God Chooses and Uses Nobodies — Zac Poonen

Romans 9–11 and the Sovereign Choice of God

I'd like to turn to Romans chapter 9. I don't know how many of us read through Romans chapter 9 to 11. They are a section all by itself, and it's a little different from the stream that's flowing in chapters 1 to 8 that continues in chapter 12, which is an explanation of the gospel.

God’s Mercy and Choice Apart from Human Works

But Romans chapter 9 to 11 is a very important section, because it teaches us something about the sovereign choice of God, of his people. Let me show you a verse, first of all, in Romans chapter 9. It says that the purpose of God, it says in verse...

It's talking about Jacob and Esau. Verse 11,. "...though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose, according to his choice, would stand not because of works, but because of him who calls.

It was said to the mother, Before the children were born, the older will serve the younger. And as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God.".

Verse 15,. "...but I will have mercy on whom I have mercy. I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it doesn't depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.".

And verse 18, it says, "...so then he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.". How would you like to believe in a God like that? Who has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and hardens whom he wants to harden.

I think all sensible people will revolt against a God like that. Say, that's unfair, it's unjust, but you've got to take it or leave it. That's the God of the Bible. And do you know why we question that?

Because of our arrogant pride, which we all received from our Adamic forefathers, and which he got from the devil. We've got bits of it from the devil too, as we have grown up. We question, Almighty God, how can that be?

And I want to say to you, my brothers and sisters, all those who have that attitude are the ones who never grow in their Christian life. One day when we see God face to face, we will discover that he was the absolutely fair, righteous judge of the universe.

But because of our warped, crooked, perverted mind, perverted by sin, perverted by partiality, a mind that knows about as much of God as an ant knows about the universe. That's how much we know about God.

And with that mind, we dare to question God. And that's the reason we don't grow. I've seen that through the years. I've seen many believers, they don't grow spiritually, because they think they are cleverer than God.

They think they know more than the Bible. Their knowledge of God has not come through the study of the scriptures, because they don't study the scriptures. They spend more time watching Christian television, and reading other things, and listening to music.

They don't know the Bible, and how can you know God when you don't know the Bible? You can have your opinion, but your opinion is all crazy. It's like a man who's never studied science, arguing with Albert Einstein about some scientific theory of his.

It's crazy. I mean, a humble person would say, I don't know, but there are very few people in the world who will come to God like that. He'd say, I don't know. I want to know. The mark of a person who has that attitude is, that he devours the Bible.

He studies it day and night, because he wants to know what God is like. Show me a man who is studying God's Word passionately, who has a greater desire to know His Word, than to know what all the preachers are saying, or what appears on Christian television.

There I'll show you a man who'll know God soon. But there are very few like that. There are very few in our churches. There are very few that I've seen across the world, whose great desire is to know God only through the Bible.

Very few. Let me give you a suggestion. Don't ever read a book, even a Christian book, that does not drive you to the Bible. Every book I've written, has always sought to drive people to scriptures. You know, one test of that is, if you open any book of mine on any page, you'll find a scripture reference, either on the left side or right side.

I think so. Most books anyway. But that's not true of a lot of Christian books today. You go to the Christian bookshop, and you open a book, and see if there's a scripture reference there. You turn to the next page, and the next page, and the next page.

There are no scripture references. That's the proof, that these books are not based on scripture. It's somebody's opinion. They don't show you scripture. They don't drive you to scripture. They don't drive you to Jesus.

And that's the reason for the shallowness, in a lot of Christianity today. And that's the reason for the ignorance of God, there is among Christians today, and the deception. And do you know, there are multitudes of so-called believers, who are living in a tremendous self-deception, that everything is alright with them, when they're not.

There are people who believe they are born again, who are not born again. There are people who imagine that they are spiritual, and they're not spiritual. One day Jesus will come, and they're going to get a tremendous surprise, when they discover that they are not what they thought they were.

So I want to help you this morning. If you're really serious, and I want to speak only to those who are serious this morning, about wanting to know God, wanting to go on with Him, and wanting to be useful in the short time we live on this earth.

