I MUST decrease. He MUST increase.

Scripture:

John 3:30 (AMP) He must increase, but I must decrease. [He must grow more prominent; I must grow less so.] [Isa. 9:7.]

(BBE) He has to become greater while I become less.

(CEV) Jesus must become more important, while I become less important.

(MSG) This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.

Observation:

John's willingness to decrease in importance shows unusual humility. Pastors and other Christian leaders can be tempted to focus more on the success of their ministries than on Christ. Beware of those who put more emphasis on their own achievements than on God's Kingdom.

Application:

The Bible describes the call of God as "the high calling" (Phillippians 3:14). Yet the higher your calling takes you the lower you must become in your own eyes. That means taking all the accolades that come your way and passing them on to God.

Jesus said of John the Baptist, "There is not a greater prophet" (Luke 7:28). Yet John said of Jesus, "He must increase, but I must decrease." When God called Ezekiel into the ministry he felt so inadequate that he fell on his face and God had to say, "Stand up on your feet, and I will speak to you" (Ezekiel 2:1). How's that for humility?

We don't know exactly what the "thorn" in Paul's life was but we know why he had it. "Lest I should be exalted… there was given to me a thorn in the flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7). Thorns come in many forms. God customizes them to our individual need. Your thorn may be a problem child, a turbulent marriage, a stubborn habit or a lifelong affliction. It's what deflates you when others try to exalt you. It's what enables you to receive a compliment and not become arrogant.

Paul writes: "Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God" (2 Corinthians 3:5 NAS).

If we are to demonstrate God's Kingdom on the earth, it'll only happen through His assistance. That's why He allows our feelings of inadequacy. It's our neediness that forces us to rely on God for strength. That's a difficult concept for our ego to accept! But when we do, we become effective in His service.

Prayer:

"Lord, I really must decrease so You can increase in my life. Before You can fill my life, I must empty my life. There is too much of ME and not enough of YOU. I don't like to die to anything, but if I don't die to my flesh, I will never walk in the freedom and liberty that You have for me. Today, I make a conscious effort to decrease in self-reliance, self-confidence, self-control and increase in Spirit-reliance, Spirit-confidence, and Spirit-controlled. In Jesus name, amen!"