From Promise to Experience

Promise:

• The assurance of an “impossible” provision
• Requires action for activation
• Necessary actions are enabled by first responding to the Promiser
• The required step is enabled into the unseen by beholding what is revealed in Him.

Promise withheld by glorified impossibility

Deuteronomy 1:23-28 (NKJV) 23 “The plan pleased me well; so I took twelve of your men, one man from each tribe. 24 And they departed and went up into the mountains, and came to the Valley of Eshcol, and spied it out. 25 They also took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us; and they brought back word to us, saying, ‘It is a good land which the LORD our God is giving us.’ 26 “Nevertheless you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God; 27 and you complained in your tents, and said, ‘Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. 28 Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.” ’

Moses’ need for beholding – achieving the impossible.

Exodus 33:17-18 (NKJV) 17 So the LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.” 18 And he said, "Please, show me Your glory."

Promise upheld by fixation on the glory

Joshua 3:12-17 (NKJV) 12 Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe. 13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap." 14 So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), 16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.

While there is a resounding “Yes” in Christ, it is meaningless without our step into the abyss, our “Amen”

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NLT) 20 For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

Though all the promises of God have been activated in Christ, without actions of occupation, they may look like a curse.

The assurance of a promise is empty and void until a step is taken into the impossible.

How is our step enabled? – By our beholding.

When fixed on glory that can be seen, steps are enabled into the impossible

Matthew 14:26-31 (NKJV) 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." 28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Lifting up/beholding Jesus enables the impossible – eternal life.

John 3:14-15 (NKJV) 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

First look at what can be seen – enables what cannot.

Acts 3:4-8 (NKJV) 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.

Faith fixes on what can be seen to enable steps to the unseen.

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV) 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Freed from the power of the impossible by looking on the glory shown us in Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT) 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Walking the impossible walk of faith requires beholding Him on His throne.

Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

What do we have access to in Christ? – Beholding of His glory that enables faith steps into the impossible.

Hebrews 10:19-22 (NKJV) 19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

In beholding the glory that is ours in Christ, the glory of the impossible is overcome and steps of faith are enabled.

Mark 9:23 (NKJV) 23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

The promises of healing, provision, victory, and life will always be challenged by impossibilities.

The faith steps leading to those promises are enabled by beholding His glory.