Conqueror Of The Imps

It was impassable. They’d rushed out of Egypt on foot, taking everything they could carry. Infants and toddlers were strapped to mother’s backs. Young children were clinging to their father’s legs. Behind them, Pharaoh and his army were thundering down on horseback and in chariots, breathing out threats of re-capture and increased workloads. Before them, roaring and swirling was the Red Sea, too deep to wade, too wide to swim. Without looking, they knew there was no bridge, no side route, no alternate path to safety. The only way out was across. They had to ford that sea. 

But how? How could they cross a river with lumbering herds and tiny children? Could the wives carry each household’s possessions as the men managed the herds? Was it even possible to cart the elderly across those waters? There was no time to build rafts. No time to put their heads together for ideas. No time to weigh options. Every moment brought recapture by Pharoah closer. They needed to cross that river now, but it was utterly impassable. 

Just when it seemed like all was lost, their defeated return to Egypt a certainty, the God of the impassable showed up. “Stretch your staff out over the sea,” God commanded Moses. Immediately he obeyed. And, like a scroll, the waters of the sea rolled back revealing dry land. A path ahead. A walkway through the water. No boats necessary. No rafts needed. No soaked oxen. No drenched toddlers. They crossed completely on dry land because, with God, the impassable becomes passable. (Exodus 14)

Judah’s victory was improbable. Their predicament was horrific. They were surrounded. Death or capture seemed certain. Before them stood the army of Israel and Jeroboam intent on mayhem and destruction. Behind them, much to their surprised astonishment, was an ambush team sent by Jeroboam. There was no way out. No escape. The time for negotiations had passed. Terrified at the turn of events and worried about the improbability of escape, Judah does the only thing they know to do, the only thing anyone can do in improbable circumstances. They call on God. 

They know they can. They know He will hear. They know He will help. They know this because they have been following His commands, doing His will, walking in His ways. They know the improbable is probable because they have not abandoned Him. Resting in the knowledge He never abandons His people, they call out to Him and wait for His response. 

And it comes. As the priests blow the trumpets and the soldiers shout their battle cry, God fights their battle for them. His magnificent power miraculously routs the enemy forces. Although they flee, God hands them over to Judah and Abijah, over to the people who have been observing His commands and following His ordinances as if their lives depend on them–because they do. They successfully subdued their enemies because they depended on God, with whom the improbable becomes probable. (II Chronicles 13)

  Humanity was in a damnable state. Infested with the intrinsic sinfulness of their own selfish souls. Infected with the far-reaching effects of evil hearts and devious minds. Squandered souls adrift on the sea of life. Darkened hearts perilously hanging over the edge of a lost eternity. Desperately in need of redemption. Urgently searching for hope. Critically in need of help. Starving for salvation that seemed impossible to reach.

The blood of bulls and rams couldn’t save them. The offerings of birds and grain couldn’t buy their pardon. Their souls cost so much more than that. More than they could sacrifice. More than they could give in exchange. Far more than they could ever hope to afford. The overwhelming hopelessness of the impossible situation would have been a crushing blow. It would have been if it hadn’t been for the God of the impossible. (Matthew 19:26; Jeremiah 32:27)

 As humanity bobbed on the perilous waters of spiritual death and destruction, the God of the impossible heard their cries for help. Their desperate anguish and horrifically sinful circumstances had Him erupting off the throne of Heaven, giving orders, enacting a plan. A plan to save humanity, to give them a chance at the peace they crave, the Heaven for which their hearts so fiercely long. A plan to send His Son, Jesus, as a final, eternal sacrifice, offering forgiveness for sin, redemption, and peace. A plan to make the impossible become possible. 

And so it was. Jesus took on the form of humanity. He was born to earthly parents with human nature and fallibilities. People with whom many things were completely impossible. He lived among people who didn’t believe in Him, wouldn’t befriend Him, and tried to trick Him. Eventually, one of His closest friends betrayed Him, offering Him up to be brutally murdered for absolutely no reason. No reason except you. Except me. Except all humanity. When everything seemed lost and worthless and pointless and hopeless, God, through Jesus, showed up to save the people He so deeply loves. (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; I John 4:9-10; Romans 8:32) 

It’s what He does. God shows up for people. People in impassable, improbable, impossible circumstances. People who have lost hope, lost courage, are lost in sin. People who, without His grace, would be glumly staring into the shadows of a lost eternity. People facing circumstances so difficult, so dark they seem impassable. People who need a rescue, a refuge, a redemption. People who need deliverance from all the “imps” hanging over their pathways, discouraging their progress. (Habakkuk 3:2,13-19) 

The truth is this. The evil one has a lot of imps in his employ. He sends them out, armed with fear and doubt, to test, torment, and try to derail humanity. His sole goal is your spiritual destruction. He’s desperate to steal your eternity. So those imps come to you with incredible tales of “imp”assable, “imp”robable, “imp”ossible circumstances. They tell you God won’t get you through your horrible situation. They say God will probably fail when you need Him most. They say you are too far gone, too lost to be a recipient of the grace and mercy He so lovingly extends. I know. I’ve heard them. You’ve heard them, too. (II Corinthians 11:14; I Peter 5:8)

Just because you’ve heard the voices, because they’ve been the loudest in the room, doesn’t make them accurate. They’ve never been more wrong. At your cry of agony, angst, apprehension, God shows up. He comes to those enslaved by the chains of sin, fear, anxiety. He shows up for those condemned to eternal death. Our conquering God steps on the scene of impish impossibilities and things change. For saints, absolutely! For repenting sinners, without a doubt! When you cry out to God, no matter your circumstances, God shows up. He never abandons those who walk uprightly before Him. (Psalm 102:19-21; Psalm 9:9-10; Psalm 50:15; Acts 3:19; Proverbs 28:13; II Chronicles 30:9b) 

I don’t know what’s going on in your life right now. Perhaps you are beset by a path so blocked by obstacles it seems impassable. Perhaps you are facing situations where the likelihood of a positive outcome is improbable. Perhaps you are overcome with doubt and fear, hopelessness and despair. Or maybe you find yourself so deeply steeped in sin it seems incredible, unbelievable, impossible that God could ever enact a rescue great enough to give you Heaven, or that He’d ever even want you there. If any of these are you, and even if they aren’t, listen up!

God lives to rescue people. To saints facing deplorable, discouraging, desperate situations, He comes to bring hope and help, comfort and peace, direction and guidance. To sinners, no matter the depth of their disgrace, desertion, defection, He offers pardon, redemption, peace, and cleansing. So call on Him. Ask Him into your impassable, improbable, impossible circumstances and know that when you call, He answers. And when He answers, the imps of hell disappear. They can’t stand against His power. Our God is the Conqueror of the “imps” who makes all things passable, probable, and possible. And no matter your circumstances, you can trust Him. (Isaiah 25:4; Psalm 91:1; Jeremiah 33:3; Psalm 17:6; Acts 16:30-31; Ephesians 2:8-9; Isaiah 41:10; II Corinthians 12:9-10))

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