The book of Hebrews chapter 11, details Old Testament heroes who obeyed God, despite not fully understanding the future. This forward-looking trust, based on their experiences with God, is what the book of Hebrews commends as faith that pleases God. Often times, when we talk about the spirit of just men made perfect i.e the heroes of faith, we tend to only think of the male folks and forget that there were females in the list too. Maybe we do this because of our inclination to think that it is a man's world but, God does not think that way. This study is on a woman of faith, she was the first female hero of faith recorded in Hebrews 11, in the person of Sarah, the wife of Abraham.

Why was Sarah a woman of Faith? (Hebrews 11:11) Sarah received strength to conceive through faith. This was so because she had long past the age of child bearing.

Why did Sarah receive strength through faith? The scripture says, "...because she judged him faithful who had promised." (Hebrews 11:11) Thus, because she judged God faithful, Sarah received strength through faith.

What does it mean to judge God faithful?

In the Greek, the word Judge is from the term hēgeomai and Thayer defines it as to consider, deem, account, think,and esteem. Also, the word faithful in the Greek is the term πιστός: pistos, and Thayer defines it as trusty, or faithful

From the above definitions to pass judgement on someone or something is: to consider, think, account, esteem, conclude, to deem (to find), to regard as, to bring forth a final verdict. Hence, Sarah regarded the ways of God, considered His faithfulness to her, thought of God's integrity, took account of God's previous acts of love and kindness, concluded that God is committed to the performance of His promises and her final verdict on God was that He is Trustworthy, and can be relied upon to keep to His promises. The faith of Sarah actually rested in His character that He is not a man that He should lie, notwithstanding the happenings around her. This makes us understand that Sarah knew God over time and on the grounds of her long time knowledge of God, she judged Him faithful. 

Furthermore, to be faithful means having a character that is trustworthy, or someone who is reliable, and one who tells the truth. Also, to be dependable, steadfast in affection and allegiance, firm in adherence to promise or adherence to duty.This means that Sarah was conscious of the Lord’s faithfulness, not her own faithfulness, environment and body. In actual fact, Sarah judged God as someone who told the truth. Her receiving the promise had nothing to do with how perfect her process of faith was. If that was the case, then it would give grounds for boasting and Paul says in Romans 3, that the walk of faith cancels out the ability for boasting. Rather, it was simply the fact that she trusted in the character of God that He was not a man that He should lie.

Why did Sarah judge God faithful? Sarah judged God faithful because she knew that God cannot deny Himself even if we deny Him. The book of  The word deny in 2Timothy 2:13 in the Greek is the term ἀρνέομαι: arneomai and from Thayer definition we realize that Sarah knew that God cannot Contradict Himself. 

Grace to you.

Jesus is Lord.

Ps:Listen to this teaching, God has something in it for you