Living Like God Intended By Pete BriscoeSample

It's Time To Give Up

I have to admit that I'm one of those people that thinks the dishwasher is a miracle. —Clarence Thomas

There are two ways to split logs for a fire. One is the “character building” way (as countless fathers have told their sons), which is swinging an ax over your head until your arms fall off, slowly accumulating a small pile. It’s exhausting and back-breaking. The other is by using a motorized log splitter. You can do it four or five times faster and save yourself a lot of effort.

We forget that we have access to an amazing power in Christ through the Holy Spirit. It is miraculous, I daresay… easily the difference between an ax and a log splitter:

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12)

Think about this! This is not the time to try to explain away the clear meaning of His words. Jesus promises us that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to do anything and everything that the Father wants to accomplish through us. It’s not up to us to gird our loins and “git ‘er done.” The key is to allow the power of the Spirit to do it through us.

If you are tired of swinging an ax for God, working your hardest for Him (and if you think you’ve already built enough character this way!), it’s time to give up. Quite frankly, He doesn’t need your help anyway. God’s design is a walk of faith, not works. Faith in Jesus opens up a new way of obedience, where we are empowered by His Spirit in us, as we allow Him to work through us.

Lord Jesus, I believe that I have access to amazing power through Your Spirit within me. I’m tired of trying to do this in my own strength for You. I want to be used for Your glory, but I want to do so in Your strength through me alone. Thanks.

Get more teaching from Pete with a daily devotion in your inbox!

Reflection:

1. How is Jesus the perfect model of living the way God intended?
2. What is the relationship between dependence and obedience in the life of a believer?
3. Why can genuine, Spirit-empowered obedience be considered joyful instead of a killjoy?