FAITH TO BELIEVE IN GOD FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE

There are people who God did amazing things in their lives even though they were imperfect.  

The Bible is filled with stories of God doing impossible and miraculous things.    There are people we can be inspired by and learn to emulate.

 Read- Hebrews 11: 1-3, 6,11

Sarah witnessed God do something incredibly impossible.  She was far beyond childbearing age, but God miraculously caused her to bear a son. 

The same was true with Mary, the mother of Jesus.   How can we see God do those kinds of things in our lives?

What it means to develop and live with faith that believes God for the impossible.

 Read- Romans 1: 16-17

Faith makes a way in the unseen spiritual realm for God’s power and promises to become a reality in the seen natural realm.

Believing God for the impossible begins with simply trusting that God can and will do what He said He would do.

This faith is based on knowing God’s promises and trusting His track record of faithfulness.  It’s based on a relationship with Him!

We must get to know God for who He is by studying His word, not by following tradition, the opinion of others, or even our own experience.    He has revealed His true nature in His Word. 

 Read- Genesis 15:3-5

This is only one of the many times in which God gave Abraham and Sarah the promise of descendants.  Sarah knew the promise, she had heard many times.  She also knew God’s trustworthy record.

Hebrews 11 says that Sarah” considered Him faithful who had made the promise.”  Abraham and Sarah had already experienced God’s faithful guidance, provision, and protection in their lives.

Our faith also needs to stand on both trusting God’s promises and remembering His past faithfulness.  We have a role when it comes to seeing God do the impossible.  Our role is to believe.

How can we develop faith to believe in God for the impossible?

1.  Define it

We have to know what we believe.  Faith gives substance to what we can’t see yet.   It is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed, and the evidence of things not seen (the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses).

• Pursue it

We have to take an active part in going after faith and receiving what we’re learning as true for us.

  Read – Romans 10:17, Mark 6

When Jesus preached in His hometown, the people took offense at Him and wouldn’t believe.  Their lack of faith prevented Him from doing miracles there.  Mark 6: 1-6.

Our lack of belief could be keeping us from seeing miracles as well.

• Feed it

Just as our bodies need regular nourishment to thrive, so does our faith.  We can fill up on God’s word by reading it, listening to it, meditating on it, and praying for it.

• Follow it

If we’re going to see the impossible, we have to allow faith to lead us.  Even when we can’t see what the outcome will be.

“We live by faith, not by sight.”

Read – 2 Corinthians 5:7, See all Galatians 2:20

• Release it

Faith isn’t meant to be a secret that we take to our grave.  We are supposed to share it and live it out. 

Our faith is released by what we say and what we do. 

James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.”  We are called to be doers of the Word.

How can we exercise faith that trusts God for the impossible?

• Trust and act according to God’s word, even when it doesn’t make sense.

If we have to intellectually understand everything about God and His miracles before having faith, we won’t see any miracles in our lives.

He doesn’t want our understanding and reasoning.  He wants our faith and obedience.  We limit God when we make Him fit what our minds can comprehend.

Faith is not blind in the sense that it is ignorant or uninformed.  Instead, it is simply the ability to trust that God is so much bigger and capable of so much more than we can conceive.

Faith is choosing to trust and being okay with finding out the details later.

• Trust even when the answer is delayed

Romans 4: 18-21

Abraham and Sarah waited a long time to see the fulfillment of God’s promise.  Even with the birth of Isaac they only saw the very beginning of that fulfilment.

Yet the Bible says they were strengthened in their faith and gave glory to God even while waiting.

They clung to what they knew of His character and His faithfulness and believed He would fulfill His promise at the right time.

• Trust that God is doing something in us in the process.

1 Peter 6-7

When we are in the middle of a delayed answer to our prayer, we should ask what else God is trying to teach us.  Something is happening even when we don’t see anything.  These times of waiting have great potential to grow our faith.

Believe that the impossible is possible only with God

Mark 10: 27 and 11: 22-24

Miracles wouldn’t be miracles if they were possible from a natural perspective.  Our God is so powerful and trustworthy that we should not be surprised that great things happen.

It should be more surprising when they don’t! Our miracle-making God is still the same.  His blessings are never exhausted.  All things are possible with Him only.