Hanging In There Before Impossibilties Series

Jeremiah 32:17, 27; Luke 1:37; 18:27

Robert Schuller in his book, Move Ahead with Possibility Thinking begins the book with these questions:

Are you limping when you could be walking strong; whimpering when you could be whistling; crying when you could be laughing?

Are you being defeated by your problems; facing frustrations that are discouraging you; heartaches that are depressing you?

Are you bored with life; tired of living; lacking zest and excitement?

Are you watching somebody make a great success of an opportunity you turned down?

Are your projects and dreams struggling when they could be thriving; shrinking when they could be growing; failing when they could be succeeding?

Hanging in there before impossibilities. In 1945 Oscar Eliason, a gospel songwriter, wrote a song and when you hear the words, you wonder if he didn’t experience some of those feelings, too.

Got any rivers you think are uncrossable;

God any mountains you can’t tunnel through?

God specializes in things tho’t impossible;

He does things others cannot do.

God specializes in things that are impossible. Uncrossable rivers, untunneled mountains, they are a part of our very existence. How do you handle them? Where do you get the faith to meet them?

To put everything into the right perspective, I would like us to begin by looking at four key passages of Scripture that address the subject of impossibilities. You might even say these are “impossible” scriptures. Two verses in Jeremiah 32 and two verses in the gospel of Luke.

The prophet Jeremiah wrote: “Ah Lord God! Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power and by Thine outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for Thee”(Jer. 32:17).

Did you hear that? The prophet, knowing who God is and what He is says, “Nothing is too difficult for Thee!” Do you realize that whatever thing or things you’re calling “impossibilities” could be superimposed over what God says is “nothing” to Him?

Nothing!

It’s difficult to reconstruct in the English language the full color and impact of the Hebrew words used in this verse. The best we can do is to say: “No, absolutely nothing for You Lord is extraordinary or surpassing.” Do you believe that? Then he wrote, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jer. 32:27).

In the first verse it was Jeremiah speaking. In this verse it is the Lord speaking and He is asking, “Is anything too difficult for Me?”

Now get out your impossibility ... whatever it may be. God asks, “Is your impossibility too difficult for me?” In Luke 1:37, the angel is speaking to Mary. He has come to say to her, “You are going to be the mother of the Christ child. She says, “How is that possible?

I am not married, I am a virgin, I’ve not known a man.” And the angel says, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” We are talking about God dealing with our impossibilities.

The angel makes that statement and we see that it wasn’t impossible. Because Jesus was born of a virgin and became our Savior and Lord.

In Luke 18:27, Dr. Luke wrote, “The things impossible with men are possible with God.” Do you believe that?

Close your eyes just a minute. I want you to think about that which seems most impossible. You have seen and read these four promises of God. Each has said virtually the same thing: Nothing is impossible with God. That includes your river, your mountain,

any impossibility. Consider these four promises of God. Nothing is impossible with God.

Have you considered that when thinking about your problem? What is your impossibility tonight? Is it your business? The drought we are going through has or will affect your business before it’s over. How about school? You’ve been going to school, and it seems as if it looms before you forever. Take it from someone who took 18 years to get his undergraduate degree and another 6 for his masters.... there is life after school. You may not be healthy enough to enjoy it, but there is some form of life.

You know, one thing I have learned: If we don’t try the impossible some time, how can God show us that He is the God of impossibilities?

Maybe it’s your marriage, or a relationship with a family member or a friend. Maybe you’ve lost your dream. Dreams are so important. Without dreams we struggle with boredom. Dreams keep us alive. Is your dream struggling? Maybe your impossibility is your health. I never realized how much I took my health for granted until my body began betraying me.

Now, whatever your impossibility is, have you considered asking the Lord to handle that specifically ... here tonight ... in this service? Then leave it with Him with a faith that simply will not die. If nothing is impossible with God, then what you are facing is not impossible for Him either ~~~ God can do something about it. Ask Him to do it and trust Him to do it.