Don’t Fence Me In

We can limit God. I know that sounds incredible, God the final authority on everything, the Creator of all, the Undefeated can be fenced in.  

If God is boxed in we are boxed in. 

Jesus talked a lot about boxes and breaking them.  He mention people being “white washed tombs” well that’s a box.  He talked about Jonah and that guy was not only in a box, but a fish too.  He said things like “the truth setting us free” that’s breaking a box. There was a lady who broke an alabaster box, which was really stepping outside the box for everyone around her. 

Here, let’s get some Biblical perspective

Jud 1:24 He is able to keep you from falling.

2 Cor 9:8 God is able to make all grace abound to you

Eph 3:20 Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think (WOW!!)

Phil 3:21 He is able to subdue all things to himself

2 Tim 1:12 He is able to guard that which I have entrusted to him

Heb 2:18 He is able to help us when we are tempted

Heb 7:25 He is able to save them

Heb 11:19 God is able to bring them back to life (yep raise the dead!)

I could go on an on about this, but you get the point.

 My question is how come we aren’t experiencing all this “want to and ability?”

Here is one reason.  

Psalm 78:41(kjv) yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. They remembered not His hand, the day He delivered them from the enemy.

We do that, we turn back to our old habits, our old way of doing things.  We let our memories be bigger than our dreams.  There are times we need to remember not our stuff  but God's stuff.  We need to rehearse all the things He has done for us in the past. Remind ourselves that  if He could do it then He can surely do it now. 

Jesus was fenced in but it didn't stop Him it stopped them.

Matt 13:5 He did not many mighty works because of their unbelief

Mat 17:20 Why couldn’t we cast out that demon? And Jesus said “Because of your unbelief”

Heb 3:19 So we see that they couldn’t not enter in because of their unbelief.

Can we fence in God's word? 

Let’s consider how powerful God’s word is.

His Word stands forever. Isa 40:8

His word is active, alive and powerful. Heb 4:12

His word is always successful, never return void or unprofitable. Isa 55:10

Yet there is something that can stop His word.

Matt 15:6 Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your traditions

Mark 7:8-9 Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men... you are experts of setting aside the commandments in order to keep your traditions.

Ouch!

Let's get over the fences and experience the eternal infinite unlimited God.

What strategies can we develop in ministry to keep from fencing or boxing God in?