Study 3 IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD?
(Scripture Portion: Genesis 18:1-14)

The title and theme of this study are suggested by the challenging question in Genesis 18:14. What is your answer to it? for this will reveal our estimate of the power of God and also the extent of our own faith in God.

In these days many of God’s people are discouraged, despondent and filled with doubt. This ought not to be, for discouragement always comes from the Devil, despondency paralyses us for useful service and doubt dishonours the Lord. If encouragement is needed, however, here it is in this study! If our faith needs to be fortified, this meditation in God’s Word will do the trick!

The circumstances in which the question, ‘Is anything too hard for the Lord?’ was asked, are brought before us in Genesis 15:1-6; 17:1-5; 15-19; 18:1-14; 21:1-8. Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 – and look at Genesis 18:11. Humanly speaking, it was impossible for Sarah to bear a child. At first Abraham laughed at the idea (17:17), but afterwards Sarah laughed also (18:12) – and then it was that the Lord Himself said, ‘Is anything too hard for the Lord’. Well, is anything…?

Consider the following five propositions; turn to all the scripture references given and see how God loves to do hard things.

1. There is no PROMISE too hard for the Lord to fulfil.

It is computed that in the Bible there are 30,000 promises, all of which ‘are yes, and in Him Amen…’ (2 Corinthians 1:20); that is, they are promises to the child of God – look up 2 Peter 1:4, and they are all absolutely sure – look up Numbers 23:19. Every promise that God has ever made will be fulfilled, and there is a promise to meet your very need. Notice three illustrations of ‘hard things’ that God promised and accomplished:

1. He promised that the walls of Jericho would fall, but that Rahab’s dwelling on the wall and her family would be spared. This was indeed a hard thing – read Joshua 2:1-24; 6:1-25.
2. He promised to feed Elijah by ravens at Cherith and by a widow at Zarephath. This was a hard thing – read 1 Kings 17:2-16.
3. He promised that Mary would bring forth a son, though she was a virgin. This was a hard thing – read Luke 1:26-38.

2. There is no PRAYER too hard for the Lord to answer.

One of the great prayer-promises in the Bible is Jeremiah 33:3, where the word ‘unsearchable’ may be translated ‘hidden’, ‘fenced in’, or ‘hard’. The Lord loves to answer hard prayers – look up Matthew 17:20; John 16:23. In every situation and circumstance of life He invites us to pray, and He promises to answer our prayers.

1. What a hard thing it was, humanly speaking, to give Abraham and Sarah a child! Biologically it was impossible, yet their prayer was answered.
2. Read Genesis 24:1-67. How hard it was, humanly speaking, for Abraham’s servant to find just the right bride for Isaac, yet God answered prayer by leading Eliezer to choose Rebekah!
3. Read 1 Kings 18:17-41. How hard it was, humanly speaking, for fire to fall upon the altar, but it was not too hard for the Lord, and Elijah’s prayer was abundantly answered!

3. There is no PROBLEM too hard for the Lord to solve.

Possibly you have a problem which you have been trying to solve by yourself – and you have failed! Ask the Lord to solve it for you. He can and He will perform a miracle for you, if it is for His glory to do so. He is a miracle-working God, and nothing is too hard for Him. Look up the following, and see how His power was put forth in the solution of His people’s problems.

1. He enabled them to pass through the Red Sea unharmed and on dry land – Exodus 14:13-31.
2. He solved the problem of the bitter water at Marah – Exodus 15:23-26.
3. He gave them water out of the rock – Exodus 17:5-7.
4. He turned the water into wine – John 2:1-11.
5. He stilled the storm – Mark 4:35-41.
6. He fed five thousand – Matthew 14:15-21.
7. He raised the dead – John 11:38-46.

What He did then He can do today! Have we so soon forgotten the miracle of Dunkirk, and other similar miracles in our day and generation? – and miracles that God has performed in our own lives?

4. There is no PLACE too hard for the Lord to revive.

We so quickly get discouraged in our work for the Lord. God’s people are frequently heard to say, ‘The work is very hard; it has gone down terribly, and it’ll never be the same again!’ But why should we accept this defeatist attitude when our God is the God of the impossible? Is your church ‘a dying cause’? Does nothing seem to happen? Do no conversions take place? Do few gather for prayer? Why not alter this situation? Why don’t YOU alter this situation? – for your can! Look up Isaiah 43:19 – ‘Is anything too hard for the Lord’?

5. There is no PERSON too hard for the Lord to save.

Thank God, Hebrews 7:25 is still true – yet we frequently doubt God’s ability to save people! We look upon certain cases as hard!

1. The woman who was a sinner was wonderfully saved by the Lord Jesus – Luke 7:36-50.
2. A condemned criminal was gloriously converted in his dying hour – Luke 23:39-43.
3. A persecutor was humbled to the dust by the sight of the risen Lord – Acts 9:1-7.
4. A jailer and his family were suddenly converted – Acts 16:25-34.

Is anything too hard for the Lord? What is your answer?