The first waypoint toward victory is the
admission that we, of ourselves, are incapable of making it.
"... these things" comprise a life hidden in CHRIST
with GOD; "For
in HIM we live, and move, and have our being; ..."
they make up the heart and soul of our
Christian lives. The disciples who ate, slept, walked with,
and ministered alongside the LORD for three plus years; were
informed by HIM, just prior to the crucifixion, that:
"... without ME ye can
do nothing." Taking HIS
assessment at face value, our self-sufficient paradigm, so
prevalent in Christendom today, seems mighty presumptuous of
us. The self help stigma of the world has been adopted in large
by the Church; and committee rooms now replace mourners
benches. Our clever ingenuity born in padded chairs, is dying
for what can only be gained by a call from our knees:
"And this is the
confidence that we have in HIM, that, if we ask any thing
according to HIS will, HE heareth us:"
We are given to be those who:
"... worship GOD in the
spirit, and rejoice in CHRIST JESUS, and have no confidence in
the flesh." ... thus any resort
to self, is tantamount to being unequally yoked with our old man
of unbelief.
"For the flesh lusteth
against the SPIRIT, and the SPIRIT against the flesh: and these
are contrary the one to the other ..." And
there it is where many find themselves mired in the quandary Paul
described to the believers of Galatia.
"JESUS
stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto
ME, and drink. He that believeth on ME, as the scripture hath
said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
The internal drilling we see on such a grand scale among
believers, is producing gas wells of pride; but bone dry
regarding any semblance of living water. The key to
sufficiency is
the source of it!
"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing
as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of GOD"
The great apostle tapped into the SOURCE,
and determined to be an aqueduct of HIS saving grace to others:
"I have planted,
Apollos watered; but GOD gave the increase."
... in doing so, he found HIS sufficiency
to suffice unto death.
"For I am now
ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have
kept the faith"