God Calls Nobodies and Humiliates Human Pride

A wonderful truth that's become a revelation to me. It says here in Romans chapter 9, verse 19, You will say to me then, why does he still find fault, who can resist his will? And here's the answer, to all proud people.

On the contrary, who are you, oh man, who answers back to God? Who in the world do you think you are, to answer back to God? The thing that's molded, a clay vessel, cannot question the potter, saying, why do you make me like this?

So, I want to read verse 25 now. As God says in Hosea, and I want to read this in the Message Bible, it's really excellent. I'll call nobodies, and make them somebodies. You know that's what God is always doing.

He's always calling nobodies, and making them somebodies. If you're willing to be a nobody, in your own eyes, in the eyes of others, God will make you a somebody. And when He makes you a somebody, in His eyes, if you're still willing to remain a nobody, He'll make you some more.

But if you suddenly begin to think, after a little while, that you've become somebody now, He'll make you a nobody again. That's God's way. Jesus said that in these words, He says, many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.

So, if the devil wants to destroy a believer, and he does, he wants to destroy all of us, all he's got to do is, listen, he doesn't have to make you commit adultery, or murder, or steal a bank, or any such thing.

Listen carefully. All he's got to do, is to make you imagine, that you have now become a somebody. That's enough. And God will do the rest. The devil knows that. You don't know it, perhaps, because you don't read the Bible, but God knows.

But the devil knows it. He knows the Bible. He knows what God does. He knows that God makes nobodies into somebodies, and somebodies into nobodies. So if He wants to destroy you, all He's got to do is, make you think you're a somebody.

That's all. He's sharp. And He's seen it work for 6 ,000 years. And He knows it always works. And He knows that man is so stupid, and so blind, that He doesn't learn this lesson. So I want to expose the lie of the devil.

I want to expose the truth of God, my brothers and sisters, so that you will not make that mistake. If you want to receive grace, from God to the end of your life, always remain a nobody. I've seen before my own eyes, in the last 40 years, people who started out so well.

Young people, who started out so well. They were just nothing. They were nobody. And God blessed them. God blessed them. And it went to their heads. Their heads began to swell. They began to think they were somebody.

Spiritually. God anointed them. Gave them gifts. Used them. And then they are destroyed. I've seen elders of churches, in our churches, where we have preached humility for 30 years. They haven't understood the ABC of humility.

And, the devil has succeeded in destroying them. And don't think that because you hear the message today, your problem is going to be solved. You can understand it all in your mind. And if your heart is not open and hungry for God, I guarantee you'll forget it in a few weeks.

It'll be gone. So, this is the thing. I've seen people, who come to our churches, who were rock bottom poor. And every single family that's ever been a part of CSC, has prospered materially. We've never preached the prosperity gospel here.

Never. We're against it. But everybody's prospered. Because that's the way, where God, where we teach people to seek God's kingdom first, and His righteousness, and all their material problems are solved.

Not only solved, they prosper. Their children prosper. And then what happens? I've seen it happen before my eyes again and again. They begin to think they are somebody's, and God destroys them. Not materially.

They continue to prosper materially, like the worldly people, but destroyed spiritually. I've seen it happen so many times, I see it happening before my eyes, the people sitting here right now. I can only warn you, I can't change you.

Even Almighty God cannot change you. You got to decide whether you want to change, and that depends on whether you're willing, to be a nobody. I've seen people who are clever, intellectual, who, because they're cleverer than a lot of other people, imagine that they're somebody, God destroys them spiritually.

I've seen people who will mingle only with those who are on the same intellectual level, because they're somebody. And they mingle only with those who are intellectual somebodies. God destroys them. I know what a tremendous salvation it has been for myself.

I think I'm, perhaps not as clever as some of you fellows, but somewhat equal to some of you anyway. But I know what a tremendous salvation it has been for me to go and mingle with poor, uneducated, illiterate people.

I never knew Tamil. I learned Tamil to speak to them. I never lived in Tamil Nadu one day of my life. Well, I did for a short while, but I was traveling most of the time. But I learned it because I wanted to speak to these simple brothers.

