You Can Do Nothing Of Yourself
I. Everything Jesus did when he
walked the Earth he did being led by the Spirit-Mt4:1,Lk
4:1
A.
Let this be a reality to you: Jesus was being
led, guided, directed by the Holy Spirit; He was not operating in the
omniscience of God, but rather he was led-Phil 2:5
B.
We credit his freedom (John 8:32), why he was
so uncommon, extraordinary and sanctified (John 17:17), and why he was so far
away from Satan’s plan for his life (John 8:44) to the fact that he was led by
the Spirit
II.
We can also credit Jesus’ effectiveness to Him being led by the Spirit
and can then in turn say the more led by the Spirit you are the more effective
you will be
A.
Jesus was always in the right place, at the
right time, saying the right thing, doing the right thing and that’s why His
ministry was so effective in the Earth-John 8:29
1.
Being in the wrong place, at the wrong time,
saying and doing the wrong thing will produce ineffectiveness
a.
So much of being effective has to do with
just being where you’re supposed to be, doing what you’re supposed to be doing,
saying what you’re supposed to say and the only way to do those things is you
must be led by the Holy Spirit
2.
So many times people are in the wrong place
at the wrong time saying the wrong thing and doing the wrong thing because they
just picked something to do (and sometimes it’s even scriptural) without
looking inside first
3.
How did he know where to be, what to say and
what to do? He was led by the Spirit
B.
It needs to become a revelation to you that
you can of your own self do nothing and say nothing; Jesus never just picked
what he would do and say, he was led in what he said and what he did and so
should you-John 5:19,30, 8:26-29
1.
When you live by the mantra Jesus did, “I
only say what the Father tells me to say and I only do what I see Him do,” then
you understand I can’t say anything without hearing from him first, I can’t do
anything without seeing him first, and I can of my own self do nothing
a.
I do nothing of myself-Everything He does is
b/c of the Spirit’s leading
1)
CEB-I do nothing on my own, AMP-I do nothing
of Myself (of my own accord or on my own authority), but I say [exactly] what
My Father has taught me-NASB-I do nothing on my own initiative, but I speak
those things as the Father as taught me)
b.
You don’t choose what you say, you don’t pick
what you do (even if what you’re going to pick to say and do is scriptural)
1)
To live this kind of life it requires that
you always be looking inside
2.
It was a revelation to Jesus I don’t speak
and I don’t act without first getting it inside
a.
John 4:34-My meat is to do the will of him
that sent me, and to finish his work.
b.
John 5:36-for the works which the Father hath
given me to finish, the same works that I do,
c.
John 6:38-For I came down from heaven, not to
do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
d.
John 7:16-Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
e.
John 9:4-I must work the works of him that
sent me,
f.
John 12:49-For I have not spoken of myself;
but the Father which sent me, he gave me a
commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
g.
John 14:31-And as the Father gave me
commandment, even so I do.
h.
John 17:8-For I have given unto them the
words which thou gavest me;
C.
Jesus is hearing (inside) from God (not
audible) and yielding to that leading
1.
Mark 2:8-And immediately when Jesus perceived (To know, To find
out) in his spirit
2.
John 6:61-When Jesus knew in himself (Perceive, Notice, Discern, To Know,
To get knowledge of)
III.
A huge part of being effective in a situation is saying the right thing
and to say the right thing you have to be led by the Spirit
A.
There’s a right word for every situation
(it’s the word in season) and YOU
don’t know what it is so you must look inward to the Holy Spirit to get
that Word
B.
The right words are so precious; they can win
people over, turn whole situations around, bring peace, comfort, and victory
1. Proverbs 15:23-MSG-Congenial conversation—what a pleasure! The right word at the
right time—beautiful!
a.
NLT-Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is
wonderful to say the right thing at the right time
b.
CEV-Giving the right answer at the right
time makes everyone happy.
c.
NCV- Saying the right word at the right time
is so pleasing
2. Proverbs 25:11-CEB-Words spoken at the right time are like gold apples in a silver
setting
a.
ERV-Saying the right thing at the right time
is like a golden apple in a silver setting
b.
NCV-The right word spoken at the right time
is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl
3.
The power and preciousness of the right words
a.
