For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37
A business once posted a sign in its window stating, ‘The difficult we do immediately; the impossible may take a little longer’. That is an excellent, positive motto that spells out the reality that many of the things that people believe are impossible are not impossible at all if approached with the right mixture of attitude, energy, and persistence. Things that are impossible to the lazy are commonplace to the diligent. Tasks that are hopeless to the uninformed are but a slight challenge to the trained and educated. But there are some things that go beyond human ability to accomplish. Our text reminds us that we don’t necessarily need to write those things off, but we need to commit them to the One Whose vocabulary does not include the word ‘impossible’. There are some keys to turning our impossible into God’s possible.
The first key is promise. Has God given us a promise? Have we discovered a promise for what we need in His Word? If we can claim that promise, we can be assured that the fulfilment is assured. We can also be assured that God’s timing will be perfect, as well.
Another key to obtaining the impossible from God is prayer. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16). What God could do for those who prayed in the Scriptures, He can do for us. We might need to learn more about effectual fervent prayer, though.
The third key to grasping the impossible is praise. Consider Acts 16, where Paul and Silas sang praises in the prison dungeon. At that point, nothing could have been more impossible than the loosening of their bands or even the salvation of the jailor. But their trust in God’s deliverance was so great that their hearts and voices burst forth in praise. Can we do the same?
Being positive can also be a key to obtaining the impossible, especially when coupled with prayer and praise. Keeping a positive attitude about our circumstances while awaiting the blessing is proof of our faith.
Yet another key to obtaining the impossible is purity. If our hearts and lives are not pure before God and the world, we should have no expectation that God would grant us proof of His great power. But His delight is to bless those who are a reflection of His purity and holiness.
The last – but not the least important – key to obtaining the impossible from God is patience. If only we could grasp the difference between our own little bit of wisdom and God’s perfect wisdom, we might understand how God’s timing to deliver His blessings is more exact than ours. We lose out on so much blessing because of our impatience, moving in haste that takes us outside of God’s purposes.
The only thing impossible about God’s promises is His not keeping them. – Jim MacIntosh