Rom. 4:17 - 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.
God calls things that are as though they already were! Examples:
1) When Abraham was childless and his reproduction abilities were past season God
called him "the father of many nations" (Gen.17:5).
2) Another example is in the book of Judges. Gideon, who was the least of the least
and at the time of his divine visitation, was hiding for fear of the enemy. It was then,
at the most unlikely time that God called him a "mighty warrior" (Jud.6:12). One
version of the Bible said he was called a "hero" another a "mighty man of valor".
Was God lying when He said Abraham who was childless was the father of many nations? No! He sees the future and calls it how He sees it! Let's bring this into New Covenant perspective. What has God declared concerning us that "is but isn't"? A great example of this is found in Romans!
Rom. 6:6 - Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose
its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.
From this Scripture we're told the "old sin nature", the "old self"was crucified with Christ. If you've been crucified then you're dead! Something dead can't trouble you! Or can it? Lets look at another Scripture relating to the "old self" and just how dead it is!
Eph 4:22 - throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception.
Why should I have to "through off" the "old evil nature" if it has already been crucified with Christ! Isn't it dead? It was the great revivalist D. L. Moody who said, "I've never met a man that has given me so much trouble as myself". How truth it is! In the physical Canaan land there were many enemies to conquer. Before Israel ever set foot into that God called it done. He saw every enemy destroyed and His people living in peace. Now all it would take is for His people to follow Him into what He saw.
The enemy come to us time and time again trying to convince us nothing will be any different! Well hes a liar and the father of lies. It can and will be different if we will rise up in Jesus name and go forward trusting Jesus to bring down every enemy for us. Jesus will conquer our fears. He will root out any bitterness, any hatred, any jealousy, any pride, and all sin if we will only choose to believe Him.
"Today" is the day of our salvation not tomorrow! Its a big mistake to think, "I'll just run it out like it is and hope Ill be all fixed up when Jesus returns and changes everything". Some things are destined of God to change now! The ruling power in our lives is one of them! The "new self" which has been created by God to be just like Jesus must come to it's blood bought position in our lives in the "here and now".
