Many of us have circumstances in our lives which require a miracle. You need God to show up in a health problem or relationship problem. My wife and I are asking God for a breakthrough in my son’s health. Perhaps you’ve struggled in your marriage or with a parent, child or financial situation. Maybe the checks are going to bounce next week. You need to close a deal or land a job. Immediately. You feel tired and backed into a corner with poor options. You need God to show up. Even for a Spirit-filled, church going Christian, this is often just normal life. Holy Spirit, come!
If this is you, I have good news for you. God brings people into circumstances where they come to the end of their own strength and ability. Just ask, “God help me.”
God sets up seemingly hopeless situations so that when the impossible happens, everyone knows it came from God.
Is anything too hard for the Lord?
The answer is no.
God loves rescuing people from impossible circumstances.
Moses
God chose Moses to lead the Jews out of slavery in Egypt, and promised to take them to the Promised Land – Israel.
The Jews were in Egypt for over 400 years, much of that time as slaves. That plan seemed impossible until God parted the Red Sea and they escaped. Problem solved.
Later, the Israelites traveled for three days without water to the place where God showed them. When they finally arrived at the stopping place (called Marah) the water was undrinkable. The people cried out against Moses in despair. Moses prayed to God. God told Moses to throw a piece of wood into the water. Moses did, and the water became sweet to drink. Problem solved.
God then led them into the Desert of Sin or Sinai. The Israelites complained they had no food. So God sent quail and little wafers called manna. Problem solved.
Later, God again led the Israelites to a new location with no water. I’ve seen the Sinai Desert and it’s extraordinarily harsh. They were desperate and feared death. God told Moses, “Strike the rock with your staff and water will come out.”
He did. Water quenched the millions. Problem solved.
Did God lead the Israelites to these dry locations intentionally? Or was there a purpose?
Abraham
The Hebrew race and the nation of Israel originated from God choosing to bless a man named Abram and his wife Sarai (whose names were later changed to Abraham and Sarah). God made Abram an important promise known as the Abrahamic Covenant. God said his offspring will become a nation – which is Israel. He said, “Kings will come from your descendants.”
“Your offspring will be like the sand on the seashore.”
“All peoples on earth will be blessed through you,” – the promise of the Messiah.
But there was a problem. How could Abram bear children when he was 70 and his wife Sarai was barren? It was an impossible promise. God made Abraham wait and wait and wait … and wait …. for the promise to be fulfilled.
Sarah gave birth to Isaac when she was 90 years old. The Lord said: “Is anything too hard for the LORD?”
The answer was no. At 90 she gave birth. Problem solved.
Rebekah and Rachel
Isaac then inherited the promise of descendants and married Rebekah. Rebekah, however, was also barren.
But God fulfilled His promise. Rebekah gave birth to a son named Jacob. Problem solved.
Jacob married Rachel, but Rachel too was barren. But God had promised descendants. Rachel finally gave birth to Joseph, and then Benjamin. Problem solved.
The first three generations of the family tree which was promised “children as numerous as the sand on the seashore” were barren.
Is this a coincidence? No!
These are patterns orchestrated by God to show us that God sometimes sets up impossible circumstances to force dependence upon Him and show the world the power of God to solve hopeless problems.
When he accomplished the impossible, when He gave manna and quail to the hungry people, when He brought water from desert rock, when he gave numerous barren women children, He did it so that “Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
God says that 37 times.
Know this about God – Nothing is impossible for Him, and He delivers on His promises. You can trust Him to deliver. When God makes a promise to you, hold fast to it. Don’t look at the circumstances and let your attitude be defined by what you see.
Train yourself to not focus on your lack. Look past your circumstances to God and trust Him, worship Him, serve Him, love Him.
Author and pastor Bill Johnson says that heaven won’t afford you the opportunity to trust God in hardship. Only now do we have an opportunity to make this sacrifice of worship. So keep believing and trusting God. Trust that the Holy Spirit is present.
Americans grow up believing that maturity equals self-sufficiency and independence. Spiritual maturity, however, is the opposite – it comes from complete dependence upon God.
Jesus, before the devil tested him, fasted 40 days. Fasting leads to weakness and dependence upon God. Would you purposely arrive weak and hungry to meet the devil? Probably not. But Jesus did. He knew that to vanquish the devil, he needed total dependence upon God.
So God brings you and others into circumstances where you come to the end of your strength and ability. Where you run out of options. You’re done. Exhausted. It is here that God wants you to look up and surrender yourself to Him.
God is sovereign over your situation.
I am not suggesting that all the difficult circumstances of your life were orchestrated by God. They might be your, or someone else’s, fault. This situation might come from the devil.
Or it might be God.
Regardless of its origin, God is sovereign. There is nothing that happens in your life without His knowledge and permission.
Being strong, good, independent or powerful does not lead to a miracle. Amazing prayers do not cause miracles. Fighting the good fight will not bring about a miracle. What will lead to a miracle? Weakness and humility before God.
Humble yourself and embrace your dependency upon Him.
That’s where God shows up.
That’s when God’s power is displayed.
That’s when the miracle happens.
Parting Prayer
Deuteronomy records several speeches Moses gave to the Israelites. Here is an excerpt from one that explains God’s intent during the hard times they experienced:
And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
Deuteronomy 8:2-3
So remember – God is faithful and powerful.
He keeps His promises and nothing is too hard for Him.
He is Lord.