Unshakable Faith: How to Believe When All Hope Seems Lost

Unshakable Faith: How to Believe When All Hope Seems Lost

In a world filled with doubt and despair, the Bible offers us powerful stories of faith that can inspire our own spiritual journeys. These accounts show us how ordinary people achieved extraordinary things by believing in what they couldn’t see.

From Abraham to Jairus, these examples reveal that unshakable faith isn’t just positive thinking—it’s connecting with a divine reality that transforms lives.

When facing challenges, we often hear well-meaning advice like “don’t get your hopes up.” But true faith calls us to believe even when circumstances seem hopeless.

Take Jairus, who believed Jesus could heal his daughter even at the point of death, or Abraham, who at 99 years old still trusted God’s promise of a child. These stories teach us to place God’s word above negative reports and to call things that don’t yet exist as though they already do.

Key Takeaways

Unshakable faith means believing God’s promises even when circumstances suggest otherwise.
The invisible realm of faith shapes our visible reality when we trust God’s word over discouraging reports.
Following Abraham’s example, we can hope against hope by focusing on God’s promises rather than apparent limitations.
The Power of Unwavering Belief

Bible Stories Showing Remarkable Faith

Faith can move mountains when everything seems impossible. In the Bible, we find many examples of people who trusted God completely despite facing impossible situations.

Abraham stands out as someone who believed God’s promise even when it seemed ridiculous.

At 99 years old, with a 90-year-old barren wife, he still trusted God’s promise that he would become a father. After waiting 24 years, he took a bold step – changing his name from Abram to Abraham (meaning “father of many nations”) when he still had no children! He ignored the physical evidence and chose to believe what God had said.

What made Abraham’s faith special:

He didn’t focus on his aged body
He didn’t consider Sarah’s inability to bear children
He didn’t waver in unbelief about God’s promises
He called things that weren’t as though they were

Another powerful example is Jairus, a synagogue ruler whose daughter was dying. When he found Jesus, he confidently said, “Come and lay your hands on her that she may be healed, and she shall live.”

Even when messengers brought news that his daughter had died, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.” Against all hope, Jairus chose faith over fear.

Building Strong Faith When Facing Challenges

We can develop unshakable faith even when facing impossible situations. The key is learning to see beyond what our physical eyes can observe.

As believers, we must understand that we exist in two realms:

The visible realm (physical world)
The invisible realm (spiritual world)

The Bible tells us that “what is seen does not owe its existence to that which is visible” (Hebrews 11:3). The visible world came from the invisible world. The spiritual realm controls the physical realm.

When facing difficult circumstances, we should:

Hope against hope
Don’t let negative reports crush your faith
Remember God’s promises even when situations look bleak
Focus on God’s word rather than circumstances
See the invisible

While our physical eyes see the material world and our minds can imagine concepts, true faith sees into the spiritual realm.

When doctors deliver bad news, when finances look impossible, or when situations seem hopeless, we must choose to believe God’s promises.

We shouldn’t listen when people say, “Don’t get your hopes up.” This is human reasoning, not God’s Word. Instead, we should follow Abraham’s example – believing God who raises the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

The Power of Unwavering Belief

Believing When All Seems Lost

Faith goes beyond mere positive thinking. It’s about standing firm when everything around us says to give up.

Remember Jairus, the synagogue ruler who approached Jesus when his daughter was dying? He didn’t just ask for help—he spoke with complete confidence: “Come and lay your hands on her that she may be healed, and she shall live.”

Even when messengers told him his daughter had died, Jesus immediately said, “Be not afraid, only believe.”

This is what faith looks like when facing impossible situations. It’s choosing to trust God’s word over the bad news in front of us.

Abraham shows us the same powerful example.

At 99 years old with a 90-year-old barren wife, he faced a seemingly hopeless situation. Yet after waiting 24 years for God’s promise of a child, he took a bold step. He changed his name from Abram to Abraham, declaring himself “father of many nations” before seeing any evidence.

Consider these key aspects of Abraham’s faith:

He believed when there was no logical reason to hope
He focused on God’s promise rather than physical limitations
He spoke and acted as if God’s word was already fulfilled

Connecting with the Unseen Reality

We exist in two realms simultaneously. We are spiritual beings having a physical experience, able to interact with both the visible and invisible worlds.

The Bible explains in Hebrews 11:3 that “what is seen does not owe its existence to that which is visible.”

This reveals a profound truth: the invisible realm actually controls what happens in our physical world. Everything we see began in the unseen realm of God.

