Galatians 3:13-14 Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified); [Deut 21:23.] 14 To the end that through [their receiving] Christ Jesus, the blessing [promised] to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might [all] receive [the realization of] the promise of the [Holy] Spirit. (AMPLIFIED)
Proverbs 4:5-9 “Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. 6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. 7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. 8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. 9 She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor.”
Vs. 5a and 7 “Get wisdom, get understanding; Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”
Because so few hear the Word, (See Matthew 13:11-16), few truly understand what God has worked for us in Christ. If we do not hear the Word, we cannot believe because faith comes by hearing! (Romans 10:17) Because many do not hear the Word they do not understand the Word and they tell others that there are mysteries that cannot be understood. If we will hear the Word, God will gladly give understanding!
Matthew 13:11 He (Jesus) replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.” (John16:13, Romans 16:25-27, 1 Corinthians 2:7-10, Ephesians 3:2-6)
Colossians 1:24-27 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness- 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Understanding comes through the Spirit of God, who comes by faith, which comes by hearing, which comes by the Word of God, and this can only happen when we see Jesus in the Word! (John 16:13, Romans 10:17, John 5:39and 2 Corinthians 3:14-17) When we look in the Word seeing Jesus, then we can hear the Word and receive without prejudice what God has worked for us in Christ. We then clearly understand why Jesus died on a cross to redeem us from the curse of the Law. (See Galatians 3:13-14 above.)
Jesus redeemed us “to the end” or “so that” -
The blessing of Abraham would come upon the Gentiles – righteousness by faith. (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3, 18-22; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23)
That through faith – not works, we might all receive God’s Spirit, which means that by faith in Christ we receive the promise of being the Sons of God! (Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 3:26, 4:4-7; 1 John 3:1 - also see Matthew 7:9-11, Luke 11:11-13, and our favorite 2 Corinthians 1:20)
In hearing the Word of God we understand that Christ died for us so that sin would no longer prevent us from receiving every blessing that is in God’s power to give to man! (Such is the blessing of righteousness through faith!) The blessing of Abraham – right standing with God through faith, makes it possible that we can receive the promise of the Spirit - which is to be the children of God, so that God can bless us with every blessing and meet our every need!
Genesis 22:16-18 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (KJV)
[In comparing Romans 8:32;(He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?), with the above reference of Genesis 22:16-18 we find that Abraham was given all because he did not withhold his son, but that we are given all because God did not withhold His Son! This is certainly blessing on blessing!]
(See also Psalm 32:1-2 and Romans 4:3-8, and reference Romans 10:4-13 as opposed to the blessing conditions found under the Law in Deuteronomy 28)
Chapter 3 – The Blessing of Abraham
Galatians 3:14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
The blessing God conferred on Abraham is so large and so all encompassing that Christ died to bring us, the Gentiles, into this great and wonderful blessing. So what is the blessing of Abraham and what does it mean to those that believe that believe on Christ? While we can sum up the blessing that God gave Abraham as “righteousness by faith,” (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3, 18-22; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23), to understand the great fullness of this blessing – or this empowerment by grace, we will look at the promises that God gave to Abraham. [If religion and the misinformed hadn’t robbed us of understanding then we would understand the largeness of the Blessing of Abraham from the description of “righteousness by faith” - which can be opened up to us through the following: Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (Ephesians 2:18; Hebrews 4:14-16, 10:14-22)]
The first recorded words from God to Abram, Genesis 12:1- 3 begin with a condition for the blessing - 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.”
And then opens into a promise so large that everything God could give and do for man and all that man could want is contained in this promise - “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.” (How did the church ever lose sight of such a promise?!)
As Christ redeemed us that this blessing would come upon us, then all that was promised to Abraham is ours through Christ! This blessing is our life. This is who and what we are!
