Let Your Moderation Be Known Unto All Men
True consecration requires surrendering our rights and being willing to yield to God's touch, breaking the proud self-will that hinders our effectiveness.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the necessity of true consecration, which involves not only surrendering wrongdoings but also relinquishing personal rights and submitting to God's authority. He explains that God often requires us to yield trivial matters to break our pride and self-will, enabling us to be effective vessels for His work. Many desire God's guidance while resisting any form of authority, leading to destructive attitudes that hinder spiritual power. Simpson warns that true Christian service demands a heart ready to yield to God's will, regardless of personal preferences or pressures.
Text
The very test of consecration is our willingness not only to surrender the things that are wrong, but to surrender our rights, to be willing to be subject. When God begins to subdue a soul, He often requires us to yield the things that are of little importance in themselves and thus breaks our necks and subdues our spirits. No Christian worker can ever be used of God until the proud self-will is broken and the heart is ready to yield to God's every touch, no matter through whom it may come. Many people want God to lead them in their way, but they will endure no authority or restraint.
They will give their money, but they want to dictate how it shall be spent.
They will work as long as you let them please themselves, but let any pressure come and you immediately run up against not the grace of resignation but a letter of resignation. They may withdraw from some important trust, and arouse a whole community of criticizing friends, who are equally disposed to have their own opinions and their own way. Such attitudes are destructive of all real power.
Sermon Outline
- The Test of Consecration
- The Process of Subduing
- The Importance of Humility
- No authority or restraint
- The destructive nature of pride
Key Quotes
“When God begins to subdue a soul, He often requires us to yield the things that are of little importance in themselves and thus breaks our necks and subdues our spirits.” — A.B. Simpson
“No Christian worker can ever be used of God until the proud self-will is broken and the heart is ready to yield to God's every touch, no matter through whom it may come.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- We must be willing to surrender our rights and be subject to God's will in order to be used by Him.
- Pride and self-will can hinder our effectiveness and lead to destructive attitudes and behaviors.
- Humility and submission are essential for true consecration and obedience to God's will.