LIFTING THE IMPOSSIBLE FROM OUR LIVES
Matthew 17:20; Hebrews 13:5; 1 Peter 5:7
INTRODUCTION: This morning I would like to tie three principles together that are applicable for the believer when we have our backs up against the walk, so to speak spiritually. When things look a little to hard to accomplish, a little too hard to understand, a little too hard to get together, a little too hard to keep it together, or a little to hard period!
I THE ROLE OF FAITH IN LIFTING THE IMPOSSIBLE -- Matthew 17:20
Matthew 17:20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ’Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
A The Mountain of Crisis and Faith
1 Jesus had previously come down from the mountain of transfiguration.
2 While there, those disciples with Him had seen Jesus glorified and two others, Moses and Elijah
3 Now down among the people, His disciples questioned him regarding a demon He had cast out that they had been unable to effect.
4 Jesus talks to them about faith and point to a mountain and tells his disciples that if they have faith comparable to a mustard seed they can move this mountain.
a Have to wonder if He was pointing to the mount He had been transfigured on?
B Moses had been transfigured with Jesus
1 Moses had experienced crisis regarding his faith
a On Mount Horeb God called to Moses from the burning bush, Mose’s faith was weak, and he did not want to go.
b On Mount Sinai when Moses came down with the Ten Commandments, his anger was kindled, and later he had a moment of crisis in faith again.
c Horeb and Sinai are the same place!
Exodus 33:12-16 Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, ’Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ’I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people." 14 The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." 15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"
C Elijah was transfigured with Jesus
1 On Mount Carmel, Elijah had defeated 850 false prophets and priests, only to be decimated by the declaration of Jezebel; he had a crisis of faith.
2 Where does God take him to bolster his faith -- you guessed it, Horeb/Sinai!
1 Kings 19:1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
1 Kings 19:4-5 while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat."
1 Kings 19:10-11 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." 11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
1 Kings 19:18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."
D We have got to get to the Mountain
1 Moses got his faith secured at the mountain
2 Elijah got his faith secured at the mountain
3 We get our faith secured at the mountain
a Moses and Elijah had to go to the mountain
b Jesus says we have to et rid of the mountain! FAITH MOVES MOUNTAINS
OUR BIGGEST MOUNTAIN IS OUR OWN UNBELIEF
That we have what it takes
That we can get the job done
THE HOLD OF UNBELIEF:
Unbelief is doubting Christ Himself, the object of one’s faith.
-- It is questioning the power of Christ.
-- Is He really strong enough to do what is needed?
Unbelief is doubting the power of the Lord within oneself.
-- It is questioning if one is close enough to Christ for Him to hear and answer or to grant enough power to meet the need.
Unbelief is doubting one’s own faith.
-- It is questioning the strength of one’s own dependence and confidence in Christ.
Unbelief is doubting if the thing needed is God’s will.
-- It is questioning if one should be seeking such a thing or if God is willing to do what is needed.
Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary
E The Reality of Faith
1 Seeds represent POTENTIAL
a They are dead, but revive with the right conditions
b The right condition is to have a genuine faith
c A genuine faith is a faith ready to grow
2 The importance of potential
a Notice that the amount of seed is not the issue
b The presence of seed is the issue
c The environment of the seed is the issue
d God is able to use the smallest amount of seed to accomplish the greatest activity when it is in the right environment
3 God provides the perfect environment
a Salvation is the perfect environment for our faith to grow -- after all we trusted God with our ETERNITY
b Fellowship with believers is the perfect environment for our faith to grow. Solomon said it best, "iron sharpens iron"
c Spiritually Sensitive Living is the perfect environment for our faith to grow
1 Kings 19:11-13 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
THE FIRST ACTIVITY NEEDED TO REMOVE THE IMPOSSIBLE FROM OUR LIVES IS TO HAVE A REAL FAITH -- A FAITH IN THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT TO GROW!
II FAITH FOILS FORSAKE -- Hebrews 13:5
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
A Promised TWICE in the Old testament
1 When Joshua is given the responsibility to enter the Promised Land
Joshua 1:5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
2 When Solomon is charged with Completing the Temple
1 Chronicles 28:20 David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.
3 This instruction came at the beginning of Israel realizing God’s promise, and at the end, when His temple was to be built.
B Here, the writer of Hebrews promises it to us!
1 Literally -- No, I will never leave you; no, neither will I utterly forsake you.
2 Scope of this promise to us
a We will always have God’s PRESENCE with us
b We will always have God’s Assistance for us
C Our Responsibility
1 To be content with God’s Presence
2 To value my satisfaction over my comfort
3 Results:
a Assurance that I have what I need
b Assurance in that what I do is what God wants me to do
THE SECOND ACTIVITY NEEDED TO REMOVE THE IMPOSSIBLE FROM OUR LIVES IS TO TAKE GOD AT HIS WORD AND ALL IT IMPLIES!
III THE REACTION OF FAITH -- 1 Peter 5:7
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
A The reaction of faith is to throw all our stuff to God that distract us from Him
B God says He cares for us -- Literally, it matters to Him concerning you.
C Throwing is a matter of trust -- a matter of faith
WHAT KEEPS US FROM THROWING EVERYTHING GOD’S WAY IS A LACK OF TRUST (IE: FAITH).
WE WILL NEVER GET FAITH UNTIL WE GET TO THE POINT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT GOD CAN HANDLE ALL OF THE IMPOSSIBLE THINGS IN OUR LIVES
WE WILL NEVER BELIEVE THAT GOD CAN HANDLE ALL THE IMPOSSIBLE THINGS IN OUR LIVES UNTIL WE UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS WITH US THROUGH THE LONG HALL
IT’S A VICIOUS CIRCLE THAT WE HAVE TO BREAK! WE HAVE TO START THINKING OF FAITH DIFFERENTLY. OUR WHOLE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS DEPENDENT ON OUR FAITH.
So where are you going to break the cycle today? Where are you going to start your new thinking about faith?
With the impossible?
With the unforsakable?
With the throwable?
Start by changing your environment:
-- do the things that prepare your faith to grow. Once you’ve done that, your perception of God will follow, and finally, your desire to let those "impossible" thing go!
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