Exaltation of the Humble
True spiritual victory comes not through direct assault, but through humility, allowing God to fight for us and assure our eternal outcome.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the paradox of spiritual victory through humility, illustrating that true strength lies not in direct confrontation but in surrendering to God. He explains that our instinct to confront enemies head-on often leads to failure, while a humble approach confounds adversaries and invites divine assistance. Tozer highlights biblical examples, such as Jacob's defeat before his encounter with Esau, showing that God often conquers our enemies by first conquering us. This humbling process positions us for God's intervention, ensuring victory is secured from eternity. Ultimately, the sermon calls believers to embrace humility as a pathway to divine support and triumph.
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From Adam we inherit the instinct to meet our enemies head on, to try to win by direct assault, and it is only after many shocking failures that we learn that victories are not so won in the realm of the spiritual. The carnal approach usually does little more than to alienate the enemy still further from us and, worse than all, it puts us in a position where God cannot help us. The enemy never quite knows how to deal with a humble man; he is so used to dealing with proud, stubborn people that a meek man upsets his timetable. And furthermore, the man of true humility has God fighting on his side--who can win against God?
Strange as it may seem, we often win over our enemies only after we have first been soundly defeated by the Lord Himself.
God often conquers our enemies by conquering us. He defeated Esau by defeating Jacob the night before on the bank of the Jabbok. The conquest of Esau took place in his brother Jacob. It is often so. When God foresees that we must meet a deadly opponent, he assures our victory by bringing us down in humbleness at His own feet. After that, everything is easy. We have put ourselves in a position where God can fight for us, and in a situation like that, the outcome is decided from eternity.
Sermon Outline
- The Carnal Approach to Spiritual Victory
- The Power of Humility
- God's Method of Conquest
- Putting Ourselves in God's Hands
- Positioning for Victory
- Eternal Outcome
- Prevents God's Intervention
Key Quotes
“The enemy never quite knows how to deal with a humble man; he is so used to dealing with proud, stubborn people that a meek man upsets his timetable.” — A.W. Tozer
“We have put ourselves in a position where God can fight for us, and in a situation like that, the outcome is decided from eternity.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must learn to approach spiritual battles with humility, rather than direct assault.
- God often defeats us before giving us victory, to bring us down in humbleness at His own feet.
- By positioning ourselves for God's intervention, we can ensure our victory in the spiritual realm.