Don't Limit God

 

 

How often they provoked Him in the wilderness,
And grieved Him in the desert!
Yes, again and again they tempted God,
And limited the Holy One of Israel.
They did not remember His power:
The day when He redeemed them from the enemy.

—Psalm 78:40-42

 

 

How often do we frustrate the grace of God by not trusting Him? How often do we grieve the Holy Spirit by limiting Him?  If we are all honest, we have all limited God at times in our lives. We have limited His ability to work in our lives by not believing Him. We have forgotten His resurrection power that redeemed us from the enemy. 

 

Remembering the goodness of the Lord will keep us from placing limits on God. No matter what our experiences in life dictate—no matter what our circumstances insist are true, we need to remember what Jesus has given us. We need to remember what we have received in the gift of His grace. 

 

“And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace” (John 1:16, NKJV).

 

The Amplified Bible’s translation of this verse says, “For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift.”

 

This does not sound like a God who limits us. This sounds like a God who is for us. God is not limited. We are the ones who limit God by thinking far beneath His fullness we have received—the abundance He has supplied—the spiritual blessing He has given—the favor He has bestowed—and the gifts that are ours in Christ. We receive unceasing grace. When we think beneath the abundant grace of our loving Father, then what we receive is far beneath Him. His grace is hindered in us. His plans in us are obstructed. His calling is thwarted.

 

The way you think of yourself is who you believe are you (Proverbs 23:7). If you believe God’s love for you rests on your “goodness,” then you end up doubting His love for you. You limit Him because you believe you aren’t worthy enough to receive His love. If you believe God loves you based on Jesus’ righteous worth, then you know He desires His best for you. When you judge God’s love for you out of what you experience instead of out of His love revealed to you in Jesus, you end up living by what you feel instead of living by the faith He has given you. 

 

Doubt is the default belief system of many Christians. They read the Word but never truly believe it. Logical arguments and their own experiences seem more important than the affirmations of God. Never limit the power of God’s Word by questioning if it applies to you. It is His truth—His will—for you. Pray and believe it by faith. When you doubt God, you weaken His truth through unbelief. And a double-minded man should not expect to receive anything from God (James 1:7). 

 

What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in the Word? Has a specific Word from God suddenly come to life in your heart?  Do you believe it? Has it become the truth in you?  Have faith in Jesus—the One whose power fully redeemed you from the enemy. Put your faith in the abundance of God’s grace you have received in Christ. 

 

Faith sees God’s fullness alive and well in you. It sees His abundance—His spiritual blessings, favor, and gifts. By the world’s account, you don’t deserve God’s grace. By Jesus’ account, your new life has received it. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world’s account of you, and the one who believes in Jesus is the one who overcomes (1 John 5:4-5).

 

“If you can believe,” Jesus said, “all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23). 

 

Jesus’ account is paid in full. You aren’t limited in Jesus. Believe. Don’t limit God.

 

 

© 2024 Lynn Lacher

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