Some of you, who are from Tamil families, don't speak to these poor brothers when they come for the conference. You're somebodies. No wonder, year after year after year after year, I see you. You don't see yourself, but I see you in the same spiritual condition.

I want to encourage you. Be a nobody. It'll go exceptionally well with you in the next one year. And you'll have growth in your life such as you've never experienced in all your life. God calls nobodies somebodies.

I'll call the unloved and make them beloved. In the place where they yelled out to you, you're a nobody, they are now calling you God's living children. Verse 26. So, I believe that is the secret. And the reason is, given us in 1 Corinthians in chapter 1.

God Chooses the Weak to Eliminate Boasting

In 1 Corinthians chapter 1 it says, verse 26 onwards. Take a good look friends at who you were when God called you to this eternal life. I'm reading from the message Bible. Consider your calling brethren.

Yeah, consider your calling. I don't see many of the brightest and the best among you. Not many influential folk in your church. Not many from high society families. Isn't it obvious that God... Remember, this is inspired scripture.

This is the word of God. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the world's culture overlooks. And that the world's culture exploits and abuses. He chooses these nobodies to expose the hollow pretensions of the somebody.

That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn or your trumpet before God. Everything that we have, right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start comes from God by way of Jesus Christ.

And that's why we have the saying, if you're going to blow a trumpet, blow it for God. Not for yourself. God does it, verse 29, so that no one will be able to boast before God in that day that I got here to heaven because I was wholehearted.

Because I was a little better than somebody else. No. It's because God sovereignly chose you. It's because God, in His tremendous mercy, decided to show mercy to you. Well, we may say, well, what can I do then if I'm not one of those chosen?

Yeah. Let's read another verse. We must always compare Scripture with Scripture. I told you Romans 9 to 11 is one section. And when you come to the end of that section, Romans 11, we read here, Romans chapter 11, he's talking about the Gentiles, the non-Jews, who've received favor from God.

Whereas for 1500 years, only the Jews got favor, and they thought they were the only people who'll ever get it. And God showed that He's going to give it to others. And it says here in Romans chapter 11, verse 30, that's the end of the chapter, just as you once were disobedient to God, now you have been shown mercy because of their disobedience.

So these also, who've been disobedient because of the mercy shown to you, may also be shown mercy. And listen to verse 32. God has shut up everybody in disobedience so that He can have mercy upon everybody.

So to whom does God want to show His mercy? Everyone. But we've got to receive it in humility. You know, when the Bible speaks about believing, one of the great words in the New Testament is faith. Believing.

Faith Means Receiving Christ, Not Merely Agreeing Mentally

And we can use simple illustrations like we have used in the past of what believing is. You've heard me say, for example, that you'd put money in a reliable bank like the State Bank of India and you won't put money in a bank which somebody started yesterday around the corner.

Why? You don't have faith in that bank. But you have faith in this bank. So faith is something outside of yourself. It's not in you. Don't look for faith inside you. It's faith in that bank. Or you've heard me use the illustration of walking across a river on a concrete bridge or on a rickety log put across the river.

You have faith in one, the concrete bridge, but no faith in the other. It's in something outside of you. Not inside of you. So... But faith is more than that. That's the beginning. You know, you have faith in Jesus Christ that He's reliable.

He's like that reliable bank. You can put all your money there. He's like that concrete bridge. It'll never break. But it's more than that. Faith is... I mean, that's the beginning. But the Bible speaks about faith as receiving.

See, for example, John 1, 12. John 1, verse 12. It says, As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. Believe and receive are the same in the New Testament.

You can't believe without receiving. When you believe without receiving, you're like the devils. The Bible says in James chapter 2, the demons also believe that way. You believe there's one God, the demons also believe.

And it says the demons do something more than you do. They tremble. So, the devil believes a lot of things which many Christians believe. About Jesus Christ, about the Trinity, about His death, resurrection, ascension.

But they don't receive. And because they don't receive, it's not what the New Testament calls faith. Does the devil believe that Jesus Christ is almighty? Sure he does. He found that out on the cross.

