What Is God’s Responsibility and What Is My Responsibility?

David W Palmer

(John 17:11, 15, 17 NKJV) … “Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. ... {15} I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. ... {17} Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”

(Mark 16:15 NKJV) And He said to them (his apostles), “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Once I realized that some of our prayers were wise and fruitful while others were unnecessary, I began to seek God with all of my heart for an answer to the following prayerful question: “In this new covenant, what are you responsible for and what am I responsible for?” For example, in the above passages, we see that we are responsible to preach the gospel; but we also see that Father is responsible to keep us, unify us, keep us from the evil one, and to sanctify us with his truth, his word. (I assume that one of our responsibilities would be to read his word and to know what it says, so he can sanctify us through it.)

I figured that at the beginning of my walk with him, I should have this question clearly resolved in my mind. This, I reasoned, would save a lot of time and effort. I certainly didn’t want to get caught in a side-eddy of a fruitless religious show or self effort. I knew that those deceptive diversions and camouflages could end in disillusionment, defeat, or self-defending, fake theology to justify failure and lack of results.

I invested many hours walking and praying on the tracks of the Sweetwater Creek nature reserve near where I lived. Each day, I would begin my prayer claiming the outpouring of God’s Spirit on all flesh, and then I would ask God my question about which of us was responsible for what. Later, at my desk, I searched the Bible for answers. I especially focused on the New Testament.

In the midst of this search, I asked about the ministers I had observed during my life and compared it to what I was being taught in ministers meetings, conferences, TV preachers, books, etc. (At that stage, we went to everything we could to learn and find answers to the many questions we had.)

For example, after I heard that perfect character was needed to move in the gifts of the Spirit, etc., I allowed my mind to review what I had seen here in Australia and on TV. I asked myself, “Who are the ministers I’ve met with the most Christ-like character?” On reflection, I formed a mental list of people I knew or had met. Then I asked, “Who are the ministers that I’ve experienced who move most powerfully, proficiently, and prolifically in the gifts of the Spirit and the power of God?” I formulated another mental list. My two lists were definitely not the same.

I thought particularly about one minister whose ministry I admired, and who amazed me with the quantity, power, and accuracy of his ministry in the spirit. His ministry was very effective in healing and evangelism, just like Jesus. But his character had proved to be anything but Christ-like or holy. His track record of serious sins was well known in our nation. This minister was removed from ministry for a time; but, when he returned, he operated in exactly the same power and supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit that he had before being disgraced and shunned. I asked God, “How did he do it? How did he operate so prolifically and accurately in the gifts if it wasn’t because he had perfect, Christ-like character?” (Of course, good character, holiness, and sinless living is extremely important. I will cover this in the next instalment of this series.)

To my way of thinking at the time, this minister should be too embarrassed or have grieved the Holy Spirit so much that to operate in the holy gifts of the Holy Spirit would be unthinkable. But reality was staring me in the face; he was still the most powerful, effective, and prodigious in the spirit that I had ever witnessed—before, during, and after disgraceful bouts of serious sin. I prayed, “How did he do it?”

I knew that this man’s success wasn’t a reward for good character. As I prayed, I began to realize that we had been misled in what we had been taught. Our instructors made me feel that operating in the gifts was somehow a product of good character … that God would reward me for good behaviour. (If good character does result in the operation of power ministry, it is Jesus’s good character, not ours, that gets these results, as the miracles are done in his name, not ours.) However, this made it sound like it was up to me to impress God with my lifestyle so he would reward me with permission to operate in his supernatural ministry.

This may have sounded good; it may have even put pressure on people to dissuade them from doing wrong, but it didn’t bear out in what I had observed. I had witnessed a major difference in practice between those who moved powerfully in the spirit and those who were the nicest, had the best character, and the greatest evidence of freedom from impoliteness and social sins.

