Sermon by Dr. Dr. Delores T. Henderson
Have you ever felt as though the odds were stacked against you? Perhaps people have counted you out because of your background, your past mistakes, your family circumstances, or the challenges you have experienced throughout your life. Maybe you have been overlooked, underestimated, or dismissed by people who could not see the potential God placed inside of you. However, being considered unlikely by people does not mean you are disqualified from accomplishing what God has planned for your life. There is a difference between what people see in the natural and what God has already established for your future. The very person others believe will never make it may be the one God has chosen to elevate, position, and use for His glory. The message of moving from the unlikely to the likely is a reminder that circumstances, statistics, and other people’s opinions do not have the final authority over your destiny.
To understand what it means to move from unlikely to likely, it is important to understand the difference between the two. Something considered unlikely is viewed through probability, statistics, and what appears possible based on the available circumstances. People look at where someone comes from, what they have experienced, their financial situation, their education, or their previous failures and determine that success is probably not going to happen. They look at the natural circumstances and conclude that there is no way forward. However, as believers, our confidence cannot be rooted exclusively in what we see. We serve a God who makes promises and does not lie. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God knows the plans He has for His people, plans for peace and an expected end. While people may judge your future by your present circumstances, God already sees the outcome. Walking by faith means refusing to allow what appears impossible in the natural to determine what God can accomplish in your life.
One of the greatest biblical examples of someone moving from unlikely to likely is Rahab. Her story demonstrates that a person’s background does not have to determine their future. Rahab was known as a harlot, a reputation that would have caused many people to overlook her or question whether she could be used by God. However, God saw something beyond her past and chose to use her in an extraordinary way. When the Israelite spies entered Jericho, Rahab hid them and helped protect them from those who wanted to capture them. Through her actions, she became instrumental in helping God’s people. Her obedience did not just result in her own deliverance; her household was also spared. Even more remarkable, Rahab became part of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Someone whose background would have made her an unlikely candidate for such an important assignment became part of the lineage through which the Savior came into the world.
Rahab’s story teaches that God does not always choose the people others expect Him to choose. People can become so focused on appearances, reputations, and previous mistakes that they overlook the very person God wants to use. Sometimes the person who has been rejected by others is the person carrying the blessing, opportunity, or assistance that someone else needs. It is therefore important not to become so concerned with who you believe God should use that you miss the person He has actually sent. God can use anyone to accomplish His purpose. The challenge is being willing to look beyond appearances and remain open to the unexpected ways He may choose to bless you. Just as God used Rahab despite her reputation, He can use people who have been overlooked, dismissed, or considered unqualified by the world.
Another powerful example is the woman with the issue of blood, found in Matthew 9:20. This woman had suffered from a bleeding condition for twelve long years. During that time, her condition carried more than physical consequences. According to the customs of that period, her bleeding made her ceremonially unclean, which meant she faced restrictions and separation from others. She was living with a condition that affected her ability to participate fully in everyday life. Her circumstances made her someone many people would have considered unlikely to experience healing or restoration. Yet she refused to allow her condition to determine the outcome of her life.
When the woman heard that Jesus was passing by, she recognized an opportunity and decided that she was going to receive her healing. Although the crowd surrounding Jesus created an obstacle, she did not allow the people standing in her way to become the reason she missed her breakthrough. Instead of allowing the circumstances to discourage her, she thought differently and took action. She pushed through the crowd, reached for Jesus, and touched the hem of His garment, believing that even that small contact would be enough to make her whole. Her determination demonstrated that sometimes receiving what God has for you requires stepping outside of what other people consider normal or expected. She could have allowed the crowd to convince her that reaching Jesus was impossible, but she refused to surrender to the obstacles in front of her. Her faith moved her to action, and she received the healing she had been seeking for twelve years.
This woman’s experience also reveals how people can unintentionally become obstacles in someone else’s journey. Those surrounding Jesus believed they were protecting Him, but their actions were also creating barriers between the woman and the healing she desperately needed. Sometimes people become so focused on religious traditions, expectations, and established ways of doing things that they fail to recognize what God is doing in front of them. Religious dogma and rigid thinking can prevent people from experiencing the freedom and wholeness that Jesus offers. The lesson is that we must not allow the opinions, expectations, or limitations imposed by others to prevent us from pursuing what God has placed before us. There are moments when faith requires courage, determination, and a willingness to move differently. The woman with the issue of blood did not allow twelve years of suffering or the crowd’s resistance to define her future. She reached for what she believed belonged to her, and her life changed.
The third example is David, whose journey from being overlooked to becoming king demonstrates the importance of trusting God’s timing. When Samuel was sent to anoint the next king of Israel, David was not the person his family expected to be chosen. His brothers appeared to be more obvious candidates, and even his own father initially presented the other sons before David. David was not even among those first considered for the assignment. He was the unlikely one, the son who was out tending the sheep while the others were being presented before the prophet. However, God did not evaluate David according to the same standards people used. God had already identified him for an assignment that others could not yet recognize.
In 1 Samuel 16:13, David was anointed by Samuel, marking the beginning of a journey toward the position God had prepared for him. However, being anointed did not mean that he immediately became king. David had to endure a period of preparation before he eventually walked into the fullness of his assignment. It was approximately fifteen years, and potentially longer depending on how the period is counted, before he fully stepped into the kingship described in 2 Samuel 5:3. During that time, David experienced challenges, opposition, and circumstances that could have caused him to question the promise. Nevertheless, the delay did not mean that God had forgotten him. The anointing came before the public position, and the preparation came before the manifestation.
