Part 5 (1/2)

Early in my ministry I had a desire to minister effectively, yet I was totally frustrated because I was doing all of these things I just described to get G.o.d to use me. I remember going to a Bible study one night when I was pastoring a church in Colorado. I had determined I was going to fast, pray, and study the Word all day long because I felt I needed to. It had been days since I spent much time studying the Word, because I was spending all my time ministering to other people. So I had set aside that day to fast, pray, and study the Word.

People who wanted prayer came by my house from morning till night. I prayed, but not in my personal relations.h.i.+p with G.o.d. It was totally geared toward other people all day. I didn't study the Word like I planned. I didn't have a single minute all day long to spend in the Word. I read the Word, but to other people.

A man I had been trying to lead to the Lord came by and wanted to take me out for lunch. I knew that was G.o.d's will, so I went out and ate twice as much as I normally did - even even though I had planned to fast - and I witnessed to this man. That day I broke every one of the promises I had made to G.o.d! though I had planned to fast - and I witnessed to this man. That day I broke every one of the promises I had made to G.o.d!

On the way to my Bible study (it was a 45-mile drive) I was feeling terrible. I said, ”G.o.d, I broke every promise I made to You.” Then Satan jumped right in and started reminding me of scriptures. Satan can quote scriptures to us just like he did to Jesus in the wilderness. He began to remind me of scriptures that say things like it's better not to make a vow than to make a vow and not pay it, and all liars will have their part in the lake of fire that burns with brimstone. (See Ecclesiastes 5:5 and Revelation 21:8.) I was having all of these thoughts and feeling so low that I said, ”G.o.d, how could You ever use me?” See, I was thinking G.o.d was going to use me only to the degree I had performed. I said, ”Oh G.o.d. Oh G.o.d.” I was trying to overcome all my failures, so I finally started playing on His mercy by saying, ”G.o.d, if You won't do it for me, do it for these people I'm going to minister to. What about these people? Don't let them miss out on Your anointing just because I was a dud all day.”

After praying awhile, finally I said, ”Oh G.o.d, just do it because of Who Jesus is.”

As soon as I said that, the Lord spoke to me and said, ”Who did you think I was going to do it because of?”

I honestly thought G.o.d was going to use me because of what I was planning to do that day. Suddenly, it dawned on me that G.o.d never used me because of what I had been doing. He used me in spite of my performance! G.o.d has never had anybody who was qualified to work for Him yet, other than Jesus. Anybody who gets anything from G.o.d gets it by His grace, and knowing that set me free.

Nowadays, if Satan comes to me and says, ”Andrew, you're the sorriest thing on the face of the earth. What makes you think G.o.d will use you?” Instead of arguing with him and trying to justify myself, I just say, ”Guilty! But praise G.o.d for Jesus. I tell the people about Who Jesus is, and if they need healing, I'll pray for them in the name of Jesus. They'll get healed through Who Jesus is!”

Do you know that I've seen more manifestation of the power of G.o.d since I changed my thinking than I ever saw when I was trying to earn it? Does that mean I go out and live a sloppy, sinful life? No, but I am not using my holiness as the basis of my relations.h.i.+p with G.o.d, being used by G.o.d, or receiving from G.o.d.

The Reason to Live Holy Reason to Live Holy .

The reason I live a holy life is because if I don't live holy, Satan is going to have inroads into my life and I cannot afford the ”luxury” of Satan putting problems on me. I try to live holy as a defense against the devil and as a testimony to other people. I offer it to G.o.d because I know it's pleasing to Him when He sees me acting the way He wants me to, but I never use it as a basis of my relations.h.i.+p with Him. Because of that, Satan can't make me go up and down emotionally in proportion to my performance.

I found the place of peace in the Lord right at the point where I had blown it regarding performance. If someone needs prayer now, I don't look at whether I've lived good or bad that day. I know I can shoot my best shot for people in prayer and get them healed through who Jesus is and not through who Andrew Wommack is. Praise G.o.d!

I've seen some of the greatest miracles when I was at my lowest. As a matter of fact, I believe that's what Paul was saying in 2 Corinthians 12:10 when he said, When I am weak, then am I strong. When I am weak, then am I strong. Because Paul recognized his weakness and had this truth of grace and holiness in proper perspective, when he failed in his own performance he could trust in G.o.d that much more. Because Paul recognized his weakness and had this truth of grace and holiness in proper perspective, when he failed in his own performance he could trust in G.o.d that much more.

