He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars-if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring] be.” Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15: 5-6 

Before God changed his name — Abram believed God. Before the manifestation of the promise — Abram believed God. Abram chose to believe God, despite what his situation looked like. In life, you must choose to intentionally set your heart and believe God no matter what the situation may look like. You must choose to ignore life’s distractions and fix your focus on Him. Your heart has to stay focused on God’s Promise. Choose to believe what He said. 

Genesis‬ ‭15:6‬ AMPC puts it this way, “And he [Abram] believed in (trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness (right standing with God).” Abram chose to believe, trust, rely upon, and remain focused as to what God had promised him. 

At the beginning of Genesis Chapter 15, God appears to Abram in a vision and says, “…Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” In Genesis‬ ‭15:1‬, the first thing that God said to Abram was, “Fear not.” When you’re choosing to believe God, you must choose to eliminate fear. When fear tries to rule your heart, it tries to magnify itself above everything else in your life. In fact, fear tries to get you to focus on your problem more than you honor and trust God. Fear wants you to focus on your circumstance rather than focusing on worshipping and honoring God. 

Notice the first thing that God said to Abram in Genesis 15 was, “Fear not.” God addressed Abram’s fear and then God focused on his future. Fear will try to paralyze you. When you’re choosing to walk out the Promises of God, oftentimes, you have to choose to focus on God’s Word instead of listening to the voice of fear. Fear will try to discourage you. Fear will try to debilitate you. Fear will point out your current lack, insecurities and insufficiencies, while God wants to pour and point to your future. God is speaking from the perspective of your future. Speak to your future. Eliminate fear and choose to believe God.

“He believed in the Lord, and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” 

Because Abram chose to believe God, despite his circumstances, God counted Abram as righteous — because of his steadfast faith. Abram chose to crucify fear and he placed his trust in God.  Abram had every reason to question whether or not the promise would come to pass. Instead, Abram made an intentional faith-filled decision to trust God. Choose to fill your heart and mouth with faith-filled words. Choose to believe God. 

According to Strong’s Concordance, Abram’s name means: “Exalted Father”. Think about it, Abram’s name meant, “father” from the day that he was born and yet, for nearly a century, he was childless — imagine the internal faith battle that he fought. Despite the obvious obstacles Abram chose to believe God. 

He did not grow cynical. He did not become bitter. Abram’s heart did not harden. In fact, in Genesis 15:6, God calls Abram righteous. His heart was in right standing with God. Don’t grow bitter. Don’t grow weary. Choose to grow. Step forward in faith and

Wait on God. Trust in His timing. His timing is perfect. Choose to believe in what God has promised you. Stand still and know that He will bring it to pass. Isaiah‬ ‭40:31‬ ‭KJV‬‬