This is an excellent excerpt taken from a book by John Beaumont called, “Your Life, His Glory” and is so relevant for us to grasp today.
As a young man I was deeply challenged by a statement in which Ruth Paxson said, “Satan doesn’t mind how much God uses a man, if in the end the man robs God of the glory.” The faithful Holy Spirit has reminded me of this many times over the years. And I am glad He has!
One evening three or four men met together to pray for our city. At one stage one of the brothers asked, “Lord, how are you going to move in this city? We don’t want to start anything, nor do we desire to lead anything, but we want to align ourselves with your purposes, and to move with your moving.”
Then he asked, “Lord, are we to look to you to commence a totally new thing?”
In prophetic reply we heard, “I have tried starting a new thing in this city many a time says the Lord. But after a while man has put his dirty hand on what I have started to build. I will not share my glory with another, and I have withdrawn my hand of blessing, says the Lord.
This prayer followed, “Then Lord, are we to expect you to revive an old work that has grown cold and brittle? Is that where we should look.”
“That too I have tried, says the Lord, but after a season man put his dirty hand to the fragrant thing I was doing, and I have withdrawn,” was the prophetic response.
As one of those present, I joined in the praying: “Father, I know you. Surely it will be with groups of saints worshipping in homes that you will manifest your glory in this city.” I had seen a vision of that some time previously.
How appalling was the prophetically expressed reply, “Even that I have tried a number of times in this city, says the Lord. But before long man has put his dirty hand to what I have been doing, and I have withdrawn.
With tears I cried, “Lord, don’t tell me I must wait until heaven to see the things you have spoken to me of within my spirit! God, how will you work, what will you do, who will you use to establish your reign and manifest your glory in this city?”
You will without doubt note well the amazing reply.
“I will take men who have known disappointment and failure, who have experienced loneliness, pain and rejection, and who through all this have learned not to touch my glory. And with such as these I will show forth my love and power, and bring a city to recognize the Lord, says the One who is holy!”