The following “Question“ was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and “Answered“ by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed by Nelly Kaye of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, from the tape, GC 1301-E, titled “Bible Questions and Answers Part 7.“  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. ©1976. All Rights Reserved.

Question

How do you stay humble, and still use all the power that God has given you through the Holy Spirit?

Answer

This is a wrestling of the fact that if God really releases His power in you, fantastic things are going to happen and it’s going to be hard to stay humble. 

Well let me say this, how do you stay humble and still use all the power that God has given you? If you don’t stay humble you’ll never use any of the power that God has given you. Because God can only work through those that are humble. Only when we are humble can the power be used. We have to be emptied of ourself before we can be filled with His power. Paul said of the Philippians, if you’re going to be useful to God, then you are going to have to humble yourselves. This similarly is indicated in Ephesians chapter five, I think it’s verse eighteen. “Be not drunk with wine, in which is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” And then verse 21 says, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” 

Not only a humility before God, but a humility before people makes you a potential to be filled with the Spirit. You have to be emptied of yourself. And so we would say that before anybody would ever see the power of God working in his life, he would have to be emptied of himself. 

And when you start to talk about humility, that is a difficult thing to define. But, when you think you are finally humble, you can be sure you’re not. And when you think you’re proud and you wrestle with your pride, and you weep over your pride, you’re closer to being humble than you ever will be any other way.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's “MacArthur’s Questions and Answers“ by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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