THE SOVEREIGN, IRRESISTIBLE GRACE OF GOD (PART 1)
August 24, 2018
HOW CAN I STOP DOUBTING GOD AND HIS PROMISES?
August 26, 2018

THE SOVEREIGN, IRRESISTIBLE GRACE OF GOD (PART 2)

 
August 25th 2018

“The wind blows where it wishes [that is the free will of the wind], and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” – John 3:8


Yesterday, we commenced discussion on the free will of the Holy Spirit. Today we continue our discussion on how the sovereign power of the Spirit takes control of our life and begin to make us to do His will only. Even though it’s the will of the Spirit to enter into our life and give us the desired spiritual birth that does not mean that we don’t resist him. We do resist Him to a reasonable extent. However, when we experience the new birth, we become powerful sons of God. At that point, God chooses to overcome the rebellion and resistance of our wills. He can make Christ look so compelling that our resistance is broken and we freely come to him and receive him and believe him. And when he does that, the Spirit of God is gracious and sovereign. The scriptures describe this sovereign power of the Spirit and God as follows:
1. Jesus says in John 6:44 and 65, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. . . . No one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
2, In Romans 9:15–16, Paul quotes God, “‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” In other words, the wind blows where it wills in the work of regeneration.


3. In Philippians 2:12–13, Paul says, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” In other words, our indispensable willing is owing to God’s decisive working.
4. Therefore, today’s word is saying that being born again is decisively, ultimately, the work of the Spirit’s will, and secondarily and dependently the acting of our will. This means when we are ready to receive the Holy Spirit, we simply prepare ourselves to receive Him, but ONLY HE DECIDES WHETHER HE WANTS TO COME INTO US OR NOT. Beloved, it is time to present yourself to the Spirit and become born again. Nicodemus in John 8: 9 could not understand this mystery, and so he questioned, saying, “How can these things be?” He could not grasp it. It was mystifying to him. Beloved, do not feel threatened by today’s word. Rather, become thrilled by it. The fact remains that, “the decisive act of will in the new birth is not ours. The Spirit’s will is decisive.” Once you are genuinely ready, the spirit comes into your life.
God and His Spirit have their sovereign will to move as they wish. Therefore, your inherent weaknesses might not be a hindrance to the Spirit, when He chooses to work with you. Only the Spirit would decide the parameters for coming into your life. Not even you can decide that. Your job is to present yourself a worthy soul seeking the power of the Spirit. Your genuineness and readiness will be considered by the Spirit. He blows where he wills, not where we deserve his blowing, and not where we constrain his blowing. His grace is free and sovereign. He does not depend on you in this work.” Becoming a son of God in a new birth is thrilling, and full of experience. It is time to move with the Spirit, and become the Spirit!


Prayer
Father in the name of Jesus Christ, I open myself today to the power of the Holy Spirit. I desire the new birth by the Spirit. Holy Spirit, come take total control of my life. Make me yours now. AMEN


Further Reading - John 6:44 and verse 65

 
 
 
Mary Lawrence-Dokpesi
Mary Lawrence-Dokpesi
Mary Lawrence-Dokpesi was born in Nigeria to Patrick Abuda Obeakemhe and Juliana Fatimatu Obeakemhe, both from Ogbona Town. With a master’s degree in law, she was called to the bar at the age of twenty-two, and she is currently the principle partner of the law firm Mary Lawrence-Dokpesi & Associates. She is also the founder of two philanthropic organizations: the Living Waters Mission and the Rose Croix Foundation. In addition to law, Lawrence-Dokpesi was drawn to spiritual pursuits at an early age, having begun studying philosophy, theology, chaplaincy, and spirit therapy by the age of eighteen. Inspired by her spiritual calling, she has produced ten intensively researched manuscripts on spiritual matters. Although Understanding the Spiritual was the last to be written, it is the first to be published. Lawrence-Dokpesi is a mother and a wife living in the city of Abuja, Nigeria.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *