I Can’t Do It By Myself
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:3 NIV
“We pay homage to humility while discarding constant dependence on the Master.” – John Wimber
Over the course of my life I have fought to climb out of the financial, spiritual, and physical poverty I grew up around. I read all the books, tried to work hard, build businesses, etc. I used all of my personal strength to attempt the social climb. All of this trying to lift myself up seemed to only make the hole bigger. And Bigger. And in my mind I would get so close to breaking free and then, right back in the hole. Unfortunately this process repeated itself a few times.
Each time I laid wasted before Jesus completely at the end of myself only to find this is the place He seemed to prefer me. Or at least I thought. It wasn’t that He wanted me financially ruined, lacking any self-confidence, and without hope for a future. What He was waiting for was a change in perspective. The revelation – I needed to begin to live from the awareness of my great need for Him!
The delusion that lies behind a great deal of human disaster: the myth that we are self-made and self-raised. – Jesus Manifesto
Sure I did my best to project humility, all while working as hard as I could to “make it” in this world. But I truly had discarded my constant dependance on Jesus Christ as my only hope. I was occupied with personal achievement and not Jesus Christ.
To begin His “Sermon on the Mount” Jesus throws down a real mind bender. “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.” Being at the end of your rope is not typically considered a good place to be. But, the end of me is the beginning of the Kingdom of Heaven in me!! Not just a helping hand, no, the entire resource of our great God.
Jesus told His disciples in John 16:15, “all that is the Fathers is mine also.” ALL OF IT!! “I am going to deliver it to you through the Holy Spirit!” In essence He reiterates His sermon from the mount…”Yours is the Kingdom of Heaven!”
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” – Jesus – John 15:5 NIV
When we enter into the Kingdom we are experiencing Christ, everything He is and does. The Holy Spirit in me, is Jesus and His rule and reign in me, which means the Kingdom of God is working in me and through me! Wow! Now I am feeling super blessed!!!
We do not live from within but from beyond; we do not live out of ourselves, but beyond ourselves. – Jesus Manifesto
In essence Jesus started this famous sermon with the simple good news gospel. When it is no longer me trying to do everything, I can open myself up to receive Jesus Christ, heaven’s intervention in my personal life and the circumstances I face. I am not failing!! I am receiving something so much bigger than I could ever bring about on my own.
I have been asked what my approach to leading Mainspring Church will be. Of course I wrestle with wanting to be seen as a good leader, trustworthy and capable. But, ultimately, I am following my leader Jesus, who is leading me to the Cave Creek, AZ area to join with Him in the work He wants to do. He isn’t asking me to be a great leader, He is asking me to be a great follower and to help others know how to follow Him.
The Gospel is the good news that it is no longer I who have to live big, but Christ who lives big in me.