Several times in the Gospels it says that Jesus felt compassion for the people and was moved to minister to them out of that compassion- He fed the hungry, healed the sick, taught those lacking understanding, and raised those who had died. My prayer is that the Lord would release that type of compassion in our hearts, both for our brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as for the world around us.In Romans 8:11 it says that, "the Spirit who raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwells in (us)." We carry about within ourselves the resurrected power of Jesus Christ. That same power that enabled Jesus to feed thousands, heal the blind and deaf, and raise people from the dead, is available to us today. You may feel that you are pretty weak and totally insufficient for such mighty works of God. Paul felt the same way as he prayed and asked God to remove from him what the Bible calls "a thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor 12:7). Many believe that thorn was a physical affliction. Even after Paul cried out to God repeatedly for healing or deliverance, God did not remove it. However, God did say this to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you because power is perfected in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9). In other words, God was saying to Paul that God's strength was greatest when Paul was at his weakest.
No matter how great or small you are, no matter how difficult your life situation might be, if you know Jesus Christ, the resurrected life of God is alive within you. It is this resurrected life, not your own strength or wisdom, that can accomplish much for God.
As John the Baptist said, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (Jn 3:30). May we not look at ourselves in the natural and therefore limit what we can accomplish through the power of God that is alive within us. Our flesh may have limits, our abilities may be small, but God is big and powerful.
May we get out of the way, put our unbelief aside, and believe in the greatness of God to do and accomplish great things through us. God's ability to use and move through us is unlimited.
Believe it!
Very inspiring, while motivating us as God's chosen people to rise up and allow the flaming fire of God's life to manifest itself in us and through us. The world is waiting for the Servants of the Lord to rise up and take our rightful place in Hid Kingdom: as Servant Leaders. Good Word, Pastor Gary!!
ReplyDelete"But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty."
1 Corinthians 1:27