Ⅰ
In order for His will to be done on earth and for His eternal purpose to be fulfilled, God needs our cooperation—1 Cor. 6:17; Matt. 7:11; 12:50:
A
God can carry out on earth what He has planned in heaven only when He has people who will cooperate with Him—John 7:17; 15:4-5:
１
God needs to gain people on earth who will cooperate with Him and work with Him according to His mind—Phil. 3:15; Col. 3:2.
２
As long as there are those who are of the same mind as God and are willing to work with Him, God's work will be carried out on earth—1 Cor. 15:58; 16:10.
B
Our eyes need to be opened to see that God has His limitations and to see how we should cooperate with Him—Matt. 6:10; 18:18-19; 2 Cor. 6:1:
１
God is omnipotent, but His omnipotence is subject to limitations because He must have certain conditions suitable for His working—John 7:17; Matt. 7:21.
２
Man was created with a free will; the limitations of God began at this point—Gen. 1:26:
ａ
In creation God put His almighty power under the limitation of the human will—v. 28; 2:9, 16-17.
ｂ
God wants the human will to be on His side; therefore, He accepts the limitation that this desire entails—John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38; Rom. 12:2-3.
３
As members of Christ's organic, mystical Body, we are either expressing Him or limiting Him—1 Cor. 12:12-13, 18-20, 27:
ａ
The Lord needs to bring us to the point where we have nothing to hinder Him from doing whatever He wills—6:17; Matt. 6:10; 7:21; 12:50; Eph. 1:1, 9; 5:17.
ｂ
Once the Lord has brought us to a place of total responsiveness to Him, He will have a free and unhindered way to accomplish His will; then there will be nothing that God cannot do to carry out His purpose on earth—Matt. 6:10; 26:39, 42; Heb. 13:21.
Morning Nourishment
John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me.Matt. 26:42 Again…He prayed, saying, My Father,…Your will be done.
God is El Shaddai—in eternity past and also in eternity future nothing can limit Him. In the two eternities nothing can stop, hinder, or delay Him. However, God has a will. He has a Son, but He wanted many sons—a people who would share His life and manifest His Son. For this reason He created heaven, earth, and man. But herein lies the trouble: man was created with a free will. The limitation of God began at this point. From the time of the garden of Eden until now, three wills have been at work—God’s, Satan’s, and man’s. God will not abolish the human will. He wants the human will to be on His side; therefore, He accepts the limitation that this desire entails. God will not compel man to do anything as He works toward His goal. In the two eternities God’s omnipotence is absolute; today His omnipotence is relative, for He is subject to certain limitations. (CWWN, vol. 46, pp. 1227-1228)
Today’s Reading
In creation God put His almighty power under the limitation of the human will. This will can be on the divine side, or it can be on its own side or Satan’s side to limit God. If this will is set for God, then there will be something much more for the glory of God than before creation. Thus, the omnipotence in eternity future will be much greater than in eternity past. It will be possible to be limited, but there will be no limitation because we will have been brought to a place where we stand for everything that is of God. God will therefore have far greater glory. There will always be a separate will, but it will become so subject to God that it is a glory to God. God has run a risk to bring this about. Our capacity will be the capacity of the power of God; God will be as great as our capacity allows Him. This is the measure in the earthen vessel. If we enlarge our capacity, we will enlarge the power of God. Today the power of God is limited by our capacity, and it is subject to our will, submission, obedience, and faith. The power of God takes the shape of our faith in Him. We are the meter, the measure. The divine almightiness today is subject to us.The One whose will is absolutely identified with God’s and the One in whom God has no limitations is the Lord Jesus. God can do what He likes with Him and through Him. Through His death and resurrection a Body has been formed by the power of the Spirit, and God is looking and seeking for members who will be fully responsive to Him and in whom His will’s limitations will be forever done away with….He must have a free way with us before we can bring in the eternal purpose….The kingdom means that God can do what He wants, that He has His own way, that He is unhindered, and that He has authority and power and therefore glory….One day the church will be the vessel of all that He wants, but it must begin today….We cannot expect God to show forth a greater measure than what we afford Him. He is absolutely limited. The power of God today is utterly subject to our measure. God is in many ways no more powerful than we are. He has put Himself into us and made us His channels. We can shut Him out or we can release Him. The whole matter of the divine purpose is at stake.
The Lord must bring us to a place where we have nothing to hinder Him, where we are pliable in the hands of the Lord. He must bring us to a place of utter responsiveness to Himself so that He can have a free and unhindered way. Then there will be nothing that He cannot do. “The Son can do nothing from Himself” (John 5:19). That is the secret. Oh, this tenacious nature of ours! “Lord, from today may I have grace not to trust in myself, not to use my own power, nor to think highly of myself. May all that is hindering You be put under the blood.” (CWWN, vol. 46, pp. 1228-1229)
Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 37, ch. 28; CWWL, 1953, vol. 1, “Knowing Life and the Church,” ch. 15