Matthew 14:13-21 (KJV)
“[13] When Jesus heard of it, He departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed Him on foot out of the cities. [14] And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick. [15] And when it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. [16] But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. [17] And they say unto Him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. [18] He said, Bring them hither to Me. [19] And He commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, He blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. [20] And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. [21] And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.”
In this passage, in summary, we are told of what is normally an impossible situation. There was a multitude of people, probably up to ten thousand when you include women and children, since verse 21 says only the men were five thousand. All these people needed to be fed in a desert, and all that was available was five loaves and two fishes. By all normal calculations and estimates, there is no way five loaves and two fishes would be enough for about ten thousand people. But as the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 19:26 and Mark 9:23, “… with God all things are possible”, “… If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”
Beyond the subject of food, we have a template in this passage for dealing with impossible situations, and it is especially captured in the verse 19. When faced with the impossible situation of sharing five loaves and two fishes for about ten thousand people what did Jesus do? Verse 19 says:
“And He commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, He blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.”
First, He approached the situation with a sense of possibility. The multitude were unaware that there were only five loaves and two fishes. It was Jesus and His disciples that knew that. But they beamed an err of possibility in the way they conducted themselves, such that those around began to expect that there was enough food. Meaning, when faced with a difficult situation, rather than compose yourself with fear and despair, beam an err of possibility. By looking at how you behave yourself and speak about the situation let people have a sense of possibility even in the midst of the seemingly impossible situation.
Next, He took the five loaves and two fishes and then looked up to heaven. And while maintaining His eyes towards heaven, He blessed God (with praise) and blessed the food (releasing God’s words upon it). It was after this that He brake the food (began to share it) and gave to His disciples to distribute it.
By looking up to heaven, Jesus occupied His eyes and mind with the greatness of God. Psalm 19:1 says:
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork.”
So Jesus was choosing rather to fix His gaze on the greatness and glory of God and the fact that with Him all things are possible, rather than on the limited amount of bread and fish. If He has looked upon the bread and fish and occupied His mind with the fact that they are just five and two, it may have hindered the process of obtaining the impossible.
Likewise, when faced with an impossible situation, do not preoccupy your mind with the facts of the limitation. Rather, set your gaze upon God and meditate rather on all His possibilities as recorded in scriptures, as well as any testimonies you have heard of. Think rather on the fact that He can do anything and then praise (bless) and keep praising Him. As you do this, also speak and keep speaking to the situation. Declare the Word of God to it. Prophesy over the situation, just as God instructed Ezekiel to do in Ezekiel 37:1-7. By doing this, you are releasing the power of God to the situation to begin to change it for good.
The next thing, when you have an assurance in your spirit is to proceed to deal with the situation by taking steps of faith, all while not taking your gaze and focus away from God and His ability to do all things. Jesus while looking up to heaven began to break the bread as though there would be enough for everyone. And He gave to the disciples to share it. This was a step of faith, while preoccupying His mind with the power and glory and praises of God. So also, you are to take steps of faith to resolve the situation. Steps that you would have taken had there been no issue, as the Holy Spirit gives you wisdom. And then watch God work a great miracle to His glory.
Prayer for today:
O Lord, I commit this situation to You (mention the situation that seems impossible). Give me the grace to compose myself in a way that expresses possibility on this issue. Help me to fix my gaze on You and Your greatness and not on the limitations of the situation. I know that truly You can do all things and with You all things are possible. Give me words to speak over this situation like you gave to Ezekiel so that Your power is released upon the situation, and give me wisdom to take necessary steps of faith to resolve the situation. O Lord, in this situation, let me see Your glory. In Jesus name, Amen.
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