Practicing Possibility changes atmospheres
If God is in you, what's possible?
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 NIV
It’s easy to distance ourselves from the heroic acts we read about in Scripture. After all, it was a long time ago and in a very different context than we find ourselves living today. The ancients didn’t have to-do lists, 9-to-5 jobs, and Instagram.
Moses rescued a nation.
David won a nation.
Esther saved a nation.
In comparison, my life seems rather mundane. Yet, I find myself feeling overwhelmed, lacking the time to make any real difference in this world. My schedule seems full, but my days seem empty.
Most days, I want to save the world, but I also want a nap. So instead of shifting cultures and changing nations, I spend my days just trying to shift my thoughts and change my attitude. In this mode, it’s tempting to read Scripture as if it were simply poetry instead of literal truth.
But for those who say yes to Jesus, the Bible isn’t just a story, it’s our history. These heroes are our ancestors and their heroic behavior runs in our family (Ephesians 1:5).
One day, when I found myself caught again in the tension between world-saving and schedule-filling, I asked God for help. I wasn’t sure exactly what I needed. More margin? More capacity? A vacation?
God kindly responded, “Lindsay, you are overwhelmed because you are not in the habit of practicing possibility with a God who can do the impossible.”
James 1:5 instructs us to ask for wisdom whenever we lack it, so instead of distancing myself even further because of confusion, I simply asked God to help me understand what He meant.
Two scriptures sprang into my heart:
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV)
"And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you." Romans 8:11 (NIV)
Where God is, there is freedom. Since God is in you, there is freedom wherever you go.
• At your next board meeting, consider this: If God is in you and you are in that meeting, then God is in that meeting. If God is in that meeting, what is possible?
• At your next family dinner: If God is in you and you are in that family, then God is in your family. If God is in your family, what is possible?
• At your next doctor’s appointment (whether you are the patient or the medical professional): If God is in you and you are in that appointment, then God is in that appointment. If God is in that appointment, what is possible?
Jesus said in Matthew 16:19, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
God is eager to partner with you in taking ground, and often, it’s the ground right beneath your feet. We are empowered to change the atmosphere around us. When we practice possibility, it changes the way we see our everyday lives. We’re no longer waiting around for some extraordinary mission because we realize we’re living the mission every single day. We serve a God who loves to leverage the mundane to do the miraculous.
Maybe your family didn’t just happen to you, maybe you happened to your family. It’s possible that God wants to partner with you in changing generational dysfunction.
Maybe you’re not stuck in an industry because of the degree you earned or because you lack a degree, maybe the industry is stuck with you. It’s possible God wants to partner with you in bringing innovational shifts in law, medicine, education, technology, or commerce.
Maybe your socioeconomic status isn’t a result of your own brilliant success or your lack of resources. It’s possible that God wants to partner with you in bringing freedom to those locked in their ivory towers or trapped in poverty.
When we practice possibility, we anchor ourselves in hope. Hope is the expectation of God’s goodness in every area of our lives. When we see ourselves and our world through the lens of hope, we cannot help but change the atmospheres around us.
Today, practice possibility by asking:
• If God is inside of me, what’s possible?
• If heaven’s resources are unlimited, what’s possible?
• If my expectation is only for God’s goodness, what’s possible?
If every believer commits to unlocking Kingdom realities in the atmospheres around them, nations will shift, cultures will change, and people will be saved.
Lindsay Van Zyl
Lindsay van Zyl is the Vice President of Marketing + Digital at Catalyst, a leadership organization dedicated to igniting influence in Christians around the world. She serves on the leadership team at Northlands Church, and lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband Bruce. Connect with her on Instagram.
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