The Grace of Yielding | Clip 2

The journey of Christian faith is not a static state but a progressive walk marked by continuous yielding, obedience, and increasing commitment to God. The life of Abraham, often called the father of all who believe, serves as the primary model for this spiritual development, demonstrating that true faith is matured by walking in steps of obedience. The ultimate secret to spiritual multiplication lies in releasing what is precious—a principle vividly illustrated by the sacrifice of Isaac.

1. Faith as a Progressive Walk, Not a Static Condition

Faith is received as a gift, but it is developed and made mature by works and continuous steps of obedience. Abraham’s faith went through various progressions from Genesis 12 through Genesis 22, reaching a grand climax because he accepted every challenge and stepped every time God commanded him.

Spiritual growth requires constant movement; if a believer is living by “yesterday’s light today,” they risk becoming a backslider [Conversation History]. The righteous path is one that “shineth more and more unto the perfect day,” necessitating daily self-examination to ensure the light is “getting brighter every day” [Conversation History].

2. The Danger of Expediency: Avoiding “Ishmael”

A crucial lesson in progressive commitment is the danger of human attempts to “help God” when waiting becomes difficult. The biggest test God puts believers through is waiting.

The Birth of Ishmael

When Abraham and Sarah waited 12 years without receiving the promised heir, Sarah saw the situation as hopeless and suggested they “better do something about it”. Abraham followed this advice and had a child, Ishmael, by Sarah’s maid, Hagar. Although moral and decent by the standards of the day, this action was not the will of God.

The “child of human expediency is an Ishmael”. For 4,000 years, Ishmael and his descendants (the ancestors of the Arabs) have been the main barrier to God’s blessing on Isaac and his descendants. This serves as a warning against acting out of human fear or impatience to accelerate God’s plans.

The Fear of the Lord as a Guide

The sources emphasize the importance of living in the fear of the Lord—the deep awe and reverence for God [3, 4, Conversation History]. One minister avoided implementing a plan simply because he feared it might become an Ishmael, demonstrating a desire to “walk softly with the Lord” and avoid anything that grieves God.

The path to maturity requires meekness, exemplified by Moses, who spent 40 years in the wilderness and became the meekest man on earth. When a leader feels safe saying, “Let somebody else have the baby,” they are safe; but when they are “nervous, tense, and grasping,” they are headed for disaster.

3. The Climax of Commitment: Sacrificing Isaac

The final and most difficult stage of Abraham’s progressive commitment was the command to sacrifice his promised son, Isaac (Genesis 22) [5, Conversation History].

Prompt and Obedient Action

God commanded Abraham: “Take now thy son thine only son Isaac whom thou lovest and get thee into the land of Mariah and offer him there for a burnt offering”. Abraham demonstrated his prompt obedience, a conspicuous characteristic of his faith, by rising “up early next morning and did it”; he did not delay or wonder if God would change His mind.

Abraham believed that even if he killed Isaac, God was able to raise him up, echoing the writer of Hebrews. Abraham told his men, “We’ll go up, We will worship and we will come down”.

The Principle of Multiplication

At the moment Abraham was ready to thrust the knife into his son, God intervened. God swore by Himself, confirming His promise: “For because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy son thine only son that in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed”.

This reveals a profound spiritual principle: what is held onto dwindles, but what is yielded is multiplied [8, Conversation History]. If Abraham had kept Isaac, all he would have had was Isaac; by giving Isaac up, he received Isaac back, multiplied beyond calculation.

Many servants of the Lord make the “bitter mistake of holding on to Isaac” and are left only with their original gift.

4. Yielding Ministry and Gifts for Greater Fruitfulness

The principle of surrendering the most precious gift applies directly to ministry, talent, and personal success.

The Corn of Wheat Principle

Jesus articulated this truth in John 12:24: “except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone But if it die it bringeth forth much fruit”.

While this primarily applies to Christ’s death (He fell into the ground and brought forth much fruit), it also applies to believers. The “little corn” represents one’s gift, talent, or ministry—something precious because God gave it.

• If you hold on to it and put your name or label on it, “that’s all you have is just one little corn”.
• The alternative is to “let go” and let the corn “fall right down into the earth and get buried and lost and out of sight”.

God guarantees the fruit of what is surrendered. One minister of deliverance, after years of fighting to establish his ministry, offered his “Isaac” by telling his brethren he would stop the practice if they found it unscriptural. Since yielding his ministry, God has multiplied the work, and he now finds qualified men doing the work where he previously struggled alone.

Prioritizing the Important Over the Urgent

Holding on to one’s own agenda or ministry can be grinding and exhausting. It is not spiritual to be too busy, as a person can never satisfactorily do two people’s jobs. Many preachers are “submerged beneath the urgent” and never get to do the important.

Making oneself indispensable is an extension of ego; the ultimate success is when one can “be done without”.