Again, I prayed regarding the most extreme case I had witnessed: “How did he do it? How did he minister in such power while having moral lapses, bad character, and hidden sin? And then, after being disgraced and discarded, how did he come back into powerful, supernatural ministry so instantly? I really really wanted the answer from God, as what I had been taught didn’t fit with what I had observed. How did he do it? God’s answer was so so simple and concise that it could only have come from him: “He did it by faith.”

The revelations that rushed through my mind from God’s answer astounded me and have grown in all directions ever since. Of course, I realised that this was already very obvious in God’s word: “Without faith, it is impossible to please him” (Heb. 11:6 NKJV); “The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29 NKJV). Christ-like character is important, but we cannot ever think, even for a moment, that if we control our character and act flawlessly, God will reward us with a supernatural ministry.

While it is most definitely true that if we draw near to God, he will draw near to us. And if we worship him, wait on him, obey him, overcome in him, and pray in secret, he will reward us openly. But our own efforts are not justifying us before him; faith alone in the shed blood of Jesus justifies us with God.

The minister in question only had to ask for forgiveness from God for the sins we would have considered to have disqualified him, receive that forgiveness (and done as God guided to make restitution), and then simply stepped out by faith into the gifts and calling with which God had graced him, and it would work.

“According to your faith be it unto you” (Mat. 9:29 KJV).

“Believe that you receive them and you will have them?” (Mark 11:24 NKJV).

“Whosoever shall say … shall not doubt in his heart … believes … he will have what he said” (Mark 11:23 AKJV).

“All things are possible to him that believes” (Mark 9:23 AKJV).

Today, I encourage you to make these confessions your own. Yes, confess any sin and turn from it in repentance. Make restitution for anything you can—return what is stolen, etc. But then, step out in faith to operate in what God has called you to do.

If sin, shame, or guilty conscience has been holding you back; if you have been thinking that you have been disqualified because of your failures, sins, or fallen behaviour, repent now, confess it, forget it, and move on in faith. Release and hold to your faith in confessions like the following:

“I have confessed my sin; he has cleansed me from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

“I am now the righteousness of God in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:21).

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).

“His gifts and calling in my life have never changed and never will” (Rom. 11:29).

“I am justified by faith” (Rom. 3:28, Gal. 2:16).

“I am more than a conqueror in Jesus” (Rom. 8:37).

“Today I am justified, and it is just as if I had never sinned” (Gal. 2:16).

“Today, I step out into fruitful ministry in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

“The results are because of his righteousness, not mine.”

“The ministry is in his name, not mine.”

“He gets all the credit, the glory, and the praise for whatever good gifts are ministered through my life; I don’t.”

“Faith and Faith alone allows me to be used by him to bring these results today.”

“I am Jesus’s sheep, I hear his voice, and I follow him” (John 10:27).

“God is guiding me” (Psa. 37:23).

Of course, if our ministry has been hindered, shipwrecked, or thwarted by sin, bad habits, un-christlike character, or misdeeds, this may indicate that we have been far from God in the depths of our innermost being. If so, it’s a good idea to follow denominational guidelines for the restoration of fallen ministers. This is because it can take time to renew our minds, grow in faith, and develop the closeness with God that we need. We need this intimacy so we can walk with him, trust him, stay under his leadership, fend off the enemy’s accusations and deceptive attacks, and fulfil all that the Lord requires us to do.

If we remain inwardly estranged from him—even though we may be able to move in the gifts without delay—we may not be able to keep standing when the pressure is on; we will need to lean entirely on him in full trust. So it is most definitely a good idea to follow denominational guidelines for restoration, as these would enable a return to closeness and close fellowship with God.

Today, it is time to dig out any hidden, entrenched lies and shameful acts or memories that led to the initial fall. But no shame, or memory of the past, should be allowed to hinder us from fulfilling Gods call, purpose, and assignment today; they should not be allowed to stop us from operating in the gifts and calling he has invested into our lives. If we minister in his name and do it for his honour, it should not depend on our own track record or self-generated standing.