Working Out What God Works in You
God initiates the desire to change and grow in our lives, and we must respond by working with Him to achieve spiritual growth.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes that God initiates the desire within us to seek Him, and it is our responsibility to cooperate with His work in our lives. He explains that the urge to escape spiritual stagnation is evidence of God's action in our hearts, and we should not let doubts or false humility hinder our progress. Tozer encourages believers to recognize that if God has placed a desire in us to change, He will also provide the means to achieve that change when we earnestly seek His help. The sermon calls for an active partnership with God, dismissing any thoughts that suggest we are unworthy of His assistance.
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The Holy Spirit in this passage is saying two things: God works in you to will, but you are to work with God in working it out. God works in you--that is, God is always previous. God is the aggressor. God saw you in the rut and wanted you to get out it. He thought of it first, not you. The impuse to know God came from Him and not from you. God works first, and because God works we are to work with Him. We are therefore to dismiss all doubts and all morbid humility. It is entirely possible to be so humble, in a sick kind of way, that you paralyze yourself and get nowhere. For instance, you say to yourself, "That man has been preaching about getting out of the religious rut.
While I haven"t agreed with everything, I have been feeling that I am in a rut and that I ought to get out.
This circular grave is getting deeper every year of my life, and I can hardly see out of it. Give me four or five more years and you"ll look right over me and not know I"m here. I need help. But I wonder if God will help me." That is morbid humility. . . . The very fact that you want out is proof that God has been working in you to will to get out. And if God worked in you to want to get out, then when you ask Him to get you out, do you suppose He would not help you out? Would God put an impulse in your heart and then refuse to accept your prayer when you came in answer to that impulse? . . .
Sermon Outline
- God's Initiative
- Your Response
- Proof of God's Work
- The desire to get out of the rut is proof of God's work
- God will help you when you ask
Key Quotes
“God works first, and because God works we are to work with Him.” — A.W. Tozer
“The very fact that you want out is proof that God has been working in you to will to get out.” — A.W. Tozer
“Would God put an impulse in your heart and then refuse to accept your prayer when you came in answer to that impulse?” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Recognize that God is the initiator of change in your life, and respond by taking action towards growth.
- Dismiss self-doubt and morbid humility, and instead trust in God's help and guidance.
- When you feel a desire to change, trust that it is a sign of God's work in your life, and ask for His help in achieving that change.