When Man Cooperates

[Thompson, Darryl]

When Man Cooperates 

     For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his
good pleasure. Phil. 2:13.  

     "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice,
and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he
with me" (Rev. 3:20). Thus the world's Redeemer illustrates the work of
the Holy Spirit upon the human heart. The living agent, by an act of
faith of his own, places himself in the hands of the Lord for Him to
work in him His good pleasure in His time. There must be a continual
exercise of faith to be in Christ and keep in Christ, abiding by faith
in Him.  

     This is a training process, a constant discipline of the mind and
heart, that Christ shall work His great work in human hearts. Self, the
old natural self, dies, and Christ's will is our will, His way is our
way, and the human agent becomes, with heart, mind, and intellect, an
instrument in the hands of God to work no more wickedness but the
righteousness of Christ. . . .  

     In the divine arrangement God does nothing without the cooperation
of man. He compels no man's will. That must be given to the Lord
completely, else the Lord is not able to accomplish His divine work that
He would do through the human agency. Jesus declared that in a certain
place He could not do many mighty works among the people because of
their unbelief. He wanted to do for them in that place just what He knew
that they needed to have done, but He could not because unbelief barred
the way. The potter cannot mold and fashion unto honor that which has
never been placed in his hands. The Christian life is one of daily
surrender, submission, and continual overcoming, gaining fresh victories
every day. This is the growing up into Christ, fashioning the life into
the divine Model. . . .  

     Devotion, piety, and sanctification of the entire man come through
Jesus Christ our righteousness. The love of God needs to be constantly
cultivated. O how my heart cries out to the living God for the mind of
Jesus Christ! I want to lose sight of self.  


>From That I May Know Him - Page 55