NO LIMITS

"Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel" (Psalm 78:41).

Have you ever wondered why things don't work out the way you want them to? Could Jesus be holding out on you somehow? I mean, where's the power of God that you hear so much about? 

Whenever I read the Bible, I'm so overwhelmed with God's power! He speaks and this world is created (Psalm 33:6,9). "He changes times and seasons, deposes kings and sets up kings...He reveals deep and hidden things" (Daniel 2:21,22/NRS). "He gives to all life, breath, and all things" (Acts 17:25). There's nothing that God can't do! So why is it that we don't see more of His power today? And let's bring this even closer to home. How come I don't see it in my own life?  Could it be possible that we've limited God's power?

Israel fell big-time in this department. Psalm 78 records the sad history of her constant rebellion against God. We see the Lord, rescuing her from Egypt with a mighty hand and bringing His people to a land "flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8)  But Israel rebelled over and over again, refusing to keep God's covenant and walk in His ways. She was as fickle as the weather, trusting God one day and rejecting Him the next. "For their heart was not steadfast with Him, nor were they faithful in His covenant" (Psalm 78:37). They had seen the incredible plagues poured out upon their enemies: the rivers turned to blood, the swarms of flies, the storms of hail and even the destruction of the first born. They crossed the Red Sea in safety, on a dry path with the deep waters piled up on each side. With their own eyes, they saw these awesome miracles. But they constantly forgot the Lord and the works of His hand. To sum it all up, they put God to the test and "provoked the Holy One of Israel" (Psalm 78:41, RSV).  

It's interesting that Psalm 78:41 says that Israel "limited the Holy One of Israel" (King James and New King James versions). But other versions translate that phrase in terms of what God felt rather than what Israel did. The Revised Standard and the American Standard versions render this verse as they "provoked" the Lord. The NIV says they vexed the Holy One of Israel. And the New American Standard brings out that they pained Him. This last translation comes closest to the origin of the Hebrew word, taw-vaw', which literally means, 'to wound or cause pain.' So as Israel turned from the Lord, consistently vacillating in devotion to Him, God's heart was broken. He grieved for the treason He saw in His children. What more could He do for them? 

Did He feel stabbed in the back when they deserted Him? Did He feel thrown aside like an old boot? We might react that way when a friend rejects us. But God rose above His feelings and thought only of His children's danger. What more could He do to save them? I can almost hear His breaking heart in the words of Hosea, "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah*? How can I set you like Zeboim*? My heart churns within me; My sympathy is stirred!" (Hosea 11:8, *Cities of the plain that were destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah) 

Israel was so bent on chasing after other gods! She wanted her own way  and really chafed when God told her what to do. She was a rebellious child, who wouldn't respond to mild forms of discipline. Eventually God had to open her eyes by allowing heathen  armies to attack her cities and conquer her lands. When things got really bad, Israel cried out to God and He always came through for her. But it wasn't long before she'd slip into spiritual amnesia, forgetting God's love and mercy. And off she'd go again, running away from the Lord. What could God possibly do? If we keep on resisting the tender pleading of His Spirit, how can He help us? How can He answer our prayers or bless us with His presence?

God is all powerful--that is so true! But He won't use His power to force our will. Jesus will do absolutely nothing without our consent. He has incredible plans for our life, but we have the veto power. We can say no and God's hands will be tied. We can really limit the Holy One of Israel.

We could be like Christ's neighbors in Nazareth and limit God by our lack of faith. We can limit Him when we don't persevere in prayer, when we give up too soon, or if we never ask big things from Jesus. We can limit Christ's power when we're satisfied with where we are s or what we know and go no farther. We might be content with the milk of truth when God has solid food He wants to give us. We could limit God by staying in our comfort zone. Sometimes, He asks us to do something new that we've never done before. And if we automatically say, "I can't," or "I won't," we'll never discover the full power of God because we're not willing to move forward in faith. 

But I think there's an even greater way that we can limit God. And I believe it causes our Father incredible pain.  Because He wants to do more for us than just forgive our sins. He wants to do more than justify us. Jesus came for more than that.

