Only God Can Do the Work of God and David Platt — Francis Chan

Letting the Spirit Create Hearing and Heart Change

We mess things up sometimes by trying too hard to convince people to do something. Because when I see Jesus do is he who has ears let him hear. So this way if the person's heart has really been changed and you present the word to them They're gonna have ears to hear and do it and I think sometimes by come on you guys We're gonna do this, you know, then we talk people into doing exactly yourself Quick action or something when their heart really hasn't been changed.

I've been thinking about that lately. It's like God, I don't want to in my zeal I don't want to be talking people into something to make them feel a little bit better than they did a little act here. Because of the way I communicate or I get so excited about it and It should it be more of a he was here.

Dependence on the Spirit Rather Than Manufactured Response

Let him hear. Here's what the Word of God says. But we do live in a time where someone can read a scripture and No, unless a dynamic communicator comes along and explains it really well when they already knew what it said, right?

That maybe I don't know. Maybe I overthink things. No, I mean, I think that's right on I think and what where that leaves me is and Just complete and total dependence on the Spirit to create that. Yeah the hearing and Create the heart change that has to happen there and instead of trying to manufacture it instead of trying to use All the means.

Okay. How can we make this happen? How can we cajole somebody? How can we persuade somebody now, obviously like when I Share the gospel with somebody individually or when I preach the gospel like I want to urgently persuade people to trust in Christ but at the same time Yeah, I want to trust that the Spirit will do that work and I can't I can't manufacture that I can't make that happen that's that's a good word and it just drives back to something we've talked about a good bit, but Just the need for prayer in this whole picture for God to do what only God can do.

Only God Can Make Disciples and Disciple Makers

Because we can't. We can't make disciples. We can't make disciple makers. I mean, I mean only the only what did Augustine say only God can do the work of God like yeah, it's true. And and And if we're not careful we do I think it's been a lot of time trying to manufacture that it just results in a fleshly picture.

Yeah, and it's not this powerless. Yeah. Loveless powerless. Yeah, like do you at the end of the day? Are you in love with Jesus Christ that I can't I can't make that happen. I can't create that I can convince someone to do something here there.

Loving God as the Source of Obedience

But when you talk about the great command love the Lord your God all your heart soul and mind. Like you can never make that happen then Jesus says it, you know, it's a spirit who gives life the flesh is of no help at all and To try to remember that and and to keep the focus on loving Jesus loving Jesus this is all an outflow of because I'm so in love with him versus a Do-this-do-this-do-this or you're going to hell like I don't ever want to come across that way.

And I I fear sometimes I do that and at the core of it. It's not to be love but it's got to come from. You know a response to this gospel and understanding it and just loving the gospel and loving this God who did that for you.

It's like I gladly trust you. I gladly follow you. Like I want that so badly. And yet some of Jesus's words to though you go. Gosh. He was he was hard. He was very hard harder than I am and I want to be careful not to You and I have talked a good bit about John 15 along those lines.

Abiding in Christ’s Love

Yeah. Never you and I read a conference where you were preaching John 15, but Wow just When Jesus commands his disciples remain in my love like what a beautiful command Abide in my love. I just stay there If you keep my commandments, you'll abide in my love.

Just as I've kept my father's commandments and abide in his love like When we know his love when we when we his love for us when we are filled with love for him. This is the spring from which obedience flows.

It's love and joy. Full joy like the other day. I was just I was in these verses again and just freshly reminded of I'm commanded to remain in this love. Yeah, and to find joy in his love for me and Over a responsive love to him.

Yeah, that is an obedience to him. This is yeah, it's gotta be that I just stopped him to go ahead one last thought cuz it's I'm gonna forget it, but Now I think even as we move forward in this Everything we do has to be about love has to be about because I just love God and I I want to experience him.

When Revival Becomes an Idol

And I want to enjoy him because what I was sharing with my guys the other morning is like I realized that Revival had become like an idol like where I would get frustrated. You know that man, how come all the people in this apartment building aren't falling in love with Jesus come on.

Something's wrong and I wanted that revival so much even though God I would see Supernatural things so regularly and be so amazed by it, but then there would be this bummer. Oh, man, but this isn't this isn't happening.

I thought there'd be hundreds getting saved. I thought people were gonna repent and this and that and just reminding myself That Jesus never promised that revival. In fact, you know Paul told Timothy look in the last days.

Finding Joy in Christ’s Presence Rather Than Outward Success

You know people are gonna reject this and our joy needs to be, you know the Matthew 28 I'll be with you always and I was telling the guys look look what we've seen so far. None of us can deny that Jesus has been answering our prayers walking alongside of us.

We've seen the power of the Holy Spirit, but these people they still haven't repented. But Jesus look even if someone rose from the dead and they saw that they still wouldn't repent so the guarantee of this is I'm gonna I'm gonna walk closely with the Lord.

He's gonna be with me. I'm gonna experience him. This is the one thing that I asked. This is the one thing I seek. I just want his presence I just love Jesus even more than I love revival. Even more than I'd love to see other people repent.

I want that. I love that. But I want this to be about Jesus and even as we go forward. It's like I Want to experience Jesus, I'm gonna fellowship with him and Through this I don't want to force something say hot happen.

Look at all the people that showed up. Look at all the people that are a part of multiplying it, you know, like They're just yeah that Misses the whole point. Yeah. Yeah, it's empty. Yeah, but Yeah, I don't think I have anything to add to that like may it be so may just in love For Christ and experience of Christ's love.

Yeah, just permeate our lives as disciples of Jesus and disciple makers and and more and more and more people knowing his love and remaining in his love and Experiencing. Yeah the power and intimacy of his presence in that way.

Maybe so.