Our Declaration of Dependence

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. —Psalms 20:7

238 years ago today the 13 American colonies signed “The Declaration of Independence” and our country was born.  It has been said that the thing American’s cherish the most is their independence. Teenagers long for their independence. Senior citizens hope to maintain their independence. There are churches that boast of being “independent churches.”

While all this talk of independence sounds appealing, it can also be a determinant in the spiritual realm. The only Being who is truly “independent” is God. His name is “I AM,” meaning He is self-existent.   He depends on no one. Every other creature is dependent on God, whether they recognize it or not (Dt. 8:18; Job 35:7; Lam. 3:22; John 3:27; 1 Cor. 4:7; James 1:17). In and of myself, I am nothing (Isa. 40:17, 23; Dan. 4:35). Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).

In fact, the essence of sin is acting independently of God (Isa. 53:6).   A.W. Tozer explains in his classic work, The Knowledge of the Holy— “Sin has many manifestations but its essence is one. A moral being, created to worship before the throne of God, sits on the throne of his own selfhood and from that elevated position declares, “I AM.” That is sin its concentrated essence.”

King Asa was a man who recognized his utter dependence on the Lord when confronted with an enemy army twice the size as his army. He prayed, “Help us, O Lord our God, for we REST on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude” (2 Chron. 14:11).  Because Asa depended on God, he defeated the Ethiopian army.  For 25 years Judah enjoyed peace under Asa’s reign.  But then Asa failed to depend wholly on the Lord and began to depend on Syria for help.  The prophet Hanani rebuked Asa, “Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord the God… Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars” (2 Chron. 16:7, 9).  In the latter years of his reign, Asa still failed to depend on God.  He “was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians” (2 Chron. 16:12).

Such is the sad results of depending on the arm of flesh instead of relying on arm of the Lord. Hear what the Bible says:

• Psalms 118:8—It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
• Proverbs 3:5—Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Far from being self-reliant, we are totally and eternally dependent on the Lord who died to set us free. May we every day make our “declaration of DEPENDENCE!