“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” [Luke 1:35]
THE LATE DR. ADRIAN ROGERS once challenged a large gathering with these words: “We have no right to be believed so long as we can be explained.”
Most of our lives are so very explainable, aren’t they? Why? Because we generally rely on natural, human efforts and energy, abilities and plans, programs and methods. What would happen if God’s people actually put their complete trust in His promises and laid hold of Him in prayer? What if we believed Him for the impossible—the reconciliation of marriages, the salvation of unbelieving friends and relatives, the spiritual transformation of wayward children, a fresh outpouring of His Spirit in genuine revival?
Don’t ever forget that God-sized tasks cannot be carried out apart from His power at work in and through us. Yes, you can share the gospel of Christ with your lost friends, but you cannot give them repentance and faith. You can provide a climate that is conducive to the spiritual growth of your children, but you cannot make them have a heart for God. You and I are totally dependent on Him to produce any fruit of eternal value.
And yet God specializes in the impossible—the unexplainable—so that when the victory is won and the task is complete, we cannot take any credit. Others know we didn’t do it, and we know we didn’t do it.
Our calling is impossible to fulfill, apart from the power of His Holy Spirit. As soon as we think we can handle it on our own, we become useless to Him. But as we are willing to get out of the way, let God take over, and allow Him to overshadow us, we will see Him do what only He can do, and those around us will be moved to believe.
What is there about your life that is unexplainable apart from the presence and power of God? What is He asking of you that you know you can’t do on your own? Thank Him for the enabling power of His Holy Spirit! [The Quiet Time]
