Doing things in our own strength (Conclusion)

As the God of Israel never commanded His servants to do anything beyond their ability, responsibility, or authority, so the Lord Jesus, God in the flesh, never commanded His disciples to do anything they could not do.

One day, as some of you may remember, Jesus was on a boat with Peter, James, and John, who were fishermen. He commanded them to throw out their nets for a catch.  He didn't give them a golden super net, but commanded them to use the same net they had been using to fish all that night, the net they used without success. 

They threw out their nets.  Jesus caused a miracle catch of fish which gave them more fish than the boat could carry.  Now it is noted that the very same net they had been using didn't break, so Jesus clearly strengthened the net they already had.  But be clear that it was not a new net from heaven.

In the situation when Peter walked on water at Jesus' command, it was Peter's own legs, moved by Peter's own strength, that walked on water.  Jesus didn't come to the boat, pick Peter up, and carry him, because that is not what Peter asked.  Nor did Jesus send His Spirit into Peter to make Peter walk, or "walk for Peter."  No.  Peter walked, and Jesus made it possible for him to stay afloat on the water.

As it was in the Old Testament and the New Testament, so it is today. 

God sends us to our destinations in the strength we have, requiring no more of us than we are able.  When we use the strength that we have, God honors and vindicates us.  And what we cannot do, God does for us.

As I've shared before, I share again. (If you've read my blog  "How Do We Actually Keep From Sinning?", then you can skip the next analogy.)

I used to be a bouncer.  One night a woman wanted me tell a man next to her to leave her alone.  I asked the woman if she told the man to leave her alone.  She said no.  I told her that I could not tell the man to stop bothering her unless she told him first. Once she told him, then I could come in and enforce her wishes.  If he refused to listen to me, I could get him out of the bar (with the other bouncers if necessary.) 

She had to speak to the bothersome man according to her ability, responsibility, and authority as a free adult American citizen.  Once she did, she need not do any more.  I would come in and do for her what she does not have the ability, responsibility, and authority to do. 

Do you see?  It is the same with God. 

If you are trying to break a habit, deal with a difficult person, or accomplish a difficult goal, you must do what you have the ability, responsibility, and authority to do, and pray for that which you don't have the ability or authority.  If you wait for a miracle where one is not required, you will wait in vain.  In addition to this, you are asking for God to dishonor you, to treat you as Satan treats those whom in enslaves.  You will wait for a feeling or motivation that is really up to you.  Do you want to obey God?  What if you don't?  What if you feel like you have no genuine desire or motivation to obey?  Well what if you did?  What would you do if you did have motivation to obey God?  DO THAT!  C.S. Lewis makes that point very well in a quote from  "Mere Christianity."

“Do not waste time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him.”

In whatever situation you are in, there are two issues alone:
1.  Will you completely place your trust in God as your Creator and Savior right now?
2.  Will you do what you know deep in your heart and conscience God requires of you?

You can do these two things with the strength you have.  You need no more strength for these two things.  If you did, then you have the strength to ask God.  If you didn't have the strength even to ask for the strength you don't have, then God would have acted for you already.  He will not leave the weak and helpless without strength or help.  But He will require you to use the strength that you have to the extent that you can.

May you go in the strength that you have, wherever God's Spirit leads you.