Articles on Life
The Power that Works in Us
John Buttrey II
Our lives are in constant need of power. Whether it be power to cool and heat our homes, power for all our electronic devices, or power for our automobiles, we need power! In fact, just getting through life as individuals requires power. We need power to stay energized on the job, power for our times of recreation, and power after all of those actives to prepare meals, and to keep our houses clean. All of these require some kind of physical power source.
As Christians, there is another source of power that we also need, and that is spiritual power. This is power for the soul. No amount of healthy foods, energy bars or drinks can provide this kind of power. Spiritual power comes from another source. As Christians, this power is always available to us. We just need to plug-in to it more often. What is this power? Take a look at these words from the apostle Paul:
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
Ephesians 3:20 (Emphasis Mine)
I love the first part of this verse where Paul tells us that God “is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.” In other words, we just can’t fathom all the power that is possible from our Almighty God on our behalf. However, notice that enjoying all God can do for us is, “according to the power that works in us.” That’s interesting, isn’t it? What is this power? Did you even know you possessed it?
Much of the time in life we feel powerless, and to a great extent we are. There are things that happen in life that are very-often out of our control. Yet, Paul says, we have a power. What is this power? In simple terms, it is the power of faith. Faith that prompts us to plug-in to the power of God, “who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.”
It was the power of faith, plugging into the power of God, that brought down the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6). It was the power of faith, plugging into the power of God that allowed David to defeat a giant (1 Samuel 17). It was the power of faith, plugging into the power of God, that found Daniel surviving a night in a den of lions (Daniel 6).
The power of faith still works today! It can help you bring down seemingly indestructible walls, help conquer the giants you face, and help you survive the lions of today who seek to devour you. Listen to how the Hebrew writer described the power of faith:
And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faithconquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.
Hebrews 11:32-38 (Emphasis Mine)
My dear brethren, let us stop allowing life, with its many trials and disappointments to defeat us! Let us plug into the power of faith! You know where to plug-in to recharge and get the power:
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17
As Christians, there is another source of power that we also need, and that is spiritual power. This is power for the soul. No amount of healthy foods, energy bars or drinks can provide this kind of power. Spiritual power comes from another source. As Christians, this power is always available to us. We just need to plug-in to it more often. What is this power? Take a look at these words from the apostle Paul:
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
Ephesians 3:20 (Emphasis Mine)
I love the first part of this verse where Paul tells us that God “is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.” In other words, we just can’t fathom all the power that is possible from our Almighty God on our behalf. However, notice that enjoying all God can do for us is, “according to the power that works in us.” That’s interesting, isn’t it? What is this power? Did you even know you possessed it?
Much of the time in life we feel powerless, and to a great extent we are. There are things that happen in life that are very-often out of our control. Yet, Paul says, we have a power. What is this power? In simple terms, it is the power of faith. Faith that prompts us to plug-in to the power of God, “who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.”
It was the power of faith, plugging into the power of God, that brought down the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6). It was the power of faith, plugging into the power of God that allowed David to defeat a giant (1 Samuel 17). It was the power of faith, plugging into the power of God, that found Daniel surviving a night in a den of lions (Daniel 6).
The power of faith still works today! It can help you bring down seemingly indestructible walls, help conquer the giants you face, and help you survive the lions of today who seek to devour you. Listen to how the Hebrew writer described the power of faith:
And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faithconquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.
Hebrews 11:32-38 (Emphasis Mine)
My dear brethren, let us stop allowing life, with its many trials and disappointments to defeat us! Let us plug into the power of faith! You know where to plug-in to recharge and get the power:
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17