Psalm 78:41 Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel. (NKJV)

Numbers 11:23 The Lord said to Moses, "Is the Lord's power limited?...”

Introduction

Here in these two passages it would seem that there is a contradiction.  On the one hand we are told that God’s power is unlimited, but on the other hand we are told that Israel limited God.

How many of you believe that God is not limited, and that he can do anything?  If you said yes, you are wrong because the Bible tells us that God can't do many things.

For instance, the Bible says God can not lie.

Hebrews 6:18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. (NIV)

Numbers 23:19a God is not a man, so he does not lie. (NLT)

The Bible also says that God can not sin.

James 1:13 When someone is tempted, he shouldn't say that God is tempting him. God can't be tempted by evil, and God doesn't tempt anyone. (GW)

While it is true that God’s power is limitless, there are still some things that God can not or will not do?  And even though God is sovereign, there are some ways that we limit God’s ability to bless us.  This isn’t because of God, it is because of us.

Imagine you get a telephone call but you refuse to answer it. Would you then blame the caller for never being able to reach you? That’s ridiculous, right? And yet we play that same game with God.

We go through life begging Him to help us, to speak to us and He’s just waiting for us to answer the phone. That’s how we limit God’s ability to work in and through our lives.

Paul S. Rees, in an article entitled, God in Shackles, writes these words: “It is we who put shackles upon God. We cannot keep Him from managing the stars above us, but we can prevent Him from managing the soul within us.”

So, this morning I’d like us to look at four ways that we limit God and keep him from blessing us so we can receive God’s best for our lives.