Unbelief Does Not Hinder God

Text - Luke 1.18-20; Romans 3.3-4

Luke 1:18–20 NKJV

18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”

Romans 3:3–4 NKJV

3 For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? 4 Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.”

Title - Unbelief Does Not Hinder God

Main Subject

God’s work will not stop just because the people does not believe. He will accomplish His plan, but unbelief will suffer the consequence.

Unbelief pervades the human life

Unbelief is not just present in the world

Most of the Jews did not really believe God if He were to perform a miracle before them today

Unbelief is very much “alive” in the world today

people are taught to believe only what can see, or logically accept, or produce by experiment

Unbelief in the churches

unbelief in the supernatural - signs, wonders and miracles

unbelief in prophets

Unbelief affects even the persons with whom God wanted to work

Moses did not believe God at some point - Numbers 20.8-11

Moses struck the rock when he was supposed to just speak to it for the water to gush out

The disciples of Christ did not believe the report that He was alive - Mark 16.11-14

their unbelief is clearly a Jewish phenomenon - to see is to believe

Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief

Zacharias’ unbelief was not surprising -

he lived among Jews who thrived in unbelief

he was surprised at the word that did not fit their present condition

God is not affected by our unbelief

Romans 3:3–4 NKJV

3 For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? 4 Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.”

Because God is always “true”

found true every time - integrity

faithfulness, truthfulness, firmness

God is true to His word

He cannot be forced to “lie” - Numbers 23.18-20

Numbers 23:18–20 NKJV

18 Then he took up his oracle and said: “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, son of Zippor! 19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? 20 Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

Because God’s word is already established

Psalm 119:89–91 NKJV

89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. 90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides. 91 They continue this day according to Your ordinances, For all are Your servants.

Because God’s word is sent to accomplish the work regardless of how man responds

Isaiah 55:6–13 NKJV

6 Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. 12 “For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the Lord for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

God calls for repentance

God differentiates His thoughts and ways from man’s

as lofty as the heavens

God differentiates His words from man’s

man’s words may or may not produce a result

man’s words may be hindered

God’s word will accomplish - everytime!

God promises blessing to those who will repent and believe

God will not tolerate unbelief!

Although God’s plan is not affected by unbelief, He cannot and will not tolerate unbelief among His people!

God will silence unbelief

Zacharias was stopped from unbelieving! - Luke 1.20

Luke 1:20 NKJV

20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”

God rebukes unbelief

The disciples were rebuked for their unbelief - Mark 16.11-14

Mark 16:11–14 NKJV

11 And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. 12 After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. 13 And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. 14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.

rebuke - “peace to you!”

to Thomas - “ reach your finger here… do not be unbelieving but believing”

Conclusion

Is some form of unbelief in your heart today?

doubt in his specific word for you

doubt in His present work

If there is - do not harden your heart

God wants to silence our unbelief so that we will benefit in His work!