Jesus did nothing on His own. He heard what the Father was speaking and spoke it. He saw what the Father was doing and did it. John 5:19 says, “…Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” John 3:32 says, “And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies…” Verse 34 is our criteria also. It says, “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God…”

Moses could not have used his natural rod in a supernatural way without the Lord. Neither can we. What is in our hand will only be used by Him when we throw down our agenda. That is what Moses failed to do when God told him to speak to the rock. His hidden anger fueled his agenda. Numbers 20:8 says, “Take the rod…Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water…” Moses did as he was told. Verse 9 says, “So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him.”

Watch what happened. Something in the past triggered Moses. He then acted in anger. Verse 10 says, “…Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” Notice the ‘we’ leaving God out. He stuck the rock and water came out. Verse 12 says, “…Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

Hidden sin defiles our heart. It hardens it so that we cannot hear distinctly. It also slows down our response to the Lord’s voice, giving time for our flesh to take over. There is a prayer in Daniel that I use frequently. Daniel 9:19 says, “O Lord hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”

We want the Lord to act on our behalf. However, do we immediately act on His behalf when He calls? Moses was reluctant, but Isiah acted immediately. John 6:63 says, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”

The word the Lord speaks to our heart contains the Spirit-empowerment that we need to do what He has said. There is no way Moses could speak to a rock and have it give water. Without God’s word there is no empowerment. Our flesh is our way and our will which opposes the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:17 says, “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another…” Contrary: think of two magnets. No matter how hard we try, we cannot get them to connect.

I have this prayer on a card on my kitchen cabinet: Lord, in every decision, circumstance, and interaction ~ lead me out of my comfort zone. I want to glorify You above all else. I started praying this July 4, 2021. This morning I realized that our comfort zone is comfortable to our flesh. No waves. Hmm. That is an eye opener for me.