For With God Nothing Will Be Impossible

Jesus is the author and perfecter of your faith (Heb. 12:2)—the Christmas story reminds us of this truth. Jesus is our hope, our savior, and our confidence. We learn through His life, and resurrection, that with God, nothing is impossible.

You can have God’s faith as you learn to keep your focus upon Jesus. The moment you take your eyes off Him, you lose sight of the primary goal of your faith. He is the goal, your destination, and the reason you do what you do. Faith to move mountains begins and ends with Jesus.

He is your source of life, your greatest joy, and the motivation to ask audacious requests of the Father. Real faith is rooted in the nature and character of God. As you learn to trust Jesus more, His faith will be imparted to you, and suddenly, with God, nothing will be impossible.

Effective prayer is fueled by resolute faith. His faith, alive within, empowers prayer. It is a faith that sees through the darkness because it sees Him. Faith that is anchored in Jesus and His Word is a faith that prays until mountains move.

In Luke 1, we read of promises to Zechariah and Mary. Two people, two different responses to God’s word. Both were troubled at first with the appearance of the angel Gabriel. One responds in doubt, the other responds in faith. But through this narrative, we are once again reminded that with God, nothing is impossible!

John’s Birth Announced to Zacharias (Luke 1:5-25 NKJV)

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

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.”

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. 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.”

And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.

So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary (Luke 1:26-38 NKJV)

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Zacharias responds, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” (Luke 1:18) He responded from his sense knowledge of the circumstances.

Mary responds, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) She is declaring, “Here I am Lord, use me, and let your promise come to pass according to your word!”

Both were given unconditional promises, God’s promise would come to pass. Irrespective of Zacharias’ unbelief, Elizabeth would conceive and give birth to John.

However, we primarily experience conditional promises of God. The fulfillment of God’s promise and word is not automatic; we must believe and trust God. For example, Jesus says in Matt. 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” We can be confident that as we pursue right living and relationship with God, our needs will be met—this is Jesus’ promise to us.

But we live in a world that is “sense” driven. What we can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch are very real to us—perhaps more real than God’s promises.

Paul would write of this reality,

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Cor. 4:16-18 NKJV

Notice how Paul says what we see, or understand through our senses, is temporary. Whereas the unseen realm is “more real;” it is eternal! He continues this thought in the following chapter, speaking of leaving our natural bodies at death to be present with the Lord (see 2 Cor. 5:1-8). His clear implication is that this eternal realm is sure and more permanent than the temporary seen realm around us.

Paul gives the ultimate faith declaration regarding our inheritance of eternal life in Christ, in 2 Cor. 5:7 “for we walk by faith, not by sight.” Meditate upon this: we walk confident of our future hope, not based on what our circumstances or senses dictate, but what God has promised in His Word and what the Spirit confirms as our guarantee—and that is eternal life with God.

All other aspects of our life of faith and walk with God are anchored in our confidence that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. This is the foundation of our faith and the reason Jesus is the author and perfector of our faith! But sense knowledge faith robs us of confidence in our future resurrection and eternal hope in Christ.

“Sense knowledge” faith also denies the follower of Christ the opportunity to allow God to do the impossible—His way. God’s ways are simply not our ways; His methods defy logic and reason.

For example, God’s math operates differently than our math. Five loaves and two fish do not feed thousands of people! Yet with God, one person can chase a thousand, but two can chase ten thousand (Deut. 32:30 and Jos. 23:10). That is exponential in nature—a force multiplier in military terms.

God told Gideon to send thousands of warriors home in order that God could defeat an army with three hundred men. God says, “Give and it shall be given”—His ways defy our human reasoning and His ability to “force multiply” situations is limitless.

When we believe God’s promise, following His leading during situations that are contrary to our natural senses and logic, we are telling God, “I believe and trust you in this.” It is with the heart that humanity believes unto righteousness, not thinking alone. We can believe a promise, but not have the faith to appropriate it. Belief is an assurance of the mind, but faith is an assurance of the heart.

The writer of Hebrews explains, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Heb. 11:6 NKJV

Faith at its base level is simply trusting God, and His word says that He honors faith—it pleases Him. Faith moves God’s heart, causing the release of His grace (empowerment) to aid and provide for us (Heb. 4:16). God loves a confident, believing person who pursues Him and what He has promised. DL Moody said of impossibility, “God doesn’t expect the impossible from us. He wants us to expect the impossible from Him.”

Faith for me comes down to trusting what God has said in His Word, God’s personal promises to me, and my history with God—His faithfulness over time.

For example, Phil. 4:19 has special meaning to Carolyn and me as we learned to rely on this promise as young missionaries with little income. “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” NKJV

In time, this verse and others would build a foundation for faith to trust God’s Word and promises to us. For example, establishing a church, buying property, and eventually building a new church sanctuary.

What has God said in His Word, what has He promised you, and what have you experienced over time with God regarding His faithfulness to fulfill His promises to you? By the way, I share much more about faith in my latest book, Our Eyes are On You: Principles to Prevail in Faith and Prayer.

Genuine faith is an expectant anticipation of the reality of the promise before the manifestation. Faith acts upon God’s revealed truth with an assurance of the answer.

Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].” Heb. 11:1 AMP

Mary was sure of God’s promise; it was a title deed for her. Not so with Zacharias. Faith is substantive in nature. Faith sees the promise fulfilled while positioned in hope.

Faith also makes a demand on the promises of heaven. Smith Wigglesworth, 20th-century healing evangelist, known for strong faith in God’s promises, said, “God rejoices when we manifest a faith that holds Him to His Word.”

While you can position yourself for an increase of faith through reading God’s Word, worship, and prayer, faith is also a gift imparted to your heart from God.

Faith is both a fruit of the Spirit and a gift from God. Faith is not just an intellectual understanding of God’s promises, but a revelation to the heart by His grace. Faith is not optional for the follower of Christ; it is essential. “The just shall live by faith” is a timeless truth to live dead to this world and alive in Christ. The reason Christ is our solid rock is our firm conviction of our future hope and resurrection in Him.

Our aim, as Paul said, is to be pleasing to the Lord whether present or absent from Him—knowing that we are united to Him now! Faith lives in this unseen realm that is confident in contradiction.

Genuine Christianity, led by the Holy Spirit, opens the mind to the potential of being completely transformed to think like heaven—to have God’s perspective. God desires something more than just your “good behavior;” He wants to mature you, and His church, into the fullness of Christ, to function with a mindset that nothing is impossible with God.

Your faith is strengthened as you observe Jesus and understand who you are in Him. The same Holy Spirit who rose Jesus from the dead lives and abides in you as a follower of Christ. This truth is why Paul could declare with confidence, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,” (Eph. 3:20 NKJV)

Faith perceives as fact what is not revealed to the natural senses. Faith takes hold of things (God’s promises, His revealed will) that the senses cannot perceive and views them as a real fact.

The fulfilled promises and answers are first realized in the unseen eternal realm before they materialize in our earthly world. Faith makes invisible realities available on earth. Your answers are connected to God through His promises in another realm—a heavenly kingdom—where you are seated with Christ.

The eye of faith observes the unseen eternal realm, where the fulfillment of God’s promises resides. Faith enables you to know that those unseen realities are real and that they have substance now. Faith pulls God’s promises and hidden realities into being. Faith realizes that answers are “in motion” before the “mountains” start to move.