“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.
Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3 NKJV
Almighty God made some wonderful promises to Abraham and to his descendants. Not only that, but the Lord promised that in Abraham ALL the families of the earth would be blessed! The descendants of Abraham – the inheritors of the promises God made to him – are not only his physical descendants, but his spiritual descendants also. The fulfillments of God’s promises to Abraham were contingent on his faith; not merely on his works. This blessing comes to us through faith in Jesus Christ, Abraham’s Seed. The Old Covenant believers were blessed and counted righteous as they looked forward to Jesus’ coming and the New Covenant believers are blessed and made righteous as they believe and trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvary! The only basis we have to inherit these promises, ourselves, is our faith in God’s word! Abraham’s blessings are yours!
The Lord promised to bless Abraham and make him the father of many nations, He promised to make him exceedingly fruitful, to keep His covenant with him throughout the generations, and to give his descendants the land he showed him for an everlasting possession (Genesis 17:4-8). In Genesis 22:17 AMP, the Lord told Abraham that, “In blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore. And your Seed (Heir) will possess the gate of His enemies.”
The Lord does not just bless – He multiplies! Genesis 13:2 says that Abraham was very rich in livestock and in silver and in gold. The Amplified Bible says that he was extremely rich. Abraham was not just rich – he was extremely rich! He and his nephew, Lot, were so blessed and increased with flocks and herds and tents, that Genesis 13:6 AMP says that, “the land was not able to nourish and support them so they could dwell together, for their possessions were too great for them to live together.” The Lord wants to multiply you just as He multiplied Abraham!
After the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom wanted to take the people who were taken and let Abraham keep the possessions that he recovered. Abraham refused. He told the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand and sworn to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor and Maker of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a shoelace or anything that is yours, lest you should say, I have made Abram rich.” (Genesis 14:21-23 AMP) Almighty God was the One who blessed and prospered Abraham – not man! The Lord was His source and supply and will be your source and supply as you believe in His promises and trust in His word!
Be mindful of His covenant forever, the promise which He commanded and established to a thousand generations, 16 The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His sworn promise to Isaac. 17 He confirmed it as a statute to Jacob, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant. 1 Chronicles 16:15-17 AMP
God stands by His word and His promises – even through the generations – even to a thousand generations! Even though Ishmael was the son of the flesh and not the son of promise, as was Isaac, still God kept His promise to bless Ishmael because he was Abraham’s seed! The Lord promised Abraham, “I will make a nation of the son of the bondwoman also, because he is your offspring.” (Genesis 21: 13 AMP) Even though Hagar was not God’s choice, because of the promise He had made to Abraham, He told her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be numbered for multitude.” (Genesis 16:10 AMP) If God kept His promises even to Ishmael, He will surely keep His promises to you!
Genesis 24:1 AMP says, “Abraham was old, well advanced in years, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.” Abraham was blessed in ALL things, ALL of his life. He lived 175 years and died at a good old age, happy and satisfied! (Genesis 25:7-8) All his children were extremely blessed! Isaac was blessed – even in a famine! Look at Abraham’s grandson, Jacob. Even though his father-in-law tried to cheat him, he could not prevent his blessing! In spite of all the restrictions put upon him, Jacob still became exceedingly rich, because he believed in God’s promise to Abraham and also to himself as Abraham’s seed! Genesis 30:43 AMP says, “Thus the man increased and became exceedingly rich, and had many sheep and goats, and maidservants, menservants, camels, and donkeys.” Jacob was blessed because he took God’s promise personally. You will not experience the fullness of the great blessings that the Lord has promised and prepared for you, until you take God’s promise personally!
Abraham was successful and blessed all of his days because, “No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, 21 Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised.” (Romans 4:20-21 AMP) Absolutely nothing prevented Abraham from experiencing God’s blessings and promises because he chose to believe God’s word and not what he could see or feel! God will bless you the same way!
Therefore, [inheriting] the promise is the outcome of faith and depends [entirely] on faith, in order that it might be given as an act of grace (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid and guaranteed to all his descendants — not only to the devotees and adherents of the Law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, who is [thus] the father of us all. Romans 4:16 AMP
If you have any doubt about your qualifications to inherit the promises made to Abraham, meditate on these scriptures, allow faith to rise in your heart and go ahead and walk in the blessings that are yours. Abraham’s promises are yours! Believe God’s word to you and walk in His blessings!