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When the Impossible is Possible
August 20, 2022

What we think of as impossible is possible for God. What we see and define to be limited and impossible by our physical existence is to God unlimited and possible defined by His eternal existence. We are limited to life on this planet with its atmosphere and environment, or to extensions of that atmosphere and environment when we fly on commercial airplanes or for the few who venture into space. God is not limited as we are, and with God what man sees as impossible is possible with God. Today we will find out that what is possible for God can be both good and bad for mankind, as God uses what is possible in the spiritual realm to bring people to salvation.

What is possible for God does transcend the physical realm in which we live. Take for instance the account of Mary, the human mother of Jesus who became pregnant without knowing a man. There was no artificial insemination with Mary as we know the scientific procedure today, and if Mary was a person living today, there would still be no artificial insemination, because God through a miracle of faith is the Father of Jesus Christ. It was Gabriel who explained in great detail to Mary that she had found favor with God and would bear the Son of God. How this happened, how the Holy Spirit brought about the pregnancy of Mary is not revealed to us in the Bible. We do know that through what we would call a miracle, Mary was pregnant with the Son of God. In explaining to Mary that she would have a child through a miracle, Gabriel also explained that Elisabeth, who was older and considered barren, was already six months pregnant, explaining that with God nothing is impossible.

Luke 1:26-38
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Mary and Elisabeth were not the only women to be surprised with what was thought to be an impossible pregnancy. Sarah, the wife of Abraham, was also surprised. By the time the impossible happened with Sarah, she was ninety and laughed at the idea, prompting a reminder to Sarah and to Abraham that with God nothing is too hard.

Genesis 18:1-15
And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

God proclaimed for Himself that nothing is too hard. Children when tired or frustrated will claim that just about anything is too hard. Responsible adults may feel that weight of that frustration and work through the challenges of life, and at the end be exhausted. Yet, for God, nothing is too hard. Jesus used this concept of nothing being too hard to explain that with God all things are possible. Unlike people who are limited by our physical existence as we grasp to understand the spiritual reality of eternal life, God who is eternal and spiritual created the physical realm in which we live. Even though we can only barely understand the greatness that is God, because we have only experienced this physical realm as we through faith know of the spiritual world that is not only around us but that will one day be the world in which we live, we accept physical life with its limitations and put limitations on our life, defining the possible and impossible. With God nothing is impossible. All things are possible with God. Jesus then gave the example of people who trust in riches to enter the Kingdom of God, and how it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God. From this the disciples concluded that it would be just about impossible for any person to enter the Kingdom of God, and yet Jesus responded that with God all things are possible.

Mark 10:23-27
And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

When it comes to salvation, with God all things are possible. When relying on man for salvation, salvation is impossible. Even when relying solely on our efforts and the efforts of mankind for things in this physical realm, we often overlook what is possible for God. When the people around us and in our life come up short, and this impacts our life, with God we know that God will never come up short. Moses came to a point where leading the children of Israel was physically and mentally challenging. For this, God told Moses to gather seventy elders to help govern the people, and to commemorate the occasion, a month long feast of meat would be eaten by the congregation. Moses was concerned that this would mean the herd of animals traveling with them would need to be slaughtered, and God told Moses that He, God, would not come up short. If God promised meat, meat they would have.

Numbers 11:16-25
And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD'S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not. And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.

God was proving to Moses and the children of Israel that nothing would be too hard for Him, and in praying to God, Jeremiah remembered that nothing was too hard for God. He reminded God that He had brought Israel out of Egypt to the land in which they now lived, and how because they did not obey God, God was going to take all of that away from them.

Jeremiah 32:16-25
Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying, Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name, Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings: Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day; And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror; And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey; And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them: Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it. And thou hast said unto me, O Lord GOD, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.

God responded to Jeremiah and affirmed that nothing was too hard for Him, and that the city would be given to the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans because the children of Israel and Judah had done only evil in the eyes of God, allowing religious idolatry to permeate their lives.

To Moses it seemed impossible that God could provide a source of meat, other than their flocks, for the month-long feast, and God did what was thought to be impossible. When Israel thought it impossible to live in the land God had promised to Abraham, God did what was thought to be impossible. On the other hand, when people have it really good, and feel blessed even with their physical possessions, for most it seems almost impossible that they could lose those blessings, and yet the exchange between God and Jeremiah show that losing blessings is a very real possibility with God.

Isaiah also writes that nothing is impossible with God, but our sins separate us from God. Our sins, including those sins influenced by society around us separate us from what is possible with God. We cannot allow sin to influence our life where there is no distinction between society and ourselves. When society uses words and weapons to kill people, we cannot. When society is unjust and lies, we must call for justice. Knowing that society lies, we cannot become part of the lie or the evil that is spun by society. We must remember we live in a world that doesn’t know peace, it only knows good and evil and allows evil to coexist with good.

Isaiah 59:1-8
Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

We know with God all things are possible and having this knowledge, our perspective in life must change. Instead of living a life based on physical limitations, we must spiritually accept that we can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens us.

