jesus was delivered over to death to deal with our sins, to atone for them. To make us one with God. He was raised to achieve our justification. This act of Jesus gives us a living relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

As Jesus was raised for our justification, we join Him in this act when we are baptized--raised up to walk a new, just as if I'd never sinned, life.