Piggybacking off of the previous article, NOT OUR WILL, BUT HIS WILL, when we align ourselves with the will of God, aka God’s desires, then we place ourselves in the position to be used by Him as His vessel to bring glory to the name of Jesus. And this is something that we should be about as followers of Jesus Christ. But as we live out a life of faith, is God going to be pleased with the notion that we “tried” to do His will or does He expect us to simply “do” His will?
We live in a society, at least here in the United States, that in some cases could be classified as a “try” society. How many times do we hear from other professing believers that they’re trying to live a holy and righteous life unto God and yet we come to discover that there is some vice or unrepentant sin that is still running rampant in our alleged life of faith? It may be the case in our own lives. Yet when we read the Bible, we don’t see the word try when it comes to obeying, following and believing the Lord. The issue that we can not ignore or deny is that if God desires us to do something, He expects us to do it.
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
(Hebrews 11:8 - NIV)
Faith isn’t just about acknowledging that God exists or even just that Jesus died on a cross and rose again. A true faith has works (fruits) that give evidence to it being an authentic and biblical faith. This is why Abraham is acknowledged in Hebrews 11 as having faith because that faith resulted in obedience of heeding God’s call and leaving his homeland even though he had no idea where he was going. The scriptures do not say that he tried to leave his homeland. He left his homeland.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we expected to do. We are expected to be overcomers, be victorious and accomplish the things that God wants us to accomplish in this life. Let’s survey a few verses in the gospels and see if the word “try” appears anywhere in the texts:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
(Matthew 7:21 - KJV)
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
(Matthew 12:50 - KJV)
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
(Luke 6:46-49 - KJV)
Do we see the word “try” anywhere in these portions of scriptures? We will not find such a word. We are responsible to God and our Lord Jesus Christ to do what He says. And perhaps the reason why we aren’t “doing” is because we are trying to do by our own efforts, our own wisdom and our own strength. It doesn’t work that way with Jesus. Remember that through the Holy Spirit, God will do His work in us. We are not expected to do the work ourselves. Consider why Peter was able to give such a great message in Acts 2:
but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
(Acts 1:8 - NASB)
And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
(Acts 2:2-4 - NASB)
What happened in the Book of Acts was not the result of Peter and the other disciples conjuring up the courage and wisdom to be able to do what they did. It was God at work in them through His Spirit, the same Spirit that is working in us. The reason why we read about what Peter and the other disciples did in the Book of Acts is because they were vessels that the Holy Spirit was able to work through, not because they went out on their own accord and conjured up miracles. Are you trying to conjure up things in your life that was only meant to be accomplished by the work of the Lord in you?
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
(Ezekiel 36:26-27 - KJV)
If there is one thing that we should get from this article, it is that we need to stop trying and let the Lord work. Verse 27 above points out that God is the one who will not only put His Spirit within us but will also “cause” us to obey His commands, keep His judgments and “do” them. Remember that we are not the co-potter, we are clay. We are not the co-shepherd, we are the sheep. We are not the co-maker of the vessel, we are the vessels. And in all 3 examples, it’s the potter that molds the clay, the shepherd that leads the sheep and the maker of the vessel that puts the vessel to use. The clay doesn’t mold itself, the sheep don’t lead themselves and the vessels don’t put themselves to use.
Isn’t this good news? There isn’t anything that we need to conjure up and do for God. We just simply need to be His clay, His sheep and His vessels and He will do the work through us. We have the examples of the believers of the early church, which did all of what they did for the kingdom because of the Holy Spirit’s work through them. This is the key. So when I or anybody else says that we as believers need to live holy and upright lives, it isn’t us who are able to do so, but it is God’s work in us that makes it so. And so we look as if we are doing it, but in reality, it is God’s workmanship.
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
(Hebrews 4:10 - KJV)
It’s time for us to take a rest from our own works and allow Christ to do His work through us. In my own life, I can tell you that when I got this principle and moved myself out of God’s way, that was then He was able to work and my life began to reflect more of what He desires from me. We have to humble ourselves and yield to Him. This is what it means to be living sacrifices and a person who takes up his or her cross every day.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers,a by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
(Romans 12:1 - ESV)
If we simply present ourselves as vessels to the Lord to which He can do as He pleases, He will take care of the rest. But we have to surrender control and we have to surrender our sense of ownership over this life and become of service to Him. Then we will have victory and then the “tries” will turn into “do’s.”
