We can see the strength of self in the moments of temptation and provocation, when we react with bitter words, angry expressions, self-justification, criticism and judgment of others, unforgiving attitudes, a grabbing-love for material things, fighting for our rights and our reputation, seeking vengeance etc. All our failures and defeats are meant by God to bring us to the end, for He can manifest His power perfectly only in our weakness ( 2 Corinthians 12:9). He is waiting now for our strength to come to an end. Jesus waited for the old wine to run out, at Cana, before He did His miracle. The chief work that God seeks to do in each of His children is to break down the strength of self totally. When we have tried and tried and tried to live in victory and failed repeatedly, this is the lesson that God is trying to teach us: "You cannot have victory in your own strength." As long as you are under the law, you will be ruled by sin. "For the Lord God says: Only in waiting for Me will you be saved.but you say, We will get our help from Egypt (human strength)! So you will be chased by your enemies.And the Lord is waiting for you (to come to an end of yourself) and to come to Him, so that He can show you His love He will conquer you to bless you.Blessed are all those who wait for Him to help them'' ( Isaiah 30:15-18 - TLB). The old wine runs out and the Lord has to wait until it runs out before He can give us the new wine. This is a parable of life under the law - the old covenant. The old wine was made with human effort, over a period of many years - but it could not meet the need.
![ancient wineskin ancient wineskin](https://i0.wp.com/www.theabbeymission.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/wine-skin.png)
The New WineĪt the marriage in Cana, where Jesus was present, the old wine ran out. The new wine is the life of Jesus and the new wineskin is the church that Jesus builds. Jesus spoke about new wine being put into new wineskins ( Luke 5:37). He who has an open mind and a bold heart, let him. That in turn will save you from regret and loss when you stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of your life to Him. This book will change your life and your ministry, because it will question many 'sacred' ideas that you have held that have no foundation in God's Word. To come back to that, we must be willing to do violence to every tradition of man that is contrary to God's Word ( Matthew 11:12).
![ancient wineskin ancient wineskin](https://haderech813935171.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/nod-yayin.jpg)
We need to come back to the faith that was revealed by God to His holy apostles and prophets, as recorded in the New Testament Scriptures, if we are to fulfil God's purpose in our day and age. Most Christians are unwilling to give up the traditions of their elders, even when they see these to be clearly contrary to the teaching of God's Word. This they remain in spiritual stagnation, year after year. When the new wine is offered to them, they say, "The old is good enough" ( Luke 5:39). Today many believers have been led astray and are in bondage, because they have been fed on the old wine - the traditions of men that have accumulated in Christendom through twenty centuries, and that have been added to God's Word, or that have replaced God's Word.