April 27, 2017
“Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’”—John 11:401
It’s always a little mind-boggling to understand how the Lord can bring anything good from our human limitations and weaknesses. That concept is so contrary to our natural way of thinking. Man’s nature is to want to be strong, and through that strength, to push forward. But in the Bible, we learn over and over that the Lord’s strength is made perfect in our weakness, and it is not by our might or strength but by His Spirit.2
So if you’ve been feeling like you can hardly keep trying, that you don’t have the strength or willpower left for whatever challenges or tasks stand before you, then that’s just perfect, because that’s right where you need to be, so that God’s Spirit can come through and His power can be made perfect! He doesn’t want you to stay in that state; He’s going to move you beyond that point so that His Spirit can dwell within you in all fullness.3 He’s promised that all things are possible for God. Jesus has told us that “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”4
I want to share with you some sweet balm of encouragement from the Lord, just in case you’re feeling incapable or like you don’t have much umph left in you to face the challenges the Lord sets before you. You’ll see that what you’re experiencing can open the door to a wonderful gift from the Lord. Remember, all things are possible with God!
At the times in your life when you feel the heat rising and the fight growing more intense, this is precisely when you learn to walk by faith, not sight. The trying of your faith is more precious than gold, and can help your faith to be strengthened in new ways. This time of testing can be your helper to grow unshakable faith—faith that will not be daunted; faith that will not flinch, nor waver; faith that doesn’t consider the prospect of surrender.
When you come to that place where you continue to try when you don’t feel like trying; when you keep walking forward even though you feel like collapsing; when you refuse to quit even though you don’t have an ounce of strength left in you; when you praise Me with your last breath, this is the place where you can truly know and experience My power to lift you up, regardless of the circumstances you face.
With man—that is, with your limited strength and ability—there are impossibilities, but when you fully realize your need for Me and let Me work on your behalf as only I can, then “with God, all things are possible.” The more you reach the point of recognizing your own limitations, the more you will know you need Me, and the more you will call out to Me and acknowledge Me in all your ways.
Impossible is for quitters. Impossible can stagnate minds, discourage hearts, and diminish health. Wrapped up in this single word “impossible,” such a seemingly innocent and natural conclusion, can lie the danger of lethargy. There is no power, light, life, or liberty in the realm of impossible.
Impossible is the mindset of those who look only at the things which are seen, not the things which are unseen. Those who are void of My understanding fall prey to the limitations of their own understanding. Impossible is more than a word; it’s a state of mind, an attitude. If you don’t nip it in the bud, but instead you feed and accept it, it can become an integral part of your makeup. When you yield to it, then no action or effort is required, no overcoming is necessary, for “it’s impossible.”
Continue on in faith, believing. Rest in the confidence that I am with you and at work in your life. When you run into impossibilities in life, trust in Me to work through the situation. Walk on by faith and trust in Me even when you don’t see the solution or way out. Trust that I can accomplish My will and work in your life and through you. Place your faith in Me, and you will receive the blessings and rewards of faith.
To mankind it is a great mystery how the impossible can become possible. Yet all things are possible with God, therefore with Me in you, everything within My will and plan for you is possible if you believe!5 As the Red Sea was parted for Moses according to My Word; as Sarah gave birth when it was past her time; as the walls of Jericho came down at Joshua’s signal; as Elijah was carried into the heavens; as Samson received supernatural strength; as My own earthly mother, Mary, conceived before ever knowing a man and brought Me into the world; as Lazarus was raised from the dead, so all things are possible, if you can believe. Just as each of My prophets and handmaidens of old held on to their faith and believed, your faith also will not fail as long as you trust in Me. It is not your doing; it is Mine. Your faith is a gift from Me. Your responsibility is to use it wisely, feed it, cultivate it, and exercise it.—Jesus, speaking in prophecy
What an awesome message. The Lord wants to give each of us a precious gift—the ability to exercise our faith more fully, and to allow His Spirit to work in and through us.
Thank you for your faithfulness to the Lord. You won’t be disappointed. It will be worth it all. Let’s keep on walking by faith and staying full of the power of His Spirit, reaching the world with His Word and message until He calls us home!
Originally published October 2000. Adapted and republished April 2017.
Read by Debra Lee.
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