Futility. If we are mentally healthy we desire to be performing works that have some significance. We do not enjoy being placed in a position of futility where it appears the world is passing us by, so to speak, and what we are doing is of little importance. Such seasons of futility are necessary in order to slay the self-rule that is in us.

Satan placed Jesus on a gable of Herod's Temple. Jesus was ready to go forth and meet the spiritual needs of Israel and to interpret the Law that He Himself had given on Mount Sinai and that was being practiced in the Temple on which He stood. Jesus was in a place of futility. Self-rule would have directed Him to jump off in faith in God. The rule of almighty God within Him directed Him to abide in futility.

So it is with us. We must be prepared to spend our life in apparent futility if the Lord should so direct. The only work of true, eternal importance is that we receive Christ and do exactly what He directs us to do. Otherwise we are a well-intentioned religious person going about according to our self-rule.

Confusion. We understand that God is not the author of confusion. Every experienced saint knows there are seasons we must undergo during which we cannot understand what God is doing with us or to us. We are required to wait in the darkness until the way becomes clear. Such trust is necessary if we are to be separated from self-rule—a rule that depends on a measure of certainty concerning our goals and how we are achieving them.

Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. (Isaiah 50:10)

The Lord warns us about walking in our own light, our self-rule:

Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow. (Isaiah 50:11)

Being a minority. A survey of the Old and New Testaments will reveal immediately that God works with one person or a very few people. The things of God usually have been accomplished through one individual. Consider Noah, or Daniel, or Elijah, or John the Baptist, or the Lord Jesus, or the Apostle Paul. When God sets out to do something He chooses an individual.

People who are self-ruled seek to accomplish their goals by gathering a number of people. It appears to be impossible for self-ruled people to grasp the fact that God and one person constitute a majority. The self-ruled much prefer to be part of a multitude, hoping through strength of numbers of people to accomplish their goals.

God deliberately removes our human support so the self-rule in us will be slain and we will find it necessary to rely on God.

And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. (Judges 7:2)

To be continued.