David Diga Hernandez - The Crucified Life

John 12:23, and this is Jesus predicting His death. Jesus replied, «Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into His glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone; but its death will produce many new kernels, a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it; those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to serve Me must follow Me, because My servants must be where I am, and the Father will honor anyone who serves Me. Now My soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But this is the very reason I came. Father, bring glory to Your name.»

It’s my prayer that we would be given not just the ability, but the desire to say, «Jesus, spend my life for Your glory; pour me out as an offering, every last drop.» When I stand before the Heavenly Father, I want to be able to know that I did everything, I gave everything, I tried everything that I possibly could to bring Him glory. I want to leave no gift unused, no command unfulfilled, no assignment left undone. I want to be planted by the hand of God, like a seed in the ground. Now, the scripture says we just read it: unless that seed is planted, it will remain alone. What is Jesus talking about? He’s talking about the multiplication that comes from a seed that is planted into the ground. If I keep the seed and never plant it, it will never become a plant; and if it can never grow as a plant, it can never produce after its kind. I don’t want to be a seed left unused; I don’t want to be a life unplanted.

Now, when God plants you in the ground, there will come a season of loneliness because, in order to be planted, please remember this: in order to be planted as a seed by the hand of God, you must go to dark places. In order to be a seed in the ground, you must go to places you may not want to go; you must do some things that you may not want to do. See, I think that we have this misconception concerning the gospel, and I think that the misconception tells us that God will work everything around our desires, that God will work everything around our comfort. And we even have keywords that we use in the Body of Christ, and we don’t even realize what we’re saying. I believe that God is the God of breakthrough; however, that word «breakthrough» has become a term in the church that we use to describe the day that we never have to struggle again. We use the word «breakthrough» to describe the day that we never have to be uncomfortable. People of God, the gospel is not about your dreams; it’s about God’s will. Jesus did not shed His blood on that cross so that you could be comfortable. In fact, He said you have to come after Me; you have to follow Me; you have to go along the path that I go along. And if Jesus, our Savior, Lord, and Master, suffered—if He was persecuted, if He was hated, if He was rejected—why shouldn’t we be?

Now, I’ll never forget when God first began to call me into the ministry. I’ve shared before about when I met the Holy Spirit as a person and how knowing the Holy Spirit as a person transformed my life. And it is that friendship with the Holy Spirit that really has resulted in everything that you see, at least on the outside. But you know there’s so much more to that. I remember during that season of my life when things weren’t always 100 percent clear. I tell the good parts to inspire you and to tell you of how the Holy Spirit can move, and you know you can’t share your entire life story every time you share your testimony. So I share the important parts; but you know, I was terrified to go into ministry in the first place. I didn’t really think of myself as someone who had much talent. My friends and I weren’t considered the in-crowd; we were the outcasts, so to speak, and we would be made fun of for the way we looked, for the way we talked, for the way we dressed. And I think that’s partially what helped me form such a strong bond with the Holy Spirit, is that in Him I found a friendship, and I could relate to Him in that He knew what it was to be rejected.

But I remember hearing Miss Katherine Coleman talk about the fact that she felt she had nothing to offer, and she would say to the Lord, «Lord, if You can use nothing, here it is.» And I remember hearing that statement, and I thought, «I think I’m in the same boat; I think we have the same starting point.» I know many of you feel the same way, where you come to the Lord, you see what He’s calling you to do, you see the need in the world, and everything in you says, «I don’t think I’m qualified to do that. I don’t think I have much to offer.» We’re like Moses, who’s saying, «Lord, here are all my excuses as to why You can’t use me.» Imagine telling God that to His face: «You can’t use me because…» Or Isaiah the prophet, who when he encountered God, saw heavenly visions; the train of God’s robe filled the temple; angelic beings were flying about; the temple shook to its foundation. What a wonderful sight! But he didn’t look at that heavenly vision…