The Work Of Faith
John Nelson Darby
Table of Contents
The Work of Faith
“Master . . . at Thy word I will let down the net” (Luke 5:5).
Oh, use me, Lord, use even me,
Just as Thou wilt, and how and where,
Until Thy blessed face I see;
Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.
“And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God” (Luke 9:43). It is very humbling to see how amazed they were about this power. They did not wonder at the power of evil. But they ought so to have counted on His power as to have been amazed if the power were not exerted.
The faith of the laborer is the means of blessing to souls.
Martha, though preparing for the Lord, which was right surely, yet shows how much self is inherent in this kind of care, for she did not like to have all the trouble of it (Luke 10:38-42).
What perseverance there is on the part of God! And we are called to go on in the same spirit. It does cost a great deal to go on and on, in spite of everybody and everything, and for us to do so marks the presence of divine power in us, for God’s grace is unwearied.
When no circumstances lead you to have any hope, is your hope then in Him?
My service will be rewarded whatever may have been produced by the Holy Spirit answering the desire of Christ in working in me, for it is service of which I could not do an atom without His power.
Our place is to meet everything in service in the patience and power of Christ.
I always dread my work not being solid.
We should pray for more of the working of the Spirit in us and desire to be filled with the Spirit — poor, little hearts indeed, but they may be filled.
When God gives me a place, it is one of power and nighness to Himself, but when a man takes a place for himself it is one of weakness and alienation from God, because self is the object (Luke 14:10).
“Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.” You cannot turn a lamb into a wolf to defend itself. . . . The testimony is brighter . . . when I take things quietly and submit, not desiring to be a wolf among wolves. It is exceedingly difficult for one’s heart to bow and say, “I will be nothing but a lamb,” but that is our place, for the Lord says, “Vengeance is Mine.”
John said, “We forbad him, because he followeth not with us.” That tells the whole tale. They were thinking of themselves, not of Christ — of their own importance, and not His honor. If it had been His importance, they would have thought how blessed it was to find the effect of His name and rejoiced to know His power was being exercised by man. But no; they were looking at themselves as well as at the Messiah. . . . And is there not something in us of the same thing — a satisfaction at that which aggrandizes self as well as Christ, instead of seeking the honor of Christ alone.
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