During a recent discipleship group, my buddies and I discussed some of the Bible's most powerful verses. One of the guys posed an intriguing question: "What do you think is the most powerful verse in Scripture?" That was no easy question to answer! There are countless powerful verses, and after all, Hebrews 4:12 describes God’s Word as "quick and powerful."
Yet, there is one verse that has always had an incredible ability to strengthen my heart whenever I read or hear it: Romans 8:11. It says, "And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.”
Think about that for a moment. The resurrection of Jesus Christ—raised from the depths of Hell itself—may be one of the most powerful events in history. Jesus, who never sinned, was crucified as a sinner, carrying our sins upon Himself. He died, was buried in a tomb, and on the third day, He rose again. Peter captures this beautifully in 1 Peter 3:18 (NLT): "Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned but died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but He was raised to life in the Spirit."
This extraordinary event was brought about by the Spirit of God—the Holy Spirit—raising Jesus from the dead. And here’s the incredible truth: that same Spirit now lives in you. As Romans 8:11 says, “He who raised Christ from the dead WILL ALSO give life to YOUR mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in YOU.”
Can you even fathom the power available to you? The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave resides within you! The next time discouragement tries to drag you down, remind yourself: "I am not powerless! The Spirit of God lives in me—the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead!" Let that truth strengthen your heart and transform your perspective.Before I gave my life to Jesus, my life was completely misguided, heading toward destruction. But when I surrendered to Him, everything changed—powerfully and supernaturally. Jesus didn’t just save me; He adopted me into His family. Romans 8:15 (NLT) declares: "So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, ‘Abba, Father.’"
Even now, we live in a world immersed in conflict, devastation, and evil. Daily life confronts us with challenges and temptations—complaining, gossiping, bad attitudes, and so much more. These struggles can make us feel carnal, powerless, and like spiritual failures. But in those moments, the Holy Spirit reminds me:
"Tim, you are not powerless. You don’t stand before me in your own strength or righteousness. You are washed by the precious blood of my Son, Jesus. I have adopted you into my family. Your righteousness is a gift, not something you earned. And remember, the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in you! I have given you My power to live for Me. Now, get your mind off these carnal distractions. Meditate on My word and Spirit, and the power I’ve placed within you. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and walk in My love, strength, righteousness, and power."To this, I respond: "Yes, Lord! I am reminded. I pick myself up in Your power and handle life through Your grace and wisdom. I grow in You through every challenge and every triumph!"
And so will you. You are infused with His power—not your own. Lean into that truth. When life gets tough, remember who you are in Christ and the Spirit that dwells in you. You are more than a conqueror because of Him. Let His power guide, strengthen, and sustain you every step of the way.
Luke 10:19: "Behold, I give unto you power..."
In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt
