"But Jesus looked at them and said, with man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible," (Matthew 19:26).

I don't really read this scripture very often nor do I use it when speaking life into others. Maybe it's because it is so overused and "played out", maybe the vision of a crowd of "feel good" Christians clapping and singing the song All things are possible comes to mind when I hear this verse. The bottom line is that this is one of the biggest if not most important promises that Jesus makes to us and we so often overlook the message he is trying to send us.
My trust is Jesus in strong, my love for Him is strong but my FAITH, as much as I proclaim to have it, sometimes wavers. I think some things are possible but not the truly impossible things. Yet as I so often hear from my pastors, the word all in the Greek language really does mean all. With God ALL things ARE possible. There will never be a definite impossibility that what we see as hopeless is not possible if we put our faith in Jesus. It is what He wants us to do. Our scheming and working and collaborating to make things just the way we need them to be in order for them to work out our way are a waste of time. These things actually  prove out disbelief and our lack of faith! And how long do these things really give us peace or make us happy? They are certainly not lasting feelings of contentment.

Here is the catch then. The "things" he is referring to in this passage is not the "thing" we are hoping and praying for, it is actually the desire for those things. In other words, he is saying "Even you sinner can overcome your desires for the worldly things and make it into My kingdom! It is possible that even you will overcome your inner cravings and lusts for this world!" He is not saying anything you want is possible with Me, he is saying "If you put your trust in Me, I can help you overcome this world and set your eyes on the things of God. The holy and righteous things of the heavenlies."

My desire as a believer is to overcome the world, yet I fight that desire with my fleshly emotions every day. Can I see myself at a place in this life where the things of this world do not tempt me? Can I see myself in this world not wanting as the world wants? Can I see myself being content with His promise and nothing else? Actually, no I can't. Do I want that more than anything else though? YES! And that is why I know that I will achieve that! Because it is possible with God! It is possible that my spiritual desires will be met! Even me, the ugly self righteous fleshly, world loving sinner. Because in His eyes I am beauty. My desire to please Him supersedes any desire of this world (1John 4:4). The power of Him who is IN ME, is strong enough to overcome the power that I fight in my flesh! Only when I believe that and trust that and lay my faith upon that will I have victory and everlasting happiness. It is then that our circumstances will NOT affect our behaviors and our will. Because we will have overcome!

The enemy can attack me, my family, my marriage, my home, my life, my loved ones, my church, but HE CANNOT reach the highest of high places the holy of holies. The place where joy is everlasting and peace is unshaken. He can only reach the temporary, the things of this world that will burn away and leave us empty once again.

IT IS ONLY THAT WHICH GOD PROMISES US THAT THE IMPOSSIBLE BECOMES POSSIBLE.

That is how we achieve inner joy, because NO ONE and NOTHING can shake our FAITH IN HIM!

I pray that today for all those who have a desire to achieve the "impossible", that which is never ending and brings a lasting inner peace. A peace which we see as  impossible but with HIM is very possible!  A peace which surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7) only through Christ Jesus!