Brokenness — Dale Gish

Hello, this is Brother Denny. Welcome to Charity Ministries. Our desire is that your life would be blessed and changed by this message. This message is not copyrighted and is not to be bought or sold.

You are welcome to make copies for your friends and neighbors. If you would like additional messages, please go to our website for a complete listing at www .charityministries .org. If you would like a catalog of other sermons, please call 1 -800 -227 -7902 or write to Charity Ministries, 400 West Main Street, Suite 1, AFPA, 17522.

These messages are offered to all without charge by the freewill offerings of God's people. A special thank you to all who support this ministry.

Well, we greet each of you again today in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It would probably be good if we could dim at least the center section of lights. We have a subject before us today that I believe God would have us to consider.

Brokenness Before God

Brokenness. Where are we in brokenness before God? Does the power of Christ rest upon my life because I am broken before Him? What I have to share today may take a little more than our allotted time, and so I ask for your grace in that.

But may God have His way today as we take this next hour and a half to search our hearts before Him. Let's pray. Holy Father, oh, we come to You, Lord, brokenness. That's a subject, Father, that the flesh does not like.

But that is when You become strong. That is when the power of Christ can rest upon us. And oh, how we desire that, Father. Lord, at this moment, we feel our weakness before You. Before this congregation.

But I'm just going to ask, Lord, the little things. Sometimes to do a big work. And I'm just going to ask today, Father, that You would use a little chalk to make a point of something that is stirring in Your heart.

Of what You will do for us when we break our hearts before You. Father, I pray from the bottom of my heart that all the glory would be Thine. We don't know what to say, Father. We just come before You in reverence.

At the foot of the cross. And we just look up. We just come to the empty tomb and we look in. And we marvel, Father, at what You have done for us. It's the least that we can do to get out of the way. So that You can show Yourself strong in our own life.

Father, do it to us. I pray that You will today have Your way. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. We'd like to begin this evening by painting a couple of pictures in your mind. The first one is a very beautiful scene.

The Wild Horse That Must Be Broken

It's of a group of young wild horses. Running down the mountain. And they are high spirited and they are free. And they are fast. And they are extremely graceful. I mean, their manes and their tails are flying out behind them in the wind.

The lead stallion in the front is just now fully grown and he's quite a horse. As they come down to the bottom of the mountain, they slow to a trot. I mean, he just glides almost sideways. And then he kicks up his heels and he snorts and jerks his head and his muscles are bulging.

And he's just bursting with energy. You know, folks, you can't view a scene like that. And not be tremendously impressed. With that kind of strength. And with that kind of grace. And with that kind of beauty.

But there's a decree that has been made by the creator of that horse. And that decree would sound something like this. Oh, young stallion. Don't you know that before you can be of service to anyone but yourself, you must be broken.

Now, in horses we call it broke, but we know it's true, don't we? I mean, it doesn't matter how much strength that horse has. It doesn't matter how graceful he is. That horse will not be of service to anyone but himself.

Until he's broken. That's the decree that has been made. The other picture that I would like to paint in your mind this evening, again, is of a horse. This time standing tall. Tied to a hitching post.

Just outside of a general store. The owner's inside the store. And he's been in there for quite a while now. There's a stranger that walks up to the horse. And the horse stomps his foot in a friendly way.

And the stranger reaches up and he strokes his head in his mane. And the horse responds in a very gentle way. And the owner comes out of the store. And the stranger says to him, is this your horse? The owner says that it is.

The stranger says, this is a beautiful horse. This is a very gentle horse. He said, you are a very fortunate man. That you found you a horse. So beautiful and so gentle as he. The owner looked at the stranger and he said, me and that horse have a secret.

He said, me and that horse know that I did not find me a horse. So beautiful and so gentle as he. He had to be broken. And what we went through to get there is our secret. And friend, he said, his brokenness is a big part of his beauty.

And we know it's true. The stranger knew it was true. Let's not be strangers to the truth this evening. Let's not be strangers to the Word of God. Because that is the decree in the Word of God that has been made by the Maker of each one of us.

That's exactly where we are at this evening as children of God in the Kingdom of God. That's the decree that has been laid upon each one of us. That you'll never be of service to your Master and your Lord until you're broken.

