THE POWER OF GOD IN YOU!

By William R. Cunningham

For Sermon October 12, 2003

INTRODUCTION

We live in a world of ups and downs and our perception is that there are more downs then ups. Did God intend for life to be so difficult and for His children to be plagued with so many pains? I really can't answer that questions, as I am not God. However I do know that there is an aspect of our Christian life that is very underdeveloped. Perhaps if we were to develop this missing component of our lives then we would not suffer so much or at the least we would cope much better with whatever life has to throw our way.

I am going to discuss the power of God in this lesson. What is the power of God and how can it be activated and operating in our lives? Is that even possible? If it is possible to have the power of God operating in our lives then how does this manifestation take place? There are so many questions relating to the power of God operating in our lives. For example, is it possible to lay hands on the sick and they become healed? Is it possible to pray for a sick child and he or she recover because of that prayer? We would love the answer to be yes to these questions, but at the same time we know people die even when prayed for. We know that bad things happen to good people.

However, is there more to life than just coping with whatever comes our way? Is true faith merely the ability to stay strong and faithful in the middle of the greatest catastrophe? After all, we do know that our early Christian brothers and sisters, as well as the apostles and apostolic fathers suffered. Some were tortured and some were killed. Some were killed by wild beasts or in a number of hideous ways. Were they operating in the power of God? Could they have called down a miracle and save themselves? There are so many questions.

I do believe that the Bible gives us the answer to these questions. I believe that the Bible tells us how to live and operate in the power of God. However, we should also consider the questions dealing with the problem of pain that I mentioned above. That is, bad things happen to good people so to speak and vice versa. That discussion is beyond the scope of this lesson. This doesn't mean that we should only expect the bad and be skeptical of the good.

Jesus presented a parable of the sower and the seed to his disciples, which is recorded in the book of Matthew in chapter 13. He said that some people hear the word but the deceitfulness of riches and the cares of the world come in and choke what word they have right out of us and we become unfruitful. Is the power of God something that we can strive for in this world or should we wait until the new heaven and the new earth? I believe that we can experience the power of God right now during our lives on this earth. I believe that salvation is something that began when we received Jesus Christ as our savior and is not something that we will experience when we die and go to heaven. I do recognize the completion of our salvation when we are delivered from the very presence of sin in the future. However, we can still experience the power of God now.

Hopefully this lesson will shed some light on how to live according to the power of God and how we can give glory to God by operating in his power and manifesting his power, love, and glory to those around us.

THE LIGHT

Consider the following scripture.

Matthew 5:16 (NKJV) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

What is this light that we should let shine? The Gospel of John gives us a clue.

John 1:4-5 (NKJV) In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Consider also,

Ephesians 5:8 (NKJV) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

This light in you comes from Jesus Christ. The glory of the Lord is in you and we simply allow it to radiate from us by keeping things from blocking that light. This light is associated with the power of God that is in us. This light radiates from the power of God and is evidence of the Holy Spirit that resides in you.

Philippians 2:14-15 (NKJV) "Do all things without complaining and disputing,⁵that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,"

WHAT POWER?

First let's investigate what power is and therefore how that applies to Christians. The dictionary defines power as:

1. The ability to do work
2. The ability or capacity to act or perform affectively
3. Exerted force or strength
4. Ability to exercise control over another

Some terms that we are familiar with in regards to power are "Watts" and "horsepower." These are measures of work. Therefore, for our purposes, we find that power is the ability to do something. However, the Bible reveals two aspects of power that must work together in order for us to operate effectively in the power of God.

Power in the Bible

There are many Hebrew and Greek words that are translated into the English word "power." However, there are two that I would like to focus on for the purposes of this lesson. These are the Greek words dunamis and exousia. Let me describe what these mean.

The word, dunamis, describes the ability to do something. For example, a person that trains with weights has the ability to lift a certain amount of weight. It also refers to might or strength. Some scripture references for this word are as follows.

• Matthew 6:13
• Matthew 22:29
• Luke 4:36; 5:17; 9:1
• Acts 1:8; 3:12, 6:8

The word "exousia", describes the authority or privilege to do something. It is one thing to have the ability and it is another to have the authority to exercise that ability. Some scripture references to this word are as follows.

• Matthew 28:18
• Mark 3:15; 6:7
• Luke 4:36
• Acts 5:4
• Romans 13:1

So now we see two things at work here. There is the ability to do something and the authority to do something. In order to do something we must therefore be capable of doing it and we have to have the right to do it.

In Jesus' Name

I would like to briefly discuss the concept or phrase, "In Jesus' name." What does this mean? We often suffix our prayers with this phrase. Consider the following scripture.

(John 14:13-14 NIV) And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

The word "name" here comes from the Greek word onoma that means authority. It is similar to someone saying, "Stop in the name of the law!" We would say, "Stop in the name of Jesus!" The Bible says,

(Matthew 28:18 KJV) And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

The word power in this verse is referring to Jesus' authority. Romans 13:1 tells us that the ultimate authority of all things is God. Therefore, "in Jesus' name" means that we are operating in the authority given to us by Jesus Christ. The question now is what power or authority did Jesus give us the privilege of accessing. We know that the power of God operating in our lives is not a power of our own. This power is from God and it flows through us in various manifestations. Consider Acts 3:12.

