The God of the Impossible

PRAY

Have you ever had an impossible situation in your life? Maybe you’re even dealing with one right now. Something so difficult you can’t see your way through it.

A broken relationship - marriage, friendship, parents, siblings, children — you don’t see how that relationship can be healed or restored.

A difficult job or business situation — you don’t know how it’s going to work out.

Going through a difficult stage of life

Moving to a new place

Finding the right house (or camper) or other place to live

A sin or bad habit that you’re struggling with and desire victory over.

Many of these situations, and many others, may seem impossible to us. We don’t see how things could possibly turn out well, how what we desire could actually happen.

What seems impossible to me:

That our church will grow enough in the next year to sustain my family.

That our children will trust in Christ and follow Him all their life.

These trials are a test of our faith in the power and goodness of God.

Last week (for those who were here), we focused on the goodness of God, considering how kind and generous God is to us. Especially in times of suffering and sin, we see God’s goodness displayed in forgiving our sins and meeting our needs.

Last week I said this: I think everyone tends to doubt either God’s goodness or His sovereignty or both.

In times of suffering, we either doubt God’s goodness and love and care for us, or we doubt His power and ability to act on our behalf.

Last week we talked about Asaph in Psalm 73 and his struggle with the goodness of God.

Today we’re going to look at some passages where people struggled with the power of God.

And before we get started, let’s cut these people some slack. You also might be tempted to doubt God’s power in their situation:

If you were an 89-year-old woman and God said you’ll have a baby next year, you might have a hard time believing it.

If God told you to buy property in your city, but your city was under siege and about to be captured and destroyed, that might be a hard command to obey.

If you were a teenage virgin and an angel came and told you you’re about to be pregnant and have a baby who is God’s Son, that would be nearly impossible to believe.

If you were a young father whose son was possessed by a demon for years causing him to harm himself and nearly kill himself, it might be difficult to believe that there’s any hope he’ll get better.

If you’ve got a loved one who is in love with the pleasures and possessions of this world, you might think there’s no hope they’ll ever turn to God and be saved.

In every one of these situations, we might say, it’s impossible. Not gonna happen. No way.

But nothing is impossible for God.

We’re going to look at 5 stories from Scripture, some more familiar than others. Each one of these stories highlights God’s power to do what seems impossible to people. And each one calls those people — and us — to trust in God’s power and ability on our behalf.

The God Who Gave a Baby to An Old Woman (Genesis 18:10-15; 21:1-7)

Genesis 18:9–15 BSB

9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied. 10 Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent. 11 And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12 So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?” 13 And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’ 14 Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.” 15 But Sarah was afraid, so she denied it and said, “I did not laugh.” “No,” replied the LORD, “but you did laugh.”

Is anything too difficult for the LORD? What’s the answer? NO!!

God can and will do what He said.

Genesis 21:1–2 BSB

1 Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. 2 So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised.

The God Who Brought a Remnant Back from Captivity (Jeremiah 32:1-15, 16-17, 25-26, 36-37)

Jeremiah 32:1–15 BSB

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2 At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard, which was in the palace of the king of Judah. 3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him, saying: “Why are you prophesying like this? You claim that the LORD says, ‘Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it. 4 Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape from the hands of the Chaldeans, but he will surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and will speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye. 5 He will take Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will stay until I attend to him, declares the LORD. If you fight against the Chaldeans, you will not succeed.’ ” 6 Jeremiah replied, “The word of the LORD came to me, saying: 7 Behold! Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, is coming to you to say, ‘Buy for yourself my field in Anathoth, for you have the right of redemption to buy it.’ 8 Then, as the LORD had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and urged me, ‘Please buy my field in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for you own the right of inheritance and redemption. Buy it for yourself.’ ” Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD. 9 So I bought the field in Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and I weighed out seventeen shekels of silver. 10 I signed and sealed the deed, called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales. 11 Then I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy with its terms and conditions, as well as the open copy— 12 and I gave this deed to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of my cousin Hanamel and the witnesses who were signing the purchase agreement and all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard. 13 In their sight I instructed Baruch, 14 “This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Take these deeds—both the sealed copy and the open copy of the deed of purchase—and put them in a clay jar to preserve them for a long time. 15 For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land.”

Jeremiah’s initial response:

Jeremiah 32:16–17 BSB

16 After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD: 17 “Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You!

Jeremiah starts struggling to believe, and God responds:

Jeremiah 32:25–27 BSB

25 Yet You, O Lord GOD, have said to me, ‘Buy for yourself the field with silver and call in witnesses, even though the city has been delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans!’ ” 26 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?

God confirms He will do what He said.

Jeremiah 32:36–37 BSB

36 Now therefore, about this city of which you say, ‘It will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword and famine and plague,’ this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 37 I will surely gather My people from all the lands to which I have banished them in My furious anger and great wrath, and I will return them to this place and make them dwell in safety.

The God Who Gave a Baby to a Virgin (Luke 1:26-38, 45)

Luke 1:26–38 NRSVue

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

And Elizabeth commends Mary for her faith in God’s impossible promise:

Luke 1:45 NRSVue

45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

The God Who Healed a Demon-Possessed Boy (Mark 9:17-27)

Mark 9:17–27 BSB

17 Someone in the crowd replied, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable.” 19 “O unbelieving generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.” 20 So they brought him, and seeing Jesus, the spirit immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been with him?” “From childhood,” he said. 22 “It often throws him into the fire or into the water, trying to kill him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 “If You can?” echoed Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!” 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd had come running, He rebuked the unclean spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you to come out and never enter him again.” 26 After shrieking and convulsing him violently, the spirit came out. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

He trusted in Jesus’s goodness; he struggled to believe in Jesus’s power. “If you can?!”

The God Who Rescues Sinners (Matthew 19:16-26)

Matthew 19:16–26 BSB

16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and inquired, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain eternal life?” 17 “Why do you ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” the man asked. Jesus answered, “ ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, 19 honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20 “All these I have kept,” said the young man. “What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth. 23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Only God can turn people’s hearts from loving the things of this world to trust and love Him instead.

All of these situations seem impossible.

But the consistent message of each story is this:

Nothing is too difficult for God.

With God all things are possible.

He is able to do what seems impossible to us.

God is perfectly good, and He is all-powerful (sovereign, omnipotent)

Our Response:

How Should we respond?

Trust Him

If we believe that He is good, and if we believe that He is able to do whatever He wants to, we know that we can trust Him. Believe His promises.

Entrust your impossible situation to Him today.