My Future in God’s Hands
Genesis 20 (NKJV)
Abraham and Abimelech
20 And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. 2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”
4 But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? 5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.”
6 And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid. 9 And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done.” 10 Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?”
11 And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife. 12 But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’
14 Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelech said, “See, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” 16 Then to Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; indeed this vindicates you before all who are with you and before everybody.” Thus she was rebuked.
17 So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children; 18 for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
I chose Genesis 20 to draw some truth about the will of God, and what God does to have his will, I want to ask a question. Are you fighting God’s will? Are you in opposition to the will of God? Why are you dealing with what you’re dealing with right now?!
Who knows what’s best for our life? Is it you or God? What will it take to change your mind? What will it take to obey God? Will you walk in the will of God?
Abraham had the best of both worlds; he had a wife who was beautiful! She had his eye, she had no children, so that girlish figure she always had! Abraham & Sara looked like Bro and Sister. They had the same dad, just different mothers. So, they invented the game, let’s tell everyone we are Bro & Sister! When Abimelech heard this, he took Sarah for himself.
Listen to me, Abimelech is a name given to him, his real name isn’t given. Well, who is this mysterious person who now has Abraham’s wife? What we have here is another attempt of satan to subvert the will of God! When Adam and Eve were in the garden, satan wasn’t trying to just get Adam and Eve to sin against God, his plan also included having God kill them in the process. But God spared both. There was a death, but it wasn’t Adam or Eve, but rather a substitute. Notice God didn’t curse Adam or Eve but the serpent! God didn’t curse Adam or Eve but the land!
This mysterious man called Abimelech was a pawn of the devil, he was being used by the devil to come between the will of God for Abraham & Sarah. Abimelech, whose name means father of a King; there is only one true King, and his name is Jesus.
The Word says God visited Abimelech in a dream and told him he was a dead man. (Genesis 20:3) But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”
God had a plan for Abraham and Sarah, and he will work his will in their life. God had entered a covenant with Abraham, and God, who cannot lie or break his word, was bound to his word. Listen God has a will for your life… a destiny.
Abimelech life was at stake, but also his future offspring: (Genesis 20:17-18) 17 So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children; 18 for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
satan is always found opposing the will of God, his MO does not change. He is all about killing, stealing and destroying.
God alone has your future planned. The devil wants to kill you. He wants to steal the rights to your life through wrong choices, through wrong allegiance, loyalties that were never meant to be, covenants that only produces death to the will of God.
There are some things in your life that right now were never meant to be!
Tell someone the past will bite you!
Sarai in Genesis 16 did a foolish thing. She used Hagar to father a child through her Husband Abraham. Now listen to me! Hagar held no candle to Sarai; Sarai was the love of Abraham’s life. You didn’t find Abraham in the red-light district. Hagar was never meant to be a concubine to Abraham. Hear me, God doesn’t need your help. Follow God’s plan, follow God’s will.
Hear me… Hagar brought Ishmael to Abram and Sarai. The word of God is short on detail when it comes to this discourse about Ishmael. Abram was 86 when Ishmael was born. Ishmael wasn’t just Abram’s son; he was also Sarai’s. Imagine holding another woman’s child as if it was yours, please. Sarai wanted a baby bad. Ishmael wasn’t God’s plan, rather it was a plan by the devil to derail the coming of the promised son. For 15 years his life seemed to be okay. Ishmael had free reign going to Dad “Abram” and mom “Sarai”. This boy wasn’t Hagar’s son, Ishmael was never God’s will.
(Genesis 17) God visited Abram and Sarai. Abram was now ninety-nine years of age. He got a name change, Abram became Abraham, and Sarai became Sarah. The Touch of God came into them, the life of God.
I prophecy over you this morning your season is upon you! The past is to be let go of. What you used to love, you will let go of, and what the enemy has taken from you will be restored. Sarah was 90 years old when she had Isaac, and Abraham was 100. I know your promise was of old, but God is a promise keeper.
In a few seconds, I want to pray for you. I’m praying for grace to not just survive the past decisions but reverse the curse upon your life. You’re about to leave the pattern of bareness!
Hebrews 11:11-12
11 By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised: 12 wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, ‘so many as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable.
Have you messed up God’s plan for your life? Is it over with? Will you recover from the decisions you have made?
Sarah made some bad decisions The book of Jasher 21:13 confirms Ishmael sat across from Isaac, pointed his bow and arrow at him, and intended to kill him. Ishmael literally made sport of Isaac as if he were wild game! By this time, Ishmael would have been 19 years old and would have known exactly what he was doing. This was not foolish child’s play. If Sarah had not seen this, Isaac could have died, and the lineage of Jesus would have been interrupted.
I can understand the response of Sarah. It wasn’t too harsh to make them leave, I want you to understand something, Sarah had a baby by faith, for two years plus she nursed this child, Sarah was a prophetess, her body was as good as dead, her ability to conceive seed had failed. She never knew the feeling of having a child pass through her body. By faith she believed him who promised.
Don’t allow satan to prophecy your future, God has a plan, and he will work his plan if you trust him.