When facing challenges, we have a choice:

Focus only on what we can see with our physical eyes
Look beyond to what God says is true

Like Abraham, we can learn to “call things that are not as though they were” (Romans 4:17). This isn’t pretending or denial—it’s recognizing that God’s reality is more authoritative than our temporary circumstances.

When doctors give a terminal diagnosis, when financial statements show bankruptcy, or when relationships seem beyond repair, we have the opportunity to hope against hope. We can choose to believe God’s promises rather than the apparent facts.

Faith Challenges in Today’s World

When People Tell You Not to Hope

We often hear people say, “Don’t get your hopes up.” This well-meaning advice comes from those who want to protect us from disappointment.

They might say, “God heals some people, but maybe not you.” These cautious words may sound wise, but they are human thinking, not God’s word.

Think about Jairus in Mark 5:22-23. As a synagogue ruler, he came to Jesus with great faith saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Please come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she shall live.” What confidence!

Even when messengers later told him his daughter had died, Jesus told him, “Do not be afraid; only believe” (Mark 5:36).

God is looking for people who will believe in hope even when the situation seems hopeless.

Our Faith vs. What We Can See

The battle between human reasoning and God’s promises is as old as time.

Abraham faced this at 99 years old with his 90-year-old barren wife. After waiting 24 years for God’s promise of a child, he still chose faith over facts.

Abraham took a bold step:

He changed his name from Abram (“high father”) to Abraham (“father of many nations”)
He acted as if God’s promise was already fulfilled
He called things that were not as though they were

Romans 4:17-18 tells us: “God gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed.”

We face similar challenges.

When doctors give bad reports, when finances look impossible, or when professional prospects seem grim, we must decide: Will we trust human reasoning or God’s word?

As believers, we exist in two realms:

The visible realm – the material world we see
The invisible realm – the spiritual world we access by faith

Hebrews 11:3 teaches that “what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” The invisible realm actually controls the visible one. Everything happening in our physical world results from what already occurred in the spiritual world.

When facing seemingly hopeless situations, we must follow Abraham’s example. We look not at what is seen but at what is unseen, because “what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Learning From the Leader’s Faith Journey

Examining the Faith of a Desperate Father

The Bible tells us about a synagogue leader named Jairus who showed remarkable faith.

When his daughter was dying, he didn’t hesitate to seek Jesus. In Mark 5:22-23, we see how Jairus approached Jesus:

He fell at Jesus’ feet – showing humility
He begged earnestly – showing desperation
He spoke with confidence: “Come and put your hands on her so she may be healed and live”

What stands out is how Jairus didn’t just ask for healing – he declared with certainty that his daughter “will live.” This wasn’t wishful thinking but genuine faith. He believed Jesus only needed to touch his daughter and she would be well.

Many of us hold back when we pray, afraid to hope too strongly. Jairus teaches us that bold faith speaks with confidence even when circumstances look grim.

Rising Above Bad News

While Jairus and Jesus were on their way to his home, messengers brought devastating news: his daughter had died. According to human logic, this was the end. There was nothing more to be done.

Jesus immediately responded with powerful words: “Don’t be afraid; just believe” (Mark 5:36).

We face similar moments of hopelessness:

The medical report shows no improvement
The financial outlook seems impossible
The relationship appears beyond repair
Jairus had a choice in that moment:
Listen to the messengers of despair

Hold onto Jesus’ words of hope

Like Abraham in Romans 4:17-18, who “against all hope, believed in hope,” Jairus chose to trust Jesus’ words over the obvious facts. Abraham didn’t focus on his 99-year-old body or Sarah’s barrenness. Instead, he embraced God’s promise and even changed his name to reflect what God said was true.

We can learn from these examples.

When facing impossible situations, we need to:

Put God’s promises above negative reports
Call things that aren’t as though they are
Focus on the unseen spiritual reality rather than visible problems

Faith sees beyond current circumstances to what God has promised. What looks dead to human eyes can still be the birthplace of miracles when we choose to believe.

Faith That Defies Logic: Abraham’s Example

Abraham’s story shows us how true faith works when everything looks impossible. His journey teaches us that believing in God’s promises, even when the situation seems hopeless, can lead to amazing results.

Trusting When Hope Seems Lost

Abraham faced what seemed like an impossible situation. At 99 years old, with a 90-year-old wife who couldn’t have children, all human logic said their dream of having a child was over. Yet God had promised them a son and many descendants.

Instead of giving up, Abraham made a bold choice. He stopped calling himself Abram (high father) and started calling himself Abraham (father of many nations). This wasn’t just a name change—it was a public declaration of faith. He spoke about his future as if it had already happened, even when everyone around him could see it was “impossible.”

