Untitled Sermon (4)

Powerlessness into Humility

There’s a spiritual principles that we seldom have ever talked about and that principle is powerlessness. The early theologians up until the mid 1900s referred to as impotence .Can somebody give me an example of something that we’re powerless over? Paul uses something as important as Sharing the gospel. Let’s look at Pauls testimony about that in 2 Corinthians 2:14–3:6 “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.3:1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you?2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all.3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

Paul talks about sufficiency in this passage. Who is enough in and of himself ? Who has the power, it’s not us . Chapter 3 verse 5 in MacArthur’s notes he writes; “Paul disdained his own ability to reason, judge, or assess truth. Left to his own abilities, he was useless. He was dependent on divine revelation and the Holy Spirit’s power. “Our sufficiency is from God” only God can make a person adequate to do his work and Paul realized that truth. As we too must come to understand if we are to live effective Christian lives.

I was sitting and meditating on the scripture that we just read and chapter 3 verses 1- 4 jumped out at me. it’s not about what we think or say but what what is being done through us . It’s how Christ through the Holy Spirit is transforming our hearts. It’s the manifestation of his presence in us. I’m gonna start using this as one of the passages when talking with the guys in the prison. They’re always looking for letters of recommendation or certificates for the parole board. And, I always tell them that the parole board doesn’t want to see letters they want to see a change, change in their hearts and lives . I’m gonna bring to them the same light I’m sharing right now. That what Christ wants to see in us, is His Life living and working through us. Not lip service, not letters written by men, But what the Holy Spirit is writing on our hearts . As in 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

I reckon I may have chased a squirrel on that one. But, it brought me to some more scripture that affirms that our strength is not in us, we are Powerless, it comes from our Holy Trinity:

Titus 3:5 “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit 2 Timothy 1:7 “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” John 16:13 “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””

That power is not my own. That power is God in me. Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

As I was thinking about powerlessness another passage coming to mind that we’re all familiar with, that was Romans 7. In Romans 7:18–19 Paul states his powerlessness... “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” For verses 6 through 24 of this chapter the Holy Spirit does not occur once nor does the name of Christ .However the little words I me and my occur more than 40 times. I’m certainly grateful for the way it ends with the solution : Romans 7:24–25 “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”

Even when I look at the full armor of God in Ephesians 6 I’ve got to realize that there is no part of the armor that comes from within me, all of the pieces of the armor are from God… All I can do is be willing to fit myself with the knowledge and understanding of scripture and know His Spiritual truths to use to discern spiritual truth from the devils lies.. Then stand ready and alert for any assault or tricks from the enemy... Psalm 119:11 “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”... And when they come, I can resist them and turn them over to God to be defeated. Then stand firm in my confidence in Gods Power Ephesians 6:10–18 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation,17 and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert…” I’m reminded of Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Another example I want to use Paul gives us in second Corinthians chapter 12 where he talks about his thorn in the flesh. 2 Corinthians 12:7–10 “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” ——When the disciples were arguing amongst himself who was gonna be greatest Jesus told them the least of you will be the greatest; Matthew 23:11–12 “The greatest among you shall be your servant.12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Being powerless is not a bad thing when we realize that we have the Holy Spirit in us, who has all power. I’ve got to continually remember that none of this comes from my-”self”. It helps me to stay right sized and humble. Now there’s a word that nobody wants to talk about. Let’s go back to what Paul said in Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”—- Then let’s listen to some of the words that Jesus used describing His relationship to the Father notice how he uses the words not and nothing about himself .

John 5:19 “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”

John 5:30 ““I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

John 5:41 “I do not receive glory from people.”

John 6:38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

John 7:16 “So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.”

John 7:28 “So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know.”

John 8:42 “Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.”

John 8:50 “Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge.”

John 14:10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.”

John 14:24 “Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.”

These verses show us the essence of Jesus life and work. They tell us how the almighty God was able to work his mighty redemptive work through Jesus .They also give us an example of what Jesus counted to be the “Nature of a Heart” which was appropriate for Him as the Son of the Father. Which in turn is to be the nature of our hearts and our relationship with Jesus .

I’m gonna wrap all this up by going to John 15:1–11 ““I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” —— And yet with all that we “are not” because of His love His mercy and grace we are everything in the Father’s eyes because of Jesus, Who Loved us and gave Himself for us....And all They wants from us is for us to talk to Them, to love Themm and accept Them for Who and What They are and abide in Their Love ...