A great nation with a great name -
1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. [Ex 19:5,6.] 10 Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God's people; once you were unpitied, but now you are pitied and have received mercy. [Hos 2:23.] (AMPLIFIED) (See also 1 John 3:1)
We are blessed and a blessing! (Not just blessed to be a blessing, but blessed and a blessing!) -
2 Peter 1:3-4 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (See also Ephesians 1:3-10)
Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (See also Mark 16:15-18)
What more could anyone want or need? The greatness of the promise is given to us, by faith not works; through the redeeming work of Christ. The promise of God to Abraham.
Galatians 3:6-9 Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Chapter 3 – The Blessing of Abraham
The promise to Abraham is multifaceted and is broken down into several different parts of the whole. Yet, these are not independent promises but merely parts of the whole as given to Abram at the first.
Genesis 12:1-3 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. 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. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
For Abraham to receive he simply had to leave what he had known and entrust his life to God. He had to leave his old life and embrace the new life that God had for him and his family. This is no different than our lives in Christ.
Acts 16:29-31 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.”
To receive the whole we only need to embrace the new life that God has for us in Christ. All is contained in the promise of Christ and then is only broken down for us to better explain the whole.
Acts 16:31-32 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.
The complete promise is found in believing in Christ. He is not a part of the whole or a beginning; remember He is not only the Way, but also the Life! (John 14:6) We were never meant to come to Christ and then pick our way through the promises, always trying to obtain. All is found in the whole and is ours when we believe on Christ. The forgiveness of sins is no different to Christ than any other promise. (See Matthew 9:1-8, also James 5:14-15) We divide the promise today because we have not learned to believe on the whole of God’s work in Christ. To believe on Christ is to believe on all that He is and all that we have in Him. (See Isaiah 53!)
In other words, we leave our old land by turning to Christ. Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.
We leave the ways of our fathers or the ways of this world by believing on or taking up the ways and promises of Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
And we go to a land we have not known which we reach by following - or believing in Christ! John 12:25-26 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
All comes to the believer just as all came to Abram the believer! The promise is whole and complete. Abraham had only to turn to God through leaving his old life. He did not have to hunt and peck through a list of promises, believing each one and battling for them individually! We do nothing different! We have only to turn to God through faith in Christ, which takes us away from our old lives, and all of the promises are found in the Promise – which is Christ!
2 Corinthians 1:20-21 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.
When Abram left his country and father’s household to trust in God, he had all of the promises because he had the Promise, which was God! (Genesis 15:1) When we believe on Christ we have all of the promises for we have the Promise, which is Christ!
Galatians 3:29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Chapter 3 – The Blessing of Abraham
Genesis 12:6-7 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
Galatians 3:14 He (Christ) redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
The promise given to Abraham was not to him alone but to his seed and the many that he would father through that seed. The promise to those that believe on Christ is the same, not to us only but to those that are with us and those that will come after us.
Acts 2:39 “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
Acts 16:31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.”
As with Abram, the promise is to be fulfilled by the Lord. No matter the depth of the promise, the condition is the same – “Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1) Abram had only to believe God. The promise was/is true. What God has accomplished in Christ belongs not only to the few but to all that the Lord has called. (Acts 2:39) We see by God including Abraham’s offspring in His promise to Abraham and in Paul promising the Philippian jailer his family also, that God does not call us apart from our families. Such is the promise and as a promise it is not upon us to fulfill it or cause it to happen, but all responsibility for the promise rests upon God. We, like Abraham, are only to put our faith in God. Abram put his faith in God by leaving his old life for the new life that God laid out for him in a new land; we leave the old life for the new life that God has provided for us through faith in His Son. The rest is all upon God! It is His promise so it is His responsibility. If we live our lives through faith in Christ, we will see the promise. If we try to stay in the old land, no matter how we cry and carry on we will have forfeited everything! Our trust in God is faith in the promise. Because we believe we can live the life of Christ without fear for above all we believe, as Abram did, that God is faithful!
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Our faith, the faith of Abraham is not for an event or one promise but it is in God Himself, believing that in all things He will do as He has said.
