Elaine Tavolacci: "Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?"

There is a story in the book of Genesis about a man named Abraham and his wife Sarah. They left their families, and even their country, trusting the Lord at His word to bless them and make them a great nation. "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness" (Romans 4:3b). The word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision and told him that he was going to have a child. The Lord put Abraham in a deep sleep and made a covenant with him. When I read this passage I remembered that the Lord also put Adam into a deep sleep when He created Eve from his rib.

A Solution, But Not the Promise

Sarah gave her Egyptian maid Hagar over to her husband so they could have a son. Abraham went along with Sarah's wishes and Hagar conceived and had a son who they named Ishmael. This was not God's promised son. Then the Lord reminded me of the time that Adam followed his wife Eve by eating the forbidden fruit which was not God's will.

Some of you are tired of waiting on God's promise and you are about to settle for an Ishmael. If you follow your natural instincts you will not produce what Jesus has for you. Don't try to make things happen in your own strength. Refuse to give birth to an Ishmael because the Lord has an Isaac planned for you if you wait on Him.

Ten years later the Lord came down and appeared to Abraham. He changed his name from Abram to Abraham and changed his wife's name from Sarai to Sarah. He told him that Sarah, herself, was going to have a son and would name him Isaac. Abraham fell on his face and laughed to himself. Although he was a man of faith, this sounded ridiculous to him because of their age.

In chapter eighteen, the Lord appeared to Abraham again as three men came to him. He told him, once again, that Sarah was going to have a son. Sarah overheard this conversation and she also laughed in unbelief. Although they trusted the Lord all along, they were now looking at their situation in the natural and could only see an obstacle, which was their old age. "And the Lord said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh, saying, "Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?" Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son'" (Genesis 18:13-14).

I Laugh!

The story goes on to say in chapter 21 that Sarah conceived a son named Isaac in her old age. He was the promised son. The name Isaac means, "laugh." Ishmael was not God's perfect will, but he was something that was born of the flesh. John 3:6 says: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

The Lord says, "Is there anything too difficult for Me? Don't allow situations in the natural to steal your faith. Trust in My promises and provisions. Do not see yourself as inadequate, but know that I can do more with your life than you could do in the natural. I am El Shaddai and nothing is too difficult for Me. Just as I told Abraham to leave everything behind and trust Me in the journey ahead, I am calling you to trust Me with your future.

"Just as I led Abraham, I will also lead you. I am the same yesterday, today and forever and I am still speaking today. Just as I honored Abraham's prayers and did not destroy the city for ten righteous, will I not honor your prayers? Trust Me for your families, your cities and even your countries to be brought into My Kingdom. Believe My Word to answer every prayer and supplication.

There is Power in Covenant

"Don't make hasty decisions, which will produce an Ishmael. Wait on that which I have promised to you because it shall surely come to pass. Just as I made a covenant with Abraham, I have made a covenant with you. Wait on My promise. Your promised seed, Isaac, is on the way. Don't allow the enemy to magnify the difficulties in your life and make them appear unconquerable.

"I will bring you through situations that you have not been able to go through on your own and open the doors that need to be opened. Trust Me to move every obstacle that is blocking you from getting to your destination. Go forth in that which I have commissioned for you to do. Go without fear or wavering, surrendering all for the assignment that I have for your life," says the Lord.

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore." (Hebrews 11:8-12)

Elaine Tavolacci
A Word in Season
Email: Elaine@awordinseason.info
Website: www.awordinseason.info

Elaine Tavolacci resides in Staten Island, New York. She has been a student of the Word for twenty-nine years. She has a prophetic gift as well as a ministry of encouragement, which teaches the Body of Christ to walk in the fullness of what the Lord has called them to. She teaches others how to be overcomers in every area of their lives and understands the power and authority that Jesus has assigned to them. Her ministry, "A Word in Season," has been an encouragement to others for nine years. She has learned the transforming power of the Word of God and encourages others that nothing is impossible with God.

*************************************