Abraham received supernatural hope that he would have a son. Yet, to Abraham’s mind and reasoning, all hope of having a son was gone, but the Bible says of him, “Who, contrary to hope, in hope believed” (Romans 4:18).
Against natural hope, Abraham chose to believe the hope God set before him. It was supernatural hope — a goal that could not be accomplished without a miracle from God. After he applied his faith to the supernatural hope of God, it caused a miracle in Abraham’s old age — Isaac was born.
When Isaac was about thirteen, God told Abraham to offer Isaac, his only son, as a burnt sacrifice. Abraham instantly began to form a picture in his spirit. He saw himself taking Isaac to the mountain, slaying him, and offering him as a sacrifice. Isaac was as good as dead, because Abraham had determined to obey God’s command.
At the same time, however, Abraham knew the promise God had given concerning Isaac. God’s Word had produced the hope that Isaac would become the seed from which an entire nation would be born. There was only one way that promise could be fulfilled — Isaac would have to be raised from the dead.
Abraham told the men who accompanied him to wait for them at the foot of the mountain until they returned. He said, “…the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you” (Genesis 22:5). He was confident that both he and Isaac were going to return.
The image of God raising Isaac from the dead was alive in Abraham’s heart.
“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac…concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense” (Hebrews 11:17, 19).
The expectation that Abraham placed on God was supernatural hope in action. Because of that hope, Abraham could fully expect Isaac to be raised from the dead if necessary.
Active hope that is established in God’s Word will bring stability to our souls — our mind, will, reasoning, and emotions. Hebrews 6:19 calls hope “an anchor of the soul.”
Having a clear image in our spirits of God’s promises for our lives will keep our souls from drifting off of the Word of God. This image will keep us single-minded. James tells us of the dangers of double-mindedness: “For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:7-8). The image of God’s Word will combat the thoughts that contradict the hope that is within us.
When thoughts or circumstances come to convince us that the Word will not work this time, our spirits will be alive with hope in God’s Word. Hope will keep sending scriptural evidence to reinforce our minds and keep us sure and steadfast in the Word of God until our dreams are manifested. Begin to develop your hope in God’s Word today!