THE POWER OF GOD

Now we said earlier that any ability or authority that we have comes ultimately from God. After all, God is omnipotent and who could possibly have the authority over the universe then the one that created it. God is all-powerful and has all authority.

The power of God is the absolute and infinite ability and authority that resides within God and to whom he extends it. Consider the following scripture references.

• Acts 10:38
• Luke 9:1-2
• Luke 10:19
• Mark 16:15-18

The first in the above list is of particular interest.

Acts 10:38 (NKJV) how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Consider what this verse of scripture tells us.

1. God anointed Jesus
2. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power (dunamis, i.e., ability)
3. Jesus used that power to heal all who were oppressed by the devil
4. God was with Jesus

We also know that Jesus empowered his disciples and gave them authority to do the work of ministry. In addition to that, we know that the disciples were endued with power by the Holy Spirit at Pentacost.

The Gospel

It is very interesting that the Gospel is very much linked to the power of God. As a matter of fact, Paul says that it is the power of God (See Romans 1:16). The word gospel originates from the Hebrew word Bisar (basar). Bisar means to proclaim victory in battle. The Hebrews believed that their victories were due to the divine intervention of God (See 2 Samuel 4:10). From about 300 B.C. until after the time of Christ many Greek-speaking Jews translated their Hebrew Bible into Greek (The Septuagint). The word that was used to translate Bisar was euangelizesthai, had a meaning very similar to basar. However about the time the New Testament was written euangelizesthai had evolved into a different meaning. It simply meant, "to proclaim." A noun form of the verb euangelizesthai was formed: euaggelion. The noun euaggelion was used by Christians to describe the good news of Jesus.

The earliest English translations of the Bible used the Anglo-Saxon word godspell to translate the noun euaggelion. Godspell meant "the story about a god" and was used because the story about Jesus Christ was Good News (a good message). Later as English developed the word Godspell was shortened to Gospel and the original Anglo-Saxon meaning was lost with this change.

Now since euaggelion was specific to the good news of Jesus Christ, some translators used other words to translate the word basar in the Old Testament to avoid the confusion that may occur by references to Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Therefore, they used other words to distinguish the good news of Jesus Christ and the good news promised by the prophets. These translators often use glad tidings or an equivalent for the Hebrew basar.

In particular consider the following scripture.

John 15:7 (NKJV) If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

This scripture shows us how the power of God can operate in our lives. We must abide in the Lord and He must abide in us. Consider another similar scripture.

Psalm 37:4 (NKJV) Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

The key here is that what we desire will come to pass if we walk according to the will of God and that our motives are consistent with the will of God. Operating in the power of God means that we are in agreement with God. We follow him and do what he tells us to do. If we are in the will of God then we can have total confidence in him to do what he said he would do.

Let us consider the lives of those that wrought miracles in the name of Jesus Christ. Consider the practices of those who did great things for God and prospered in their way according to God's way (Moses, Jesus, the prophets, the Apostles, etc.).

1. Prayer was critical
2. Fellowship with God was critical
3. Obedience was critical
4. Sensitivity to the voice of God was necessary (being moved by the Spirit)

Overall, people such as Moses, Elijah, Elisha, the prophets, Jesus, the disciples, and Paul had an intimate relationship with God. Not only that, but their lives were centered on the will of God. They were all sensitive to God's voice, even thought they didn't always welcome it. They did what God told them to do and wrought great things. Consider the following scripture.

John 14:12-14 (NKJV) "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Also consider the following.

Mark 16:16-18 (NKJV) He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Jesus' ministry was primarily around the Palestine area. However, his disciples, including you and I, would affect the entire world directly with the Gospel of Christ, the power of God. The power of God is in His Holy Spirit. This power comes to us according to the will of God. Consider the following scripture.

1 Corinthians 12:27-31 (NKJV) Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

All will not have a healing ministry. All will not have a teaching ministry. However, God will impart into you according to his will and purpose for you. This doesn't mean that you can't pray for the sick and effect healing (See James 5:16). We should come to a point in our lives where we expect the power of God to be manifested in our lives.

Worship

So the power of God can operate in you according to your faithfulness to the way of God. How much do you pray? How much do you spend time in fellowship and in the presence of God? I think the operable word here is worship. Do you worship God? Is your life an object of worship or are you busy with the day-to-day issues of the temporal life? It is important that we build up the spirit man so that the power of God can freely flow through us and so that we would be vessels for the will of God on the earth

Matthew 6:10 (NKJV) Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

The power of God can flow through those who are saved by the blood of Christ. We develop a lifestyle of worship and closeness with God and then we can experience all that God has for us to experience. We can do all that God has for us to do.

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

The power of God is already in you. You have the Holy Spirit residing in you and you have the authority of Jesus Christ to do according to his will. Your ministry is in you to do great things. We can strive to build such a relationship with God that we wouldn't think twice about laying hands on someone to heal him or her. We would just act in the name of Jesus Christ and show forth the power of God. We would be witnesses of God and bear witness of Him to the world just as his disciples.

So nurture your relationship with the Lord. Strengthen you spiritual man and walk according to the spirit so that you can do the great things that God has for you to do. Begin to walk with God and see how God does great things through you. The power of God is there to do and to bring people to Christ. Amen