September 2026 Magazine Article: GOD CAN!
This article was printed in a VOE magazine in 1985.
GOD CAN!
King David, the psalmist of Israel, meditated both day and night on the law of the Lord (Psalm 1:2) David had great double vision: he could view the victories of the past, yet foresee God’s provision for tomorrow.
In Psalm 78, David gives a powerful review of Israel’s supernatural blessings from Jehovah and their lack of trust in God’s promises. David takes you through God’s miracles of opening a path through the sea (v. 13) and of God leading them with a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night (v. 14). He speaks of God’s food supply, angel food from Heaven’s bakery, in verse 24. God brought forth sparkling clear water from a flint rock (v. 16). Yet, with all these supernatural provisions and abundant blessings, Israel tempted God by limiting the Holy one. They doubted His ability by asking, “Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?”
This nation of three million people limited God who demonstrated before their eyes His unlimited power. David tells us that they forgot His works! It doesn’t take long for humans to forget. Israel departed Egyptian soil and, in a few weeks, stood at the border of Canaan. God had told Abraham that his seed would be under slavery to another nation for four hundred years then He would bring them out of bondage with plenty of gold and silver for their inheritance. Israel forgot this covenant promise given to their father, Abraham, in Genesis 15:13. Because they forgot this promise, they wandered in the desert wilderness for forty years.
The Israelites made many mistakes that we can learn from. These mistakes and victories were written as an example so that we may learn as well. Here is a short list of guidelines for believing God for whatever you need.
1. Know that what you are believing God for is part of God’s will for you. When you walk with God, He will plant desires within your spirit. Suddenly His desire becomes your desire. David declared that “God would give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm37:4). If you are obeying God’s revealed will in His Word, your desires come from God who drops them in your spirit. Therefore, God becomes your partner in helping bring to pass those plans in your heart, for His glory. Your desires must be God’s will.
2. Never say “I can’t” as long as there is a small ray of hope. Jesus said, “All things are possible to them that will believe” (Mark 9:23) Did you know that “can’t” and “impossible” are not in God’s vocabulary? We can tie or untie God’s hands by our faith or our unbelief. God can perform the impossible, “according to the power (ability of God) that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20). When we confess and believe that something can’t be done, then our minds become set and cease to function with positive faith. When we say, “I can’t,” we quit trying.
A doctor may pronounce your situation hopeless, but as long as you have a ray of hope in your spirit, your belief can lengthen your life span. Hope causes your mind, body, and spirit to produce positive faith that there is a remedy.
People often have a desire to work for God or accomplish something that requires quite a bit of finances. Most Christians can believe God for their salvation, sanctification, eternal life, and even healing, but they do not have belief over their finances. Here is a Christian who sets their heart to fulfill a desire that involves finances. Suddenly they hit a snare and begin to say, “It can’t be done, we can’t do it after all!” They are jumping ahead and hindering the flow that God could be sending. They are limiting God with their negative attitude. GOD WILL ONLY DO WHAT YOU BELIVE HIM FOR!
Some want to wait until they have enough to accomplish something for God’s kingdom. If I waited to print books, records tapes, buy equipment, or print this publication until I had the money to do it, then I would never take the manuscripts to the printers. I do it, then pay for it as it comes in. For example, I had to buy a $1,295.00 duplicator for our tape ministry the other day and only had $300.00 in our fund. I picked it up and told the fellows I’d pay for it in a month. The business folks we do business with know that we will pay our bills. I don’t wait until I have it. God plants the desire and the plan in my spirit, and I know He will provide for us. Don’t say I can’t… try and try again!
3. Hindrances and roadblocks are not a sign of defeat. Usually, Christians continue the fight of faith as long as things look great. (When things are great, there is nothing to fight!) But the first sign of roadblock causes us to lock our brakes and put up our guard. Don’t treat hindrances as a signal of defeat. Hindrances are an opportunity for God to move on the scene and break down the roadblocks. When you accept hindrances as a sign of defeat, you sit at the end of a dead-end street without finding a way to connect to another open road.
4. Look for solutions instead of focusing on the problems. When you believe you can overcome, your mind, body and spirit begin to arise and be strong in the Lord. Your attention is focused on finding a solution to the problem. Jesus Christ is a master atgiving solutions to troublesome problems, He can feed the hungry with a lad’s lunch, stop a typhoon from capsizing a small fishing vessel, and bring healing from an incurable disease that no physician can help.
5. God is a provider and He determines how to meet your needs. God never changes, for in Him there is no shadow of turning. Although God’s ability, power, and nature remain unchanging, the methods by which God works often change. For instance, God used a brazen serpent ONCE to heal a nation, but the serpent never healed again. Hundreds of years later, God “sent forth His word and healed them” (Psalm 107:20). David used his bare hands to slay a bear and a lion, but he used a slingshot to topple a giant! God’s power is the same; His methods vary.
God asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?” Use what you have and allow God to multiply it and bring life to it.
Keep the word of faith in your heart. Remember God’s great works; remember that God can!