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#1510 0410 11A In our natural state of mind, we cannot depend on God at all—He is left entirely out of our calculations. The attitude we all began life with, and which wants to stay with us, can count only on what we have on hand, or what we can see with our eyes. That mind-set follows us far into the Christian walk, but thanks to God, He has a plan to follow whereby we will always reckon on Him. Satan often uses this tendency we have of allowing the carnal mind to control, to accuse us and have us focus on our weaknesses. God, however, does not accuse or condemn us, but shows us and helps us to place all our faith and dependence on His power. We can always count on God—Philippians 4:13 ”I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” We should not fear anything with His Holy Spirit leading us, because we can always count on God to guide us correctly. Philip and An-drew could only see five loaves and two fish, but Jesus demonstrated what God can do with a little, when we count on Him. The Lord opened their spiritual eyes to see, and they learned through His teaching, that they were to always reckon on God in every situation. They did not remain five-loaves and two-fish Christ-ians—but 500-loaves and 200-fish Christians. Anyone can learn that God is everything, and He can be counted on to supply anything, no matter what we see, or how little money we have on hand. We should not reckon on seen things, but on the unseen God who is able to inspire us to see way beyond our natural vision. When we come to that place, we will begin to spend our money more freely, because we can always count on God to supply what is needed when it is needed. Our faith will be gauged by what God can do—not what we have on hand. The little we have is nothing compared to what God can give—when we count on Him. 2 Corinthians 5:7, ”We live by faith, not by sight.” We are not to depend on what we have; the amount we see; how we feel; or on any past experience. We are not to gauge our expenditures on what we expect to receive from natural sources, but to base our hopes on what God has promised. We are to always base our hopes on what God can do for us—spiritually, physically, financially, and with everything where we are compelled to rely on some one or some thing. If we count on God in faith, we begin to prosper—having needs supplied; enjoying good health; and being blessed with inner peace. We are not to count on our own ability for anything, nor complain if we have a lack of something. If we are hungry, and complain about not having any food, we just make the condition worse—complaining does not satisfy our hunger. God expects nothing from us, so we should not be discouraged if our knowledge of Him is lacking. Everything we receive must come from God—first, last, and all the time. Any spiritual light we have, and the all ability to trust on God comes from Him—we cannot obtain those things ourselves. Once we decide to get spiritual light from God, we will have all the spiritual knowledge we need. John 3:27, “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.” Our spiritual vision must be opened by the Spirit of God. We cannot see one divine principle of truth, unless God gives us divine understanding. If we applied for a job position and told the owner that we knew absolutely nothing about the work, we would have little chance of being hired. If we tell God that we know absolutely nothing about Him, He says, we are just the person He is looking for. That is the difference between human ways and divine ways. Our greatest possibility with God is our total lack of our own ability. The less we know, the more God can give from above. John 6:44 "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” God gives us the power to do everything—especially the ability to come to Him and learn spiritual lessons from Him. God does not expect us to do anything in our own strength, because He supplies what is needed—even supplying the Scriptures that reveal God’s Truth. John 6:45 ”It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.” We cannot come to Jesus unless the Father has enabled us to do it. We began life spiritually deaf, mute, and blind. A person who cannot see, cannot hear, nor speak would not be able to do much of anything. 1 Corinthians 2:9 ”As it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’" That is our natural state. 10-12 ”But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? “Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God,” [which enables us to count on God] that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” Satan wants to keep us deaf, mute, and blind; and if we listen to him, we hinder the spiritual light God wants to give us. The Holy Spirit is waiting to reveal the truths of His Word to us; to show us any hindrance; to enable our healing; and to give us every other good gift of the Father. They rightfully belong to us. We can have all the finances we need and even a surplus; all the peace needed to enjoy the Christian life; good health and strength to do things; and any answer to prayer needed—everything is ours, for we are His child. Romans 8:17 ”If we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.”
As we meditate on the Word, the Holy Many so-called Christians plan by human possibilities—striving to make ends meet; earning a little here and a little there; investing in this or that; taking a chance on a lottery ticket; accumulating some money however possible; and keeping a close eye on every cent they earn. That carnal attitude can follow us far into the Christian life. The widow in Zarephath could have said; A perfect stranger is asking me for the little I have left. I would be very foolish to give him the last few things I have to make a meal. I will tell him that this meager amount of flour and oil is for my son and I to eat our last meal. 1 Kings 17:13 “Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.” What a test that was! It would be a real step of faith, but the request was from God—she had His Word on it. 1 Kings 17:14 ”For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.’" He is saying; Do not think about the few ingredients you have, but only about the privilege you have of counting on Me to provide what I have for you—many times more. You will not have a few hours to live, but many years to enjoy. The woman changed her thinking, which proved God’s faithfulness. Spiritual, physical, and financial blessings followed that decision of being willing to count on God in faith, for what He had promised in His Word. Counting on God enables us to bear spiritual fruit. John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” Bringing forth fruit is not an option, but a must. 6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” If you cut a limb from a peace tree, no one would expect the branch to bear fruit by itself. If the limb were grafted into the vine, then we could expect something of the branch. God does not expect us to bear any fruit until we are grafted into the True Vine; the Great Vine—then we will produce fruit because ”without Me you can do nothing.” The devil tries to have us think we can do something apart from Jesus; that there is some good in us; a little merit of our own; or some ability to commend us to God by some outward actions we take. If we desire to learn in God’s school, He will enable us to learn that we are nothing, and He is everything. He says, Come right in; you are just the one I am looking for. He accepts us and gives us the first lesson—it is a preparatory course for those who are academically challenged. We are not to be discouraged if we do not know anything, or if there is no goodness in us, because He will do what needs to be done—in us. God has a plan just for us; He provides the Holy Spirit as the only the best Teacher will, explaining to us anything we need to understand. He wants us to see that, before He expects us to produce any fruit. The reason Jesus died on the cross, and why the Holy Spirit gives us this living Word, is that we might know how to walk by faith, and how to trust God for everything in life. When we realize that we know nothing, but God knows everything, then He will begin to work effectively to make us what He wants us to be. 2 Corinthians 5:17 ”Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Our part is to make the choice to count on God—He does the rest.
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