Reveling in Christ’s Sufficiency

Week 44, Tuesday

Dorothy Patterson

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

James 4:10 (nkjv)

The wise of the world have always despised the “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3, nkjv) or anyone considered to be a weakling or wimp. Someone with self-confidence and a take-charge attitude is sought, admired, and followed in every realm of life.

On the other hand, the Christian woman is blessed because she realizes her own spiritual helplessness. Poverty of spirit is essential for Christian growth and was never meant to be an end in itself. There is no entry into the kingdom without this fundamental quality, which first and foremost means the emptying of yourself. A woman cannot be filled with the Spirit until she has been emptied of herself. Laying hold of Christ presupposes letting go of yourself and recognizing your own inherent worthlessness until your heart is emptied of self and filled with Him (see Matthew 16:24).

The word poor (Greek ptochoi) is derived from a root meaning “crouch,” which suggests a beggar kneeling before others in hopes that they would supply her needs. On the other hand, those in desperate need are driven to develop a dependent relationship with God, who alone can supply their needs and help them bear up under their burdens.

The help and rescue of the destitute beggar must come from the outside. However, such destitution in a spiritual sense comes only when a woman has so committed her life to Christ that she has put self to death (see Galatians 2:20). Then she is powerless in her own strength and willing to rely upon the Lord to meet her needs. Her confidence focuses on that which is beyond her personal proficiency.

When a woman is stripped of her pride, she is able to be responsive to God’s Word through Christ and His gracious ministries on her behalf. All self-sufficiency is put aside, and she is able to revel in the blessedness of knowing that the Lord is all-sufficient. There is no shortcut to personal holiness; it must be the business of all of life. Legalism or the guidance of life by religious rules is counterfeit holiness; an obedient response to biblical principles governing life and practice is the path to genuine holiness.

Lord, strip away my pride and self-reliance. Let me be set apart to follow You and the principles You reveal in Your Word. Amen.