April
23
Although He was weak when He was nailed to
the cross, He now lives by the power of God. We are weak, just as Christ was.
But you will see that we will live by the power of God, just as Christ does (2
Corinthians 13:4 CEV).
One of the most damaging things in the
realm of God's work, a thing which eventually leads to shame and confusion and
much sorrow, is Natural Soul Force projected by strong-willed, determined,
aggressive Christians who have not come to a spiritual state where they are
able to discriminate between stubborn indomitableness, personal determination
and resolution, and which is altogether another thing: spiritual grace in
endurance, perseverance, and Divine in-strengthening. The Lord has often to
break the former to make place for the latter. Do not talk about Paul's
wonderful will to go through. Let Paul talk to you about the Lord's wonderful
grace to continue.
Whenever a man or a woman really
recognizing the truth that Calvary means the end of "I" commits
himself or herself to the Lord to work it out, the flame of the sword will come
round to the point where that "flesh" would seek to enter into the
realm where the first Adam no longer has any standing. The features of a
personal strength of will are hardness, coldness, death, resentment of
interference, suspicion of rivals, intolerance of obstructers, detachment,
independence, secretiveness, heat, etc. While spiritual strength is always
marked by love, warmth, life, fellowship, openness, confidence, and trust in
the Lord.... At the end, in the Revelation, the dragon, the whole power of
Satan is overthrown by the Lamb. The Lamb is the synonym for weakness and
yieldingness. If the weakness of God can do this mighty destruction, what can
His strength not do? Paul says of Christ that "He was crucified through
weakness," and, he adds, "we also are weak with Him." Yes, but
he also says, "by the Cross He triumphed." Triumphed through
weakness!
By T. Austin-Sparks
from: "The Flame of
a Sword"
This photograph is by Liz Burnell.
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