But he doesn't receive. You can believe that God is almighty too. Won't make any difference to your life any more than it does to the devil. It's receiving that makes the difference. And very often, many of us, when we say we believe something, we're only believing it in our head.

Do you know the Bible always speaks about believing with the heart? And there's a lot of difference between believing in the head and believing with the heart. Believing in the head is like the demons believe.

The Bible says, in Romans 10 verse 8 to 10, if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth. Proverbs 3 verse 5 says, trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean upon your head. That's what it says in that verse.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't depend on your understanding. You'll go astray. Do you know the difference between head faith and heart faith? World of difference. You know, nowadays we hear a lot about trusting God for healing.

Yeah, I believe we should pray for healing whenever we are sick. But something better than praying for healing is to trust God for health. Such you don't get sick. That's even better. If you follow the laws of health and trust God to protect you and you want your body to be used for God's glory, you can receive even health.

It's true. But it's receiving. You know, and very often, why is it so many people who are trying to believe God for healing, I'm going to trust God. They see some testimony, usually on Christian television or something like that.

They say, Oh, I'm going to do that. I'm going to do that. It's all in the head. See, that's coming from that fellow's head on the TV screen to your head. And it's so convincing. You say, Yeah, that's right.

I'm going to believe that. I'm going to believe that. Nothing happens. That's head faith. The devils also believe and nothing happens to them. Heart faith is something when God puts something there. It's got nothing to do with you.

Faith is a gift of God. You receive it. And somebody receives it and that person is healed. For the last 40 years, you know, I've been traveling in ministry and one of my prayers was that I would never miss a train or a flight so that a meeting has to be canceled and that I'll never be sick so that a meeting has to be canceled.

And it's never happened in 40 years. It's not because of me. It's what God just put some faith in my heart to believe that. Now, I'm not saying that's a great thing. I'm just saying that that was necessary for me, for my ministry.

It may not be necessary for you. But I wanted help to serve God. And I'm very thankful that God's given it to me for 40 years. I tell you, God can do many things for you if you trust Him. You've got to trust Him.

It's got to be from the heart. Lord, I believe you're going to do it for me. Now, you know, God's ways with us are varying for a period. I read that God gave Elisha life probably till the age of 90. And then finally, it says Elisha got sick.

And he died of his sickness. It's amazing to read that. Now, a person who's got head faith, say, hey, that can't be right. A person who understands in his heart has no problem with it. He says because it's a matter of God's will.

And God's will changes for a person from day to day. But head faith, people who say 2 plus 2 is 4, it's always got to be 4. Whether you're 10 years old or 90 years old, it's 2 plus 2 is 4. This is head faith.

There's a lot of difference between a living contact with God, where God leads us in one way at one time and another way at another time. But I want to say to you, try to understand this difference. Believing in the head is just knowing facts.

Do you believe that the earth goes round the sun? Yes, you do. Okay. It'll help you in your geography examination and probably scientific calculations, but it doesn't help you in your Christian life. In the Christian life, it's a heart thing where you receive.

Faith is to receive. You know, there are probably 2 billion or more, I don't know, maybe 2 billion Christians in the world today. One third of the world's population call themselves Christians. You go to any one of them and ask them, do you believe that Jesus Christ is God?

They say yes. They believe that Christ died for our sins? Yes. But do you know that 90 of them are going to hell? Even though they believe that. That's my opinion. You don't have to take it. But I think you'll discover in the day of judgment it's true.

Because they never had heart faith. Many of you know. I know from childhood I believed that Christ was God and died for my sins. But I never received till I was about 19 and a half. Then something happened.

I received. And once I received, I've never shaken. In 46 years I've never shaken. So you know the difference. It's the same thing in every area. This is the reason why so many people who imagine that they believe God for healing are not healed.

It's in their head. And they're told to confess that I'm healed. And it's still in their head. Nothing happens. They keep on confessing till they decide to be honest and say, I'm not healed. See a lot of deception going on in the world today.

I'm just trying to protect you from that deception. You have a choice. You can either believe what these TV evangelists tell you or you can believe me or believe God's word. But if you want to walk in honesty and in truthfulness you better believe what God's word says.

