…If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
— Mark 9:23

 I cannot begin to count the times people have told me, “Rick, no one has ever been able to do what you’re attempting to do in your part of the world. We know several who tried to do it in the past, but they failed and ended up in a mess. So be careful, because it is highly unlikely that you’ll be able to achieve what you are attempting to do!”

This kind of “doom-and-gloom” prediction has been made to us over the years more times than we can number. People have told us that nearly everything we have ever done is impossible.

For instance, people said it was impossible to broadcast God’s Word on television in our part of the world, but we did it anyway. We were told it was impossible for a foreigner to have a great impact on national pastors and churches, but we’re having an amazing impact that is affecting thousands of pastors and churches. When we started churches in several key cities, we were warned, “No one has ever been able to establish a big church in those cities, and you won’t be able to do it either.” But with God’s help, we did it, and today those cities have large, powerful churches that are flourishing!

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When God called us to start our church in the heart of Moscow, people came crawling out of the woodwork to tell us, “Moscow is the seat of demonic principalities and powers. This heavily concentrated demonic influence is so strong that no one has been able to break through and establish a powerful church in the heart of Moscow. We want to prepare you so you won’t be too disappointed, because you probably won’t be able to do it either!”

When I heard that, I laughed out loud! Jesus said, “…If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23). Jesus made it plain — if we will believe, all things will be possible to us!

The word “possible” is the Greek word dunata, which comes from the word dunatos. It expresses the idea of ability; power; one who is able and capable; or one who is competent. The word dunatos shares the same root with the word dunamis, which is the Greek word for power. This emphatically tells us that there is a power that causes one to become able, capable, or competent for any task. When this explosive power comes on the scene and begins to operate in an individual’s life, it doesn’t matter how unfit or unqualified he was before; this power energizes him and makes him capable for the task before him.

But who is this person who can accomplish impossible feats? Jesus said that all things are possible to him “that believeth.” The word “believeth” is the Greek word pisteuonti, from the word pistis, the Greek word for faith. However, when pistis becomes pisteuonti, as in this verse, it pictures a person who is believing. This is not someone who once had an experience of faith in the past; rather, this is a person who is presently believing right now. He didn’t just believe in the past; he is a believer. His faith is actively reaching forward right now to grab hold of what God has promised. His faith is habitually, constantly, consistently, unwaveringly straining forward to take hold of that desired goal he sees before him!

You see, faith is the spark that ignites the impossible and causes it to become possible. When a person’s faith is activated, it sets in motion supernatural power that enables that person to do what he normally would never be able to do! This is why Jesus said, “…If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Once faith has been activated and remains activated, a person becomes enabled and empowered so that he is capable and competent to do whatever it is God has told him to do. That person can even do the impossible!

When I receive a new mandate from God to push forward into new and uncharted territory, I don’t let fear and doubt flood my mind. Instead, I immediately begin renewing my mind to believe that I can do anything God has asked me to do. If He has told me to do something — regardless of how big or how impossible it seems to the natural mind — then I tell myself that I can do it. After all, if it couldn’t be done, why would He tell me and our team to do it?

The fact is, in God all things are possible, so it’s up to me and the others on my team to get our thinking in line with God’s Word. And as I build up my faith to the level it needs to be for the new challenge, I experience an explosion of supernatural power in me that literally carries me over into the realm where impossible things becomes possible!

Jesus made it very clear that we receive exactly what we believe. If I believe I can do the impossible, I will do it. But if I believe I cannot do the impossible, I will not do it. When I look at those who have warned me about all the things they thought couldn’t be done, most of those people have done nothing. In other words, they have gotten exactly what they have believed for! But because we dared to believe, today we are standing in the middle of many accomplished “impossible” assignments that others said could never happen. They were wrong!

Never underestimate the power of faith! Make sure you are thinking and believing correctly — because what you believe is exactly what you will receive!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, since Your Word says all things are possible to the one who believes, I am asking You to help me renew my mind to believe I can do anything You ever ask me to do with my life. Help me to truly understand that there is absolutely nothing impossible to me when I believe. I so regret the times I’ve listened to voices of doubt and unbelief who talked me out of the great victories You had in store for me. With the assistance of the Holy Spirit, I will shut my ears to the voices of unbelief from this moment forward. I release my faith today to believe that ANYTHING is possible for me to do, as long as You are the One asking me to do it!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I can do anything God puts in my heart to do. Nothing is impossible to me, because everything is possible to him who believes! I believe God’s Word. I believe I can do what He tells me to do. I believe the vision He put in my heart is achievable. Because I believe, I will receive the impossible!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of instances in your life when the Lord put a dream in your heart that others thought was impossible, but you stood strong in your faith and refused to let those voices of unbelief affect you? In time did you see that dream come to pass?

2. How would you be different today if you hadn’t believed and held fast to what God had told you until you saw the manifestation of that promise?

3. Is there a specific dream that God’s Spirit has put in your heart during this present season of your life? Does it seem too big for you? Since everything is possible to him who believes, are you willing to release your faith today and start believing for the impossible to come to pass in your life?