2 Tim. 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

My son-in-law’s parents are missionaries to Peru. They first went to Peru in the early 80’s and at that time, they would only have electrical power for a period of hours each day – an inconvenience that took getting used to. As the country progressed, power became available throughout the entire day.

As you well know and understand, the potential for power was always available to this country. It would simply take time, knowledge and resources to learn how to tap into the power that was there and keep it on – something that would benefit all. The power sources we use today have been in the earth since the creation of man. It would simply take those who were gifted by God, to discover and learn how to take hold of that power and make it available in a form for everyone to benefit from. That has happened and we all do benefit from it greatly.

Because of the energy crisis, the world now needs to harness new forms of power. Likewise, in the body of Christ, there is a spiritual crisis. Christians desperately need to rediscover how to access the power God has freely made available to them. Spiritual strength and power is greatly lacking. Many Christians are wandering or drifting. For too many Christians, it seems as though God’s power to live pure and godly, to live excited sharing the love of Jesus Christ, and living purposeful lives ministering to others is limited to brief and sporadic periods or non-existent. Yet, God has given us power! Is that really true? Let’s examine the Word of God and see.

After Jesus had trained His disciples to emulate Him in the earth – after Jesus had died on the cross and risen from the dead – after Jesus had washed their sins away and clothed them and all who would believe in Him with His white robes of righteousness – meaning He made us spotless in God’s eyes – after all this, He gave these final and parting words before ascending to return to Heaven. Jesus said, “All power has been given to Me in Heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18) He then implied that the power He had received from the Father, He was now transferring to His church – to all who would believe. He would pass it on to us because it was needed for Christians to live out the God-kind-of-life He wanted us to live in a world of chaos filled with demonic influence meant to kill, steal, and destroy lives. Jesus continued on about His power saying, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. “

Jesus was saying, “I have been given all power so now I give it to you so that you can do what I have taught, trained, asked, and now empowered you to do.” Jesus passed on the power.

He told them to wait for it. Why? Because it would come from above – from the Father. When Jesus was before Pilate, He told Pilate – “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above…”(John 19:11) True power comes from above – it comes from God. Jesus had given His disciples a fore-taste of that power before His death when He sent them to cast devils out of the demon possessed. He said then, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19) They were euphoric to see God’s power working in and through their lives!

Then, just before Jesus left this earth He would tell them about another form of power they would shortly receive – power they would never be without again. Jesus said, “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:49 (NIV)

That power came on the day of Pentecost and was given to everyone who would believe for it from that day for it. The Apostle Peter teaches us that it would become an ongoing source of strength for our Christian walk. ”God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3)

Okay, so I laid the foundation for this power source available to us in our life. Now can you be honest. Is your life like a third world country where there is only intermittent times of power if at all? Does your life seriously feel empowered by God? If not, would you like to change that?

There is great power in great faith. That is why Jesus marveled at and praised the centurion and the Syrophenician woman who pleaded with Jesus till she got His help. Great faith begins with great hope. Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” It is the Holy Spirit who will prime your hope that becomes the faith that moves mountains.

I am also going to continue on this week to show you how to tap into this power from God in ways that are natural and easy for you to do. For today, know that it’s God’s will for you to be empowered! Let today’s Fresh Manna verse speak to you with new freshness and revelation. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” The word for power here is dunamis meaning “miracle-working power.” Say and pray this: “Heavenly Father, I thank you that I am not powerless in my life but to the contrary, you have given me the Spirit of miracle-working power.” More tomorrow…

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt
http://readfreshmanna.blogspot.com/