At the beginning of the year, I posted some entries regarding New Year’s resolutions, trying to provide some help to those of us who become invigorated at the prospect of better personal and spiritual discipline in the new year. Also during the first of the year, I was preparing for our high school retreat. The theme? Spiritual Disciplines. Even a few months prior to January I noted that a couple of guys from the high school group and I were reading through the resolutions of Jonathan Edwards. Needless to say, the idea of personal discipline and resolve has been on my mind a lot of late.

But with the desire for greater personal discipline and the creating of resolutions comes the danger of attempting to engage in these endeavors in our own strength. How I wish I would have listened when others warned me of the danger of pursuing holiness in my own strength, instead of shunning such admonition out of youthful zeal and pride. As a result, however, I have learned the hard way that apart from Christ, I can do nothing (John 15:5) and that labor—even labor for the kingdom—in the power of flesh is unprofitable. Jonathan Edwards, the author of 70 of the most intimidating and spiritually tenacious resolutions we will probably ever encounter, wrote the following in his diary:

Wednesday, January 2, 1723. I find, by experience, that, let me make resolutions, and do what I will, with never so many intentions, it is all nothing, and to no purpose at all, without the motions of the Spirit of God; for if the Spirit of God should be as much withdrawn from me always, as for the week past, notwithstanding all I do, I should not grow, but should languish, and miserably fade away. I perceive, if God should withdraw his Spirit a little more, I should not hesitate to break my resolutions, and [I] should soon arrive at my old state…Our resolutions may be at the highest on day, and yet, the next day, we may be in a miserable dead condition, not at all like the same person who resolved. So that it is to no purpose to resolve, except we depend on the grace of God.

Christ was not making a small comment when He told His disciples that apart from Him, they can do nothing. In the context of John 15, Christ made this statement while instructing His disciples to bear fruit and keep his commandments. The power by which to do this, however, was not found in the disciples will-power or determination; rather, it was found by abiding in Christ. Our efforts for holiness and for service will come to naught, unless we rely upon the Holy Spirit and the grace of God as we work and serve.

But how can we perceive if we have labored in the power of the flesh? Usually, what comes after is what should tip us off as to whether or not we have labored in the flesh or in the power of the Spirit. Frustration, irritation, anger, self-centeredness, inflamed pride and a host of other sins commonly follow our attempts to labor in the flesh. It only makes sense that the flesh would produce more flesh (see also Romans 8:6-8 and Galatians 6:8). On the other hand, when our efforts are followed by love, joy, peace, gentleness, kindness and other fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24), we can trust that our labors were worked out in the power of the Spirit.

Next: How to pursue Spirit-filled discipline.