Do you want to work for God or with God?
by Jill Southern
As I was praying about the New Year ahead I sensed God ask me a question, “Do you want to work for Me or with Me?” This is a big, important question. It’s so easy to lose sight of the fact that I’m involved in God’s work, not mine, and my life should be hidden in Christ with God. Moses got this completely right. He didn’t just want to do the work of God. He wanted the presence of God to be in the midst of them.
The presence of God distinguishes us from others. If God doesn’t go with us we’re without hope, without honour, and without protection. And we go without His salvation and His love. Like Moses I found myself saying to God, “If You don’t go with me, I simply don’t want to go”.
I want God’s manifest presence to take me forward from here, because out of God’s presence come miracles, signs and wonders, healing and deliverance. Moses talked to God face-to-face. The word ‘face’ is connected with the word ‘presence’. ‘Face-to- face’ is an idiom meaning close relationship in the intimate presence of God, (because no one has seen God’s face and lived).
Do you want to seek God’s face, become like Moses and insist on His presence? Are you working for God or with God, in His manifest presence? We need to greatly value the presence of God. Nothing is greater.
Jesus made it clear that living in the Kingdom means living in a real relationship with the King. God the Father glorified Jesus and highly exalted Him because He made Himself nothing and took on the form of a servant and became obedient to the Father, even though it cost Him His life. He had no other ambitions but to glorify His father, and He emptied Himself. The Scripture says, ‘Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 2:5). Jesus did everything the Father wanted Him to do.
That’s a challenge in front of us in 2012. Don’t let’s get side-tracked into working for God when we’re called to work with God. Don’t let’s just talk about it or sing about it. Let’s be part of the Kingdom, bearing fruit and bringing God glory; a people through whom God manifests His presence, glory and wisdom.
Prayer: Dear Lord, Don’t send me anywhere to do anything unless You go with me. Put Your words in my mouth. I need Your presence and Your power. Free me from anything else, and ruin me for anything less than You working with me, to glorify Your name. Amen.
Jill Southern is the founder of Ellel Ministries Pierrepont and directed the work for 21 years. She has recently stood down from that role but still teaches on the NETS programme and has the passion to train and equip God`s people to fully walk in their destiny and calling. She is the Regional Director for Ellel Ministries International in South East Asia and China and is also on the Executive Leadership of the ministry.
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