Galatians 3:6 Consider Abraham: He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
This is righteousness and this is the glory that we seek. All is from God to those that will believe Him. It is guaranteed for the promise will not fail.
[A cautionary note; the promise was to Abram and his seed, not to those that he tried to bring along. Abram loved Lot and brought him along, (Genesis 12:4), but found Lot to be a burden, (Genesis 13:5-13). Abram had to continually help Lot and cover him in prayer because Lot was not of the promise. Lot would not really believe, was shaped by the world around him, would not teach the ways of the Lord to his family and later his very descendants would trouble Abraham’s offspring! (See Genesis 14:12, 18:16-19:38) To live in the promise is to receive what God has given you. Your natural and your spiritual offspring are covered. That is who God has given you. Trust in God and let Him see to His Word and always be careful about anything that we try to bring about on our own outside of His promise.]
Chapter 3 – The Blessing of Abraham
Genesis 13:14-17 The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”
Abram and Lot had just parted. Lot chose the ways of the world, took the best land for himself, and left Abram standing childless in the lesser land. Abram was not seeing what he thought that he would see. We have all been there. The times when we compare where we seem to be to the promise that God gave us. There are those that have chosen what seems to be the easy way and we are left alone in surroundings that do not match what God promised. It could be that we are standing on the promise of healing; [1 Peter 2:24 Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness -- by whose stripes you were healed. (NKJV)], but our bodies seem far from health. Maybe we have believed for God to provide for us and that in Christ we are made rich; [2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (See also Matthew 6:33 and Philippians 4:19)], but what we see shows no signs of the promise. It could be there is an area of life that just does not exactly match the promise of the Word and we have moved on, deciding that life is good enough for now. That is where Abram was, but God is still at the same place – His place. The promise was never to be met based on where we are or what we see but on whom God is and what He has said! Such is the life of faith. We believe God, not where we are, what we have or do not have, or what may or may not be happening. Our promise is the same as Abram’s promise for it is the same promise.
Galatians 3:14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
All that is up to us is to believe. If we believe, what we see or do not see, what is happening or not happening will not change us for we have not based our lives on sight but on God!
[2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. (NKJV)]
Abraham’s blessing was based on God, not Abraham and certainly not Lot or the land. Our blessing is based on Christ, not ourselves, not on others, and certainly not on this world!
Abraham believed and God counted him as righteous, or worthy to receive His blessing! (Romans 4:3) From that point on the blessing was dependent on God, not Abraham. (Hebrews 6:13-15) In Genesis 13:14-17, God was reminding Abram that the promise was based solely on His power, not in choosing what seems to fit the promise. God was not bound by what Lot chose! All that God had promised was going to be given to Abram and his offspring. The promise was/is not dependent on the situation but on God who is greater than the situation.
Romans 4:16-5:2 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring-not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” 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. 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.” 19 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. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23 The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness-for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
What we see is inconsequential because of what we believe. What we believe is everything because of who we believe in – Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the living Son of the living God. In Christ we have everything, (Ephesians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:20-22, 2 Peter 1:3) and have overcome everything because we are brought to God the Father. (See Romans 8:28, 37, 1 John 5:4-5) In Christ we have been given access to the promise of God. (See Romans 5:2, Ephesians 2:18) Because all depends on God, we believe in spite of what we see, hear, think, or feel. We believe God who is faithful because He is God and is dependent on no one but Himself.
2 Timothy 2:11-13 Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; 13 if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
Chapter 3 – The Blessing of Abraham
Genesis 13:17 “Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”
God had just let Abram know that no one could alter the promise. If Lot chose the best land, it did not alter anything because the promise was for all of the land. If some of the land looked better than other areas, God could send rain and make all a garden. The promise is entirely dependent upon God.
Zechariah 4:6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.’”
