⏱️ How to Prevent Delay — Abraham’s Instant Blessing
Romans 4:3 — Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. Today is Pentecost Sunday: the 50th day after Christ’s ascension, when the Holy Spirit filled the upper room. The first Pentecost was at Mount Sinai — 50 days after leaving Egypt — and 3000 died. The second Pentecost after Christ’s resurrection — 3000 were saved. The letter kills; the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3). Romans contrasts Moses and Jesus throughout.
God is an instant God. Would your earthly father say “come back next week” when you are hurting? How much more your heavenly Father — most assuredly, not maybe. Israel wandered 40 years for unbelief; Joshua’s generation said we will receive the land instantly and God called them a people of a different spirit. Are you questioning delay, or going with the flow? Good from above should stay with you; what the enemy sends to kill joy must be removed instantly.
🌟 Abraham’s Calling
Something changed at 75 and again at 99. When we understand what changed at 99, we learn how to receive similar blessings instantly. Abraham was fully convinced God would perform what He promised — calling things that are not as though they were.
Genesis 12:2 (KJV)
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.
Genesis 17:1 (KJV)
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
Romans 4:21 (NKJV)
and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
Romans 4:17 (NKJV)
(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
🍎 God’s Word — Fruit of Life vs Fruit of the Law
In Eden were two trees: fruit that distinguishes good and evil, and fruit of eternal life. Romans shows the law is knowledge of good and evil — the old covenant. God’s word is food and bread; when you hear it, you are eating spiritual fruit. The fruit of eternal life is Jesus Christ — “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” When you hear the word that gives life, you are transformed. That is New Covenant Pentecost truth.
2 Corinthians 3:6 (NKJV)
who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Romans 5:19 (NKJV)
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
1️⃣ Knowing the Gospel
The gospel was preached to Abraham before the law (Galatians 3:8). The word preached did not profit Israel in the wilderness because it was not mixed with faith (Hebrews 4:2). They could not enter rest because of unbelief. Two steps toward blessing: (1) understand faith and righteousness; (2) understand what changed in Abraham at 99.
God showed Abraham the stars twice. Genesis 15:5–6 — he believed and it was counted righteousness. Who are the “descendants”? Galatians 3:16: the Seed is Christ — one, not many seeds. The first promise points to Christ (faith and righteousness); the second to Isaac (generations). Hebrew “count the stars” (saphar) also means declare, tell, relate — look at the heavens and proclaim the gospel story. The constellations from Virgo to Leo tell Christ’s journey; the enemy twisted this into astrology, but the skies declare His glory — Jesus Christ.
Faith is believing Jesus came for you, died for your sins, rose on the third day, sits at the Father’s right hand, and is coming again as the Lion of Judah. When you believe that gospel, righteousness is credited to you — as it was to Abraham.
Hebrews 4:2 (KJV)
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Hebrews 3:18-19 (KJV)
And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Hebrews 4:1 (KJV)
Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Galatians 3:8 (KJV)
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
John 8:56 (KJV)
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Genesis 15:5-6 (NKJV)
Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
Genesis 22:17 (NKJV)
I will bless you, and I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
Galatians 3:16 (NKJV)
Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.
Genesis 22:18 (NKJV)
In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.
Genesis 15:5-6 (KJV)
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Romans 4:3 (KJV)
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
2️⃣ Righteousness Apart from the Law
The heir of the world was promised through righteousness of faith — not through law. To him who works not, but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, faith is counted for righteousness. If law-heirs inherit, faith is void and the promise is made of none effect.
Romans 4:5 (KJV)
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Romans 4:13 (NKJV)
For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
3️⃣ Sins Are Forgiven
Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and sins covered — this is the gospel Abraham entered by faith.
Romans 4:7 (NKJV)
Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered;
4️⃣ Shall Not Impute Sin
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. It was imputed to Abraham for righteousness — written not for him alone, but for us who believe on Him who raised Jesus from the dead.
Romans 4:8 (NKJV)
Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.
Romans 4:22-24 (KJV)
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
💬 Hope — God Renames (New Identity Ends Delay)
At 99, Abram became Abraham — father of many nations — with no child yet. Sarai became Sarah. Neighbours might mock: “father of nations, come cook dinner” — yet he spoke what God said. What you speak is what you see. Do you phone friends to share problems, or to declare your God is bigger than every problem?
The Hebrew letter Hey (ה) added in the rename means grace — undeserved favour. At 99, weak and ready to die, he still had hope because grace is not earned. James warns the tongue steers life like a rudder — what you speak five years ago shaped today; what you speak now shapes tomorrow. Speak life, not death — even “joking” words matter.
Genesis 17:5 (KJV)
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
Genesis 17:15 (KJV)
And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
🔤 Hebrew rename: אַבְרָם → אַבְרָהָם · שָׂרַי → שָׂרָה — God speaks your new identity before you see it.
✝️ Faith — 100% His Power (Not a Mixture)
Abraham was not blessed by qualifications — he called his wife “sister,” brought Lot, Sarah lied to angels — yet faith in Christ on the cross counted for righteousness. 🟢 My power + 🔴 His power = delay. Faith says Christ already finished healing and victory on the cross. Hope says tomorrow changes because He finished it. When you believe your feet were not nailed in the sand but in the mountains of Canaan, you come out of problems. It is not your strength — it is God’s strength. Even the slightest faith lets hope grow.
⚡ El Shaddai — All-Sufficient, All-Powerful God
At 99, Abraham finally acknowledged El Shaddai — not by my power, not by my might, but by Spirit alone. That moment, what was delayed 25 years came instantly. If you are Christ’s, you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to promise.
Romans 4:13–14 (KJV)
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Galatians 3:29 (KJV)
And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
✅ Final Thought
Three changes at 99: hope (spoke what God said), faith (Christ finished on the cross), El Shaddai (all power is His). Whatever delay you face, God can change it instantaneously when you acknowledge He is the All-Sufficient, All-Powerful One for your life. You will become a testimony. Amen.