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We Serve a God With No Limits
by Pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D.
Sermon Summary: God is infinite. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-capable. There are no limits restricting God. Yet despite this, to their own harm His followers tend to limit the power of God by erroneous thinking. We will look at some promises of God’s word that will dispel that antibiblical thinking and open you up to receiving the unlimited blessings of God.
Psalm 78:40-43 ...they vexed the Holy One of Israel. [42] They did not remember his power — the day he redeemed them from the oppressor, [43] the day he displayed his miraculous signs in Egypt, his wonders in the region of Zoan.
Vs. 41, KJV Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
•• The word “limited”, used by the King James Version, is rendered differently in various translations. However, the verses surrounding verse 41 certainly make a good case for the use of “limited” in this context. Israel diminished their expectations of our unlimited God.
• [42f] “They did not remember His power... [43] His miraculous signs in Egypt, His wonders...”
• In effect, they put their own limits on God’s intervention in their lives by failing to remember His historically demonstrated power, signs, and wonders.
•• Like Israel of old, we too often “limit [God]”. Not necessarily deliberately, but we still often diminish our expectations of His unlimited power on our behalf.
• We consider Him as less than omnipotent.
• We doubt His constant willingness to bless.
• We do “not remember His power ... His miraculous signs ... His wonders.”
• We forget: “I am the Lord; I change not!” (Malachi 3:6, KJV) He is forever the same all-powerful God who delights in blessing His people.
HEALING — Jesus healed all who came to Him in faith. The apostle Peter healed individuals and the multitudes. The apostle Paul had a remarkable record of ministering divine healing. Philip had great healings in Samaria. God through a disciple named Ananias healed Paul’s blindness.
•• Not just Jesus, but believers consistently healed the sick.
• Do not limit God to healing only while Jesus walked the earth.
• Do not limit God to healing only through apostles. In fact, it is the honor and privilege of believers to lay hands on the sick and to see the sick recover (Mark 16:17-18).
Exodus 23:25-26 Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you...
•• For the worshiper of God, He is the Lord who will take sickness from among you.
• This taking away of sickness is one of God’s blessings for the worshiper of God.
• It is also one of God’s benefits for His children — Psalm 103:2-3 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits — [3] who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.
• Let “ALL your diseases” mean exactly that! Don’t limit God in His desire to heal you.
Exodus 15:26 “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.”
•• For the godly believer, God is not the Afflicter-With diseases, but the Healer-From diseases!
•• A sick lady once said to my wife: “Maybe God is not willing to heal me quickly, but rather is teaching me through this and is blessing others by my example.” No! Otherwise, why then (in her erroneous way of thinking) would she frustrate God’s supposed plan by seeking medical help if God was trying to teach her a lesson through the sickness? Hers was unsound thinking.
• In contrast to that sick lady’s faulty conclusions, Jesus said to the leper: “I am willing!” (Mark 1:41) Don’t limit the Lord in the realm of healing. He is willing to heal!
THE MIRACULOUS — do you think of miracles as only for “Bible days”, or do you believe that miracles are for you today?
•• Remember: “I am the Lord; I change not!” (Malachi 3:6, KJV)
•• Remember: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus performed miracles in the first century; He is "the same today" and still does miracles in the 21st century.
•• Neither God the Father nor Jesus Christ His Son has changed. They worked miracles among the people in times of old; they continue to work miracles in modern times.
•• Don’t limit God’s miraculous acts only to days gone by.
•• Also, do not limit the extent of what God can do.
2 Kings 4:1-7 ...[3] Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. [4] Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” ... [6] When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.” But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing. [7] She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”
•• Don’t limit God’s ability to provide supernaturally. Through the prophet Elisha, God was going to provide a miraculous supply of valuable oil for the destitute widow.
• He told her to borrow empty jars, and “don’t ask for just a few.” Elisha understood God’s unlimited ability and His unlimited care for His people. God miraculously filled every single jar brimful and delivered the widow from her poverty.
• Do you need a miracle in your life today? Don’t ask for just a little of God’s help. Don’t limit the extent to which Almighty God can help you.
• If the Lord says “Come”, then you, like Peter, can walk on the water (Matthew 14:29).
• If you encounter a demon-possessed person, you can cast the demon out in Jesus’ Name without waiting to call the church’s elders.
• Why? — It’s God’s miraculous power through you.
• Don’t limit God and what He can do for you and through you.
GOD’S PROVISION —
•• Remember Jesus miraculously multiplying the loaves and fish and feeding thousands as a result. He’s the “same yesterday and today...” (Hebrews 13:8).
•• Remember Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 on Mount Moriah — Jehovah-Jireh!
• Genesis 22:14 “Jehovah-Jireh...The Lord will provide.” And God miraculously provided a ram for the sacrifice.
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
•• (In context, to the giving believer) God will supply all your needs.
• Let your “ALL” be “ALL”. Don’t limit God in the realm of His provision for you. His bounty is unlimited!
GOD’S PROTECTION — the bible abounds with examples of God’s sovereign, supernatural protection and deliverance of His people.
• the three Hebrew men in the fiery furnace
• Daniel in the lion’s den
• Peter freed from jail by an angel
• The angel of Lord encamping around and delivering those who fear God
• Psalm 91 — thousands falling all around you, but it will not come near you, the believer in God.
• Don’t limit God’s ability to protect you and your family.
Matthew 9:28-30a ... “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” [the blind men] replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.”
•• There is no need to limit God and what He can do in your life.
• Healing, miracles, provision, protection...
• According to your faith these things and more will be done to you.
•• Believe God. Don’t limit the Holy One of Israel!
Preached at South Valley Church, Phoenix, Oregon, December 14, 2003
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©2003, James H. Feeney, All rights reserved.
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