Believing For The Impossilble Series

Believing God for the Impossible

Hebrews 11: 29

Some of the most popular shows on TV are what we call ‘reality based’ programs including a series called World’s Most Amazing Videos. We like those shows because we are able to see people do things and survive incidents that look impossible. For some us being told that something is impossible is simply a challenge! For others hearing, ‘that’s impossible’ is a reason to stop trying, to quit.

Years ago when electric light bulbs were a relatively new invention the glass bulb was clear and the light they produced was glaring and direct. The desirability of frosting the bulbs was recognized by GE’s engineers, but nobody thought it was possible. In fact, as a joke young engineers were assigned the task of creating a process to frost the bulbs to reduce the glare. But one young engineer didn’t get the joke. Marvin Pipkin thought of a way to use an etching acid on the inside of the glass and did the impossible... he created the frosted light bulbs we use in our homes today. – Bits and Pieces, 12./89, pg. 20

Henry Ford was an automotive genius. He came up with great ideas and handed them to researchers for development. One of his ideas was the concept of an engine in which the pistons were set at an angle to each other rather than in a straight line. He sketched out his idea for the V-8 motor and took it to his engineers. After he left they looked it over and shook their heads for the boss’ ignorance of basic engineering. Somebody volunteered to tell that his idea was impossible. Ford said, “Do it anyway and stay at it until you succeed.” It took over one year and many designs but eventually Ford’s researchers came up with the design of the most powerful automobile engine known to us today. His refusal to acknowledge the impossible laid the foundation for turning an idea into a working design. – Think and Grow Rich, 1960

In this series of messages from Hebrews 11, we have met great people of faith who overcame impossibility. Their stories are captured for us, not on the World’s Most Amazing Videos, but in the Bible’s Most Amazing Stories. As you read them and hear sermons preached about this great exploits... one response may be indifference; “so what?”

Or you might say, “ Wouldn’t it be cool if those kind of things happened today?”

Or you could BELIEVE that these stories have something to say to YOU — For they do.

The Bible is God’s way of saying to you and me.... “This is Who I AM and What I Do.”

1 Corinthians 10:11 tells us: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.” John 20:31 tells us the same truth: “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

We go once again to Hebrews 11 for the text today. Hebrews 11: 29

We are referenced to a fantastically amazing account of the power of God in the O.T. history of the people of God. Listen ...

As we talk about this story this morning, the questions I want you to keep asking yourself are:

∙ Are there ‘impossible’ circumstances in my life God is allowing for His own purposes?

∙ Will I trust Him with my fate, my destiny?

The whole story of the crossing of the Red Sea is told in Exodus 14. Let’s take a look. In your Pew Bible, you find the story on page 51. A little background to set the scene....

Because of a famine in Canaan, now the country of Israel, Jacob’s small clan moved to Egypt, settling there under the protection of their son and brother Joseph whom God had raised to the position of Prime Minister. In the course of 400 years, that small clan of less than 100 had become about a million souls, give or take a few! The Egyptians, fearing this growing nation inside their borders, had reduced them to slavery by preventing them access to power and prosperity. The Jews prayed for deliverance and God sent them Moses. After some extensive training in faith, Moses confronted the Pharaoh, the supreme ruler of Egypt, and with God’s backing, won the freedom of this nation of slaves.

Let’s pick up the story in Exodus. (Read 13: 17-18, 14:1-3)

The first fact to note in this account is this:

God set up His people in an impossible situation so all the world could see and know His Power.

Given our high opinion of ourselves, our first response is probably something like...