“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that call upon His name.” John 1:12
The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, wrote: “For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.” (1 Cor. 4:20) From the moment of creation, to this present day when God, by the Spirit of Christ, makes a “new creation” in Christ, there is the creative, redemptive power of God revealed. Indeed, the power of God is an essential element for the existence, and maintenance, of every living thing. With regard to being born again, there was the need of power. For the evangelization of the world, the Spirit was given on the day of Pentecost, to communicate Christ’s power to the disciples, a power that would eventually be seen in its redemptive beauty around the world. Paul, in his letter to the Philippian believers wrote concerning the personal objective and experience of knowing Christ: “…that I might know Him, and the power of His resurrection.” (3:10) From the prayer of Paul for the church in Ephesus, where he speaks of the Lord doing the “…exceeding abundantly above all that we could ask or think,” to the prayer for the fulness of the knowledge of the will of God in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, (Col.1:9) we find the essential element, presence, and activity of the power of God. To the Ephesians he writes that all becomes possible, “…according to the power that works within us.” (Eph. 3:20) To the Colossians, he prays that they, “…might be strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience, and longsuffering with joyfulness.” (1:11) If creation is to come to pass, and the lost sinner is to become a new creation in Christ, if the church is to be edified and be the light of the world by the witness of the truth and life of Christ, then there must be the working of the mighty power of God in the individual life. How is this to be known, and lived today? Is it the will of God that we be filled with His power, His might, even though it be quiet, but sufficiently, and profoundly, revealed in the life and heart?
The first thing we need to see is Christ as our Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. Why? We need to see His authoritative declaration concerning Himself as our strength, and then, His means by which this strength is appropriated. If we go to the Psalms we find were David writes: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?” (27:1) Throughout Scripture we find example after example of those believers who have gone before us who have known the reality of God’s strength, being poured into them when they needed it. They were strong in God, in Christ, and that strength was manifested when they had a vision of it, and then exercised prayer and faith for the appropriation of it. In Paul’s letter to the Colossians he declares that, “…in Him (Christ) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (2:9) He goes on to write concerning the believer in Christ, “…and ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” (v.10) Here is the application to the life of the believer: Christ is the source, and essence of all power, for He is God. The believer has been placed IN Christ, in living union with Him, “seated in heavenly places in Christ, “”… blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” This means that the believer has access to the infinite resources of Christ’s power which have been made available to him. The question then becomes, “How can the believer know Christ’s power in his life?” It is by faith, according to truth, sought for by prayer, and received with thanksgiving. The vision of Christ’s power, strengthens faith to pray intelligently, specifically, believingly, and then thankfully receiving this life-giving power.
Dear Father, Show us Thy power, giving us grace to receive that which is needed to glorify Thy name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.