We see the right words bringing healing (Luke
13:12)
b.
We see the right words bringing deliverance
and victory and peace (Mark 4:35)
c.
We see the right words turning away wrath
(Proverbs 15:1)
d.
We see the right words quenching strife and
bringing peace (John 8:1)
C.
You can say something that is right at the
wrong time and be wrong
1.
Jesus didn’t say, “I just say what the word
says and if you don’t like it well forget you,” and then just put his head down
and quote scripture; He said what the Father told Him to say
2.
Luke11:53-Satan waits
for you to say the wrong thing; it gives him access into your life
3.
Proverbs 18:20, Matthew 12:37-The words you
speak play a key role in determining how effective you are in every situation
that you face
D.
God by His Spirit will show you what to say
and cause you to be effective-Luke 21:14
1.
Isaiah 50:4-The Lord GOD hath given me the
tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary:
2.
Words that bring power are the Words that God
told you to say for that time
a.
If you’ll get your words from God you’ll find
them having more power
3.
You can be in the right place at the right
time, but you also need the right words, because the wrong words can mess the
whole situation up-Numbers 20:10
a.
When you speak utterances of the devil you
are being used of him
4.
John 8:4-Why didn’t he just say that right
away? Why did he not immediately respond to their insistent questioning? He
must not have it yet
5.
Luke 20:20-26-The HS showed Jesus their
wickedness and what to say to them
IV.
What made Jesus so effective and what will make you effective like Him
is a constant, continual looking inside for direction, for the leading of the
Spirit in every situation
A.
When Jesus healed people He didn’t do the
same thing every time; what you did last time is not a leading for this time;
he’s not just picking what he wants to do and he was so effective because in
every instance he was led by the Spirit
1.
Mark 1:40-He laid His hand on the leper
2.
Matthew 17:18-He rebuked the devil from that
man’s son
3.
Mark 7:32-This guy couldn’t talk and was
deaf; Jesus took him away from the crowd, put his fingers in his ears, and spit
and touched his tongue and said be opened
4.
Luke 18:41-Blind guy-Jesus asked what he
wanted him to do and said take your sight
B.
What Jesus did that made him so effective is
He was always looking inward to the Spirit of God for direction in every
situation; He did nothing of himself; He didn’t just do what he did last time
or what he saw work one time, he got direction from the Father and only did
what the Father told him to do and only said what he told him to say
1.
He always did the thing that yielded
results-How did he know what to do?
a.
He was so effective in what he did because He was led in what He did
2.
The effectiveness of Jesus; you can attach
everything He did to the leading of the Spirit (John 11-Lazurus, Mark 4-The
storm)
a.
Matt 14:15-The spirit is leading Jesus’ every
word and action and that’s why he was so effective in this situation. The disciples were the exact opposite
and that’s why they were so ineffective.
3.
Each situation is it’s own and for each one
we need direction from the Holy Spirit
a.
Whatever he says to you do it is the key to
results; So what has he said to you?
b.
You can’t just take a principle of the Word
and go off by yourself and work that principle; if you didn’t need the Holy
Spirit God wouldn’t have given Him to you
C.
You’re trying to be effective without the
leading of the Spirit and that’s why you’re not effective; if you’ll exalt this
(the leading of the Spirit, it [his leading] will exalt you)
1.
Proverbs 4:5-9-5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it
not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve
thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore
get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8 Exalt her,
and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour,
when thou dost embrace her. 9 She shall give to thine
head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
2.
Proverbs 3:13-18- 13 ¶ Happy is the man that findeth
wisdom, and the man that getteth
understanding. 14 For the merchandise of it is
better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. 15
She is more precious than rubies: and
all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. 16 Length of
days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. 17 Her ways are
ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are
peace. 18 She is a tree of life to them
that lay hold upon her: and happy is
every one that retaineth her.
3.
Proverbs 8:14-21- 14 Counsel is mine,
and sound wisdom: I am understanding;
I have strength.15 By me kings reign, and
princes decree justice. 16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even
all the judges of the earth.17 I love them that love me; and those that
seek me early shall find me.18 Riches and honour
are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine
gold; and my revenue than choice silver.20 I lead in the way of
righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: 21 That I may
cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.