Apart From God, We Can Do Nothing
Copyright 2005 Daniel N Brown
Every person is created unique, with different characteristics,
skills, and abilities. These gifts are then to be used to
minister to, and bless other people.
When Jesus said, "Ask the Father anything in My name and He will
give it to you" (John 16:23), He did not intend for this to be a
license to treat God as some cosmic bell-boy who should come and
cater to our every whim.
We cannot be blessed without first being a blessing. We are to
keep God first in our lives, then people second, and then
ourselves last. Only in this order can we be a blessing and be
blessed.
When Jesus said, "Ask the Father anything in My name," He meant
that you should ask according to His will. Unless you ask
according to His will your prayers will be ineffective. James
4:3 says, "You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss,
that you may consume it upon your own lusts."
So, how do we ask according to His will, have our prayers
answered, and be successful? By abiding in Him.
Jesus said, "Abide in me, and I will abide in you. As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abides in the vine; no
more can you, except you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the
branches. He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings
forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing" (John
15:4-5).
The meaning of the word "abide," means "to live" or "to dwell."
So, when Jesus said, "Abide in Me," He meant that we are to
submit to Him and let Him have full reign in our lives, allowing
Him to lead. Since Jesus Christ and the Word of God are one in
the same (John 1:14), when we abide in Christ, we abide in the
Word.
When we abide in the Word, we are allowing God to instruct us
and teach us in the way we should go (Psalm 32:8). He will also
guide us to pray according to His will and our prayers will have
a guaranteed effect.
God wants to use your personal, unique, skills, and abilities to
bless other people. This is why He made you and gave you the
characteristics you posses. When you use them for what they are
meant for, you will then be ultimately successful.