Practitioner Of His Power

Christians are charged with sharing The Gospel or Good News of Christ Jesus according to Matt. 28:16-20. But when will believers in Christ return to a more regular, daily flow and demonstration in God's power? 

God's power must be evident in the believer's life and displayed to complement the Salvation message and one's testimony. Paul's life and his words in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 sets a great example of executing more than The Great Commission.  Here is what Paul said to the believer's in Corinth -

"And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power."

Paul visited Corinth with a simple, straight forward message of salvation through Christ Jesus, while allowing the Holy Spirit to flow through him in power with all kinds of demonstrations - "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,". Why? "so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power."

Operating in and with God's gift of His power is critical to overcoming anything and everything that will come against us every day and/or hinder our walk with God. Later on in the same letter to the Corinthians, Paul communicates an important concept - "the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but power." (1 Cor. 4:20). Notice within these two passages of Scripture how Paul is stressing salvation comes through Christ and Christ's kingdom arrives through His power.

Is it any wonder that the world and believers are looking for more of God's power? This verse above says - God's kingdom flows in action-packed power and that Christians weigh their speeches to be so important as to be the vehicle of God's power. This is in error. 

Speaking is a necessity to communicate God's love, Word and instruction especially in the five fold ministry spelled out in Ephesians 4:11 - somes as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. This is true also within the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:7-11) and the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). 

However, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:1 - "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." Many times actions speak louder than words and when Christians act with God's power, the results will be miraculous. I believe the Holy Spirit's power will come when more of His church is individually and corperately living daily in His power. 

There are many words used for the word "power" or "powerful" in Scripture. I would like to mention a few here and inform you that Jesus Christ has the ultimate power in every one of these definitions.

• Oz = strength; might (Ps. 62:11)
• Ischuros (is-khoo-ros) = powerful; forcible; mighty; superior to man in strength (Matt. 3:11)
• Dunamis = force; might; strength; explosive; dynamite (Matt. 13:54; Luke 4:36; Luke 9:1; Luke 10:19)
• Cheir (khire) = the grasping by the hands literally/figuratively of control or soveriegnty (John 13:3)
• Yad (yawd) = means, direction; potential influence - see James 3 for the power or influence of the tongue. (Prov. 18:21)

Receiving or seeking God's power on a regular basis is difficult for some people. Even as a free gift, some individuals take issue. But there is nothing that we could ever do, there is no amount of goodness or right-standing with God that would merit God infilling us with His power - outside a relationship with Christ. Jesus paid the total price for all the believer's many blessings.

Ephesians 1:18-21 tells us that the same power, that Christ used to secure humanity's eternal future and abundant blessings by picking Himself up from death, Hell and the grave - dwells within the Christian. 

Because of belief in Christ, Father God blesses Christians with His power as another wonderful gift. Paul writes to Timothy in a second letter and expresses God has "given" us His forceful, explosive, wonder-working power through Christ. He says, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." (2 Tim. 1:7)

Personally, I hear this verse quoted so many times I tend to gloss over it, say - "That's nice." and place that nice verse on a spiritual shelf. These three words - power, love and self-discipline - are action words meant to help all areas of the Christian's life. God's gifts, especially these, demand more than a gloss-over and shelf placement from me and any Christ follower.

Christians need to accept and move every day in His power. If the believer ever grasps this truth and begins practicing or better yet - living it out, God's kingdom will truly come and His will, will truly be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

How do Christians live a more God-powered life? 

1. Pray
2. Stay in God's Word
3. Be sensitive to and obey the Holy Spirit's leading

When believers pray we need to ask and seek God for His power. James 4:2 says, "You do not have because you do not ask God." His power is something He desires to equip His kids with so that it will flow in our lives, be evident to everyone and influence others unto salvation.

According to James 5:16, prayers of a believer who is in right-standing with God are powerful and effective. The original word for powerful in this verse is energeo (en-erg-eh-o) meaning active, efficient, mighty. When the believer's life is on track with God, his/her prayers are active, efficient and mighty because they align with God's will and kingdom purpose.

Prayer is also an avenue to powerfully declare God's promises. But how you know those promises of God in the first place is point number two.

