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We live in a world where it is very important to be capable at what we do. When you’re flying a plane and you are the pilot it is important to be capable. When you are teaching twenty five school children in one room it is good to be capable. If you’re a businessman sitting in a board room full of tough negotiators it is critical to be capable at what you are doing. But when you are dealing with your spiritual life knowing you are not capable is the only way to go.

Being capable means you can do it. You are proficient at the task and basically you don’t need anyone else’s help. That may work for you if you are a pilot or businessman but when you’re dealing with God it is best to realize that you are incapable of getting life done on your own.

As a matter of fact I believe the Bible is nothing but a bunch of people finding out they are incapable and ending up finding success only when they learn to depend on God. Need some examples, no problem.

• Peter seems to have it all together but soon finds himself disowning Jesus in the Lords darkest hours. He found himself incapable of handling the pressure from others; he learned his lesson and ends up preaching boldly at Pentecost.
• Paul the great missionary pleads with God to remove his thorn in the flesh only to hear silence from God. He ends up shipwrecked, stoned by his enemies, and put in jail for his faith. He learns the hard way on his own he has no chance, with God all things are possible.
• Moses, educated at the best schools, raised in the king’s palace gets demoted to shepherd before being given his greatest task of leading his people out of Egypt. He learns all the education in the world wont change the heart of Pharaoh, it happens only when he trust God to take care of the problem.
• Young David gets anointed the next king of Israel and spends the next thirteen years running for his life. While in the caves and on the run he finds out he is incapable of saving himself. He learns to trust God which comes in handy when he finally does become king.

The lists goes on and on, people who for one reason or another think they have it altogether only to find themselves in failure. After finding themselves incapable, they turn it over to God and find real success.

The same works for us, on your own you can’t do it, success only occurs when you turn it over to God. Having trouble with lust, on your own you don’t have a chance, but with God you can conquer. Is your anger out of hand, on your on it is just not going to get any better, turn it over to God and find peace and patience. What about envy of the neighbors stuff and position, on your own jealousy eats you up, not until you turn it over to God will you find real satisfaction in your own life.

Incapable of doing it on your own, that’s great. God has you right where he wants you. Admit you’re a failure and find real success. Need any examples, just check in the Bible.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, “At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and the he told me, my grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size- abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.” The Message

Prayer: Dear Lord lead us to the place, no matter what it takes, where we can see how weak we really are. Guide us to rely on your power and not ours. In Christ Name, Amen.