Creating Opportunity For God

[Albert Finch]

Have you ever thought about the fact that you could create opportunity for God? That you could attract Him or draw Him to you by simply doing something out of the ordinary -- something that demands RISKY FAITH?

There have been individuals throughout Biblical history who made difficult decisions to do something that would change the course of history and create opportunities for God to move. These individuals made it possible for God to move beyond the restrictions of time and space and do something spectacular.

SAMPSON GAVE GOD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE

Judges 14:1-4 -- "Now Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. So he went up and told his father and mother, saying, 'I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; .....And Samson said to his father. 'Get her for me, for she pleases me well.' But his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD - that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel."

Note that "God was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines." Seeking an occasion?

Since when does God need an opening to do something? Another translation says, "Creating an opportunity."

Apparantly, God needs someone to open the door within the confines of time, space, unbelief and fear in order fo Him to enter in and do what He wants to do. Faith is the substance that invites God and creates an opportunity for Him to do something incredible.

Couldn't God have slain Goliath without David, or stopped the politicians of Baal on Mt. Carmel without the help of Elijah, or healed the paralyzed servant without the faith of the Centurion (Matthew 8:4-6)?

Jesus created the opportunity for God to save mankind by His sacrifice on the Cross.

GOD IS FASCINATED WITH HEROIC ACTS OF FAITH

John the Baptist, the final prophet before Christ, whose sole purpose according to the Gospel of Mark, was to be the forerunner for God (Christ), preparing the way before Him and a voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way for the Lord.

Someone has to open the way for God to appear. These who became the voice in the wilderness over the centuries, were not only mocked and scourged by unbelieving, sightless humal beings, but became the heroes in God's eyes.

This opportunity is still available today. We born-again believers can perform monumental, notable, life-changing, world-shaking acts comparable to our heroes of the faith -- people who, seeing the dangers of present lethargy, passivity, control and faithlessness, -- act for the benefit of a future generation.

God is searching for somebody that would stop Him in His tracks and cause Him to turn around and look.

JESUS WALKING ON THE WATER

Mark 6:47-52 -- "When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and He was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night He went out to them, walking on the lake. HE WAS ABOUT TO PASS BY THEM, but when they saw Him walking on the lake; they thought He was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately He spoke to them and said, 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.' Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened."

"He was about to pass by them" -- not because of the extent of the storm, the rain or the winds, but the extent of their unbelief and fear.

That's what fear and terror will do -- it causes you to mistake God for the devil or some force of evil. Jesus says to them, "Don't be afraid." He needed them to rid the boat of fear, so that He could make the adjustment to the elements. Once this happened, the wind died down and the storm was over.

Questions to Ask Myself

HOW AM I CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GOD TO ACT THROUGH MY FAITH?

WHAT INCREDIBLE ACTS OF FAITH AM I CAPABLE OF?