“Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, ‘Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons, and concerning the works of My hands command ye Me.'” Isaiah 45:11
It is very significant on the day of Christ’s transfiguration, when in the company of Peter, James, and John, and where Moses and Elias were seen talking with the Lord Jesus, that there arose in the heart of Peter, being overwhelmed by the sight, the idea that something needed to be done. Surely because the glory of God was revealed at that time, there should be a “significant” response from men, specifically from the disciples. However, it was at that moment that a bright cloud overshadowed the disciples, and they heard a voice out of the cloud, which said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; HEAR YE HIM.” (Matt. 17:5) What is the great lesson here? God does not need our ideas, nor meager resources, for the accomplishment of His purposes, and His specific will. Christ seeks those individuals who will be His, deferring always to what is His will, for His will can only be accomplished by His power. Thus, in light of such a revelation, indeed, every revelation of Christ in the Scriptures, the true disciple is one who is listening to hear what the Lord Jesus is saying to him. It is in the words of Christ, at the particular time, that God reveals what He will do to the believer who is truly waiting upon Him.
One of the great examples of this principle is the meeting of Joshua with the Captain of the host of the Lord, just prior to the conquering of Jericho. Here we have the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ in His glory, unveiling to Joshua clearly that He had come to bring about the manifest victory of Jericho, and Canaan. The response of Joshua was very significant. First, he wanted to know for certain the identity of the One standing before him. Once this was clear in his mind and heart, we do not see Joshua proposing to the Lord a plan of action concerning how to conquer the land. No, we see Joshua fall on his face to the earth, to worship, then asking the question: “What saith my Lord unto His servant?” (Joshua 5:14) This is the right question. It is that question that corresponds to the Father’s words, “Hear ye Him.” God does not need our “input” on anything, as His knowledge of the circumstance is perfect. He knows what must be done to save the most, and to glorify His name. Though we are called to be co-laborers with Christ, we are not the “Lord of the harvest,” nor the “Head of the church,” which is Christ’s body. This Christ is alone. He is Lord, King, God in the flesh, possessing all the power and authority in heaven and in earth. How illogical it is to think that we know the issues at hand. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, wrote concerning the matter of prayer, and praying according to the will of God: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth us in our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us.” (8:26) We, in our limitations, are to pray “…in the Spirit,” but also with our minds, seeking to know by the Spirit, the objective will of God from the Scriptures.
What then must we first understand concerning the will of God, and the revelation of that will to our hearts and mind? It is that we must receive from God Himself, according to the Scriptures, the knowledge of His will. Part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to reveal “…the things that are freely given to us of God,” and that includes the knowledge of His will. Secondly, we are to pray, that the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ, be given specifically unto us all. Thirdly, we are to believe God, in submissive faith, to speak through the Scriptures.
Dear Father, Give us grace today to wholly wait upon Thy Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.