Question 1

Can God really do the impossible?

Accepted Answer

Genesis 17:17-18; 18:11-14Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?” So Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!” . . . Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?” Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”Genesis 21:1-7The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. And Abraham named their son Isaac. Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded. Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. And Sarah declared, “God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me. Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!”Exodus 14:21Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land.Daniel 2:11, 27-28“The king’s demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people.” . . . Daniel replied, “There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can reveal the king’s secret. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed.”Daniel 4:2“I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me.”Daniel 6:27“He [Daniel’s God] rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”Jonah 1:17The Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.Zechariah 8:6“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”Matthew 14:15-17That evening the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.” “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered.Matthew 19:26Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”Mark 14:36“Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you.”Luke 1:13, 20The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. . . . But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”Luke 1:37“For the word of God will never fail.”Luke 18:26-27Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?” He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”Acts 2:2-12Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.We should have no doubt that God specializes in doing what seems to be impossible. The end of our abilities is the beginning of his. The God who spoke all creation into existence can do miracles for us. But we must believe he can and that he wants to.

Question 2

How should I deal with impossible situations?

Accepted Answer

Genesis 24:12“O Lord, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham.”Judges 4:3Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help.2 Kings 19:1When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes and put on burlap and went into the Temple of the Lord.Daniel 2:18-19He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon. That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven.When facing what seems to be an impossible situation, we should go immediately to God in prayer. In times of trouble, our best hope is to go directly to the only One who can do what seems to be impossible.Psalm 31:24So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!Psalm 33:17Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—for all its strength, it cannot save you.Psalm 39:7So, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.Psalm 44:6I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me.Psalm 60:12With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes.Psalm 71:5O Lord, you alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you, O Lord, from childhood.Proverbs 3:5Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.Isaiah 31:1What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteers and depending on the strength of human armies instead of looking to the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.Matthew 17:20“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”Mark 9:23“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”Acts 12:12-17When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!” “You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.” Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers what happened,” he said. And then he went to another place.Hebrews 11:11It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise.When faced with what seems to be an impossible situation, we should place our faith and hope in God, trust that God can do the impossible, and that he wants to work in our lives. But even if he chooses not to help in a particular situation, we should believe that his ways are good and that his power will sustain us.Exodus 18:18, 21-24“You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. . . . But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you. If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.” Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed his suggestions.When receiving wise advice, we should consider that God may be speaking through that person. God often works through his people to accomplish what seems to be impossible.1 Chronicles 28:20David continued, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the Lord is finished correctly.”Zechariah 8:6, 13“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. . . . Among the other nations, Judah and Israel became symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing. So don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple!”Revelation 3:8“I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.”In what seems to be an impossible situation or task, we should begin by doing what we can to the best of our abilities, putting one foot in front of the other, knowing that we are not alone. God promises he won’t abandon us but will help us in our impossible situations. If he wants a task done, he will enable us to do it.Genesis 41:16“It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”Daniel 2:11, 27-28“The king’s demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people.” . . . Daniel replied, “There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can reveal the king’s secret. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed.”Matthew 19:26Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”Only God can do the impossible, but he often allows us to be involved in the process. We should stay open and ready to be used to accomplish whatever God has in mind.1 Samuel 17:32-51“Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!” “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.” But David . . . picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine. Goliath . . . cursed David by the names of his gods. “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled. David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. . . . This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword.2 Chronicles 32:20-22King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to God in heaven. And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed the Assyrian army with all its commanders and officers. . . . So there was peace throughout the land.Esther 6:10-12“Excellent!” the king said to Haman. “Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace. Leave out nothing you have suggested!” So Haman took the robes and put them on Mordecai, placed him on the king’s own horse, and led him through the city square, shouting, “This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!” Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated.Isaiah 37:14-20After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to the Lord’s Temple and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the Lord: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth. . . . Listen to Sennacherib’s words of defiance against the living God. . . . Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O Lord, are God.”Daniel 2:11, 27-28“The king’s demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people.” . . . Daniel replied, “There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can reveal the king’s secret. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed.”John 6:5-11Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do. Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!” Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.In each of these situations, God’s people had to deal with seemingly impossible situations. In each situation we see open communication with God by acknowledging the impossible, and obedience to God’s response, whether it meant waiting or moving forward. God often uses what he has already given us to accomplish the impossible, for example, a sling shot, a trained army, an ability to discern dreams, or five loaves and two fish.

Question 3

How does God use impossible situations to accomplish his will?

Accepted Answer

Numbers 11:23The Lord said to Moses, “Has my arm lost its power? Now you will see whether or not my word comes true!”Romans 4:18Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”Hebrews 6:18So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.Hebrews 10:23Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.God does the impossible to remind us that he is God and we are not. When we have seen God do the impossible in the past, we can trust him more fully with the future.Exodus 10:1The Lord said to Moses, “Return to Pharaoh and make your demands again. I have made him and his officials stubborn so I can display my miraculous signs among them.”Psalm 77:14You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.Psalm 86:8, 10No pagan god is like you, O Lord. None can do what you do! . . . For you are great and perform wonderful deeds. You alone are God.God does the impossible to display his character and unlimited power.Deuteronomy 4:34“Has any other god dared to take a nation for himself out of another nation by means of trials, miraculous signs, wonders, war, a strong hand, a powerful arm, and terrifying acts? Yet that is what the Lord your God did for you in Egypt, right before your eyes.”Deuteronomy 10:21“He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes.”2 Samuel 7:23“What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way.”2 Kings 17:36“Worship only the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt with great strength and a powerful arm. Bow down to him alone, and offer sacrifices only to him.”Psalm 66:5Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people!God does the impossible to draw people to himself.Psalm 65:5You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas.Psalm 78:7Each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.While impossibilities limit people and exhaust all our human resources, they set the stage on which God is at his best—loving us, bringing salvation, changing lives, and meeting needs.Psalm 89:5All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord; myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.Psalm 105:2Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.Psalm 106:2Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough?Psalm 136:4Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever.God does the impossible to prepare people to praise him. Our limitations prepare us to praise the God of no limitations.

Impossible