God Really Needs you!

Is God Helpless Without a Man?

Delbert Rossin

Jesus performed a mighty miracle in raising Lazarus from the dead. But he did not take away the stone from the door of the sepulcher, rather the Lord demanded something of those who longed for a miracle. They might have questioned, “Lord, you are going to raise the dead; why not move this heavy stone with but a word – a thought?” But here we find a great principle: The Lord will not do by miracle what we are to do by obedience. In fact, God will often back up with a miracle what we do by obedience.

Much of the motivation for this article is from a recent re-reading of Paul E. Billheimer’s book Destined For The Throne (Christian Literature Crusade, 1975)

I. Is God Dependent on the Church?

It is only the Holy Spirit that works conviction of sin and faith in Christ as the Law and Gospel are communicated. God could hang a huge speaker in the sky from which he could tell the world about Jesus, but he doesn’t. We preach and God converts. …God and the Church are both essential in the process.

In spite of the Church’s many weaknesses, the Church is the only force on earth contesting Satan’s rule (salt and light principle). God will not do things in spite of her or without her. All that Christ did in overcoming Satan he did for the benefit of the Church. He is “head over all things for the Church” (Eph. 1:22).

In Ezekiel 22:30-31 we find God longing to spare the nation of Israel, but strangely he will not and cannot withhold judgment unless he finds a man to intercede. Why did he set up a system where he is dependent upon a man? Why doesn’t God just go ahead and send laborers into his harvest rather than asking us to pray that he will send them (Matt. 9:38)?

If Christ has been exalted as Supreme Authority in the universe and is now seated at the right hand of the Father with all authority and the Church as his Body is organically united with him as Head. Where does that place the Church except reigning with him (Eph 2:5-6)? Billheimer points out that God will do nothing without her, hence he can do nothing without her. Simply put, the Head cannot function without the Body!

Jesus’ use of the vine-branch analogy gives us an insight. While it is certainly true that the branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in the vine, it is also true that the vine cannot bear fruit except through the branches. Scripture clearly points out the unlimited potential of the Church. “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you” (John 20:21). “And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:16). “… that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:19).

II. What Hinders God from Working through the Church?

A. Pride:

In 2 Cor. 12 Paul asked for his “thorn in the flesh” to be removed, but God didn’t remove it lest pride take over Paul due to his abundance of revelations. Yes, pride is the most deadly and costly of all sins. Paul recognized this danger, for he writes in his qualifications for being a bishop: “He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil” (1 Tim. 3:6).

True or False? Very few people can receive honors from the world or God without becoming conceited. Therefore even though God may want to, he often dares not operate powerfully in our lives if it were to move us to pride. Watchman Nee said that God’s great work is to reduce us, that is, our ego. Could it be that God trusts the petitioner who is truly lowly with many more answers to prayer?

B. Neglect of Prayer:

Billheimer writes: “If the church does not pray, God will not act” (p.100). God has the power to overcome Satan without the Church, but he won’t. Neglect of prayer is one of the reasons for so few answers to prayer. Prayer is where the action is and intercession is the most unselfish thing anyone can do… and it doesn’t inflate the ego. Again Billheimer: “A church without a systematic prayer program is simply operating a religious treadmill” (p.101).

C. A Low Praise Level:

The highest ministry of the heavenly angels is to praise God. Could that be one of the applications of the Lord’s Prayer “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven?” Many mental and nervous disorders come from an over occupation with the personal ego (self-exaltation). Praise produces forgetfulness of self and forgetfulness of self is health. Psalm 22:3 says that “God inhabits the praises of his people.” Satan fears our praise more than our prayer. Praise almost always expels Satan; perhaps that is what James 4:7 means…“Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Praise may not always change the circumstances, but it will change us because the subject of praise is the character and integrity of God himself.

To quote Billheimer again: “The missing element in prayer that does not prevail is triumphant faith, and the missing element in faith that does not triumph is praise –perpetual, purposeful, aggressive praise” (p.126).

III. Biblical Examples of God and Man Working Together Through Obedience.

In the Old Testament we find God doing mighty acts in the lives of Abraham, Moses, Jonah and others. But there were acts of obedience on the part of these saints that were part of the process.

In the New Testament this principle occurs over and over again. In the training of the disciples we see their part and Jesus’ part: “Come follow me, and I will make you disciples of men.” If they had not followed him, he would (could) not make them be his disciples. At the turning of water into wine at Cana, the servants had to fill the water jars, then Jesus did the miracle of turning water into wine. Another example: The feeding of the 5,000 clearly depicts the disciple’s role of obedience (distributing the loaves and fishes) and God’s role in the miracle of multiplication.

We find this process graphically brought out in Acts 16 when Paul and Silas are thrown into prison in Philippi. It was their obedience to God in preaching the Gospel and casting the demon out of the slave girl that moved the magistrates to cast them into prison. Certainly it was a humbling experience to be imprisoned with their feet in the stocks. But note that they were praying and singing hymns (praising) to God. We know what happened next . . . God did what they couldn’t do . . . he sent an earthquake (a miracle) and set them free. But of primary importance is that it all happened in the context of the salvation of the Jailer and his household and ultimately the birth of the church at Philippi.

When we “keep the main thing the main thing” we will see more of this process in action. For when in obedience we share the Gospel of Jesus as we pray to and praise our God, we can expect God to do what we cannot do. But it takes our part and his part.

IV. What Has God Told Us To Do?

As redeemed children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, we live daily lives that are filled with opportunities for us to obey God. The basic Christian disciplines of prayer and praise are the setting from which we can more readily be used by God.

Certainly in our congregations there are often areas where we as a body are not in obedience to God. If you are a pastor, ask God to show you where you have failed to say (and do) “yes” to his leading. Remember that God will often do what to us seems impossible . . . but it is often following the obedience of faith.

Often the Holy Spirit nudges us with thoughts about witnessing for Jesus, or praying for that unsaved relative or neighbor… but do we do it? Or the thought comes to our mind about telling someone we are sorry for how we hurt him, etc., etc. Next time remember the principles in this article. Perhaps God is just waiting for us to obey so that he can do what we cannot do.

Sometimes we are so eager to have God give the next steps in our life; but when he doesn’t, it is possible we haven’t obeyed his previous guidance. Why should he give us future direction when we haven’t obeyed his past guidance?

God is still the God of the supernatural, but he works hand in hand with his Church. The miracles and gifts of the Spirit are still available to the Church, but not for some personal pride trip. In humility we say with Isaiah, “Here am I, send me.” And as we go we often find our gracious Lord confirming his command with Holy Spirit power.

But one final question, for myself and you dear reader: What has God told me to do? Dear Jesus, help me to do it! I’ll leave the rest up to you. And oh, please remember, “Don’t expect God to do by miracle what he has told you to do by obedience.”

Rev. Delbert Rossin

1065 Kings Way

Nekoosa, WI 54457