Abram had only to believe the Lord. He had first been instructed to believe by leaving his home for the new land, and now he was instructed to walk through the land that God was going to give him. If Abram believed, he would go. If he did not, he would just sit where he was and complain. Abram believed, so he went through the land. We are given great and precious promises, (2 Peter 1:4), which are included and spring forth from the blessing given to Abraham. (Galatians 3:14) We, like Abram, are to walk through what is given to us. Abram walked through on foot, we walk through in faith. He touched the land, we act on the promise. Abram was like a stranger in the land, waiting on the Seed to come. (Galatians 3:16) The Seed has come and in Christ we already have every promise as a reality to be received and lived this very day!
2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.
So how do we walk through our land? We act on the promise! We learn to “take up our beds and walk!” Abram could not wait for the land to come to him, he had to walk the land. We cannot wait, ready to act when we see the promise fulfilled; we live by faith and act on the promise because we know that it is already ours in Christ. David’s statement of faith; “I believed and therefore I spoke,” (2 Corinthians 4:13 NKJV); becomes to us; “I believe and will not only will I speak, but I will act,” or “take up my bed and walk!”
To believe but never act is essentially faith without works, which is not having faith.
James 2:26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
To walk on water Peter had to get out of the boat, even though the storm did not stop! (Matthew 14:28-31) Peter stopped walking because he began to doubt. He stopped walking because what he was doing did not make sense to his mind, which is fed through the natural senses and which is opposed to the things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:9-16
However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”- 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Our faith is in the promise of God which is more real than what we see!
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
What we must do is step past the fears, which brings doubts - which stops the promise, and believe to the point of acting simply because God has promised!
Mark 11:22-24 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
If we believe that we receive, then we will act on what we believe because we believe that we have what we believed. Since Abram believed, he walked the land. If we believe we will not just stand on the promises but act on the promises. It may not make sense to our minds, but it will to our spirits. Like Peter on the water, the storm may be there but we will control the storm! We may not feel like acting, but our feelings will change as we see the reality of the promise come to pass! If we will believe - believe to action, what God has said and accomplished in Christ we will receive.
2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
James 2:21-24 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God's friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
Chapter 3 – The Blessing of Abraham
Abram had just refused the wealth of a city. He had turned from the world and put his trust in God. Because his trust was in God alone, God explained His covenant with Abram a little more.
Genesis 15:1 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.”
God always gives the overall picture at the first and then as we go along, He explains what we may not be grasping or confirms what we have believed. To understand God’s promises we must understand this; in covenant with God, He is the giver. What does God give? He gives Himself. If God gives Himself to you, (Matthew 1:22-23, John 3:16), then He has given to you all that He is, all that He can do, and all that He possesses.
Romans 8:15-17, 32 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Since God gave His Son for us that we might receive the blessing of Abraham, (Galatians 3:14) then God is therefore the believer’s protection and very great reward just as He was Abram’s shield and reward! Because of this we should always have great confidence in all things.
Ephesians 3:12-13 In him (Christ) and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Hebrews 13:5-6 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” 6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (See also 1 John 5:14-15)
How did Jesus explain what God has given those that believe His promise?
Mark 9:23 “’If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
How can this be? Because faith has power? Faith has no power of itself. Faith must have an object. (Faith must be in God and His promise, not just a belief for something.) To exercise faith, true faith, there must be belief that what is desired will be given because it is yours to have. Since God has given us Himself, what then is withheld from those that believe Him? (See again Romans 8:32)
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him.
God is our shield, our protector! We can rest in his protection. He is our reward, our freely given reward! We can rest in His provision of our entire need. While this can be grasped and lived as it is, next we will see that God will answer your every question about your reward. Why? Because God has not sent us on a treasure hunt to search out answers, but has freely given to us to receive and He will help us in all understanding so that we can receive all that He is, has and can do. (John 16:13-15, 1 Corinthians 2:9-16, Ephesians 1:17-23, 3:16-21; Philemon 6, James 1:5) Ask, seek and knock, (Matthew 7:7-12) and you will receive so that you can believe! God is your promised reward. He has revealed Himself in His Son, and Jesus will make Himself known to you!
Revelation 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
