1st key in allowing God to have full potential for Him to Work in your life is to surrender.
>Surrender
Ephesians 6:12
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
“Against”
– In a war there is an opposing force that is trying to win as much as you are.
Every soldier in war was to carry a white handkerchief or a white material in case they were ever in a situation that they could not get out of.
– When was the last time you were in a situation that you couldn’t get out of? Did you win by yourself?
– We are the only soldiers who win by losing, by giving up, by raising our hands and saying “I can’t do this”
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Genesis 4: 3-7
“In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
– “It’s not what we surrender but it”s how we bring it to Him.”
We are beginning to see the effects of sin in the earliest days of the human race. God is warning Cain that if he does not surrender the right kind of offering there will be a desire that will be waiting for him.
> Abel chose the right sacrifice, a living, breathing animal to God.
As we all know at this time of human life, a living sacrifice was not yet demanded. But as we look closer into what Abel and Cain brought to God, there begins to be more about it than what meets the eye. For instance, Abel brought to the Lord an animal. Think of the times if you have ever had a pet or had lived on a farm or better yet if you have had neither of these experiences in your life of raising an animal or having a pet. Just go back to that time and try to put yourself in Abel’s shoes. Where your animals were precious; it wasn’t like today’s society of where you could go to a grocery store and purchase what you want.
{He took what he didn’t want to kill.}
Hebrews 11:4
“By faith Abel offered up a more excellent sacrifice than Cain”
It’s not easy surrendering what we think is precious or the pet sin that God tries to shake out of our life, it’s only by human instinct to keep what we don’t need. Sometimes we give up and let God have it, and most times we don’t. God instructs us that “we must rule over it.” But how?
– Cain shortly finds out that the sacrifice was not what was brought, but how it was brought.
> Cain chose the easy route, produce. It’s clear that this was an “easy” sacrifice to God but as we read on, Cain soon finds out…
“God was looking on the heart the attitude of the worshiper-rather than at the specifics of his offering. Even in worship man is capable of deviant behavior and attitudes.” – “Preacher’s Commentary”
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– We have a responsibility to learn to depend on Him. As we grow older we are to mature in Christ.
So…
1] where does your help come from?
2 ] Is your sacrifice given to God, is it by faith?
2 ] Who is it that is strengthening you?
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
It is when we rely on self for the strength when we fall out-of-place and that the potential is clouded with obstacles.
Mark 12:41-44
And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
God is wanting us to depend on Him more and more, as these year’s pass there will be tribulations on this Earth. The sooner we learn to give what needs to be given the more we will understand the promise of God.
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