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God is the God of possible.
Do you believe it?
“For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke1:37 ESV
Have you noticed that God takes what looks like an impossible situation and turns it into a miracle? He is in the miracle business and He is a miracle working God.
Last week began our series “Just Believe” if you missed it, you can read it by clicking here. This week, I am continuing our Just Believe Series with 4 key ingredients to help us believe when we are faced with what looks to be the impossible. As we read the Christmas Story in Luke 1:26-45, there are four important elements which are key to our believing.
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And 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 bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 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 father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
And the angel answered 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 called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
4 Key Ingredients to Believing
1. Believing Begins with Hearing
Mary had to hear the message before she could believe it. God sent His angel to tell her what He was about to do. While, we may not have angelical encounters like Mary did, God does want to speak to us. He wants to release a message to us and we must prepare our hearts to receive and open our ears as well.
Tweet ThisGod doesn’t just want us to believe in Him, He wants us to believe in the plans He has for us. What Has God been Speaking to you? As you have been spending time in prayer and reading His word, what has He been impression upon your heart? If you aren’t sure, I encourage you to take some time and get alone with Him and ask.
What has God been speaking to you?
2. Believing Requires Action
Mary had to take action based on what she was hearing, but first we see she had a few questions. She asked her questions with a sincere and pure heart. We can do the same thing. Our questions don’t mean we don’t believe. Instead, faith requires us to move beyond the questions and doubt and trust God.
What Step of faith do you need to take?
3. Believing engages the Heart
Belief may start in our minds, but to maintain that belief, it has to move into our hearts. Belief often defies the odds and requires that we move it out of the logical mind and our rationalization and be moved with passion and engage the emotions of our heart.
We must be childlike in our faith and have a Believing heart!
There is one line in the Polar Express that always stands out to me, it is: “The truth of Christmas lies in your heart.”
We all know the saying Jesus is the reason for the season – yes, it’s true –but in reality Jesus is the reason for every season!
The Christmas season needs to not just be a season, but it needs to be a lifestyle. A lifestyle of believing in Jesus ad the power of His name. A lifestyle in believing in the Word of God and the truths found therein. A lifestyle of expecting the miraculous to happen. It is a lifestyle of believing for miracles in the everyday.
The magic of Christmas needs to be the miracle of Today! Everyday! It’s about believing God is moving in our life EVERY SINGLE DAY!
4. Believing changes everything
When we believe it truly does change everything. It changes out hearts, our minds, our situations and circumstances. When we believe, God and His Word, it creates and cultivates an environment of the miraculous and blessing.
In Mark 9, the father believed that Jesus could deliver his son and even in his confession of unbelief he asked for Jesus to help his unbelief. It was this honest confession, that also increased his faith to believe in Jesus’ power to deliver his son and he was right and his son was delivered.
In Luke 17, we read of ten lepers who encounter Jesus. They receive a miracle and yet, only one turned back to thank Jesus for his healing. His whole life was changed because of Jesus. Scriptures says that he returned healed and fell at Jesus’ feet worshiping and praising God. When he did this, his whole life changed.
Finally, we read in Luke 1 we can that everything changed for Mary when she believed God and she also received an incredible blessing because she did.
Blessed is She who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her (Luke 1:45 NIV).
Everything truly changes when we believe God and His Word.
This Christmas Season, is that something you are believing God for?
Are you in need of a miracle?
If so, then let me encourage you look to God, trust Him, and ask Him what He would say regarding your miracle.
Merry Christmas!
Did you hear the news? I will be doing a FREE 6-week online Bible Study with my book, “The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement” beginning January 18, 2019. I am excited to journey with you as we go deeper in relationship with God and learn how to #BeTheGift of encouragement the world needs today. Please consider participating in this study.
You are invited to join Debbie for this FREE 6-week video series and guided discussion on The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement. Together we will learn how Jesus modeled this gift and how we can #BeTheGift of encouragement others need.
To participate in this free online Bible study you will need a copy of the book: The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement, 10-15 minutes once a week, and an e-mail address.
THIS FREE ONLINE BIBLE STUDY WILL HELP YOU…
- Build your faith and increase your boldness.
- Deepen your relationship with God, open a direct line of communication with Him, and share His words with others.
- Break out of your comfort zone and embrace a lifestyle of encouraging others–just as Jesus did.
- Experience an interactive experience of what it means to #BeTheGift of encouragement others need.
- Understand the gift of prophetic encouragement
Throughout this 6-week study, you will receive weekly e-mails from Debbie including exclusive teaching videos and a guided discussion through the activation exercises. The weekly video can easily be completed in 10-15 minutes once a week. Plus, you will need additional time each week to read the assigned chapters, pray through and complete the weekly activations.
Again Welcome and Thank you for joining me for #TuneInThursday it is an honor to have you here!
Here is a badge/button to display on your blogs. I would absolutely be honored if you would display it, or link back here in some way. Thank you!
Now let’s get this party started, feel free to link 1-3 posts:
Did you hear the news? I am going to be doing a FREE 6-week Online Bible Study with my book, “The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement.” I will also create a Facebook group for interaction. The Bible Study will begin January 18, 2019. Signups will begin this Friday, and I will have more details for you after Christmas.
