Up Is Down and You Die to Live

Jesus said, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all" (Mk. 9:35b). In God's economy, up is down and the way you live is to die. The way you get is to give because the laws of the kingdom are reversed from the laws of the world. According to the law, in the shadow of Egypt you must grab and climb, regardless of who you step on. That just won't work If you import it into the church setting-you have to turn it loose.

God expects us to do some things for ourselves, but sometimes we get out of control and try to do everything ourselves. We must replace our stubborn compulsion to do our own thing with a willingness to "let go." Sin began because the devil said, "I will." Redemption was birthed because Jesus said, " Not my will, but yours, be done" (Lk. 22:42b).

Paul knew how to relinquish things to God. He said, "And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved" (2 Cor. 12:15). Paul wasn't offering a little here and a little there, a little now and a little later. He was offering everything unreservedly.

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We don't mind the part about "spending and being willing to spend." We just have problems when we become the "currency" and the "being spent" part starts. Relinquishment comes into play when God starts taking things out of you and taking them away from you. Paul, for instance, had to learn how to love without being loved back. None of us like that part.

Moses was scrambling for excuses to avoid God's call when the Lord told Him, "okay, now put your hand in your bosom..... now pull it out." Moses was shocked to see that his hands was covered with leprosy! What did he do to deserve that? Perhaps God wanted Moses to know that He knew there had been a little sin on those hands. "Put it back, now out again." When Moses withdraw his hands again, his skin was perfectly clean and clear again.

God was teaching Moses two lessons. First, any person who cannot control the flesh, cannot cast out the devil. You must know what whatis in your heart and keep your flesh clean through repentance and obedience. Then you can handle the devil.

Moses, put your hand on your heart. It will reveal what is hidden in your hands. The second lesson was that God let Moses know who was in charge and where the power came from.

God intended to embarrass the devil and humble Pharaoh, but first he had to work on Moses's attitude. You will never be a success for the kingdom untill you see yourself as a threat to the enemy. We are more of a threat to him than he can be to us-when we relinquish ourselves to God.

You can be sure the process of relinquishment and preparation in life can get confusing at times. Moses tried to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt but things suddenly took a turn toward disaster. He and the Israelites ended up at the shore of the Red Sea with Pharaoh's army hot on their heels. Pharaoh had just come from the deathbed of his fristborn and there was vengeance in his eyes and violence in his heart. His pursuit of the Jewish people was relentless, and Moses knew he was coming.

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The people said, "we ought to go back to Egypt."
Moses said, "stand still."God said, "Go Forward. "

Sometimes we find ourselves in a similar place. People around us ask, "what are you doing moving in that direction? Go back to where you where comfortable. " Meanwhile, a leader you respect may say, "Maybe you ought to just stay put for awhile. Maybe the timing is just not right." The only way to find your way among conflicting opinions is to ask this question: what does God say? "Go forward. "