You see, brothers and sisters, it just doesn't matter how strong you are. It doesn't matter how many talents and gifts you have. You will not be of service to your Master and your Lord until you're broken.

Because God can't use your talents or your gifts to His glory until you get out of the way. I've heard it said that God can't use talent. He can use brokenness. Because that's when He can show Himself strong.

And that's just the way it is. You know, really there's no need to pray otherwise, is there? I mean, there's sometimes when we can pray about things and we can turn that thing around and send it the other way through the power of prayer.

But that's not the way it is here. Here it's kind of like the little boy one time that was taking a test in school and he was matching up the states with their capitals. Now, Sacramento is the capital of California.

But this little fella couldn't remember. He thought maybe it was the capital of Oregon. And so he marked it down as the capital of Oregon and then he prayed a prayer. And it was an earnest prayer. He just prayed, Lord, please make Sacramento be the capital of Oregon.

But folks, Sacramento is the capital of California. That's just the way it is. There's no need to pray otherwise. You know, sometimes we just need to bring ourselves to the truth. Because the truth is not going to move.

It's been settled forever in heaven. And that's exactly where we are this evening with this decree. You will never be of service to your master and your Lord until you're broken. Now, that doesn't mean that you can't do big things in the kingdom of God.

That doesn't mean you can't do something in the kingdom of God and not be broken because you can. It happens all the time. But what I'm saying is it's going to be you that's doing it and not God. The anointing of God is not going to be upon your life until you're broken.

And I'm not saying you can't make yourself look really good in the kingdom of God. I'm not saying you can't make yourself look really spiritual in the kingdom of God because you can. Even when you're not broken, it happens all the time.

I'm just saying it's going to be you that looks good. And not God. You will not be of service to your master and your Lord until you're broken. That's the decree that has been made and it's been settled forever in heaven.

Falling Upon the Cornerstone

Would you like to read the decree? You'll find it written several times throughout the scripture in several different ways. Sometimes it's almost like a proclamation. Other times it's just a hint. But you'll find it woven all through the scriptures.

And if you want to sum it up into one good scripture, you might turn to Matthew 21, verse 44. That's one place where you will find it written in red. And you don't need to turn there now, but Jesus was telling them that he was the stone that the builders had rejected.

And that he had been made the head of the corner. He was the chief cornerstone. And Jesus said right there that whomsoever shall fall upon this stone shall be broken. Whomsoever! Now, I don't know what that means to you today, but I think I know what it means to God.

It means anybody and everybody. Whomsoever shall fall upon this stone shall be broken. That is a proclamation from the Word of God. And I'm just going to tell you it's been settled forever in heaven. And you can discuss all you want to what it means to fall upon this stone.

It just simply means whoever comes to Jesus Christ on his terms shall be broken. God said in Isaiah, where can I go? Where is the place of my dwelling? In other words, what kind of servant can I use? And God answered his own question.

God said to this man will I look. Even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and who trembles at my word. I'm just going to challenge you. Is that where you're at in your life before God? That is where the blessing of the presence of God will come.

That's when the power of Christ will rest upon you. James says that God resisted the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. And I'm going to say again that you can be doing big things in the kingdom of God.

You can make yourself look really spiritual. You can have lots of friends in the kingdom of God. It happens all the time. But if you're not broken and there is pride in your heart, God will resist you even there.

Because God resisted the proud until you're broken. And then he just pours grace on the humble. That's part of the proclamation too. Amen. And praise God for that. That is part of the decree. Jesus said you want to be great in God's kingdom.

Then learn to be the servant of all. What does all mean? Well, we know what that means, don't we? It doesn't mean be a servant to the ones who can return that blessing upon you. It doesn't mean be a servant to your best friends only.

It doesn't mean be a servant to the ones who think like you do and agree with you. That thing means one thing. It means learn to be the servant of all. And I'll tell you tonight, it's something that you must learn.

We don't automatically have that one. Do you know how you learn it? You learn it in brokenness and humility. And by going down, we have got to go down. Down in our mind. Down in our body. Down in our lifestyle.

Down. Way down. Down. Because there are other people who are that low. And that is where you need to be. To be the servant of all. The servant is never greater than his Lord. He is always below him. And that is where you need to be.

