Page 113 - Fundamentals Ebook

She understood that union is Lordship. He doesn’t do what I say. I
do what He says. We quoted already, and I’d like to read it again,
John 12:26, “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I
am, there shall My servant also be; if anyone serves Me, the Father
will honor him.” I had it backwards. I thought, “Where I am, there
Jesus would be.” But that verse says, “Wherever Jesus is, there will
be my servant.” When God began to show me that, it changed my
life. This was a crossroad in my life. It was critical.

At this point you learn that it’s not me telling Jesus what to do but
it’s learning to listen to Him, so that you can go where He is. This
is where many ministries come to an end. When Christians learn
this, sometimes they quit their church. Pastors leave their
pastorates. Missionaries come off the field. People who are writing
books no longer write the books. Artists who were having concerts
no longer have the concerts. For a long time Jesus cooperated with
them but there comes a time when He turns it around and He says,
“Now you start obeying Me.”

I had a hard time when I left the pastorate. People didn’t understand.
They thought I was backsliding. In my heart I knew I was no longer
going to drag Jesus from place to place. I was going to wait until
He talked to me. At age thirty Jesus started His ministry. I had a
great ministry but Jesus had none. He hadn’t even started His
ministry. He started His ministry when I learned that principle.
When I look back at my ministry, I ask, “Where are the Christians?
Who is following the Lord?” There weren’t very many.

When I set my heart to seeking the Lord, He started His ministry.
That’s what brings me to France. It’s Jesus. It’s His ministry! It’s
not mine. I don’t tell Him what to do anymore. I don’t try to drag
Him from place to place. I wait on the Lord so He can tell me where
He is. That’s the first principle of union. Union is Lordship. I am
related to Him and I have no expectations. Whatever He wants is
fine.