04/19/2023
How do we judge what we are contributing to the kingdom of God? Are we looking at our efforts, or the Lord’s? This is our topic for the day. When God calls us to perform His will, how do we go about determining if we will accept His calling? Do we look at our own skills and determine if it is possible for us, and then reject those things that we feel are beyond our ability? Or, perhaps we look at Jesus and say to ourselves "He could do all those things because He was the Son of God" and thus justify our silence when God calls out our weak and miserable name? Well, we should not look at our own strengths and weaknesses, but to the promises and power of God who calls us, and can do all things.
“For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.”
2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV
Jesus didn't have any advantage over you or me when it came to doing God’s will. He was doing those things we read about because He exercised the same promises and power that God is prepared to give to us. The only difference is that He believed in them fully, and gave the Holy Spirit free rein to accomplish them through Him.
“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
What wonderfully revealing scriptures! They don’t say that Jesus brought glory to God by His own efforts, but rather they reveal that it was because God's promises found fertile ground in Him. These are the same promises we have been given... and the same Holy Spirit has been poured out on us!
I was reading Oswald Chambers this morning and he wrote these words after referring to the parable of the talents:
"We must not measure our spiritual capacity by education or intellect; our capacity in spiritual things is measured by the promises of God.... When it is a question of God's Almighty Spirit, never say "I can't." Never let the limitation of natural ability come in. If we have received the Holy Spirit, God expects the work of the Holy Spirit to be manifested in us." - Oswald Chambers
We don't work for God nearly as much as He works in us. So when we fail to achieve what God has asked of us what really happened? Is it our lack of our exercising God's promises, or a shortcoming in our faith in God's promises themselves? In business I consult someone who has had great success at something for advice when I am preparing to do the same thing, so in the case of spiritual success for the kingdom, let's do the same by consulting Jesus as we prepare to do God’s will...
“But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."”
Matthew 19:26 ESV
Hmmmm... Perhaps we have met with failure because it really is impossible for us. So how does God expect us to do these things that are so far beyond our ability? Well let's look at what is said about the success of Jesus.
“And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.”
Luke 4:14-15 ESV
There it is... the ingredient that is missing in our failures; "the power of the Spirit!" But, this is Jesus... does that pertain to us? Well, what does Paul say about his own success; after all he is 100% a man...
“by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;”
Romans 15:19 ESV
Ok, are we convinced of the power of the Spirit? Do we accept the fact that the secret to performing the things that God calls us to do has less to do with our own skills and intellect, and much more to do with the promises of God and the Holy Spirit manifesting itself within us? Believing this, how do we begin?
Well the first thing we need to do is pray for the Holy Spirit to enter into us, or we can go to a Spirit filled saint in the church and have them pray with us and lay their hands on us, as Peter and John did for the people in Jerusalem...
“Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 8:17 ESV
Then we should trust in God. Like all things of God doing His will requires faith, and is a gift... not a right. So once our faith is in alignment and is sufficient for God's purpose, the Spirit will be given to us, and from that moment forward, we will answer "Here I Am" to God's call. This will be coupled with the certainty in our success and victory, and we will receive an ability that is well beyond our own. Are we ready to do this? Are we ready to be spiritual overachievers?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your Son Jesus, and for the Holy Spirit that allows us to perform your callings just as He did. You sent your Spirit to us and breathed Him upon the apostles, and now, today, you do the same for those of us that you call as well. Holy Father, let the power and miracles needed for us to achieve those things you ask of us be granted as we perform your will. Let your presence be felt by those who witness this power and see the miracles you perform; and may your kingdom be advanced, and your name be glorified. Lord, in you all things are possible, and through your power in us your will is manifest. Give us the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit to lead us as we perform those things you have asked of us, and in all things great and small, may you be glorified, and your name be praised. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who does all things by your power and strength, through our faith in Christ, and through your Holy Spirit, who abides together with Him in us.
Rich Forbes