Isaiah Roman

Lord We Are Able?

A person comes to God with pride and prejudices. He comes in a condition where those things of his past are of no more use to him or have become insufficient. He needs something, he knows not what, but something or someone to help him. Many times a person is proud of his prejudices and preconceived notions. He thinks, it may be that it is the reason God has sought him out or received him.

The Lord will not tolerate our prejudices or preconceived ideas; He is directly opposed to everything that does not fit into his plan and puts them to death. The Christian is of no use until that takes place. It is called in scripture “mortification of the flesh. It is the flesh, believe it or not, that is at enmity with the Spirit of God.

He may tend to think that God has a special interest in his particular prejudices and preconceived ideas, and is certain that God will never deal with him as He must deal with others. He may even think, God has to deal with other people in a very strict way, they need it. Of course God knows that his prejudices are not serious even helpful.”

The scriptures teach us, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17). The Christian must learn a new way of walking, talking and thinking. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8). God will not force a person to do His will; however, the sinners will must be in subjection to God’s will. Until that takes place God can’t continue to teach His will to the Christian. Many wonder why God is silent at times; often it is because He has sent a message that has not been received or not put into practice. When that takes place God will not continue to send messages.

God works deliberately to remove all things that offend Him from us. It becomes a part of the Christian’s moral education to see his prejudices put to death by God’s providence to see how He does it. God is no respecter or persons; anything offensive we bring to Him He will cut away. It might be compared to “spiritual surgery.”

“The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

God requires of us unconditional surrender. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1 See also verse 2).

At the “new” birth the Holy Spirit begins to work His new creation and that presupposes a time when there is nothing remaining of the old life. Hopelessness and despair disappear, the old gloomy outlook disappears, as does the old attitude toward things, and “all things are of God” ( II Corinthians 5:18 ).

How does one achieve a life free of lust, self-interest, and is not sensitive to ridicule? How does he have the type of love that “is kind… is not provoked, [and] thinks no evil”? (1 Corinthians 13:4–5 ). The only way is by allowing nothing of the old life to remain, and by having only simple, perfect trust in God; such a trust that we no longer seek God’s blessings, but seek the God Himself who gives them.

God asked King Solomon “ask of me what you will” Solomon asked for wisdom. “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people” (I Kings 3:9)?

Since he asked God for wisdom, not wealth and power, God blessed Solomon with wisdom, wealth and much power.

When the Christian is willing to allow God to withdraw His blessings without trust in Him being affected; once God can be seen only through his mighty works, The Christian will never be concerned again about peripheral things that happen. When he is able to say, “it is enough for me that the Lord is God regardless of my circumstances“ he is actually trusting in the heavenly Father whom the world cannot see.

Should the Lord by His Spirit say to an individual today “now, ask of me what you will, I will give it;“ will he say, “all I ask is to serve You without condition, holding back no part of my entire existence?” Will he say that? Until he is able, he is conditionally available for service to God. It is not enough!