Count on the Lord
by Ann Robinson-Worley
Have you ever been given an IMPOSSIBLE assignment?
It happens to all of us on our jobs lately because of the economy. Employers are wanting their employees to do the work of two or three employees but still pay them what they would pay one worker. Does this sound familiar to you? You are given a task that you have no ability on your own to accomplish.
As Christians we are given an impossible assignment from the Lord to become Christlike. God calls us to holiness.
This is an assignment that cannot be reached by our own self-effort. Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Mark 14:38 We really do not have the ability within ourselves to accomplish it. Unfortunately, there will be those who will not measure up to the criteria that the Lord is looking for.
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food;
I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.
“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Matt 25:31-44 I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ There are so many families in the United States that are suffering right now but I believe that if each and every one of us as Christians would do what we can to help them God will bring healing into our land. With the economy in this broken state we can make a difference if we will choose not to turn a blind eye and simply say God bless you and I will pray for you.
God never calls us to do something impossible without giving us the equipment to accomplish the assignment. Faithful is HE that has called you, who also will do it. 1 Thess 5:24 How will He do it ? Through the person of the Holy Spirit. Jesus knew that we would never be able to complete the assignment of being Christlike without the power of the Holy Spirit.
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Cor 10:13 The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment. 2 Peter 2:9
The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. The righteous cry, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: the Lord delivers them out of them all. Psalm 34:7,17-19 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jer 29:11
Jesus knew that we were going to need help so he commanded the disciples saying " I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:49 He knew that if we relied upon our strength and power we were not going to be able to fulfill and complete the assignment. He desired that we be clothed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:19-22
The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Rom 8:26-27
Without the help of the Holy Spirit we cannot expect to accomplish anything for the Lord. We need HIS power within us so we don't get worn out and burned out. There are many christians today who are doing their best to try and accomplish something for the Lord in their own strength and abilities. They don't realize that the mission can only be accomplished by those who are equipped for the job.
This equipping can only take place when you desire to receive HIM. He is the blessed third person of the trinity. He is a gentleman. He will not go where HE is not welcomed. Welcome HIM today and Receive HIM into your heart and HE will give you everything you need to accomplish the plan and purpose of God in your life!
Without HIM you can do nothing. Even Jesus recognized that he couldn't do anthing in his flesh. Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise. John 5:15
Jesus gave us the key when he said “I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. John 5:30.
