Have You Tried Everything? Are You Focusing On The Mountain In Front Of You?
God moved in David the shepherd boy to kill Goliath when all hope of the flesh was gone, i.e., Israel’s army was exasperated, not being able to find a way to defeat Goliath.
When Daniel had no hope of delivering himself from the den of lions by means of his strength and ability, God moved, and kept the mouths of the lions closed.
When Abraham had done all that his flesh could do, in trying to bring about God’s promise of an heir, i.e., taking Hagar to wife to have a son (which son was refused by God as an heir to His promises to Abraham). When Abraham’s flesh had waxed old and there was no more hope from his own effort in obtaining this promise of an heir; then God moved upon his aged flesh to give him the heir (Isaac) through Sarah.
God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, and when there was no way to be pleasing to God without sacrificing his son, when all hope that he might save his son from being sacrificed was gone; then, God moved and stopped the sacrifice, providing an animal to sacrifice in Isaac’s place.
When there was nothing more that Joseph could do in Egypt in an effort to have some sort of freedom; when he was held in prison as a slave to other prisoners, with no more hope of his flesh being able to deliver himself from bondage: God moved, and made him the second greatest man of power in Egypt.
When the Israelites found themselves slaves in Egypt, with not one single thing they could do to deliver themselves, their flesh being completely incapable of doing anything about it; then, God moved, and He delivered them from Pharaoh’s hand.
When the Israelites found their backs up against the Red Sea; when they could see no way of delivering themselves from the chariots and swords of Pharaoh’s army; God moved, and opened up the Red Sea so they could cross over and God destroyed Pharaoh’s army in the waters of the sea.
When Samson was between the pillars at the Philistine celebration; with his eyes blinded, with his strength taken away: Samson stood with no hope of doing anything against the Philistines by the use of his own strength; then, God moved, and gave Samson strength to again kill many of the Philistine enemies.
When Rahab’s back was to the wall, knowing that Israel would destroy her city and the people therein: when she realized that there was nothing within her own strength that she could do to deliver herself and her family; God moved, giving her opportunity to save the spies, and therefore God saved her and her family.
In 2 Chronicles 20 we read that the children of Moab, the children of Ammon, and the Ammonites joined together to come against Jehoshaphat.
When Jehoshaphat saw the multitude coming against them he realized that Israelhad no capacity or ability to defeat the huge coming army.
Verse 4 says that Judah gathered together to ask help of the Lord.
With their backs to the wall, with no way to deliver themselves; God moved, and delivered them without their even lifting one sword to fight.
When Paul and Silas preached in Philippi; the magistrates had them put in prison, where the jailor made their feet fast in stocks. With Paul and Silas being in a position where they could do nothing by their own strength, they sang praises; and, God moved. God moved and caused an earthquake that shook the prison, opening the doors and loosing the shakels from off Paul and Silas.
In Luke 9:23, Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself…”
There is a good reason why Jesus said this: It is the fact that self provides us with nothing, as far as victory is concerned. Self leaves us stranded with no way to be delivered, with our backs to the wall, helpless, hopeless and lost.
The sooner a man realizes this and denies all that he can do by ‘self,’ the sooner God will move, and the sooner the man can trust in what Christ did for us on the Cross.
We must realize that just by the fact that we are born sinners; we are unable to do anything to save, sanctify i.e. separate us from sin, or deliver ourselves from the curse of the Law (Gal. 3:13), and from sin, death, and hell.
And when we finally give up on trying to do these things by the use of self, then the Lord can move in our lives. The next part of Luke 9:23 says, “…and take up his cross daily…” The cross that brings salvation (the Cross of Christ), deliverance, and sanctification i.e. separation from sin, cannot be taken up until self is laid down. And to the extent that we pick up self, to that same extent are we laying down the victory won by Christ atCalvary.
The only way to God is through Jesus Christ, the only way to Jesus Christ is through what He accomplished on the Cross, and the only way to what He accomplished on the Cross, is by a denial of self.
In 2 Corinthians 11:30 Paul said, “If I must need glory, I will glory of the things which concern my infirmities.”
In 2 Corinthians 12:10 Paul says, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions in distresses for Christ sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
God revealed the secret to Paul: that when his back was to the wall, when his strength to help himself was gone; then God would move, for when Paul was weak, then God could be strong in him.
And so will God be strong in us when our back is to the wall and when all hope of self delivering self is gone, then can we finally trust in Christ and all He did for us on the Cross. Then; will God move.
The only way to God is through Jesus Christ, the only way to Jesus Christ is through what He did on the Cross, the only way to what Christ did on the Cross, is a denial of self.
May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you,
Dennis
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