10/02/2020
As Christians we are given many gifts, and spiritual powers, but we should be careful not to take pride in them, nor forget that our gifts are intended to be used to glorify God, and not ourselves. Jesus warned His disciples of this, and we should heed his words as well... even though spirits are subject to us, our greatest joy should be in the fact that our names are written in heaven. If we are not saved, then we have nothing, and though we command an army of spirits we are still lost.
“Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.””
Luke 10:20 ESV
I have been in church all my life, and I have seen the best, and the worst of people’s behavior, but nothing is any more wrong than to take personal pride in a gift that God has given us for His glory. It is so sad to see God give someone a spiritual gift to accomplish His will in a specific calling, and then when that calling is satisfied, to watch them lose their humility in having received it, and begin using that gift to glorify themselves.
“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”
Romans 11:29 ESV
I have watched as the Lord spoke to a saint In the church regarding healing a sick brother, and sent him to that brother’s hospital bed to heal Him. This saint was given a spiritual gift, was humbled by it, obeyed, and healed the sick. That act glorified God, and thrilled those who witnessed it, thus bringing lost souls to God, but it didn’t stop there, and over time others were healed, and God was further glorified, but as the years passed by, so did this gifted person’s humility, and they began to personally assume the glory for these acts that God’s gift had allowed them to perform. What had once been done for the Lord was now something quite different.
““Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
Matthew 7:21-23 ESV
Jesus didn’t claim to be the source of the miracles that God worked through Him, and neither should we. If we present ourselves as the source of the miracles God works through us, then we too are in danger of being unknown by Christ when we stand before Him at judgement.
“So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”
John 5:19 ESV
We should pray fervently, and seek the will of God before using the gifts He has given us. Our heart should be prepared, filled with humility, and heightened in our desire to glorify God, not arrogance, nor pride. Even when we say “Praise God for this, or that”; if we accept the accolades, or pridefully internalize the accomplishment, we have sinned.
“Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”
James 4:15-17 ESV
So let’s ask ourselves how best to use the gifts we have been given. We should first and foremost use them at God’s direction, within God’s will, and to glorify Him alone. We should suffer beforehand in fervent prayer, and keep secret the use of our gifts unless we are told otherwise, and we should remain humble before God, Jesus, and man.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the gifts you give us to accomplish your will, and to bring glory to you. Thank you Lord for the example that Jesus presents us of humility, prayer, seeking your will, and yielding all glory to you. Help us Holy Spirit to recognize our pride, and arrogance, as we exercise our gifts, and our heart becomes wrong. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who gives us gifts in abundance so that we can serve your children, and demonstrate your power before lost souls... bringing them to you. Praised be your name as we sing to you, speak of you, and more importantly, in the disposition of our hearts as our spirts worship you. You are gracious Father to send us as your emissaries of mercy, messengers of your Word, and missionaries as we deliver the gospel of Jesus, to those who are wandering lost in the world. Your grace abounds in the gifts you give us, and the humility of Jesus abides in us as we use them. Send your Angels to strengthen us as we exercise your gifts, and the intercession of Jesus as we resist the temptation of our pride. Do these things Father so that at the end of our days we will be found acceptable to you, and find ourselves eternally in your presence... loving, and praising you.
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”
Philippians 2:3-7 ESV
Rich Forbes