With God, the Impossible Is Possible
With God,
the Impossible
Is Possible
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s
glory, are being transformed into his image with everincreasing
glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)
The word “glory” appears throughout the Bible. It is a rich word, with
different applications and layers of meaning. For example, Scripture
uses “glory” to describe honor, wealth, and power – like the glory of a
king or a person held in high esteem.
But Scripture also uses “glory” to signify God’s manifest – or tangible
– presence. Often these references describe a personal encounter with
God when His glorious presence moves from the spiritual realm into
the earthly realm. During such an encounter, people experience God’s
glory with one or more of their five natural senses: sight, sound, taste,
touch, or smell.
Does this mean we can experience God the same way? Yes!
Throughout both Testaments, the Bible gives examples of ordinary
people physically encountering God in their natural worlds. During
Israel’s journey in the wilderness, for example, about two million
people saw God’s glory with their eyes. It appeared as a pillar of cloud
by day, and pillar of fire by night. This was no emotional, imaginary
experience. Nor was it a symbolic, literary invention. The people actually
saw the cloud by day. They saw the fire by night. And the children
born in the wilderness during this time grew up without thinking that
such visible glory was something out of the ordinary!
Moses saw and experienced the same holy fire when he stood before
the burning bush (Exod 3:1-6). God spoke to him there, and even told
him, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is
holy ground” (Exod 3:5, NKJV). Moses’ experience of God’s visible, holy
fire was similar to Isaiah’s (Isa 6:1-7). For the Bible says, “he was afraid
to look upon God” (Exod 3:6, NKJV).
Another example of the Lord’s manifest glory occurred on the Day of
Pentecost. The disciples heard and saw God’s glory as the Holy Spirit
came upon them.
“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven [they could physically
hear], as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where
they were sitting. Then there appeared to them [they could physically
see] divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them” (Acts
2:2-3, NKJV).
The miracles of Jesus were also manifestations of God’s glory. They
were heavenly invasions impacting people in ways they could experience
with their natural senses.
For example, John tells the story of Jesus’ first miracle at a wedding
in Cana (John 2:1-11). Something happened that would have been
terribly embarrassing for the host family – they ran out of wine!
Mary, the mother of Jesus, entreated her Son to intervene. Jesus then
commanded the servants to take six large water pots – each one
capable of holding 20 to 30 gallons – and fill them with water. After
the servants filled them to the brim, the master of the feast tested
the water. To his utter amazement, it had become the finest of wine.
John explained the miracle this way: “This beginning of signs Jesus did
in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed
in Him” (John 2:11, NKJV).
God’s glory invaded the earth when, at an ordinary wedding, Jesus
changed six pots of water into the finest, most exquisite wine.
Acts 4 gives another account of God’s tangible glory. The early church
was praying for courage to preach the gospel in the face of persecution,
and to see powerful demonstrations of the Holy Spirit through
signs and wonders. The Bible says, “And when they had prayed, the
place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were
all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness”
(Acts 4:31, NKJV).
These people had already been filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of
Pentecost. But later when they prayed for boldness to preach the gospel
without compromise, the glory of God again came with tangible
signs. He filled the place with such power that even the physical building
where they had gathered was shaken! Heaven invaded the house!
In the next chapter, we read about the strong measure of glory resting
on Peter:
“And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both
men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and
laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing
by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the
surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who
were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed” (Acts
5:14-16, NKJV).
How incredible that God would make His power available to His people
this way. We could walk in such a measure of His manifest glory,
that sickness or demonic power would vanish in our presence the
way a snowball would melt under the blue flame of a welder’s torch!
And that is actually what God desires: His glorious power resting on
us to liberate people’s souls and magnify the Gospel message.
Experiencing the Gospel
So God – in all His glorious splendor – does move into the realm
of human existence. People can actually experience Him in this
world. I believe that people everywhere long to be touched by God
in a tangible way. A lost and dying world longs to see the Gospel,
experience the Gospel and be touched and healed by the power of
the Gospel. The Gospel must not come to people as a mere explanation
that requires an experience. Rather, the Gospel should create
an experience that requires an explanation! The Gospel must be a
life-altering encounter.
The Bible is full of accounts of how God demonstrates His glory
through history. Some people think these are fictional stories, passed
down to entertain us or teach us moral lessons through allegory. But
they are wrong. Others believe the stories are true, but God no longer
operates the same way today. They are also wrong. Biblical testimonies
are powerful examples of the way God intends to move on earth
at all times – yesterday, today, and forever.
With God, the supernatural is natural and the impossible is possible.
Christianity is intended to be a supernatural life from beginning
to end. The demonstration of God’s power should be the norm.
I pray this will increasingly become reality in your life. Don’t give up!
Reach out toward God’s presence. Nothing is more rewarding in this
world for any of us.
Daniel Kolenda
For God, who said,
“Let light shine out of darkness,”
made his light shine in our hearts
to give us the light of the knowledge of
God’s glory
displayed in the face of Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV)
English
March 2016
Postfach 60 05 74
60335 Frankfurt am Main
Germany
Tel +49 (69) 4 78 78 0
Fax +49 (69) 4 78 78 1020
info@cfan.eu
www.cfan.eu
And the God of all grace,
who called you to his
Eternal glory
in Christ,
after you have suffered
a little while,
will himself restore you
and make you strong,
firm and steadfast.