To be the servant of all. And when you get down there, you know what you're going to find? You're going to find that you are just like those people. You're going to find that there is fellowship for you at their level.

And I'm going to say that you're going to find the fellowship down there is even sweeter than it was when you were somebody. If you want to be great in God's kingdom, learn to be the servant of all. Jesus said to his disciples, you're arguing about who's going to be the greatest.

Jesus said, but I am among you as one that serveth. I read of a pope one time who heard of miracles that were being done by the hand of a sister in a foreign land. And he wanted to know if it was true.

And he called his servant Philip to him. And he said, Philip, I hear of miracles that are being done by the hand of our sister in a faraway land. He said, I want you to go and to observe and return and tell me, is it true?

And it was a long and a hard and a devastating journey. But Philip went and he went with a single eye. And when he arrived, I tell you, his feet were wounded and sore. His whole body was exhausted. He was completely done in from the hardships of the journey.

And he just pled with his sister. He just pled with her to take the shoes off of his feet and wash his feet and bring salve for the wounds. And this sister, she looked at him and she looked at him again and she said, me, wash your feet.

She said, I don't do that. I have greater things that I do. And it is said that Philip stayed no longer. He looked no farther. He asked no more questions when he was in that place. He just returned to his master.

And when he got there, the Pope saw him and he said, Philip, you've returned. The miracles, are they true? And Philip looked at him and he said, they can't be. And I'm going to tell you tonight, they can't be true.

Because there's been a decree that's been settled forever in heaven that if you want to be great in God's kingdom and do great things for God, you must learn to be the servant of all. And I want you to know that there's not a soul here today that's going to be great in God's kingdom unless in brokenness and in yieldedness, you go down below others and learn to serve.

Go down, get below them and learn to be the servant of all. It's been settled forever in heaven. There's no need to pray otherwise. There is something that I would like to share with you that I've learned over the years in the kingdom of God.

New Birth and the Process of Brokenness

I've learned it by observing others. I've learned it by observing you. And it's also my part of my own testimony as well. And that is that when you're born again into the kingdom of God, you're not automatically completely broken now.

You know what it means to be born again? I'm not going to get into what all it means, but I'll tell you one thing tonight that it does mean. It means that you have been born. That's the way you get into the kingdom of God.

That's the only way you get into the kingdom of God, by the way. You don't just move in. But it's a beautiful birth. It's into the kingdom of God that you've been born. It's into Jesus Christ that you've been born.

But you're a baby. That's what you are. But you think about it. That's the way it always is. Amen. I mean, anything right after it's born is a baby. That's scriptural. Christians, too. Amen. Babes in Christ.

You're on milk now. You're hungry every time you turn around. But you're full of life. You're ready to grow in grace and learn the ways of this new kingdom as you face the trials of life. But when you're born again, you're not just automatically completely broken now.

That's just something that I've learned. You don't just walk up to that young stallion coming down the mountain in all his strength and in all his grace and say to him, Now, you belong to a very kind and a very gentle master.

You've been purchased. Now it's time for you to be broken. And all of a sudden, he's ready to stand there, tied to a hitching post, waiting on his master. That doesn't just happen overnight. And praise God, it happens!

Hallelujah! But it takes time. It takes time to be broken. We need to leave room for growth. You know what it takes to be broken? It takes prayer. It takes life itself. It might take going to Bible school and hearing some things that you don't want to hear.

It takes suffering wrongfully. It takes being under authority. Oh, that helps break us. It takes obedience. It takes things not going your way. You know what it takes? It takes the cross. It takes a crucifixion.

It takes all of those things. And when you fall upon that stone, when you come to Jesus Christ and you let Him have His way with you, God will bring all of those things into your life to the end that you will be broken before Him.

And it's only as you receive the things that He brings that you will ever become a servant that God can use. Well, those of you here who know me know that I do like to get practical. But really, it's only when brokenness gets into your everyday life that it really does any good and makes any difference, right?

Brokenness as a Daily Mindset

I mean, let's face it, we are not broken when we learn how to pray broken. We are broken when we learn how to live broken. So, I believe we need to bring our everyday life right up to the Word of God.

