Daily Bread - Jan 5 2007

Mark 8:32-34 - "And He spoke that saying openly. And Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned about and looked on His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, 'Get behind me, Satan; for you are not thinking of those things that are of God but the things that are of men.' And when He had called the people with His disciples also, He said unto them, 'Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

Peter's idea of how things would work out in the divine plan was different than Jesus’. I am sure that Peter wanted Jesus not only to be accepted by the masses but also to be the King of Israel. Certainly, he had forecasted a plan of how that would come about. The death of Jesus made no sense at all. Human ability could not deal with death. Death means it is simply over. Peter was unable to understand how that the Divine ability at work on the inside of Jesus would do something greater than conquering men; it would conquer death.

True humility is where human ability has come to an end. The willingness to deny yourself is humility, to exalt God's Word and plan above your own. To rely solely upon His power at work in you, this is humility. It is this humility that God is looking for. It is this surrender to Him that will allow Him to show forth His glory through you.

Probably one of our greatest challenges is to stop trying to do it our way. We come up with great ideas on how to reach the lost. We can have programs and schemes, but human ability will never raise the dead. In fact, if God had done it Peter's way we would not be redeemed today.

If we are going to follow Jesus into the supernatural power of God then we must deny ourself, our own way of doing things. Our way of doing things is limited to human ability. As long as we are trusting in human ability we forfeit divine ability. Even Jesus said that He could of His own self do nothing (John 5:30). If we are going to follow Jesus, we must be willing to rely upon the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit. We must be willing to look to the Father, to acknowledge Him, and to yield to Him. We must believe that He will do the work if we will step aside. Jesus said, "...the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself, but the Father that dwells in me, he does the works." John 14:10.

Stop relying on your own ability. Recognize that it is not by your might, nor by your power, but by the Spirit of the Lord. If He is going to work in you, you must be willing to believe. You cannot have faith in yourself and faith in God at the same time. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. Watch what He will do as you acknowledge His power at work on the inside of you. You will find that it is not you doing the work but your Father which is in you.

Blessings,

Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
abidingplace.org