Audio commentary on this verse

Note 7 at Ro 4:18: There was no hope in the natural for Abraham or his wife, Sarah. They were both as good as dead when it came to having children at their age. Therefore, they rejected the natural and believed God with a supernatural hope. There is a natural hope that everyone has, and there is a supernatural hope that is imparted by God (1Co 13:13). To receive miracles, we have to reject the limitations of natural hope and press on to obtain God's supernatural hope through faith.

Note 8 at Ro 4:18: Abraham's faith was based on God's Word. Every word of God is powerful and contains the faith of God to bring that word to pass (see note 4 at Mt 14:29). If we will only consider God's Word, then we will only believe (Ro 8:6, see note 9 at Ro 4:19).