We may look at Peter, Paul, John, James and the rest as if they were spiritual superstars and extraordinary men but this wasn’t the case. They were ordinary men who allowed an Extraordinary God do His will through them. They weren’t spiritual superstars but the Holy Spirit had full access within them. We can be the same as Peter, Paul, John and James and we must in order to bear a good witness to Jesus Christ. The world continues to see professing believers bearing the same resemblance as them instead of seeing something different. And if we’re wondering why more people are not turning to Jesus Christ in these days, we should perhaps look within:
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
(Hebrews 12:14 - KJV)
Holiness means that we’re living the life, separated from the ways of the world, that God has called us to. It is through this holiness that people are supposed to notice that there is something different about us and will see God’s presence in us. But if we, as professing believers in Jesus, aren’t any different than the unbelievers of the world, what is going to attract them to the Lord.
The responsibility that we have to do isn’t just for our sakes but it also for the sake of the name of Jesus and for others to be able to see God’s work in our lives. But the way to get there is to stop working and put yourself out of the way in order to let God work. And if we do that, there will be a difference.
We live in a society, at least here in the United States, that in some cases could be classified as a “try” society. How many times do we hear from other professing believers that they’re trying to live a holy and righteous life unto God and yet we come to discover that there is some vice or unrepentant sin that is still running rampant in our alleged life of faith? It may be the case in our own lives. Yet when we read the Bible, we don’t see the word try when it comes to obeying, following and believing the Lord. The issue that we can not ignore or deny is that if God desires us to do something, He expects us to do it.
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
(Hebrews 11:8 -
As followers of Jesus Christ, we expected to do. We are expected to be overcomers, be victorious and accomplish the things that God wants us to accomplish in this life. Let’s survey a few verses in the gospels and see if the word “try” appears anywhere in the texts:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
(Matthew 7:21 -
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
(Matthew 12:50 -
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
(Luke 6:46-
Do we see the word “try” anywhere in these portions of scriptures? We will not find such a word. We are responsible to God and our Lord Jesus Christ to do what He says. And perhaps the reason why we aren’t “doing” is because we are trying to do by our own efforts, our own wisdom and our own strength. It doesn’t work that way with Jesus. Remember that through the Holy Spirit, God will do His work in us. We are not expected to do the work ourselves. Consider why Peter was able to give such a great message in Acts 2:
but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
(Acts 1:8 -
And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
(Acts 2:2-
What happened in the Book of Acts was not the result of Peter and the other disciples conjuring up the courage and wisdom to be able to do what they did. It was God at work in them through His Spirit, the same Spirit that is working in us. The reason why we read about what Peter and the other disciples did in the Book of Acts is because they were vessels that the Holy Spirit was able to work through, not because they went out on their own accord and conjured up miracles. Are you trying to conjure up things in your life that was only meant to be accomplished by the work of the Lord in you?
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
(Ezekiel 36:26-
Isn’t this good news? There isn’t anything that we need to conjure up and do for God. We just simply need to be His clay, His sheep and His vessels and He will do the work through us. We have the examples of the believers of the early church, which did all of what they did for the kingdom because of the Holy Spirit’s work through them. This is the key. So when I or anybody else says that we as believers need to live holy and upright lives, it isn’t us who are able to do so, but it is God’s work in us that makes it so. And so we look as if we are doing it, but in reality, it is God’s workmanship.
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
(Hebrews 4:10 -
It’s time for us to take a rest from our own works and allow Christ to do His work through us. In my own life, I can tell you that when I got this principle and moved myself out of God’s way, that was then He was able to work and my life began to reflect more of what He desires from me. We have to humble ourselves and yield to Him. This is what it means to be living sacrifices and a person who takes up his or her cross every day.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers,a by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
(Romans 12:1 -
If we simply present ourselves as vessels to the Lord to which He can do as He pleases, He will take care of the rest. But we have to surrender control and we have to surrender our sense of ownership over this life and become of service to Him. Then we will have victory and then the “tries” will turn into “do’s.”
We may look at Peter, Paul, John, James and the rest as if they were spiritual superstars and extraordinary men but this wasn’t the case. They were ordinary men who allowed an Extraordinary God do His will through them. They weren’t spiritual superstars but the Holy Spirit had full access within them. We can be the same as Peter, Paul, John and James and we must in order to bear a good witness to Jesus Christ. The world continues to see professing believers bearing the same resemblance as them instead of seeing something different. And if we’re wondering why more people are not turning to Jesus Christ in these days, we should perhaps look within:
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
(Hebrews 12:14 -
Holiness means that we’re living the life, separated from the ways of the world, that God has called us to. It is through this holiness that people are supposed to notice that there is something different about us and will see God’s presence in us. But if we, as professing believers in Jesus, aren’t any different than the unbelievers of the world, what is going to attract them to the Lord.
The responsibility that we have to do isn’t just for our sakes but it also for the sake of the name of Jesus and for others to be able to see God’s work in our lives. But the way to get there is to stop working and put yourself out of the way in order to let God work. And if we do that, there will be a difference.
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