Have you ever tried writing on a sheet of a paper completely filled with ink writings, drawings and sketches? Or, have you ever tried moving a static car turned off at the ignition? If yes. How did it go?

I’ve tried and it is literally impossible. I had to get a blank, empty sheet of paper so I could pen down my thoughts easily, without any stress. And, in the latter case, the car engine was put on so it could be moved.

It’s the same with God. He cannot birth His realities through you and in you if you are consumed with self – filled with your own thoughts, ideas, plans and desires for yourself. He experiences the same level of frustration when He tries to write on you and lead you to His perfect plan for your life and all He gets in response is ‘no’.

See some classic examples in scripture.

ACTS 10:13-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬ | “THEN A VOICE SAID TO HIM, “GET UP, PETER; KILL AND EAT THEM.” “NO, LORD,” PETER DECLARED. “I HAVE NEVER EATEN ANYTHING THAT OUR JEWISH LAWS HAVE DECLARED IMPURE AND UNCLEAN. ” BUT THE VOICE SPOKE AGAIN: “DO NOT CALL SOMETHING UNCLEAN IF GOD HAS MADE IT CLEAN.” THE SAME VISION WAS REPEATED THREE TIMES. THEN THE SHEET WAS SUDDENLY PULLED UP TO HEAVEN.”

And sometimes, He gets the ‘no’ unknowingly to us. As seen in Peter’s case again when he cautioned the Lord against going to the Cross – the very reason why Jesus came to this world in the first place.

MATTHEW‬ ‭16:22-23 NLT | “…HEAVEN FORBID, LORD,” HE SAID. “THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO YOU!” JESUS TURNED TO PETER AND SAID, “GET AWAY FROM ME, SATAN! YOU ARE A DANGEROUS TRAP TO ME. YOU ARE SEEING THINGS MERELY FROM A HUMAN POINT OF VIEW, NOT FROM GOD’S.”

For the Holy Spirit to come into your life, take His rightful place and play out His perfect plans for you, you need to die to self and let the Holy Spirit have His way. You need to yield completely to the Holy Spirit and give up your own way.

MATTHEW‬ ‭16:24‬ ‭NLT‬‬ | “THEN JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, “IF ANY OF YOU WANTS TO BE MY FOLLOWER, YOU MUST GIVE UP YOUR OWN WAY…”

HEBREWS‬ ‭12:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬ | “THEREFORE, SINCE WE ARE SURROUNDED BY SUCH A HUGE CROWD OF WITNESSES TO THE LIFE OF FAITH, LET US STRIP OFF EVERY WEIGHT THAT SLOWS US DOWN…”

Ask Him to strip you of everything that hinders God’s manifestations and working presence in your life. This prayer is very important because He will not force you. Instead, He will simply withdraw, pull away and find someone else to receive His outpouring. This is exactly what happened to Peter in relation to ministry to the Gentiles.

However, this will never be your case. This will never be your outcome. You will not miss God’s mark for your life. You will not seek God as much as you have and not find Him. You will not give birth to wind after labouring in the spirit. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit to overflowing so He can make you ever willing, ready and conducive for the Lord to write on and in the process, birth His glorious realities through you, in you and for you.

Look at the ultimate goal:

MATTHEW‬ ‭26:39‬ ‭NIV | “GOING A LITTLE FARTHER, HE FELL WITH HIS FACE TO THE GROUND AND PRAYED, “MY FATHER, IF IT IS POSSIBLE, MAY THIS CUP BE TAKEN FROM ME. YET NOT AS I WILL, BUT AS YOU WILL.””‬‬

MATTHEW‬ ‭26:42‬ ‭NIV‬‬ | “HE WENT AWAY A SECOND TIME AND PRAYED, “MY FATHER, IF IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THIS CUP TO BE TAKEN AWAY UNLESS I DRINK IT, MAY YOUR WILL BE DONE.””‬‬

MATTHEW‬ ‭26:44‬ ‭NIV‬‬ | “SO HE LEFT THEM AND WENT AWAY ONCE MORE AND PRAYED THE THIRD TIME, SAYING THE SAME THING.”‬‬

May we all follow the example of Jesus and be empowered to always say, ‘Not as I will but as You will’ in Jesus Precious name.