Just put our life right next to the life of Jesus Christ and just take a good look at us and see how we compare in obedience, in being under authority, and in all of these ways. Brokenness is a mindset.

Did you know that? It's how you think. That's what it is. It's having the mind of Christ, letting the mind of Christ be in you. That mind that was also in Christ Jesus. And I want you to know tonight that the mind of Christ is not a complicated thing.

You know what it is? It's a broken thing. It's how you think. When your will is completely laid down and out of the way and your mind is geared to obey. No matter what. And I wonder, how well does that mindset right there fit in to your life?

There are people that if all their authority did in everyday life was just gave them a slight hint to do something, there are people who would catch it and they would do it. Because their will is broken.

It's not a problem. And their mind is geared to obey. And they'll just do it. There are other people that if their authority gave them more than a hint, a clear commandment to do something, they would have several reasons why it was not necessary or at least question why it was.

And it's because their will is not broken. It's not because they have the gift of a prophet. It's not because their authority is ungodly. It's because their will is not broken. It's a condition of the mind.

It's how you think. Let me give you an example. If you are told that the wastebasket is almost full in everyday life, to the mind of a broken and a faithful servant desiring to be the servant of all, that is a commandment to empty the trash.

That's how they hear it. And they will do it. But to an unbroken spirit, they won't catch on. Even if their authority comes right out and says, Would you please empty the trash now? I mean, they're going to come up with all kinds of excuses and reasons.

I mean, it's not quite full yet. Or I'm busy with this other job. Or I did it last time. Or something. And I want you to know something tonight. When that's how you are with dumping the trash, that is exactly how you will be with the commandments of God.

There's a thread connecting those two that has never been broken. When that's how you are with dumping the trash, full of excuses, reasons why it's not necessary, wanting to know how your brother fits into this thing, when that's the way you are with dumping the trash, that's exactly how you'll be with the commandments of God.

It doesn't take long for a broken heart to obey. Brokenness shows up in everyday life, folks, because it's a mindset. It's how you think. And I know I've used some of these examples before, but they teach us something about our heart.

When the phone rings and someone says, Hello, could you bring a salad to fellowship meal on Sunday? And you say, Oh, well, I prefer bringing desserts. Would it be okay if I brought a dessert? I want to tell you tonight, you're not broken.

Even if you speak in a very sweet voice and offer to bring two desserts, you're just doing exactly what you want to do. That's all you're doing. And that's not the kind of servant that God can use. Hear my heart tonight.

When you answer the phone that way, that's exactly how you'll respond to God. It's a thread that never has been broken. A father gives his son a suggestion, and instead of doing it, he has three creative alternatives.

And they're good alternatives. They really are. But he's never willing to do it his way. And I'm not talking about once in a while. I'm talking about character traits. I'm talking about a mindset. Some people are that way all the time, and they're not broken.

And I want us to know tonight that God cannot use dessert makers and creative alternative thinkers in His kingdom. That is not the kind of servant that God is looking for. I mean, you walk into church on Sunday morning, and the usher suggests that maybe it would be good if you sat over here.

And you suggest that maybe it would be good if you sat over here. You're not broken. God cannot use that kind of mindset. You have a desire to be a missionary. Oh, the church is thrilled. They need someone to go to Africa.

And you say, Oh, but God has been laying China upon my heart. Now, I understand that God could do that. And you need to share that. But let me tell you something that might be even bigger in your heart, even than China.

I mean, China is big enough, but your will might be even bigger. Why do you need to go to China when God needs you in Africa? Do you want to be a servant? Then down you must go. Do you want to be sent?

Make sure that He that is sent is not greater than He that sent Him. And if we're always telling everybody where to send us, then we are greater than the one who is sending. If you want to be sent, then go where you're sent.

That's the mind of Christ. That's what Jesus did. Sometimes we get the mentality that someone is broken because they're willing to be a missionary. But, brothers and sisters, that's not so. There are missionaries all over this world who are not broken.

And I want to say this carefully, but the witness of God is hindered in that outreach. You're just doing exactly what you want to do and doing it exactly where you want to do it. Those people, they just look around to find someone who is willing to send them where they want to go and support them in what they want to do.

