We Have An Assignment We Cannot Fulfill

Good Morning,

Have you ever been given an assignment to complete that you knew you couldn't do? Maybe you didn't have the time, knowledge, ability, etc. What went through your mind as you contemplated the weight of realizing that there was no way you could complete the assignment that had been given to you? People react differently to stress, but everyone has a reaction to it.

We have been given an assignment by Holy God. It is a mandate, a command, a commission. It is an assignment that we cannot fulfill in our own strength and ability. Notice what I said. We cannot fulfill our assignment in OUR strength and ability. So many churches are struggling today for so many different reasons. One of the reasons churches are struggling today is because they are attempting to do things in their own strength and ability. That is a recipe for disaster and ultimately, failure for a church. Notice how Moses responds to the assignment that God gave him.

    12Then Moses said to the LORD, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’
    13“Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.”

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ex 33:12–13.

Listen to the words of Moses as you read them. He is saying to God, "God, You told me to lead these people to the Promised Land but You and I both know there is no chance I can do that apart from Your presence. You’ve not let me know if you’re going with me or not. I need to know Your ways. I need to know Your mind. I need to know how You think. Only You can do this in me."

This is such an obvious statement. I don't think that anyone would disagree with Moses' assessment. However, too many people live with this knowledge in theory but not in practice. We know that we can't fulfill our assignment without God, but we live like we can. We do "worship" like we can. The reality is that we can't do the smallest, simplest of things for the glory of God in our own strength and ability.

Jesus said it as plainly as possible:

4“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Jn 15:4.

We will collapse and fail if  we don't acknowledge this reality and then begin to live this truth out, practically, in every area of our lives.

We do have an assignment that we cannot fulfill in our own strength. However, we do not have to do it in our own strength.

and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Mt 28:20b.

God will be with us in the assignment He has given us. He will fulfill that assignment through us.

Serving Him,

Bro. Joey