When I've been doing everything right I have a tendency to think, ”G.o.d, You just get me introduced tonight and I promise You I can handle it from there because I've got it together.” But when I've blown it in my preparation, I have a tendency to say, ”G.o.d, it's got to be You!” And that's usually when I get used by Him the greatest, because I've put all of my attention on Him. G.o.d hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and G.o.d hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; G.o.d hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and G.o.d hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath G.o.d chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.1 Corinthians 1:27-29 G.o.d chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, the base things of the world to confound the mighty, and the things which are not to bring to nothing things that are. Do you know the primary reason G.o.d does that? It's because people who are foolish, base, or despised in the eyes of the world - who don't have natural talent or ability - are the people who trust in G.o.d the most. They haven't got anything else to trust!

The reason G.o.d doesn't often use the mighty is because they must quit trusting in themselves first. The reason uncivilized people in Africa get healed so easily is because they don't have anyone to rely on but Jesus. They don't have modern medicine and a drugstore on the corner. If they get a headache, Jesus is their only healer. G.o.d doesn't use us very much if we trust in our own abilities and power.

G.o.d often uses country hicks to preach the Gospel for that very reason. I guarantee you, when you're a hick from Texas like me, then you know it's got to be G.o.d on your behalf or you haven't got a chance. And there's freedom in that!

By trying to perform under the Law, we've done exactly the opposite of what G.o.d intended. We've thought, ”Oh G.o.d, now I know what I need to do to see Your blessings in my ministry.” No, that's not it. But after we fail miserably, then we know we can't do it and we tend to trust in Jesus instead of trusting ourselves.

The nature of G.o.d never was to give you a list of all of the things you have to do. The nature of G.o.d never was to stone you for picking up sticks on the Sabbath. Maybe you haven't been studying the Word at all, but G.o.d loves you whether you ever open the Bible another day in your life.

Please don't misunderstand! G.o.d's anointing is not based on your performance, but if you don't open the Word, you're stupid, because that's where the words of life are. That's where you get revelation of His true nature and get set free.

Go to church, but don't go to church so you can think, ”G.o.d, I've been going to church. How come You aren't doing anything great in my life?” No, the reason you go to church isn't because G.o.d is keeping records and giving you brownie points or stars for every time you come to a meeting. You need to go to church to wors.h.i.+p and hear from G.o.d, to grow up through relations.h.i.+ps with other believers, and to find the place G.o.d wants you to minister. Go to church because it will transform your life. G.o.d still loves you if you stay home, but you simply won't know the love of G.o.d without fellows.h.i.+p and interaction in a church.

If you don't live a holy life G.o.d will love you just the same. But if you don't live a holy life, you're going to give Satan inroads into your life and you aren't going to prosper under circ.u.mstances like that.

Relations.h.i.+p Is Everything Is Everything .

Sometimes we let knowledge puff us up, which then makes us self-centered and more focused on what G.o.d could produce for us than on G.o.d Himself. Now, we don't have to choose one or the other. We don't have to go back to the place where all we do is just love G.o.d and have a devotion for Him, but don't know what G.o.d's will is for our life.

We don't have to live in bondage to sin and the Law all of our life. We don't have to think G.o.d doesn't want to prosper us. We don't have to think G.o.d has taken our loved ones. We don't have to go back to all that tradition of men, but we also don't have to go back to the place where all we do is just study the doctrinal knowledge about G.o.d.

We can know Him and and walk in an abundant life walk in an abundant life and and have faith produce in our life. I really believe G.o.d is trying to bring those things into harmony in the body of Christ. He is calling us into a relations.h.i.+p with Him where He is really the center of everything. I heard a song that says, ”I would give my last breath to know Him in His death and resurrection.” That's a powerful statement - and it's easier to sing it than it is to live it - but that is what G.o.d is calling us to. have faith produce in our life. I really believe G.o.d is trying to bring those things into harmony in the body of Christ. He is calling us into a relations.h.i.+p with Him where He is really the center of everything. I heard a song that says, ”I would give my last breath to know Him in His death and resurrection.” That's a powerful statement - and it's easier to sing it than it is to live it - but that is what G.o.d is calling us to.

I remember when I went through the Catacombs in Rome when I was only 18 years old. I read about the persecution and trials of the early Christians. They buried their dead in the walls along the Catacombs because the Romans would have desecrated their burial places. Believers would bring their dead to the Catacombs for burial because it was where they met for church, so they could protect the graves of their loved ones.

There were inscriptions all along the Catacombs, and I remember one of them read, ”Here lie my wife and three-month-old daughter who proudly gave their lives for Jesus Christ in the Circus Maximus today.” I felt overwhelmed by the commitment that permeated that place. It convicted me.

In America today, people don't like to think about dying for the Lord. We like to think about living for the Lord. We like to think about having the abundance of G.o.d and material things. Why are many of us frightened of or unwilling to give our last breath just to know G.o.d in His death and resurrection, to realign our priorities so that G.o.d is the center of our lives?