And that's when the servant is greater than his Lord. And when He that is sent is greater than He that sent Him. And it doesn't come out right. It's not brokenness. And that kind of thinking is all through the church today.

I hear of situations all the time that sound so spiritual. Like the young girl whose mother wanted her to be down in the kitchen to help with breakfast every morning. But it conflicted with her schedule because that just happened to be when she had her time with God.

And she wouldn't come because she wasn't willing to sacrifice her time with God to be with Mother in the kitchen. And it sounds so spiritual. But those things take some discernment, brothers and sisters, because it might not be spiritual at all.

Let me tell you something that might be bigger in that girl's heart even than her time with God. And it's her independent spirit. You know, listen. Stay with me here. A broken spirit can figure out real quick that she needs to get up an hour earlier and have her time with God and then be down in the kitchen to help her mother because God wants me to be a servant to my mother.

Did you know that unbrokenness will never figure that out? Unbrokenness always figures out how to look spiritual and stay out of the kitchen and make mother look bad, too. I mean, she doesn't even care about my time with God.

Unbrokenness will always find a way to look spiritual and stay out of the kitchen. And I wonder, brothers and sisters, what does that little story tell us about our own life? Is there an application that we can make there?

You say, but how does that story fit in with Mary and Martha? Remember Mary who chose to stay out of the kitchen and sit at the feet of Jesus and she was blessed. And she was. And that's where we need to be perceptive.

That's the burden that we've had this week is that we would have some Holy Ghost discernment. Sometimes things are not what they seem. But if that girl having her time with God was always finished with her time with God in time to be down at the breakfast table to eat, your spirit should say, wait a minute.

Unbrokenness loves to look just as spiritual as Mary. When there's really nothing there but an independent spirit. I'm digging a little bit into the motives that are in the heart. It happens all the time.

That girl is not under authority. And if you're not under authority, you're not broken. Because brokenness will always be under authority. Brokenness doesn't have a problem being under authority. If you make yourself look more spiritual than others, if you just make an effort to make yourself look spiritual, you're not broken.

Because brokenness won't do that. Brokenness goes down and gets below others and serves them and doesn't just serve them but brings them some honor. You know, if you're really with it today and you're on the in crowd, I'm going to tell you tonight that you're not broken.

You have the mindset of the world around you. Jesus did not have that mindset. Jesus was not on the in crowd. He did nothing to include himself there. I'm going to tell you this evening that if you're in a clique and you're always with the same people and you get to the point where you begin telling secrets just between you and you begin to share more with each other than you do with your God-given authority and you begin to shut others out a little bit because they don't quite measure up.

They don't quite fit in. If you're in a clique, you are not broken. I'm going to tell you something that I heard a brother say at a minister's meeting one time. He said this. He said, when a youth gets into a clique with another person or with some other people, he said, you can just about sit back and watch them go downhill spiritually.

If that's where you are, I'm going to tell you tonight, you're not broken. And you're not going to be great in God's kingdom because you haven't learned how to love beyond yourself and your own opinion.

And you haven't learned to be the servant of all. I don't know how all that lands with you. Some of that may be a little bit hard to receive. I know what Jesus said when something hard comes out. Jesus said that when there's hard sayings come, not everyone is going to be able to receive it.

But I want to tell you tonight who can receive it. The poor in spirit can receive it. They have no reason not to. They have nothing to defend. The poor in spirit can receive this. And theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

We have a desire for you folks, not only this week, but for your life, that you would have Holy Ghost discernment. But I want you to know that you will never have it until you're broken. Because it's in brokenness and emptiness of self that you get the infilling of the knowledge of His will.

Brokenness can figure out that I am the problem. Unbrokenness will never figure that out. That is very scriptural. Brokenness is very perceptive. A hard heart cannot perceive obvious things. That always amazes me.

That's very scriptural. I would like to quote to you one verse out of the scripture. I believe it's in Mark 6, verse 52. That verse says, for they, and that they there are the disciples, that's some spiritual men, supposedly.

It says, for they considered not the miracle of the loaves. I have marveled at that verse. How in the world is that even possible? And that verse answers that question. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves, for their heart was hardened.

