“If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24
Throughout Scripture we find that great and good men were not so by just their own efforts, but by the intervention and provision of the Spirit of God. David became the King, commander, and a witness to his people, and to the world, by virtue of that moment when, being anointed by Samuel, the Spirit of God came upon him. There is no other explanation to David’s life, the amazing feats, the depths of understanding God, and the continuing witness today, but that the Spirit not only anointed him, but continues to bless his words. Samson was great also, a judge in Israel for about twenty years. He maintained his position, not because of his own resources of strength, but only by the Spirit of God who came upon him at special points in time, for specific needs of strength. It must be said that in both of these cases, where blatant sin was tolerated in the life, there was no blessing of the Spirit. Though the gifts and capacities of these men would remain in tact, the spiritual power and authority was temporarily no longer operative in their lives. They were no longer able to stand against their enemies.
One wonders at times how God, in the days of Christ’s ministry, would choose to manifest His glory in the lives of ordinary men and women. We might look at David and Samson, and say that they were men of great gifts and capacities. When we look at the twelve individuals, chosen by Christ to be His disciples, we are brought face to face with that which, in the eyes of the world, was ordinary. These were not great men by virtue of their gifts, reputation, or social standing. How then did God use these men to eventually, turn the world upside down? It was because of the extraordinary, and powerful anointing of the Spirit of God. When Pentecost came, and the Spirit of God was poured out, everything changed That which was ordinary remained such, however, the extraordinary Life and power of Christ by His Spirit would take those clay vessels, cleanse them, and then fill them with Himself. God found, and chose, ordinary individuals through whom his extraordinary purposes would be accomplished.
How did God’s “greatness” begin to reveal itself in the lives of the twelve disciples? It began well before they met Jesus. We find Andrew declaring to Peter his brother: “We have the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.” (Jn.1:41) Already in the hearts of the disciples there was the working of God. It would be when they met Christ, that they became convinced that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. Every disciple’s path in coming to Christ was different. However, all were drawn to Him, and became convinced that He was the Savior of the world. This knowledge of Christ as Messiah, was essential to bring them to true faith, and the experience of the power of the Spirit of God. However, if they were to know Christ, they would need to follow Him. To follow Him, the Lord would call upon them to lose their lives. The Lord would clearly state this: “For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it.” (Matt. 16:25) The Lord Jesus did not mean by these words that one would necessarily die physically, but He would speak of denying, or forgetting oneself, taking up of one’s cross, no longer to live by man’s manners and means, only by God’s. Christ’s saving Life and grace, are not given, that men, in the name of God and Christ, should live by anything less than Christ Himself. Christ takes the vessels of our lives, cleanses them, empties them of self, sin, the world, and Satan, in order to fill them with Himself. It will be only by the anointing power of the Spirit of Christ, that God will accomplish His purposes and will, in the life, for His glory.
Dear Father, Give us grace not to look backward, or inward, only upward. In Jesus’ name, Amen.