ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD

“…Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us…” Heb 6:17-18.

"...But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible..” Matt 19:26."

“… Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth…” Mark 9:23.

“… And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible…” Mark 10:26-27.

“… And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt…” Mark 14:35-36.

Like so many passages found in the Scriptures, this is another that needs qualification and clarification as to its true meaning as conveyed by Jesus to those He wills to understand the truth as it is in Himself.

Certainly, Jesus could not have meant that "just anything" that a creature might desire within themselves would be possible for them to obtain; but that their faith in the power of God to accomplish those things that are impossible within the makeup of human nature reveals to them that these things are yet possible with God if they are in accordance with His eternal will to grant them. This truth was illustrated in another incident where Jesus encountered the "rich young ruler" who found that what he possessed by nature and the merit of his works was not sufficient even for entrance into the spiritual kingdom of God, much less to gain the inheritance of eternal life by the performance of good works.

GOD'S WILL AND MAN'S WILL

“…And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt…” Matt 26:39.

"... And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed…” Matt 8:2-3.

“…If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean…” Mark 1:40-41.

“…Behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean…” Luke 5:12-13.

Notice, that in all of the above encounters, the supplicant’s faith in their healing was founded in the will, power and purpose of God - and not in their own will, as it seems to be taught so much in the present day.

We seem to be living in a period when the WILL of MAN is commonly emphasized and even exalted and glorified to the point of ridiculousness when compared with the teaching of the Holy Scriptures - (and even with common sense to anyone who claims to believe in a sovereign God) The will of man is thus exalted because of the prevalence of the belief of the importance of the "free will" of man in the work of salvation as its proponents style it.

"Free Will" advocates thus follow this teaching to extreme because they have not been brought to really appreciate and understand the Grace of God in Christ. They also really little consider the power of God in salvation, and the truth that salvation is actually founded upon the Will and Purpose of God in eternity, and NOT upon the will of the creature:

“…But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God…” John 1

“…I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it (mercy and deliverance) is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy…” Rom 9:15-16.

"...The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, “…Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation...." Exo 34:6-7.

THE INVINCIBILITY OF GOD'S WILL

God's will is invincible - that is, where it is God’s Will, His Will always overcomes all seeming resistance in accordance with the same Divine will.

"...Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye..." Acts 7:51.

- But even this resistance of the wicked Jews was bound within the Will and Purpose of God:

"... But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them..." John 12:37-40.

“… Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain…” Acts 2:23.

“…The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done…” Acts 4:26-28.

All things in creation transpire because of, and in accordance with the Will of God, and His will is always accomplished in accordance with His eternal purpose:

"... Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance..." Psa 33:8-12.

The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand…” Isa 14:24.

GOD'S WILL IS ALWAYS ACCOMPLISHED ACCORDING TO HIS ETERNAL PURPOSE IN HIS SON

God's will is ALWAYS done - in all places - in all his creatures - including man. This truth is illustrated many times and in many places in the Scriptures:

"... Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places..." Psa 135:6

“…Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: “… And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and (among) the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?"... Dan 4:24-35.

"...For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled…” Rev 17:17.

The statement in "The Lord's Prayer" concerning the will of God is actually an acknowledgment of the truth that God's will IS being accomplished in heaven and earth.

"... After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven..." Matt 6:9-10.

Here Jesus points to the coming spiritual Kingdom of Christ that was about to be ushered in after His ministry, redemptive work and resurrection was completed.

Prayer itself is recognition of the power of God - for why would we ask for that we did not really in faith and hope expect to receive (in accordance with God's will?) Spiritual prayer is performed through the intercession of the Holy Spirit: Where the Spirit intercedes in the Bride, she receives the answer:

"..And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Rev 22:17.

God’s promise couples with His faith given to them, giving them a will to sincerely desire these things, and so:

"..The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD…” Rom 8:26:27. - True, or spiritual prayer is always answered according to God’s Own Will, And not (necessarily) according to the natural man's will.

Paul, in 1 Cor 2:12 says:

“…Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God…”

The sweet and precious thing to know about these gifts are that they are freely given unto us of God. The spirit that is of the world, or of the fallen man in nature in a state of condemnation cannot receive and appreciate these things; another spirit must be given to us in order to cherish the gift of Divine Grace as freely given unto us of God, even His Own Spirit.

“… And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God…” John 3:19-21.

And is in agreement with the Apostle John:

"... And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him..." 1 John 5:14-15.

Our faith as it is in Jesus is not in our own selves, but in the power of God to perform those things in us that are well- pleasing in His sight; because we have no spiritual life within ourselves - that is, our flesh; but we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God. And when Christ appears, we also appear with Him in glory. Col 3:3:4.

The spiritually born-again and exercised child of God has learned that many of their fleshly "prayers" are only like the self-righteous Pharisee's "prayer" when he went up to the temple to pray - Like the Pharisee, these self-oriented "prayers" never get any higher than our own head because they emanate only from the fleshly part of man, and are thus basically selfish, and therefore not directed to the consideration of the power and glory of God. When Jesus instructed His disciples as to the proper attitude of prayer, He somewhat introduces it with the statement:

"...For THINE is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen..." Matt 6:13.

These things belong to God, and not unto us, except as He grants us to share the blessings of His Grace.

“…Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture…” Psa 100:3.

GOD'S WILL IS ALWAYS PERFORMED IN HIS PEOPLE THAT HE HAS CALLED TO GRACE AND GLORY and HE MAKES THEM WILLING (AND GIVES THEM POWER) TO DO HIS WILL IN THE DAY OF HIS POWER.

“…Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city…” Rev 22:14.

“…For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them…” Eph 2:10.

“… Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ…” Heb 13:21.

“… LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name…” Isa 26:12- 13.

“…Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure…” Phil 2:12-13.

“… By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints…” Rom 1:5-7.

Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning…” Psa 110:3.

“…To them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called…” Jude 1:1.

“… (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)…” 2 Cor 6:2.

“…Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee…” Isa 49:8.

GOD’S SUFFICIENCY AND OUR INSUFFICIENCY

“…To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?..” 2 Cor 2:16.

“…Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God…”

“…Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life…” 2 Cor 3:5-6.

For as fallen man in nature is not spiritually willing to love and serve God until born of the Spirit. And after then, man still possesses a dual propensity of nature which wars one against the other, so that a child of God cannot do the things they would.

“…For to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do…” Rom 7:18-19.

Because of our dim and limited comprehension of God’s Purpose, the will of man and the will of God seem at times to be at variance with each other, and we are sometimes prone to think that God’s Will is either impotent or that He is not able to accomplish His purpose in the earth. Perish the thought! If God’s will is not being accomplished, then we have little or nothing to believe in, or any anchor for our hope in Him. God is faithful and He is also omnipotent. He is able to accomplish that He has promised, and that in accordance with His Own Will.

“… He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness…” Rom 4:20- 22.

And we, like Sarah, laugh at our unbelief when we are given faith to believe the accomplishment of His grace in us, though we too often reply:

“...Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief…” Mark 9:24.

And we, with Sarah must sometimes also be given strength to believe the accomplishment of God’s promises:

“…Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised…” Heb 11:14.