As I began reading the Christmas story in the gospel of Luke, chapters 1 to 2, I was impressed with one sentence, written in the various translations either as, 'No word from God will ever fail' or 'For with God nothing will be impossible', found in Luke 1:37.
The gospel of Luke opens up with an account of Zecharias' encounter with an angel, heralding the birth of his own son, John the Baptist. Zecharias' wife, Elizabeth, had been barren. The angel Gabriel appeared to him and said:
"Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth," Luke 1:13-14.
The promise included the fact that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb (Luke 1:15), that he would turn the hearts of the people back to God (Luke 1:16), and that he would go before Jesus in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17), to prepare the way. Imagine how Zecharias felt! His doubt, awe, fear, shock and joy all came crashing together in a statement of hesitant hopefulness, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years," Luke 1:18.
The angel Gabriel then visits Mary, in the Galilean city of Nazareth and says to her:
"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, " Luke 1:30-32.
Imagine Mary's complete and utter shock! She asks the question, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" Luke 1:34
It is at this point that the angel responds with the words, 'No word from God will ever fail' or 'For with God nothing will be impossible', Luke 1:37.
What dream has the LORD spoken into your heart lately? What promise has He made? What kingdom purpose has He called you to fulfill? As we ponder the Christmas story, may the gift of faith rise up in our own hearts, so that we eventually boldly declare:
"Let it be to me according to your word." Luke 1:38
4 comments:
Thank you for the post that "No Word From God Shall Ever Fail.
For the past two years, beginning July 9,2010, my family and I have journeyed along a most tedious road....the enemy of our souls sought to kill, steal and destroy all that we held sacrosanct as a family in Christ --- he vilified, judged and denigrated us in his attempt to seduce us to take our eyes off Jesus but we held on vigorously to our faith in our Living Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Who has come to give life and give it to the fullest.
In the embryonic stages of our trials, Jesus promised us that 'He will not let us down and He had no plans of defeat for us.' And so we journeyed on in faith, and when the devil spat in our faces we turned to Jesus Christ and kept our focus on His promises and on His Word.
Thank you once again for your post and the sweet reminder that 'No Word from God will ever fail' or 'For with God nothing will be impossible', Luke 1:37.
God bless you and may you have a wonderful Christmas in the name of Jesus Christ and may 2013 herald for you as individuals and as a couple the dawn of all that you have petitioned God for in this life according to His will.
God bless you and keep you both.
Amen ... remind yourself and meditate on the promises of God ... keep tearing thoughts to the contrary. Praise God ... we did not make it this far on our own, so it is He who will carry us through the struggles he ordains for us! Walk by faith, not sight... the fulfilment of the Word will be SWEET when it comes. Thank you for this post! TRUST GOD. In anything at all, and in everything, TRUST GOD.
Beloved, this is so true: "The fulfilment of the Word will be SWEET when it comes."
Beloved, my family and I have come to a place where we walk in obedience to God by 'walking by faith and not by sight." "No Word from God shall ever fail." Herein lies the victory which was already accomplished for us
on the cross at Calvary over 2000 years ago.
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