Do you start things in God’s power then try to finish them on your own? When you do, it’s like trading a chauffeur-driven limousine for the Flintstone’s car. Instead of being taken where you need to go, you have to pedal yourself. And it’s exhausting.
When the Lord spoke to me to create a blog, I started in His strength. Soon enough though, I began to focus on all the wrong things. How many people will read this post? Should I change the title of that post? Should I write more, or less?
When God initiates something, He wants to navigate and power the car. But we like to be in control, so we push Him aside and grab the wheel. Then we have to pedal. We pedal until our legs give way, and cry out, “What happened Lord? This was your idea! What have you gotten me into?”
Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?
Gal. 3:3*
God wants us to start and end in the Spirit.
Get back on track
If you’re tired of pedaling, here’s how to get back on track:
- Hit the brakes.
Stop what you’re doing. Repent for trying to do it yourself. Let go and give the task back to God.
- Get soaked before you start again.
Ours is meant to be a divine love affair with God. Our chief goal should be to spend time with Him. Only when the oil of the Spirit flows from God to us, can it flow from us to others. He doesn’t ask us to carry out the work in our own might or power. We’re meant to do it by His Spirit (Zech. 4:3). I love what Smith Wigglesworth said,
Be filled with the Spirit, that is, be soaked with the Spirit. Be so soaked that every thread in the fabric of your life will have received the requisite rue of the Spirit. Then when you are misused and squeezed to the wall, all that will ooze out of you will be the nature of Christ.
Smith Wigglesworth
- Focus on pleasing Him.
Every day, and every minute if necessary, make sure that what you’re doing makes Him smile. You may not see immediate fruit, but it will come. And the fruit will always be good. When He’s pleased, it won’t matter what anyone else thinks. Leonard Ravenhill put it this way, “If you have the smile of God what does it matter if you have the frown of men?”
If you’re running like the Flintstones, stop. Get filled up. Focus on pleasing Him. Do it His way and you’ll have a much nicer ride.
*Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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