PUTTING LIMITS ON GOD’S POWER AND PROMISES

Scripture says of Israel, “Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel” (Psalm 78:41). Israel turned away from God in unbelief. And likewise, I believe we limit God today with our doubts and unbelief.

We trust God in most areas of our lives, but our faith always has boundaries and limits. We have at least one small area that we block off where we don’t really believe God is going to undertake for us.

For example, many readers have prayed for the healing of my wife Gwen. But often, when it comes to healing for their own husband, wife, son or daughter, they limit God. I limit God most in the area of healing. I have prayed for physical healing for many, and I have seen God perform miracle after miracle. But when it comes to my own body, I limit God. I am afraid to let him be God to me. I douse myself with medicine or run to a doctor before I ever pray for myself. I’m not saying it’s wrong to go to the doctor. But sometimes I fit the description of those who “sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians” (2 Chronicles 16:12).

I ask you: Do you pray for God to bring down walls in China or Cuba—but when it comes to the salvation of your own family, you don’t have an ounce of faith? You think, “God must not want to do this. My loved one is such a tough case. God doesn’t seem to be hearing me in this matter.”

If this be true, you are not seeing him as God. You are ignorant of his ways. God’s desire is to “do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20).

God told me, “David, you’ve tied my hands; you’ve shackled me. How can I heal you when you don’t really believe I will? Your doubt hinders me from being God to you. I tell you, you don’t know me unless you know that I am more willing to give than you are to receive.”

Israel murmured continually, “Can God…? Sure, he made a way for us through the Red Sea, but can he give bread?” God gave them bread. In fact, he spread a table for them in the wilderness. “But can he give us water?” they asked. He gave them water from a rock. “But can he give meat?” He gave them meat from the sky. “But can he deliver us from our enemies?” Time after time, God provided and delivered in every area. Yet, the people spent forty years saying, “Can God…? Can God…?”

Beloved, we ought to be saying, “God can! God can!” He did—and he will! God can and will do all that we ask and believe him to do!