The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit . . . —Romans 8:16
Why doesn’t God reveal Himself to you? He cannot. It is not that He will not, but He cannot, because you are in the way as long as you won’t abandon yourself to Him in total surrender. Yet once you do, immediately God witnesses to Himself—He cannot witness to you, but He instantly witnesses to His own nature in you. If you received the witness of the Spirit before the reality and truth that comes from obedience, it would simply result in sentimental emotion. But when you act on the basis of redemption, and stop the disrespectfulness of debating with God, He immediately gives His witness. As soon as you abandon your own reasoning and arguing, God witnesses to what He has done, and you are amazed at your total disrespect in having kept Him waiting. If you are debating as to whether or not God can deliver from sin, then either let Him do it or tell Him that He cannot. Do not quote this or that person to Him. Simply obey Matthew 11:28 , “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden . . . .” Come, if you are weary, and ask, if you know you are evil (see Luke 11:9-13).
The Spirit of God witnesses to the redemption of our Lord, and to nothing else. He cannot witness to our reason. We are inclined to mistake the simplicity that comes from our natural commonsense decisions for the witness of the Spirit, but the Spirit witnesses only to His own nature, and to the work of redemption, never to our reason. If we are trying to make Him witness to our reason, it is no wonder that we are in darkness and uncertainty. Throw it all overboard, trust in Him, and He will give you the witness of the Spirit.
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October 22, 2013
Journal for Today-JDV
Lord, when I read a devotional like this it makes me think that I am not capable of doing what it takes to be connected to You. Then it occurs to me, that You did it all, and I cannot add more. I cannot make myself more acceptable to You, even with obedience, study or prayer. I can only and simply surrender.
And God says…”It is easy to try and measure your standing with me by your works; study, prayer and obedience. But you have no standing with Me except the standing provided by Jesus; His sacrifice and your acceptance of that sacrifice. Study, obedience and prayer follow as a natural byproduct of your surrender. Trust in Me with all your heart and do not rely on your own devices, and I will make your paths straight. Delight yourself in the Lord and I will give you the desires of your heart.”
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