If I were to suddenly ask someone to get up right in the middle of one of my meetings and share some of the good things they had received from G.o.d, most of the time they would get tongue-tied and not be able to get it out. Why is this? Because the moment they get up, they are self-conscious. They no longer have their attention on what G.o.d did, but are wondering, ”What are they going to think about me?”

The moment we get concerned with self, I promise you we aren't a good channel for G.o.d to use in ministry. I believe those early Christians had lost their sense of self in Jesus. He was their very life and breath, and that's the way we need to be. When we live like this, living for Him and not for ourselves, holiness just comes out. And when we minister to people, G.o.d can use us more effectively and powerfully.

Chapter 8.

G.o.d's New New Wine Wine .

We've been learning about the nature and the character of G.o.d and the reason for understanding His true nature. We have seen how G.o.d dealt with mankind from the time of Adam to the present. There had been and still is a lot of confusion on this, and that's why a lot of people don't understand the real nature of G.o.d. We know now why most people think G.o.d is kind of schizophrenic - He acts one way under the old covenant and another way under the new covenant - and many people try to combine the two, without much success.

We've also seen that the Old Testament complements the New Testament and points towards the new covenant. The Old Testament prepared the way for the New Testament. But if you try to live under the new covenant and the old covenant at the same time, it's like taking new wine and putting it into old wineskins - the old wineskins are going to burst and the wine will run out. It's like trying to sew a new patch on an old piece of clothing. When you wash and dry it, the new patch is going to shrink, but the old clothes don't have any more shrinkage left, so the garment will tear.

That's exactly what Jesus was speaking of when He taught these parables in Luke 5:36-39. The religious leaders were trying to get Him to operate under the Old Testament traditions and doctrines. When Jesus said you can't put new wine into old wineskins, He was talking about the new covenant and the old covenant.

By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.Proverbs 16:6 This is powerful if you'll really think about it and a.n.a.lyze it. The first part says that by mercy and truth iniquity is purged. The only way you'll ever be transformed is from the inside out by mercy and truth, because it's the goodness of G.o.d that leads men to repentance.

The last part of this verse says that by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. By wrath, judgment, condemnation, and fear you can get people to depart from evil. So G.o.d gave the Old Testament Law, an administration of wrath and condemnation, to keep people out of sin. It dealt severely with people's sins, not because that was G.o.d's true att.i.tude or the way G.o.d really felt about us, but He instilled fear in us that kept us from going into sin.

The Law restrained the growth of sin in the earth and it made us depart from evil, but it couldn't do anything to change the inner man, to really change our desires and work the transformation on the inside of us G.o.d desires. The Law was completely impotent to do that.

The New Testament books of Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews show you that the Old Testament Law was weak and unprofitable, that it is ready to vanish away. Galatians 3:12 says that the Old Testament Law is not of faith. is not of faith. Romans 14:23 says, Romans 14:23 says, whatsoever is not of faith is sin. whatsoever is not of faith is sin. These are strong statements. These are strong statements.

For its purpose, the Old Testament Law was all right, but it was totally incapable of changing us on the inside. Mercy and truth do that. All the Law did was make us depart from evil for a time and reveal our need for a Savior. But when Jesus came into our lives with mercy and truth, sin was purged from our inner man.

New Testament Transformation Testament Transformation .

A good friend of mine, whom I'll call Jill, has a long testimony which I'll cut very short. She was orphaned when she was six years old. She had two other sisters. Her mother died and her dad couldn't cope with the situation. He became a drunk and put Jill in an orphanage. He told her, ”I'll come back and visit you every Sat.u.r.day.” He came back the first Sat.u.r.day, but after that he never came back again.

Every Sat.u.r.day she got ready, dressed up, made herself look the best she could, and waited on her dad to come. All of her friends would tell her, ”He'll never come. He'll be just like all of the others.” But she said, ”Not my dad. My dad loves me. He'll be here.” She waited year after year, but her dad never did show up again.

Jill began to feel this rejection. She began to be hungry for people to love her. Every Sat.u.r.day people came to the orphanage to pick out the kids they were going to adopt. Jill would always put on her best dress, fix her hair, and be on her best behavior. Even though her heart was breaking inside, she would put on a smile and be happy, because when people go to choose a child from the orphanage, they don't usually pick the one who needs it the most. They usually don't pick the one who cries and really needs somebody to love them. They usually pick the one who is going to bless them the most.

Most people are motivated to please self in everything they do. That's the way they choose their mate. They don't pick a person they can love and help to be all G.o.d wants them to be, but they choose somebody they think is going to make them what they want to be, somebody who is going to give them something. They're like a vacuum, always sucking everything towards them.

People coming to the orphanage were no different. They didn't select the child who needed them the most. Rather, they picked the one they needed the most. And Jill learned, without anybody really teaching her, that she had to perform to be accepted. So she performed. She was always on her best behavior.