What we call failure, God doesn't necessarily call failure. Sometimes the best thing that can happen is that we come to the end of ourselves. The end of self is the beginning of God! Sometimes it takes us years to admit we can't do omething, but when we admit our helplessness, God immediately takes us to the other side.
In the power of our flesh, we cannot please God (see Romans 8:8). Only through the power of the Spirit can we truly overcome. “for if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13).
Pride says, “If I just try a little harder,” but humility says, “I can only do it through the power of the Spirit.” Sometimes it takes us years to recognize that the New Covenant has nothing to do with performance, but rather with responding to God. This is where most people have a problem. Our flesh wants to perform. Many Christians are still tied to performance. They are trying to get God to accept them for their good works. But the New Covenant isn't works; rather it is faith in his finished work. “It is finished” (John 19:30). We want part of the credit. It frustrates our flesh to have to depend totally on God. He requires no performance, only obedience and response.—Steve Sampson in Confronting Jezebel, page 151.
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Only too true. We want to say we did it our way, on our own strength. But we can't! Only the indwelling Holy Spirit can live the life that God demands.
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