" 'So often we mar God's designed influence through us by our self-conscious effort to be consistent and useful. Jesus says that there is only one way to develop spiritually, and that is by concentration on God . . . pay attention to the Source, and out of you will flow rivers of living water. We cannot get at the springs of our natural life by common sense.' (Oswald Chambers, in My Utmost For His Highest)
The problem is that we tend to get this all backward, and then we wonder why we never gain victory of our sins. We think that we grow spiritually when we set out to do what we 'ought,' and do not do what we think we 'ought not.'
As God was revealing this through a couple of devotionals I was reading not long ago, He knew that He had prepared an extra special treat for me in my personal Bible study. That morning I was reading in Zechariah 3-4, and my eyes can across this very familiar verse, and it took on a new and fresh meaning. God's revelation to me was so awesome, and needed!
This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)
Now this was a word to Zerubbabel from God through Zechariah, and He was referring to how Zerubbabel was to finish the temple--neither by his own might nor by his own power or strength. God's Word to Zerubbabel was that the temple would only be completed by the Spirit! Did you get that? The temple, the house of God, is our hearts! How will we complete and perfect our own hearts? Not by our fleshly might or power! We will see our hearts perfected , completed, and made holy by the Spirit alone! Our hearts are the home of the Living God, and they need to be built up appropriately so that He is comfortable living there. Our hearts are to be built up according to God's perfect design in accordance with His whole Word. How could we ever possibly get that done? The only way to repair, and thus complete, our hearts is by the Spirit. There is no other way. Not by our might nor by our power, but by the Spirit, my heart and yours will be transformed into a wonderful home for God, if we will but surrender to His work in our hearts. It is the Spirit's work to do. It is His job to complete the good work Jesus began in us."
No comments:
Post a Comment