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KEEP YOUR SHOULDERS UNDER
YOUR HEAD

By Jay Pearson

...for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5)

 

Initially as a born again Christian when I read the Word I would run out and apply it in a situation I found to be similar. Results appeared to be sometimes productive. Now I know that I was very short sighted.

As I began to mature I would receive a word of knowledge, quickly bolt from the source, run out to do what I thought it was meant to accomplish. Again sometimes it appeared to be productive.

As I continued to mature I would even wait for a word of wisdom, quickly sever the connection and run to do what I knew I should do on my own; for now I not only knew about the situation, but I knew what to do with it. Ah, and sometimes it appeared to be a productive result and sometimes not. I was left to wonder what was I missing.

Continuing to mature I would collect an awareness and even receive such to the need of spiritual weaponry and techniques of spiritual warfare. Adding to my arsenal and filling my quiver with such things as faith, helmet of salvation, my feet shod with the preparation of the gospel, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues and prophecy. My duffel bag was full. I was ready for the course. I was primed, pumped and full of zeal, knowledge and even power. Now I was perfectly trained, equipped and supplied. How could I go wrong?

Sprinting in the direction of need I began to minister that which I chose to do. Sometimes the results appeared to work. Yes, you are right, sometimes not. Sometimes people received. Sometimes I got my donkey kicked and sometimes I got trampled. I asked the Lord, what is wrong? A still small voice replied, “Without me you can do nothing.” I fell on my face before him totally exhausted, out of gas, feeling incomplete. I was refueled, recharged and repented of my sins and received all the forgiveness I could hold. I rose to my feet and ran off and did the same thing and received the same results. Exhausted again, I heard the same thing, “Without me you can do nothing.”

Have you ever tried to operate an electric drill with a 12-foot cord 14 feet from the wall socket without an extension cord? How about a battery drill with a one-day life charge for 4 days without recharging? You can have all the things mentioned in 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14, but without the Lord you can do nothing. Yes you can know and you can have all things pertaining to God, but without Jesus Christ you can do nothing. Jesus Christ is life, your life when you are born again. Without Jesus you can do nothing, but with the Lord, Philippians 4:13 says you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

You can not store enough of his power within you to operate alone. When you break the connection the power is gone. The power emanates from and is Christ. All the fullness of the Godhead is resident within him. He is Lord, Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son. He is the head and you are the body. Praise God for the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ.

As a closing resolution to the aforementioned dilemma: Wait on the Lord, ye are complete in him. Don’t go without or beyond your Direction. Wait upon the Lord, every situation will be resolved according to his will, time and purpose when you operate in him.

The one and only appropriate alignment with God is to be under Jesus Christ. Keep your shoulders under your HEAD and you will be complete as a Christian in perfect alignment with God and his Son. The emphasis here is HEAD. This is where you receive direction. Jesus Christ is not only the answer but also the question. He is everything and you belong to him.

One soldier speaks by the grace of God and in his holy name, Jesus Christ our Lord. Please remember, without him you can do nothing.

 

 


From the August 2002 issue of The Vine & Branches