Our biggest hang-up is us. To paraphrase Pogo, “I have met the enemy, and he is me.” The major reason we shrink back from doing what God calls us to do is because we look at ourselves as the key to its success, and we are acutely aware of our deficiencies; ergo, we can’t do it. The truth is we are right that WE can’t do the works of God ourselves. God emphatically agrees with us about that! Jesus made a point of teaching His disciples that even He could only do what he Father showed Him and told Him to do.
Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘”Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner” John 5:19.
I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me John 5:30.
For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me John 6:38.”
Jesus tells us two important things in the verses above: #1 He came to do the Father’s will. He wasn’t off doing His own thing. He spent time with the Father. Enough time that the Father could speak to Him and show Him what HE wanted Him to do and how to do it. #2 He stayed so connected to the Father that He could hear and see God’s plan in the moment – lay hands on this one and they will be healed; only speak to this one and they will be healed; spit on this one and they will be healed; go in person and they will be healed; decree healing from a distance and they will be healed; decree life and they won't die; let Lazarus die and then raise him from the dead; take a detour and go talk to a Samaritan woman, etc. Jesus didn’t give us formulas. He gave us His example of praying and spending time with the Father, of staying connected to the Father, to know the Father’s will and how to carry it out.
So we are correct that we cannot do the will of God ourselves. We can’t even know the will of God unless He reveals it to us! But we are very wrong to sit down and stop there. We become our own worst enemy when we fail to recognize that not only does God not expect us to do it, He expressly tells us He knows we cannot do it without Him! That’s why over and over, He assured His people that He was WITH them. Over and over in the Old Testament, the LORD tells His people throughout scripture, “Go, fear not, I am with you.”
Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand Isaiah 41:10.
In the New Testament Jesus assures that, as the Father sent Him to walk with the disciples, teaching and empowering them, the Father will send them (and us) another helper when Jesus leaves the earth.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever John 14:16.
… the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you John 14:26
…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth Acts 1:8.
Jesus sent us the same Holy Spirit that helped Him overcome sin, sickness, and death when He was on the earth. The same Holy Spirit that helped Him pray, helps us pray. The same Holy Spirit that helped Him see, hear, and carry out the Father’s will, helps us to see, hear, and carry out the Father’s will. The same Holy Spirit that helped Jesus abide in the Father helps us abide in Jesus.
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing John 15:4-5.
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples John 15:7-8.
Without abiding in Him, we are correct, we can do nothing. BUT, if we abide in Him, we can know His will, we can know His plans and strategies, and we can experience His power and His authority flowing through us to bring them to the earth. Abiding in Him gives us that faith in the now, and we can bear much fruit that will remain. It is not about us or how smart or powerful we are. It is all about HIM, and our trust and obedience to do what He shows and tells us to do! HE takes care of the rest!
Lord Jesus, give us a passion to abide in You, we pray. It’s all you You, Lord!
Love, Hugs, and Blessings,
Syandra