 "Our Lord Jesus came as the unwearied servant of man's necessity. He "took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses," that He might minister to every need  of humanity. Matthew 8:17. The burden of disease and wretchedness and sin He came to remove. It was His mission to bring to men complete restoration. He came to give them health and peace and perfection of character" (Ministry of Healing, pg. 17, italics supplied). He came to restore us as sons and daughters of God, that we might reflect the love of our Savior and shine with His character.

The power of the gospel is a life changing power. It never leaves us in our sins; it  delivers us! When I first accepted Jesus, He forgave my lies and my angry words. He forgave my vicious temper. And that gave me such peace! I feel so secure when God forgives me freely. 

But when Jesus entered my life, He also gave me a new heart. At the same time, He opened my eyes and I saw how ugly my sins really were. I didn't want to shrug them off anymore. I used to think, "Well, everyone tells a white lie once in a while." Or "it's not really my fault; he made me do it."  But the Spirit made me see things in a new way. I wanted to be done with lying and shouting and getting mad. I wanted those sins dead, gone and buried, never to return.

And the power of God made that possible for me. God has an experience for us that includes more than forgiveness. It includes burial and resurrection. The apostle Paul describes it this way: "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Jesus was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3,4). Baptism isn't just another church ritual. It's a way to tell everyone that we've experienced God's power. He's given us a new heart and we can already point to all the ways He's changed us.  He's given us victory over sin. He's given us peace where there used to be fear. And He's given us a hunger to know Him completely.

To experience the gospel is to experience a power that knows no limit! We can move forward, from strength to strength and from height to height in our Christian journey. We can "walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power" (Colossians 1:10,11). There's no limit to what Christ can do when we walk with Him, abiding in His Word, and drinking in His Spirit. 

And it's a vital part of the Christian life is to be sanctified by the Spirit. Once we've tasted the mercies of God, our lives overflow with thanksgiving, and we long to be just like Jesus. He's saved us by His blood and makes us a new creation. "Old things have passed away; behold all things have become new" (1 Corinthians 15:57). The world is behind us now, the cross is before us. And as we gaze upon Jesus, we're drawn ever closer into communion with Him. And that communion gives us a new outlook, new tastes, new eyesight. Everything is brand new, and as we remain with Jesus, we'll continually grow more like Him. Our faith will strengthen, our kindness will deepen, and the sins that have held us in their vice-like grip, will drop out of our life. People will know that we have been with Jesus!

And you'll have a new witness for the Lord. You'll be able to say, "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" (1 Corinthians 15:57) The gospel will become incredibly good news--more than it's ever been. You'll know, without a doubt, that "I can do all things through Christ" (Philippians 4:13), for He's the One who strengthens you. He's the One who keeps you faithful and overflowing with the fruit of the Spirit. The sanctifying work of the Spirit will not only keep you from falling into sin (Jude 24) but will enable you to "grow up into Him in all things" (Ephesians 4:15). We can't do it by ourselves, but our God is able. The power of His Word is able. There's absolutely no limit when it comes to growing up like Jesus if we "continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard" (Colossians 1:23).

How I love the gospel! It's not limited by my humanity, my weakness, or my past. For "it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). But how much do we believe? Do we only believe we're forgiven? If we say, "Only believe" we're trapped in a limited gospel. God's grace is much more than undeserved favor or merely receiving the mercy of God. That's such a thimbleful of what God can do. For God's not finished with us yet. He completed His mission to be our  atoning sacrifice. That part is done. But the Bible says, "I am confident of this, that the One who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). That means God's grace must reach maturity in our life. We are to grow up in Christ so this world can see God through us. People really need to see Jesus. They need to see what a difference He can make in your life. They need to see God's grace in action.

And God's grace is His power.  His power draws me to the cross. Jesus said, "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me." John 12:32.  As long as I don't resist Christ's magnetic pull, I will be drawn to Him. God's power saves me from my sins if I come to Jesus just as I am--sinful, selfish, but so ready to follow Him. God's power gives me a new heart and transforms me into the likeness of Jesus. God's power fills me with all the fullness of God so I can experience intimacy with Jesus. I can be one with Him just as He was one with the Father. That's the full, unlimited work of the gospel. And we can experience it all! 

The God of all grace has unlimited power to do it. And He will sanctify us completely, so our "whole spirit, soul and body [will] be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:23). And "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it!" Jesus will get us there. He will provide the power. It's available right now. Let's reach out for the grace of God and the gospel that knows no limits!