the sickness of the Church, but once I see it, he changes his strategy, tempting me to feel good about myself for my insight, smug in my superior and radical commitment, tempting me to self-righteously go about trying to make a difference as a radical, in the power of me. Like the Pharisees: so confident, so right, so strong. My flesh loves this confidence. I am no threat to the enemy’s kingdom when I operate by human power, self-confidence, independence, even though I use the name of Jesus while doing so. I can proclaim the Gospel in radical fashion all I want, and live in radical fashion all I want, but there will be tiny conversion fruit as an independent/adultlike operating by human power. Pre-believers are not wowed, convicted, when I operate by human power, like them. They don’t say to me, “Surely God is with you and there is no other; there is no other God.” Isa 45:14
But by human power I can gather other human-powered believers to follow me. Way easier to influence believers than to see pre-believers converted, especially the turned-off. Humility, childlikeness, fruitfulness, is a product of the Spirit, not something I generate. No credit to me. Only to Jesus.
–DumbSheepDave, freshly contrite for the moment, because folks have been praying, but no predictions for an hour from now
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