1 Peter 5:10
the Impossible
Is Possible
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s
glory, are being transformed into his image with everincreasing
glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)
The word “glory” appears throughout the Bible. It is a rich word, with
different applications and layers of meaning. For example, Scripture
uses “glory” to describe honor, wealth, and power – like the glory of a
king or a person held in high esteem.
But Scripture also uses “glory” to signify God’s manifest – or tangible
– presence. Often these references describe a personal encounter with
God when His glorious presence moves from the spiritual realm into
the earthly realm. During such an encounter, people experience God’s
glory with one or more of their five natural senses: sight, sound, taste,
touch, or smell.
Does this mean we can experience God the same way? Yes!
Throughout both Testaments, the Bible gives examples of ordinary
people physically encountering God in their natural worlds. During
Israel’s journey in the wilderness, for example, about two million
people saw God’s glory with their eyes. It appeared as a pillar of cloud
by day, and pillar of fire by night. This was no emotional, imaginary
experience. Nor was it a symbolic, literary invention. The people actually
saw the cloud by day. They saw the fire by night. And the children
born in the wilderness during this time grew up without thinking that
such visible glory was something out of the ordinary!
Moses saw and experienced the same holy fire when he stood before
the burning bush (Exod 3:1-6). God spoke to him there, and even told
him, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is
holy ground” (Exod 3:5, NKJV). Moses’ experience of God’s visible, holy
fire was similar to Isaiah’s (Isa 6:1-7). For the Bible says, “he was afraid
to look upon God” (Exod 3:6, NKJV).
Another example of the Lord’s manifest glory occurred on the Day of
Pentecost. The disciples heard and saw God’s glory as the Holy Spirit
came upon them.
“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven [they could physically
hear], as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where
they were sitting. Then there appeared to them [they could physically
see] divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them” (Acts
2:2-3, NKJV).
The miracles of Jesus were also manifestations of God’s glory. They
were heavenly invasions impacting people in ways they could experience
with their natural senses.
For example, John tells the story of Jesus’ first miracle at a wedding
in Cana (John 2:1-11). Something happened that would have been
terribly embarrassing for the host family – they ran out of wine!
Mary, the mother of Jesus, entreated her Son to intervene. Jesus then
commanded the servants to take six large water pots – each one
capable of holding 20 to 30 gallons – and fill them with water. After
the servants filled them to the brim, the master of the feast tested
the water. To his utter amazement, it had become the finest of wine.
John explained the miracle this way: “This beginning of signs Jesus did
in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed
in Him” (John 2:11, NKJV).
God’s glory invaded the earth when, at an ordinary wedding, Jesus
changed six pots of water into the finest, most exquisite wine.
Acts 4 gives another account of God’s tangible glory. The early church
was praying for courage to preach the gospel in the face of persecution,
and to see powerful demonstrations of the Holy Spirit through
signs and wonders. The Bible says, “And when they had prayed, the
place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were
all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness”
(Acts 4:31, NKJV).
These people had already been filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of
Pentecost. But later when they prayed for boldness to preach the gospel
without compromise, the glory of God again came with tangible
signs. He filled the place with such power that even the physical building
where they had gathered was shaken! Heaven invaded the house!
In the next chapter, we read about the strong measure of glory resting
on Peter:
“And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both
men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and
laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing
by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the
surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who
were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed” (Acts
5:14-16, NKJV).
How incredible that God would make His power available to His people
this way. We could walk in such a measure of His manifest glory,
that sickness or demonic power would vanish in our presence the
way a snowball would melt under the blue flame of a welder’s torch!
And that is actually what God desires: His glorious power resting on
us to liberate people’s souls and magnify the Gospel message.
Experiencing the Gospel
So God – in all His glorious splendor – does move into the realm
of human existence. People can actually experience Him in this
world. I believe that people everywhere long to be touched by God
in a tangible way. A lost and dying world longs to see the Gospel,
experience the Gospel and be touched and healed by the power of
the Gospel. The Gospel must not come to people as a mere explanation
that requires an experience. Rather, the Gospel should create
an experience that requires an explanation! The Gospel must be a
life-altering encounter.
The Bible is full of accounts of how God demonstrates His glory
through history. Some people think these are fictional stories, passed
down to entertain us or teach us moral lessons through allegory. But
they are wrong. Others believe the stories are true, but God no longer
operates the same way today. They are also wrong. Biblical testimonies
are powerful examples of the way God intends to move on earth
at all times – yesterday, today, and forever.
With God, the supernatural is natural and the impossible is possible.
Christianity is intended to be a supernatural life from beginning
to end. The demonstration of God’s power should be the norm.
I pray this will increasingly become reality in your life. Don’t give up!
Reach out toward God’s presence. Nothing is more rewarding in this
world for any of us.
Daniel Kolenda
For God, who said,
“Let light shine out of darkness,”
made his light shine in our hearts
to give us the light of the knowledge of
God’s glory
displayed in the face of Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV)
English
March 2016
Postfach 60 05 74
60335 Frankfurt am Main
Germany
Tel +49 (69) 4 78 78 0
Fax +49 (69) 4 78 78 1020
info@cfan.eu
www.cfan.eu
And the God of all grace,
who called you to his
Eternal glory
in Christ,
after you have suffered
a little while,
will himself restore you
and make you strong,
firm and steadfast.
1 Peter 5:10
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