Philippians 4:10-13
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Job was a rich man who became comfortable with his life until the life that he knew was taken by him with the permission of God. He lost his wealth and his family and it was only after a long period of reflection, often in pain that Job came to a conclusion regarding a significant difference between God and man. Job was a man who had just about everything a person could want. He was wealthy for his time and was blessed with his family. Job came to understand that it is God who can do everything, and that nothing can be withheld from God. Job came to realize that with God all things are possible and that nothing is impossible.

Job 42:1-6
Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Faith is what connects us and God’s ability to do what we see as the impossible. One time during His earthly ministry, a huge crowd had gathered around Jesus, and in the crowd was a person who had brought his child, probably a teenager or adult, who since childhood foamed at the mouth and uncontrollably used his mouth. This person sought out the disciples to cast out a demon, and they were unable to do so. Jesus linked their inability to cast out this demon to living without faith. Most likely the person living without faith was the person who brought their child to Jesus. Jesus explained that for all who believe, all things are possible, and belief is the essence of faith.

Mark 9:14-29
And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

It is through faith we have the Holy Spirit knowing God and Jesus Christ, and it is this same faith that not only allows us to experience the love of Jesus, but provides a pathway for the impossible to be done in our life. The impossible in our life is done through faith.

Ephesians 3:14-21
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

For us, there is only one thing that is truly impossible, and aside from this one thing, all things are possible. It is impossible for us who have been called to reject our calling expecting to return to it at a future time. Blasphemy is the one sin that won’t be forgiven. We are now part of Team Jesus and Team God and we must remain part of that team moving forward.

Hebrews 6:4-8
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

It is faith acting through the Holy Spirit that knows our needs before those needs consciously register in our minds. It is faith that comes through the Holy Spirit that gives God a reason and pathway to search our hearts so that when we see the impossible, God sees the possible. We are told that all things work together for good to them who love God and who are called according to his purpose. The idea of having all things work together for good seems impossible. Each of us has had our share of bad luck, challenges, and tragedies in life. We are told that all of these work together for good. Using the beauty of words, Paul is reminding the Romans that with God all things are possible and that nothing is impossible, adding that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, through faith, if God be for us who can be against us. We have all felt people acting against us, and God affirms that through faith it is impossible for people to act against us when God is for us. Paul went on to remind the Romans of basic elements of faith, that Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected reminding them that if God was faithful to Jesus, God will be faithful to us.

Even when people bring charges against us, and as Christians, the most damaging charges are charges of sin, knowing from so many verses it is impossible to be without sin, and yet Paul is telling the reader that through faith God justifies, or adjudicates us as not guilty of sin. We need not worry what other people say or think about us when it comes to our relationship with God, because it is God who justifies. When others condemn us and when life seems hard in this world, we take comfort in the impossible, knowing that Jesus Christ died and was resurrected for our sins who sits at the right hand of God, who is our high priest interceding on our behalf with God. Living in a world where we have lost people we once knew and loved, and having been separated from those who were once our friends, we delight in the impossible knowing we will never be separated from God and Jesus Christ. When we worry that a really bad set of circumstances can wipe out everything we have, we are assured that with Jesus it is impossible to be disconnected from Him. It makes no difference what the stressor in our life is. Those who flee their homes because of war, still have Jesus Christ and God the Father. Those who are cut off because of pandemics still have Jesus Christ and God the Father. Nothing separates us from faith that allows the impossible through Jesus Christ and God the Father. Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:26-39
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

With God and Jesus Christ all things are possible and living on this side of eternal life with a life of limitations, all things being possible are almost incomprehensible, but with God and Jesus Christ all things are possible and nothing is impossible. This understanding is focused through faith, and faith is comprised by those things we hope for but have not yet received. We have not yet received eternal life, and we hope for this. For the impossible to happen, faith must be part of the equation, because without faith it is impossible to please God.

Hebrews 11:1-6
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Mary became the mother of the Son of God because she had found favor with God, and part of that favor was faith. If Mary had no faith she could not have been the mother of Jesus and the impossible would not have happened. Sarah laughed when she was told she would have a child, and that laughter was not a denial of faith, but an affirmation of faith, because without faith, the impossible could not have happened with Sarah. Because of faith, the impossible happened for Moses and the children of Israel with the month-long feast of meat. Job came to the understanding after a long period of suffering and great personal loss that with God all things are possible, and then through faith God restored Job. In Jeremiah we see that with God all things are possible, not only how God can bestow a blessing, but also how God can remove a blessing when faith leaves and sin enters. Paul wrote of how all things are possible and how he came to do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthened him. Using flowing and descriptive words, Paul showed the Romans how with God all things are possible. Jesus taught that with God all things are possible, showing that how salvation is impossible for man, but quite possible for God, including people who many would think are a challenge to receive salvation.

For us, we are reminded of the need to stay true to our calling, because the only impossible thing for us would be to commit the unpardonable sin, to leave our calling and leave Team Jesus and Team God and switch sides and play for Team Satan, and then expect to return to God. That is the only impossible thing. With God, everything else is possible, and we are limited not by our current circumstances of our physical life, because faith brings us beyond the realm of what we see as impossible, to what is possible for God.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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