There is a difference between head faith and heart faith. The question of receiving. And let me show you another verse. John chapter 17 and verse 8. You see here again the connection between believing and receiving.

John 17 verse 8 it says, They have come to know everything you have given me is from you for the words which you gave me I have given to them that is to the disciples and they received them. And they truly understood I came forth from you and they believed that you sent me.

See they received and they believed. That is New Testament faith. Now we come to how can we receive. Even the matter of you know a lot of people let me take another example before I come to that. Another thing a lot of people are praying today and are frustrated about perhaps people sitting here is for the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

A lot of people are unsure. I was like that for many years myself. I know from my own experience. But I am not unsure today. I have not been unsure for the last 30 years. But I was unsure a long time before that.

I had it here in my head. It was not in my heart. Because even when it comes to the Holy Spirit it says in John 7 and verse 37 onwards Jesus spoke in the last day if anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink.

He who believes in me OK will have rivers of living water flowing out of him because this he spoke of the Holy Spirit whom those who believe will receive. It's just the same thing. Believing is receiving.

Believing in the head Yah Lord I prayed for it I believe I got it. Because we quote some verse where Jesus said when you pray believe that you have received. And I believe in my head. But let me ask you my brother, sister did it work?

Be honest. Don't imagine. You know this business of teaching people to imagine something which is not true is one of the greatest deceptions in modern Christendom today. Particularly in the healing ministry.

I'm not against healing. I believe in the gifts of the Spirit. I spoke in tongues for 30 years and I believe in healing I've experienced healing I've seen people healed through prayer. So I'm not against it.

But I don't believe in dishonesty and deception. When Jesus touched a blind man and his eyes were only half open and he couldn't make the difference between a tree and a man. Can you imagine how blind a fellow is if he can't distinguish which is a tree and which is a man?

He wasn't healed at all. Even people with poor vision can distinguish between a tree and a man. Imagine Jesus prayed for someone and the guy's eyes were only so little open that he thought men were like trees.

You know why God, Jesus did it? Why couldn't... Jesus every time He healed instantaneously is the only case where He redid it in two stages. You know why He did it? So that there will be a permanent record for people in the 20th, 21st century who will be deceived by these healing evangelists.

That's why He did it. And when the man said I can't see. If it was one of today's healing evangelists he would have said No, just confess you can see. Confess you can see. And he would have gone around blind man saying I can see, I can see.

I can see. I've seen people take off their glasses and say I can see. Deception. Jesus never asked him to tell a lie. He said I can't see Lord. He said okay, fine. We'll pray for you again. And he got healed.

Do you know that Jesus never wants us to tell a lie? He never wants us to say we're healed when we're not healed. Don't you believe all these all this brainwashing going on in Christendom today. It's receiving.

It's trying to believe in the head that causes a lot of problems. And I tell you if you understand this message it will deliver you from a lot of confusion and set you free. Look for that faith which comes in your heart.

Receiving Spiritual Gifts from Heaven

Okay, how can we receive in the heart? How can we receive the Holy Spirit? Here it says about receiving the Holy Spirit. See John chapter 3. I want to make it so clear today by the grace of God that by the end of this meeting if you are open and you're hungry a great confusion will be cleared out from your mind in this whole area that can change your life in relation to the future.

John chapter 3. John the Baptist said verse 27 A man can receive nothing get this clear a man can receive nothing unless it is given him from heaven. Do you understand that? You can receive nothing of eternal value of spiritual value unless it's given from heaven.

He's talking about things of eternal spiritual value. He's not talking about your salary which your boss gives you or gifts which some man gives you which are all temporal. A man can receive nothing of eternal spiritual value unless it's given from heaven.

So we got to look for it from there. And say Lord I don't have anything of value in me eternally unless you give it to me. See also 1 Corinthians in chapter 4. 1 Corinthians chapter 4 the middle of that verse it says What do you have that you did not receive?

What do you have that you did not receive? Just think for a moment. Even physical health or healing or spiritual gifts or knowledge of the bible. Preaching ability. For many years I used to think that my understanding of scripture was because I studied the word so much.