A hard heart can't even see a miracle. Now, brothers and sisters, Jesus had just got done feeding five thousand hungry men besides women and children with five loaves and two small fish. And after they were all filled with the fragments that remained, they picked up twelve baskets full.

That's about one basket full per disciple. What were they thinking? I guess they were just obediently gathering up the leftovers and not thinking about it. And we marvel at that. But is that the way we go through life?

Sometimes we're just upstairs having our time with God. We don't realize how bad we're needed down in the kitchen to help Mother. Sometimes we're just doing great things in the Kingdom of God and we're just impressed what all God's doing and we forget that there's a hurting heart over here that needs someone to come alongside or their faith will depart from God.

We are members one of another and sometimes we forget that. I trust that the time we spend together this week is going to encourage us to pray earnestly for Holy Ghost discernment. That's one of the greatest gifts you will ever have going through this life.

You know, I've heard it said before that if you give a man a fish, you just fed him a meal. You didn't really do much for him, but you did feed him a meal. But if you teach that man how to fish, you just fed him for life!

You did him a great favor and I tell you, God is not interested in giving us just a few rules and regulations for the moment to help us out right here. If we have Holy Ghost discernment and our heart is broken and the flesh is crucified, brothers and sisters, we are set up for whatever situation comes so that God can have His way in our life.

May God give us grace in that area. As I finish up this message, I would like to challenge you in an area and encourage you to search your heart concerning this. That brokenness, when you're broken, will never let itself look more spiritual than others.

Christ’s Humility and Learning Obedience

At first thought, that doesn't sound right. But I don't think I'm ever going to forget what I heard Zach Poonen say one time when he was teaching on that subject. He said, I wonder what your impression of Jesus Christ Himself would have been if you had met Him on the streets of Nazareth when He was, say, 25 years old or your age.

Would His blazing holiness have knocked you over? Would He have used it to impress you? I tell you tonight, He had it! He had it when He was your age! I mean, He was the Son of God. He had never sinned.

He was perfect in obedience and righteousness. Spotless Lamb of God was He! Would He have used that to impress you? Is that what you'd have seen when you met Him? Brother Zach didn't think so. He thought He would appear more as a common man.

Friendly at your level. Interested in your life. A servant even below you some. And that impressed me. Jesus Christ, the Carpenter's Son. That's all He was known as for 30 years in Nazareth. That's all He presented Himself as.

That's the only reputation that He gained. Jesus in Nazareth for 30 years was only known as the Carpenter's Son. I mean, that's all He was known as. I mean, how did He do that? The Son of God living upon the earth and nobody knew it for 30 years.

How did He do that? That's amazing when you think about it. In fact, I dare you to think about it. How did He do that? The epitome of holiness. Sinless perfection. As spiritual as you can get. Only known as the Carpenter's Son for 30 years.

That's what the people said. Is this not Jesus? The Carpenter's Son? Whose mother is Mary? Whose brothers and sisters are here with us? He was only known at their level. How did He do that? I'm going to tell you tonight how He did that.

I think I know. It's because He was broken. And brokenness will do that. Because brokenness won't let itself look more spiritual than others. If you have the mind of Christ and Jesus, He was not learning how to look spiritual.

What was He learning? He was learning obedience by the things which He suffered. If there's ever a Scripture that I go back to frequently just to put myself in my place, I have to go to that Scripture that speaks of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, here upon the earth, it says that He was learning obedience by the things that He suffered.

What does it take to be broken? It takes some suffering. It takes some suffering wrongfully. It really does. He was learning to be the servant of all. And down He went below everybody in Nazareth for thirty years.

No reputation. Only the carpenter's son. That's all He was. Does that impress you tonight? And His future? He trusted God. His future was completely in His Father's hands. Completely. I want to close today by telling you about my brother.

Surrendering Every Part of Life to God

He's your brother too. He had an injury in his feet. His feet were completely destroyed. They were completely mangled in an accident. And as they wheeled him into surgery right after the accident, the doctor said to him, I don't know if I can put your feet back together again.

He said, I'm going to try, but I don't know if I can. When you come out of surgery, you may not have any feet. I may have to amputate. And I'm sure there was a painful silence. I mean, put yourself in his shoes.