Luke 1:34–37
“Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee…
And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age…
For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
The Question Behind the Promise
Mary’s question to the angel. “How shall this be?” was not a question of doubt, but a question of faith seeking understanding. She knew what God had said, but she also understood the impossibility of the situation. The angel’s response reminds us of a powerful truth: what God promises, God empowers.
That leads us to ask an important question today:
What if we truly believed that the same God who showed up for Mary and for Elisabeth is the same God who can show up for us today?
God’s Track Record With the Impossible
Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly demonstrates that impossibility is not a barrier to Him.
He made the barren womb fertile:
- Elisabeth and Zachariah gave birth to John the Baptist
- Sarah and Abraham gave birth to Isaac
- Hannah and Elkanah gave birth to Samuel
God has never been limited by age, circumstance, or human inability. Whether it is a womb, a calling, a dream, or a season of life, God is able to bring life where there once was none.
What if we had the faith to believe what Luke 1:37 declares,
“For with God nothing shall be impossible”?
This kind of faith operates with confidence. It’s like flipping on a light switch. When the switch is flipped, the light comes on. No hesitation. No debate. God can do it.
When We Shrink the Miracles
Many of us read the miracles in Scripture and celebrate what God did then, yet struggle to believe He can do the same now. We minimize biblical miracles when we apply them to our current circumstances.
We often believe less than, instead of more than, what God has already proven capable of doing.
Yet Jesus says something startling:
John 14:12–14
“He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do…
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do.”
If this is true, then the issue isn’t God’s ability, it’s our belief and our asking.
Are We Asking… and Are We Asking Right?
Many times, we lack receiving because we lack asking. But the deeper question is not whether we ask, it’s what we ask for.
Are our prayers aligned with God’s will?
Are we praying selfish prayers for material gain?
Are we more focused on personal benefit than Kingdom impact?
Solomon’s Prayer: A Lesson in Alignment
Solomon gives us a powerful example of prayer that aligns with God’s heart.
2 Chronicles 1:7–12 (NLT)
When God asked Solomon what he wanted, Solomon did not ask for wealth, fame, long life, or the death of his enemies. Instead, he asked for wisdom to properly lead God’s people.
Because Solomon’s desire was to serve others and honor God, God not only gave him wisdom, but also blessed him with wealth, riches, and fame beyond any king before or after him.
When our prayers align with God’s will, God supplies beyond what we ask.
Do Our “What Ifs” Reflect Jesus?
When Jesus said, “Greater works than these shall you do,” He didn’t mean different works, He meant greater impact.
What if we believed for greater miracles than the feeding of the 5,000?
What if we looked at every miracle, provision, and victory in Scripture and declared, “God can do greater through me”?
But again, the question returns:
What are we praying for?
What are we asking?
What do our “What Ifs” look like?
James Warns Us About Motives
James 4:1–3 (NLT)
“You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.
And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong…”
This passage is often taken out of context. God is not telling us to ask for anything without discernment. He is reminding us that motives matter.
Are our prayers driven by:
- Selfish ambition?
- Greed?
- Personal pleasure?
Or are they rooted in God’s purpose and the good of others?
Jesus Taught Us How to Pray
Jesus modeled prayer for us in Matthew 6. Before asking for daily bread, He taught us to pray:
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done…”
Prayer begins with surrender. Provision follows alignment.
As David Guzik wisely states:
“The purpose of prayer is not to persuade a reluctant God to do our bidding. The purpose of prayer is to align our will with His.”
God Wants to Exceed Our “What Ifs”
Ephesians 3:20
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us…”
God’s desire is not to barely meet our expectations, but to exceed them. The question is whether our faith, prayers, and motives are positioned to receive what He wants to do.
What if our prayers matched God’s promises?
What if our faith stopped shrinking God to our limitations?
What if we truly believed that nothing is impossible with God?
If you want, I can also:
- Shorten this into a daily devotional
- Adapt it for a church website
- Or rewrite it for a social media teaching series
