You and I have a most useful tool in our toolbox. It sits in our toolbox. It’s right there. But we seldom go into our toolbox to retrieve it. Why is that? If this is a useful tool, why do we use it only sometimes? This tool, of course, is prayer. Not just any prayer, but prayer for “impossible” things. One day, I began to think about the prayers I prayed to God each day, and I noticed that they were what I call, “possible” prayers. Let me explain. When I prayed, I prayed to God for things that are not too difficult for him to do, humanly speaking. I prayed for a good day at homeschool for my wife and children. I prayed for God to give our family a good time (that means no shouting, no fighting) at an upcoming vacation. I prayed for a child’s fever to go away. In times when I was unemployed, I prayed for God to give me a job. Nothing wrong with my prayers. (As Billy would say, all good prayers.) They were good prayers. But they were also possible prayers.
If you are like me, it is possible (no pun intended) you too have been praying prayers that are too “possible”. What is wrong with saying possible prayers? You see, when we pray possible prayers, it says to us this is how small we think what our God can do. He is a tiny God. Is it possible we don’t pray for anything much more than possible prayers because, in some way, we don’t think our God can actually do those things, that our God cannot deliver them? I think so. We don’t pray for our unbelieving best friend to become a Christ believer. We don’t pray for God to save a marriage. We don’t pray for a couple who is struggling with infertility. We don’t pray for God to tear us away from our addiction. We don’t pray for any of those things because those things are impossible even for our God. So, we resort to praying possible prayers.
We must learn how to pray impossible prayers. When we pray impossible prayers, it says to us this is how big we think of our God. Our God is a massive God. He is able to do things that we think are impossible for him to do. When we pray impossible prayers, we are praying for things where there is no real good reason why we should pray. Why is it right for us to pray to God for impossible things? Because the Bible has repeatedly said our God is a God of the impossibilities. There is nothing too hard for him to do.
Genesis 18:14
Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.
Jeremiah 32:17
Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
2 Chronicles 20:12
O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.
Matthew 19:26
With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
Mark 10:27
With men it is impossible, but not with God.
Luke 18:27
The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
It is right for you and me to pray impossible things to God because he actually did impossible things. Look in the Old Testament. He parted the Red Sea, Daniel and his friends did not become barbeque in the fiery furnace, Sarah gave birth to Isaac at 90, and so forth. In the New Testament, God turned water into wine, he calmed the sea, he brought sight to the blind, he raised Lazarus from the dead. Are you listening? If God raised Lazarus from the dead, he can surely do everything impossible.
I am not saying you and I ought to pray impossible prayers, even when we don’t believe God can do those things. Let it be not so! When we pray, we must pray with faith. If we don’t pray with faith, what are we doing? James says we should have faith and not doubt when we pray. If we doubt, we are like waves on the sea, blown about by the wind. We must not pray impossible prayers to test God, either. We must not pray impossible prayers, and afterwards be surprised when God did the impossible things that we didn’t believe he was actually able to do. We pray possible prayers with faith. We pray impossible prayers with faith.
To be a Christ believer is to be a man or woman who knows the impossible becomes possible in Christ. To be a Christ believer, therefore, is to pray for impossible things. Our God is a God who makes a way where there is no way. He is the God of impossible possibilities.
If you, like me, have been praying to God for possible things, it is not too late for you to start and learn. I learned this only a few years ago, and I am still learning. When our new grandson came close to death a few times this past year, Jenny and I had to learn very quickly how to pray and ask God for the impossibility. I encourage you to, when you pray during your quiet time, not be so afraid to pray to God for the impossible things. Take this useful tool out of your toolbox, and use it. Pray for the impossible things for yourself, for your marriage, for your children, for your finances. Pray for impossible things for LifeWay.
God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way