What makes Abraham’s faith remarkable:

He ignored negative advice from others
He looked past the physical realities
He treated God’s promise as more real than his circumstances
He acted as if what God said would definitely happen

Lessons for Our Faith Journey

We face our own impossible situations today. Maybe doctors have given a troubling diagnosis. Perhaps financial reports show no way forward. Like Abraham, we can choose to hope against hope.

Three ways to follow Abraham’s example:

Focus on God’s promises, not problems Abraham “did not consider his own body which was old and ready to die.” He focused on God’s word instead.
Speak faith words, not doubt Start calling things that aren’t as though they are. Abraham introduced himself as the father of many nations before having even one child with Sarah.
See the invisible Remember that the visible world came from the invisible. What we see with our eyes isn’t the full reality. True faith connects with the unseen realm.

Abraham wasn’t perfect in all his actions, but his faith distinguished him. The Bible says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” When we face our own impossible situations, we can remember Abraham who believed when there was no logical reason to hope.

Applying God’s Word When Times Are Tough

Putting God’s Promise Above Negative News

When faced with difficult situations, we must choose whose report we believe. The world often tells us, “Don’t get your hopes up,” but God calls us to a different standard.

Remember Jairus, the synagogue ruler? When his daughter was dying, he approached Jesus with bold faith saying, “Come and lay your hands on her that she may be healed, and she shall live.” Even when messengers brought news of his daughter’s death, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.”

God is looking for people who will believe in hope even when circumstances suggest hopelessness. This isn’t blind optimism—it’s trusting God’s word above everything else.

When doctors deliver bad news or financial reports look grim, we have a choice. We can:

Focus on the negative reports
Or exalt God’s word above those reports

The key is deciding to trust what God says more than what circumstances show us.

Following Abraham’s Example of Unwavering Faith

Abraham stands as our model for believing God despite impossible odds. At 99 years old, with a 90-year-old barren wife, Abraham received God’s promise of a son. After waiting 24 years, most would have given up hope. But Abraham did something remarkable—he changed his name from “Abram” to “Abraham,” meaning “father of many nations,” when he had no children!

Romans 4:17-18 tells us: “Who against hope believed in hope… calling those things which are not as though they were.”

Abraham’s faith had three powerful qualities:

He didn’t focus on physical limitations
He refused to waver in unbelief
He acted as if God’s promise was already true

God didn’t justify Abraham because of perfect actions but because of his faith. He trusted God who raises the dead and brings life from hopeless situations.

We face similar challenges today. When economies falter, health fails, or circumstances look bleak, we can follow Abraham’s example. We can look beyond what’s visible to what God has promised.

Remember, we are spiritual beings who can interact with both visible and invisible realms. The physical world we see actually came from the invisible realm. What happens in the visible is always a result of what occurred first in the invisible realm of God.

Seeing Both Worlds Around Us

We live in two worlds at once – the visible world we can touch and see, and the invisible realm that shapes everything around us. As spiritual beings with physical bodies, we have the unique ability to interact with both these realities.

The physical world includes everything our eyes can see and our hands can touch. The spiritual realm, though invisible, is actually more powerful and lasting.

Many people focus only on what they can see with their eyes, but this limits their understanding. The Bible explains that “what is seen does not owe its existence to that which is visible.” This means the physical world actually came from the invisible realm. Everything visible started as something invisible first.

We can see this truth working in our daily lives:

Physical eyes → see material objects

Mental vision → perceives ideas and concepts

Spiritual sight → discerns divine realities

The invisible realm isn’t just an idea – it’s the source and foundation of everything we experience in the physical world.

How Faith Changes What’s Possible

Faith isn’t just positive thinking. It’s a powerful force that bridges these two worlds and brings the invisible into visible reality.

When we face impossible situations, faith lets us see beyond current circumstances to what God has promised.

Consider Abraham’s story. At 99 years old with a 90-year-old wife, having a child seemed impossible. Yet God had promised them a son.

Instead of focusing on the obvious physical limitations, Abraham:

Changed his name to reflect what God promised (from Abram to Abraham, “father of many nations”)

Spoke about his future as if it already existed

“Against hope believed in hope” even when all evidence said otherwise

This kind of faith doesn’t ignore reality – it sees a higher reality.

When doctors deliver bad news, accountants show negative numbers, or situations seem hopeless, we have a choice.

We can either accept the visible facts as the final word or we can, like Abraham, side with God’s promises despite contradicting evidence.

The Bible calls Abraham righteous not because of perfect behavior but because of his faith.

His example shows us how to call “things that are not as though they were” – speaking God’s promises as present realities before we see them.

When facing challenges, we should look “not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.”

Why? Because visible things are temporary, but invisible things are eternal..