MAN'S INDOMITABLE SPIRIT
By
Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
He had been chosen "for his poetry which, endorsed with freshness, sensuality and rich inventiveness, provides a liberating image of the indomitable spirit of man", said the academy spokesman. Seifert was an individualist who broke with the communist party in 1928 and took strong objections to Russia's overthrow of Alexander Dubcek in 1956.
The Communist government criticized Seifert, who was regarded as the greatest living poet in Czechoslovakia "for social ambition” but did not imprison him due to his great popularity. Hats off to Jaroslav Seifert and the ‘indomitable spirit of man’! The word indomitable means being incapable of being subdued and unconquerable!
MAN WAS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD!
The Holy Bible states: “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God, created He him, male and female created He them.” (Gen.1: 27). God made man in His own image and until Adam disobeyed his Creator, he was the most perfect, intelligent, and spiritual person who ever lived.
When he fell for Satan’s Evil Lies and disobeyed Almighty God, he lost much of his personality and intelligence! Immediately, he became a slave to Satan’s kingdom of fear, lust, pride, and death!
Praise be to God in Whose image man is created and by whose very life we continue to exist, even in tough times. When you consider the historical record of humankind's flexibility, resourcefulness, and ingenuity to adapt and survive, then it's easy to believe that we were created by divine design for a special purpose!
Consider Adam and Eve and God's directive to them, "Be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth". What a charge Adam received, and today there are more than seven billion people on this planet! Not bad for one man and one woman!
JEWISH RACE A MIRACLE!
Consider Abraham and Sarah and God's command to him to leave the idol worshippers of the Chaldees and go to the land of Palestine, where He would bless and give them a homeland. God also promised Abraham a son and great posterity, even though Sarah was barren.
A miracle happened and at the age of 100 Abraham became the father of a baby boy, born to a 90-year-old woman, who had never been able to bear. The survival of the Hebrew race is not only a miracle of God, but also a demonstration of the ‘indomitable spirit of man’.
When you consider the great achievements of explorers who have blazed trails across the unknown, men of medicine who have pioneered heart, kidney and lung transplants and the phenomena of communication satellites, travel, and space conquest, it simply staggers the imagination!
The ‘indomitable spirit of man’ has rid the world of smallpox, nearly conquered polymodalities and is working on a cure for cancer, genital herpes, and AIDS! The ‘indomitable spirit of man’ has helped conquer the frozen tundra, inhabit inhospitable jungles, and harness the wind, water, and fire, as well as the atom itself!
The driving force of man's spirit has irrigated deserts, reclaimed land from the sea, scaled the highest mountain peaks, defied hostile elements, overcome insurmountable obstacles, and reached for the stars!
Man has survived and will continue to survive because built into each of us is a sophisticated defense mechanism, together with a natural desire to stay alive. And an intense yearning to know our Maker!
There are pitfalls; however, hatred, lust and greed consume mankind through violence and war as well as self-destruction by alcoholism, drugs, venereal disease, and suicide! The ‘indomitable spirit of man’ has also been harnessed in favour of unrighteous and selfish causes which have resulted in much waste, hurt and bloodshed; through conquest, induced famines and sloth.
Since we are created in God's image however, and He has placed His Word in our hearts (conscience) it is no wonder our spirits are indomitable! Man's incredible recovery after the devastation of Noah's deluge, the scattering of the race at Babel and the liberation of Israeli slaves from Egyptian bondage under Moses, is astounding. In later years, Christians battled to end slavery in England and America. The rebirth of the nation of Israel after 2000 years, and freedom from the tyranny of religious leaders in the Middle Ages gives great hope to those still in captivity in the world today.
President Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan a year ago, however, has given new life to terrorists everywhere, signaled a U.S. weakness to China and given Russia the opportunity to invade Ukraine and cause death and destruction to that Nation! That Satan has overtaken the U.S. Democrat Party is open for all to see and understand! He knows how to utilize the Ignorance and Pride of the Biden, Pelosi, and Schumer Cabal to destroy America! What is needed is a complete housecleaning. What is needed is a Revival of Righteousness!
A GENUINE HUNGER AFTER GOD!
The danger however is that mankind’s spiritual hunger will be absorbed in the pursuit of the devious, dangerous, and destructive teachings of men and the doctrine of devils, rather than the clear-cut gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ! How far can man go in his pursuits, and what will be his end?
The danger, I perceive, is a parallel to the building of the tower of Babel in 3500 B.C. ‘Man's indomitable spirit’ can become proud, self-sufficient, and deceived in seeking to bypass his Maker in his clamour for prestige, position, and power! That would be the Final Folly!
Here is the solution to the dilemmas of life, death, and the judgment: ‘But God who is rich in Mercy, for His great LOVE wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in SINS, hath quickened us together in Christ; And hath raised us up together, and made us sit, together in Heavenly places in Christ. That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
“For by GRACE are ye saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves; it is the Gift of God: Not Works lest any should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2: 4-10)
He states: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom we have access by Faith into the Grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God… For when we were yet without strength, in due time CHRIST DIED FOR THE UNGODLY.
But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His BLOOD, we shall be SAVED through Him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be Saved by His LIFE.” (Rom. 5: 1,2, 8-12)
JESUS WAITS FOR US ALL TODAY!
JESUS said, “Come unto Me all ye who and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest in your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11: 28-30).
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. But SEEK ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt. 6:19,20,33). Amen.
He calls upon us all: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: If any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him and he with Me.” (Rev. 3: 20)