You know even I could be foolish and proud till God showed me my pride and I repented. I said Lord forgive me. It's not because I studied the bible so much. It's because you gave it to me. If I can preach it's got nothing to do with me.

He gives it to me. When I need a word to speak He gives it to me. If He doesn't give it to you it's not because you're inferior to me. Listen to this. It's not because you're inferior to me. You can be as wholehearted as me.

It may not be your calling. It may not be your gift. That's all. Your gift may be something else. There's some other area where I won't be able to do it as good as you can. Because that's your gift. See God gives the tongue an ability to speak but He gives the hand no ability to speak.

Maybe you're like that. No ability to speak. But look at the wonderful things the hand can do. Amazing things which the tongue cannot do. It's all receiving. A man can receive nothing unless it's given him from heaven.

What have you got that you did not receive? If our children are born again they're all born again. I've seen believers whose children are all born again who are so proud and they write books on how to bring up children.

I brought up my children right. I tell you honestly I'm scared to write a book on how to bring up children even though all my children are born again. It was received. I tell you it was received. It's got nothing to do with me and I think my wife will also admit it's got nothing to do with her.

It's got to do with receiving. Once you recognize that you will never look down on another person whose children are not born again. Never. If you do that you haven't understood this message. What have you got that you did not receive and if you received it how can you boast?

See all boasting is eliminated the moment you understand that you received. Why is there so much of a pride in some believers? You know that. It's not that a fellow gets up and boasts hey I'm so and so or sticks out his chest.

No. Pride is like body odor or like bad breath. Most people who have bad breath don't know it. Somebody's got to be kind enough to tell them hey better go and wash your mouth. It's true. And a lot of people who got body odor just don't know it.

Other people pick it up immediately but poor chap he doesn't know it himself. But you know how it's so much in a hot climate it's coming out all the time body odor. You can't suppress it. That's why deodorants have a big market and perfumes have a big market because they know this is something you just can't overcome.

I want to say pride is like that from your spirit. It's there. You can't even help it. It just comes out. Haven't you seen that sometimes when you do something well and somebody appreciates you for it.

Suddenly something came in there when the fellow said something good to you. That was the body odor I'm talking about. Spirit odor rather. And you got to kill it. Because it's evil. Because at that moment for a few seconds you thought you did it.

When you didn't you received it. I've seen people who brought somebody to the Lord who want me to know that they are the ones who brought that person to the Lord. What for? It's so many things. Can you imagine if by some chance you prayed for somebody and the guy got healed.

Can you imagine what will happen to you for the next week or two? And how you'll be itching to bring out that testimony somewhere or the other in all your conversation. This is what I mean by spirit odor.

It comes out so quickly like perspiration. You can't help it. Can you say I'm not going to perspire from now on? You can't do that. It just comes out. Pride is like that. So what have you got to do? You've got to be watchful.

When your body stinks, what do you do? Go and have a shower or a bath. We've got to be sensitive. The wonderful thing about spirit odor is we can cleanse it immediately. Unlike body odor, we can't cleanse immediately.

It takes time to go have a shower. But spirit odor can be cleansed immediately. I can immediately get rid of it and say no, that's God. I've received it. I can't boast about it. Let me turn you to another verse in Matthew chapter 5.

Poverty of Spirit as the Foundation of Humility

Matthew chapter 5. It says here in verse 3. Now you understand this verse. That's why I came to this verse finally, not at the beginning. Matthew chapter 5 verse 3 says, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The message Bible says you're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. At the end of your rope is an English expression, means you've got nothing more that you can do now. There's no way out. Nobody to help you.

You're at the end of your rope. It's all run out of your hand. It's come to the end now. And you let go and you sink to the bottom. It's like a fellow climbing mountains and hanging on to his rope and it's all slipping out of his hand.

He's come to the end of his rope. Now it's finished. And when you come to that point, the Bible says you're blessed because now you've got no human earthly resource to fall back on. It's like your bank account when it's come to zero and nobody will give you a credit card.