X

“Doing the Impossible”

This column is in response to an e-mail I received this week. It reads in part:

“I would love to hear your thoughts on how God calls us to do “impossible things” in our daily lives. How, when we say yes to God’s call, God leads us down this scary, thrilling, frustrating, blessed, challenging, and lonely road. What happens to us from a psychological, spiritual, practical, financial standpoint and how do all of these things come together as God fulfills his plan through us.’

It is important to remember that one person’s impossible may not be the impossible for another. Like, for one person public speaking may seem impossible for then yet come naturally for another person.

This is the first column I have done in response to a request but I feel challenged to deal with this subject.

First off, let me say that I realize the subject ‘ doing the impossible’ is in itself a contradiction in terms. Should it be possible to do then it is not impossible! Ha. However we often in life feel that we are called to do the impossible as the writer of the above states.

As for me, first off I think, “God has called me to do this”

I then thank the Lord for speaking to me and giving me a mission for His Good Pleasure!

Often a flash of human fear as to how impossible this call may seem to be but immediately I pray and ask Jesus to take away fear and show me how to go about this mission. The answer may come in a moment or hours or days but God will always show you the way to ‘do’ what He has called you to do even though the final accomplishment may be years away.

I then begin to break the call or mission down to the immediate and the long term. What should be my first steps’¦ What is the goal’¦ How do I get there?

I call myself a ‘faith realist’. I seek to live a life following Jesus and the faith that He gives me and seek to apply it in a real way to my life. What I mean is should the weather be cold, I say it’s cold. Should I be exhausted I admit it. I try not to lie to others or myself about my feelings. My usual statement is “Should the Lord will’ I will go, or do this or that. For me I do not predict what will happen I just declare in what direction I am going! Ha.

I have had to resist the religious people of doom time and again on my journey around the world to carry the cross in every nation. “Oh, you can’t carry the cross there!’ “Oh you can’t do that!’ But Jesus was saying ‘go’¦do’¦speak’¦I am with you!

My mission is to focus on Jesus and His will and way and make simple small steps to get the job done.

Many often think that should Jesus call you and send you on a mission then you will have no struggle or difficulty. That is far from the truth. Just look in the Bible at the great missions God sent people on and look at their struggles and conflicts.

Consider the mission of Noah, the call and mission of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Paul and John and’¦Jesus Himself! All with a call and mission from the Father but constantly confronted with conflict and difficulties on their earthy pilgrimage.

So I accept the struggle as a part of the call. To me they are one and the same. Therefore difficulties in whatever form do not deter me from my Godly mission and call. Adversaries and problems only spur me on to even greater effort for I know the road of the will of God has many stones and dangers along the way. I have learned to enjoy the journey as well as look forward to the end.

The moment you start feeling singled out and persecuted is the moment of defeat and failure.

Let me say that one of the keys to ‘doing the impossible’ is that you know it is possible.

There may be only one person that knows it is possible but that one person must be you. The ‘impossible’ is not done by the doubter or timid or fearful but by the person with an unshakable belief in Jesus and His power and will.

Often I have said ‘should I stumble or fall, I want to fall into the arms of Jesus, not away’.

One important thing to me is to make a personal commitment to that call of Jesus and them move forward. Start taking steps in ‘that’ direction. Start ‘Now’! You feel called to evangelize the world! Great, start with the next person you meet’¦where you Are!

You feel called to sing to millions, well start singing today in the jails or streets or parks! Start now and then take the next steps as they come.

I well remember when as a 26-year-old ‘unknown’ evangelist Jesus spoke to me one night as He told me to lay down on a sidewalk late at night in Mesa, Arizona. Jesus told me that He would use me to preach the gospel of Jesus to the whole world’¦for free! I was shocked and amazed. I had never even been on T V. But within less than 24 hours I was in the news as a riot broke out where I was preaching outside a nightclub and the news came! Slowly as I have walked at about 4 miles an hour year after and reporter after has come and the cross has been lifted us I have seen God fulfill this in my life and He is not finished yet.

Don’t get lost in trying to do too much. Just slowly, simply, powerfully in the Holy Spirit go and launch out on the call of Jesus.

You don’t have to prove anything to anyone. You do not have to defend your call. Just do it. Step by step the impossible becomes the possible and then it becomes history as you do it.

I am in the Guinness Book of Word Records for the ‘longest walk’ in history. However, it was only a step at a time and on and on in Jesus Name.

Many of the past columns have been 80% to 90% scripture. That was wonderful. I could give you hundreds of scriptures on this subject but the question was ask of me to explain how I deal with ‘doing the impossible’.

Of course you know me well enough to know I cannot end without the Word of God, which is Jesus. This is where I get all my knowledge and strength.

So here are two of my favorite scriptures on the subject.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’

Philippines 4:13

The word translated ‘I can do’ actually means ‘force’. This force is Jesus and His power. The word translated ‘all things’ means ‘all’ or the ‘whole’. In other words Christ give His power and force so that ‘all’ or the ‘whole’ of His will in your life will come to pass. Nothing Jesus calls you to do is impossible!

Matthew 19:26

But Jesus looked at them and said to them,

“With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Mark 9:23

Jesus said to him,

“If you can believe, all things are possible to the one who believes.”

Luke 18:27

But He (Jesus) said,

“The things which are impossible with people are possible with God.”

I just seek to stay focused on Jesus, His call and power and move forward in His will and way. I also seek to keep out the influences of this world system of thinking and that includes the religious and secular.

Oh, I love you Jesus! Keep speaking and calling me and sending me on missions for your glory!

Yes, Lord yes to your will and to your way.

OK, so now go and “do the impossible”! In Jesus Name! Go!

Pilgrim followers of Jesus,

Arthur and Denise Blessitt

Luke 18:1