You ever feel like you’re just completely powerless?
I suppose that is a good place to be, since it is TRUE. We are completely powerless to change ourselves. It is the Lord alone who can cause us to change into His righteousness. Though I struggle and desire to be holy, I fail miserably on my own strength. It is only when I give up, and yield to the Holy Spirit that anything happens at all.
Take this for an example, I am about 35 pounds or more over weight. I allowed myself to be under condemnation for it for months. I couldn’t lose the weight. Instead, I ate MORE, and gained weight. I ate, because I was so frustrated that I was fat. (I know, makes no sense does it!) Except when we read this :”For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” Rom 7:19… and I am with Paul when he says “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” in verse 24. Yes who shall deliver me?? The Holy Spirit shall deliver me, for it is HE who works in me both to WILL and to DO. It is by HIS power that I can succeed, and in fact already have the victory.
Back to the example… I long to lose weight. I know that being this heavy is not God’s will for my body. He does not desire to see me hurting myself. He has put about ways that I can eat healthy and be healthy in my physical body. But my flesh is weak. I know what it is I ought to do, but I do it not. I tried to get more formulas, I tried to implement a workout routine,but I couldn’t even stick to that! And when I failed at exercising regularly, I ate! In fact nothing that I have done has allowed me to lose weight. Until this:
I gave up. I remembered these verses:
1. “[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Rom 8:1 Which I immediately put into practice, by refusing to beat myself up over it anymore.
2. “And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men [it is] impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27.
3. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.” Phil 2:13
Since it is God’s will that I be healthy, and since I cannot do anything on my own, but with the power of the Holy Spirit, all things are possible unto me, well… I just gave up, and told God that HE would have to change me from the inside out. DUH. Of course! So last week, all I did was pray. I prayed every time I wanted a snack. I prayed before I ate, that I would stop when I had had enough. I decided to listen to the Holy Spirit’s whispering,that still small voice that told me I didn’t need food, but that God was sufficient for me. That man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. That God would sustain me. And you know what else? It wasn’t even hard! The Lord was merciful unto me. He kept me from feeling hungry. He gave me strength, and will and caused me to do that which only a week before I was unable to do.
Last week I lost FIVE POUNDS!
Did I exercise? NO. Did I do anything in particular? NO. All I did was stand firm on the Word of the Lord. I allowed HIM to not only work in me to will to lose the weight, but to ACTUALLY do the steps and things needed to lose it.
The Holy Spirit within me gave me the victory, and will continue to do so, as long as I continue to yield, and to give up my futile attempts to perfect myself. I am powerless to change myself in anyway. It is by His power alone that I can change.
Thank You God! Thank you for the Holy Spirit. I even thank that Holy Spirit for working in me! All praise and honor belong to God alone!
Now, if I could just remember this in practice today! Since it would seem everything that could possibly annoy me IS! (screaming baby, whiny three year old, sewing machine not working right and I’m on a deadline, and even the HICCUPS!) But the Lord is in control, He knows, He hears my cries, and He is able to cause me both to will and to do His good pleasure. In this case it is to keep a good attitude, and to care for my children with gentleness. Praise God He has already won this victory!
Mrs. Meg Logan