Why Are We Always Trying To Do God's Work?

• Printable Version - Share on Facebook - Posted by Pastor Marty Pena March 10, 2017 - Filed in Teachings - 1,553 views

  We need to stop trying to do God's work in ourself's and in the lives of others.

  I see a prominent issue and constant problem within the body of Christ in that many Christians are burning out, becoming discouraged and disappointed with themselves because they cannot live up to the standards which they place for themselves. Then self-loathing, self-rejection, self-hatred and even condemnation sets in which are all lies and deception that comes from the pit of hell. 

  You can subconsciously develop anger and personal hatred against yourself through the things that you struggle with that it becomes a deep-rooted satanic stronghold. The fact is NOBODY CAN LIVE THE LIFE OF CHRIST WHICH IS THE CHRISTIAN LIFE in the weakness of the sinful fallen flesh. You cannot be like Jesus through your own merits. Even our "GOOD WORKS" is appalling to God when we seek to draw attention to ourselves.

  Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.

  Now I want you to imagine the work of a potter. When a potter chooses a piece of fragile misformed clay and he puts it in front of himself on the potter's wheel. How dependent is that piece of clay on the hand of the potter to MOVE ON IT'S BEHALF through the genius of his skill to work change into it, to mold it into a useful strong and beautiful vessel? 100%. We are powerless to change ourselves. In fact we read about the work of the Spirit of God within the lives of His needy, sinful and broken children in Isaiah 61:-3 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me; because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the meek; He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint to them that mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

  Jesus Christ is not a legalistic butcher that cuts to kill you. He's a loving surgeon that cuts to heal you as He constantly works change and deliverance and healing and transformation into those who do what we read about in verse 7 of Isaiah 64 And there is none that calls on Your name, that stirs up himself to take hold of You.

  Psa 50:15 And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. 

  It's God's job to change you. It's your job to trust Him as you pursue a personal relationship with God. Ask Him constantly to draw you through the power of His Spirit and His love into His Presence. Ask the Holy Spirit every day to stir you up in your pursuit of a God who's deepest desire it is to capture the hearts of all of His children.

  Remember that Psalm 1 describes this walk and relationship through the growth of a tree. Realize that a tree must grow through seasons before we can expect to see the desired fruit thereon. It's in the Presence of God that we give Him the opportunity to love us into wholeness and fruitfulness.

  Psalm 18 should be the code by which we live beloved of God. We read - 3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies. 4 The sorrows of death surrounded me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 5 The sorrows of sheol surrounded me: the snares of death confronted me. 6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. 7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was angry. 8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. 10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. 11 He made darkness his secret place; his canopy round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. 12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, with hailstones and coals of fire. 13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. 14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and vanquished them. 15 Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were uncovered at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. 16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. 17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them who hated me: for they were too strong for me. 18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. 19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. 20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. 23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from my iniquity. 24 Therefore has the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. 25 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful; with an upright man you will show yourself upright; 26 With the pure you will show yourself pure; and with the devious you will show yourself shrewd. 27 For you will save the humble people; but will bring down haughty looks. 28 For you will light my lamp: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. 29 For by you I have advanced against a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. 30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is proven: he is a shield to all those that trust in him. 31 For who is God except the LORD? or who is a rock except our God? 32 It is God that girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect. 33 He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and sets me upon my high places. 34 He teaches my hands to make war, so that a bow of bronze is bent by my arms. 35 You have also given me the shield of your salvation: and your right hand has held me up, and your gentleness has made me great. 36 You have enlarged my path under me, that my feet did not slip. 37 I have pursued my enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. 38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. 39 For you have girded me with strength unto the battle: you have subdued under me those that rose up against me. 40 You have also given me the necks of my enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. 41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. 42 Then did I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. 43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; and you have made me the head of the nations: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. 44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the foreigners shall submit themselves unto me. 45 The foreigners shall fade away, and be frightened out of their fortresses. 46 The LORD lives; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. 47 It is God that avenges me, and subdues the people under me. 48 He delivers me from my enemies: yea, you lift me up above those that rise up against me: you have delivered me from the violent man. 49 Therefore will I give thanks unto you, O LORD, among the nations, and sing praises unto your name. 50 Great deliverance gives he to his king; and shows mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his descendants forevermore.

  Isaiah 64:1-10 Oh that You would rend the heavens, that You would come down, that the mountains might flow down at Your Presence, 2 As when the melting fire burns, the fire causes the waters to boil, to make Your name known to Your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Your Presence! 3 When You did terrible things which we looked not for, You came down, the mountains flowed down at Your Presence. 4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen, O God, beside You, what He has prepared for him that waits for Him. 5 You meet Him that rejoices and works righteousness, those that remember You in Your ways: behold, You are wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved. 6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 7 And there is none that calls on Your name, that stirs up himself to take hold of You: for You have hid Your face from us, and have consumed us, because of our iniquities. But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our Potter; and we all are the work of Your hand.

  Suggested prayer:

  Jesus, I forgive and release myself today from all religious performance and Holy Spirit by faith through God's work and operation in my life I throw myself upon the table of the loving potter. Yes, Father, I throw myself into You through Jesus Christ. Draw me - change me - heal- restore and deliver me and raise me up o God by Your Spirit's might and power to eventually walk as Jesus walked. Bring forth the fruits of righteousness within me Father as you cause me to grow and develop, in Jesus name I pray. Forgive me for trying to do what only You can do in me and help me, Father, o see myself through Your eyes of mercy, grace, and love. Also, help me to see others in the same way. Help me to be patient Father and to realize that God will indeed complete the good work that He started in me. Holy Father, I pray that You make me the person that You desire me to be and that You cause me as a vessel of honor to reflect Your glory so that others might also be drawn to You so that they, in turn, all yield themselves to the hand of the potter.