David’s story is particularly encouraging for anyone who feels that they have been waiting too long for something God placed in their heart. Perhaps you received a promise years ago, but you have not yet seen it come to pass. Maybe you have spent years developing your gifts, preparing for an opportunity, or believing that your circumstances would eventually change. David’s life reminds us that a delay does not necessarily mean denial. God can be working behind the scenes, preparing you for something you are not yet positioned to handle. The important thing is not to allow the length of the waiting period to convince you that the promise has disappeared. There comes a time when preparation must give way to action, and you must be willing to step into what God has been preparing you to accomplish.
Moving from unlikely to likely, however, requires more than simply believing that something good is going to happen. It also requires preparation, discipline, and intentional action. One of the first strategies is to build endurance and demonstrate that you are capable of handling greater responsibilities. Success requires developing the ability to remain committed even when things become difficult. Rather than doing only what is expected, look for opportunities to go above and beyond. Do not limit yourself to the minimum simply because that is what has been assigned to you. God has placed gifts, talents, and abilities inside of you that are meant to be developed and used. It is important to recognize those gifts, invest in them, and put them to work. You should not reach the end of your life without having fully poured out what God placed inside of you. There are people who need your knowledge, experience, leadership, creativity, and talents. Your responsibility is to develop what you have been given so that you can make an impact.
Another important strategy is to identify the skills you need and intentionally work toward developing them. You cannot expect to move into greater opportunities while refusing to grow. Investing in yourself through learning, researching, studying, and gaining new knowledge helps prepare you for the responsibilities ahead. Identify the areas where you need improvement and close those gaps strategically. If you desire to become a successful leader, entrepreneur, minister, or marketplace professional, determine what skills are necessary and begin developing them now. Preparation should not begin after the opportunity arrives. You should already be working on yourself so that when the right door opens, you are equipped to walk through it.
Positioning yourself in the right places is another essential part of the process. Prayer is important because you must ask God to lead you toward the right people, opportunities, and environments. However, you must also be willing to put yourself in places where opportunities can happen. Networking, attending conferences, participating in professional gatherings, and connecting with people who can encourage and challenge you are all practical ways to expand your opportunities. If you are in ministry, attend ministerial conferences and gatherings that strengthen your knowledge and relationships. If you are in the marketplace, seek environments where you can meet people who understand your industry and can introduce you to new possibilities. You cannot remain isolated and expect every opportunity to find its way to you.
It is equally important to move beyond the familiar circles in which you have become comfortable. Sometimes the person God uses to bless you will not look like you, speak like you, dress like you, or come from the same background as you. If you limit your relationships to people who are exactly like you, you may unintentionally limit the opportunities available to you. Remember that God used a donkey to speak to a prophet. He is not restricted to the people or methods you would naturally select. Therefore, remain open to different relationships, unexpected connections, and opportunities that may initially seem unfamiliar. Do not allow personal preferences, assumptions, or religious expectations to prevent you from recognizing the people God has positioned to help you move forward.
Another strategy for moving from unlikely to likely is learning to become proactive instead of reactive. Being proactive means preparing before a problem occurs rather than waiting until something goes wrong to determine what to do. This requires planning, organizing, evaluating potential challenges, and thinking ahead. In the marketplace and in business, it is important to have contingency plans. Faith does not eliminate the need for preparation. You can believe that your primary plan will succeed while still thinking through alternative approaches if circumstances change. Having a plan B or plan C does not mean you lack faith; it means you are taking responsibility for the assignment in front of you.
Being proactive also means managing your time wisely and staying ahead of your responsibilities. If you have twenty things that need to be accomplished but they do not all have to be completed on the same day, do not wait until the deadlines are approaching. If you can complete the first ten within three days, work toward getting them done early. Develop the habit of preparing in advance instead of waiting until the last minute. This kind of discipline creates room to address unexpected situations without becoming overwhelmed. People who consistently prepare, organize, and follow through position themselves to handle greater responsibilities when opportunities arise.
Ultimately, moving from unlikely to likely requires a willingness to become the best version of yourself. That means continually planning, organizing, reorganizing, revising, and making adjustments as you grow. You must be willing to examine where you are, recognize where you need to improve, and take the necessary steps to move forward. God has not made a mistake in creating you, and your past does not make you a mistake. There is purpose inside of you, and there are gifts that still need to be awakened and developed. The words spoken to Timothy about stirring up the gift of God that was already within him are a powerful reminder that sometimes what you need is already inside of you. You do not necessarily need someone else to give you another gift; you need to recognize, develop, and activate what God has already placed within you.
The journey from unlikely to likely is not about convincing everyone else that you are capable. It is about recognizing who God has called you to be and positioning yourself to fulfill that purpose. Rahab teaches that your background cannot disqualify you. The woman with the issue of blood teaches that obstacles should not stop you from reaching for what you believe God has for you. David teaches that being overlooked does not mean you have been forgotten, and that preparation may take time before you walk into your assignment. Together, their stories demonstrate that God can take people whom others have counted out and position them for extraordinary things.
You are not required to remain the person people once believed you would be. Your circumstances can change, your abilities can grow, and opportunities can emerge in places you never expected. Do not allow statistics, past mistakes, family history, or other people’s opinions to become the final definition of your life. Continue developing your gifts, investing in yourself, building relationships, preparing for opportunities, and moving forward with faith. You have spent enough time questioning whether you can accomplish what God has placed before you. It is time to stir up the gifts within you, recognize your potential, and take action. Dig in, tap in, and move. You are not disqualified because someone else considers you unlikely. With faith, preparation, endurance, and obedience, you can position yourself to become the very person others never expected you to be.
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