Stay or remain in the Word of God. In John 15:1-17, Jesus is speaking to His disciples and He uses the imagery of the vine and gardener to urge His students to remain in His ways. When Christians today stay in God's Word, some benefits are - 

• mental, physical and spiritual nourishment
• enlightenment
• recalling His promises

Finally, Christians can live a God powered life by being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and obeying His leading. This sensitivity should manifest itself for the believer by putting a Godly Filter on everything you think, say and do. Once the Christian has the Holy Spirit filter in place and active, he/she will be able to discern God's good, pleasing and perfect will more effectively (Ro. 12:2).

In 1 Corinthians 1:24 and John 1:1-5, 14 -- the reader understands that Christ Jesus is the Power of God, the Wisdom of God and the Word of God. Jesus has paid too high of a price to share His Word, His Wisdom and His Power with those who would beleive to simply sit still with His gifts. Peter says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." (2 Peter 1:3) Let us then be a Practitioner Of His Power.

Why Her? Why Him?

Can you imagine America seeing miracle after miracle, day after day, year after year and having a spokesman for God to declare God’s thoughts and heart? Then could you imagine the citizens of America asking the well known and well respected Christians of the country to appoint The President?

Can you imagine one of the most prominent men of God in our generation like the late Dr. Billy Graham anointing and declaring who is President of the United States of America? All this is what occurred with Samuel and the nation of Israel. God heard the request of the nation of Israel to appoint a king over them and used the prophet Samuel to anoint and declare Saul king.

Saul’s track record as King of Israel had mixed results. However, the majority of events linked with his tenure of kingship was negative, crazy at best. What is the lesson to be learned? Be careful what you request of God. The Lord warned them this was not the best petition, but the people were persistent and God granted their request to be like the other nations around them having a king.

The Scripture begins to give the reader a picture of Saul in 1 Samuel 9:2 – “as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else.” So, we have a mental picture of Saul’s physical appeal. However, later in the next chapter we receive a glimpse at a character flaw that does not bode well for leadership or kingship for that matter.

1 Samuel 10:20-25 states that Samuel called all the tribes together and named Saul to be king, but Saul was nowhere to be found. When Samuel inquired of The Lord, The Lord answered, “He has hidden himself among the supplies.” Saul is found and presented before the people as the king and Samuel states the responsibilities, rights and duties of kingship.

However, it took a threat, God’s Holy zeal or wrathful passion and a battle to bring Saul’s kingship to completion, never-the-less – Saul officially became King of Israel in 1 Samuel 11.

There have been many leaders, kings and presidents that God has allowed to rule in history. Was it to fulfill certain prophecy like "wars and rumors of wars" concerning the end-times? Was the governorship allowed to show God's blessing? How can we discern the Lord's appointment of leaders and respect it when the leader shows ill character qualities?

All through David's life, David would not take the life of whoever was holding the office of King of Israel, no matter the status of their mind or spirit. David saw God as the planter and remover of kings and the kings themselves as hopeful, faithful executors of God's will for the country.

The timeframe was not long after David when Israel and all other nations stopped practicing this respect of God's appointment even in the face of not understanding the person's character or agenda. Nations ramped up their intentions and attempts to take matters into their own hands concerning placing leaders.

Of all the nations in the world, Israel and America in particular have forgotten that according to Scripture, God is still working out His plan. Just because humanity thinks they have acquired the reins from God to place leaders over the nations does not mean that is the truth. God's Word still stands and His Word in Daniel 2:21 states - "He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others." And in Job 12:23-25 - "He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them. He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason; he makes them wander in a trackless waste. They grope in darkness with no light; he makes them stagger like drunkards."

Israel and America desperately need to return to a practice David used while King of Israel - he inquired of the Lord. If I had a dollar for every time I have heard the following charge for Christians to perform, I would be much richer.

"if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chron. 7:13-15)

However, this plea still rings true now, no matter how many times I might have heard it. The necessity of the issue is to garner all the true believers to -

1. humble themselves
2. pray
3. seek God's face
4. turn from their wicked ways
5. AND Inquire of The Lord, as David did.

I believe, when Christians do these things personally and especially corporately, the Body of Christ will experience a sense of peace and possible clear revelation for any office of the country we are praying for as we ask - Why Her? Why Him?