Jesus Wants to be our Power
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A lack of Power
A lack of Power
38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
The resurrection is of course a source of great joy for the christian.
Jesus words to Martha at her brothers grave show this hope.
One day, the dead shall rise, the living shall be caught up and so we will meet the Lord in the air, all received a glorified body and dwell in the Lord presence in Heaven for ever. AMEN!!!!
But Jesus word to her seem to go even deeper that just beyond the grave.
When Jesus and the apostles speak of the resurrection they are not just speaking about an event in the further but about a power that is available now.
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
This concept of Resurrection power in explained to us in Ephesians.
Resurrection Power
Resurrection Power
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Paul offered something to challenge our faith: “the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe” (Eph. 1:19).
So tremendous is this truth that Paul enlisted many different words from the Greek vocabulary to get his point across:
dunamis—“power” as in dynamo and dynamite;
energeia—“working” as in energy;
kratos—“mighty”;
ischus—“power.”
Ephesians 1:19 can be translated, “What is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the operation of the might of His strength.”
He is talking about divine dynamic, eternal energy, available to us!
After all, what good is it to have wealth if you are too weak to use it?
Or if you are so afraid of robbers that you cannot really enjoy it?
John D. Rockefeller was the world’s first billionaire. It is said that for many years, he lived on crackers and milk because of stomach troubles caused by worrying about his wealth.
He rarely had a good night’s sleep, and guards stood constantly at his door. Wealthy—but miserable!
When he began to share his wealth with others in great philanthropic endeavors, his health improved considerably and he lived to be an old man.
Christians have been entrusted with God’s Wealth. Therefore Christians Need God’s Power.
Christians have been entrusted with God’s Wealth. Therefore Christians Need God’s Power.
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
By nature we are too weak to appreciate and appropriate this wealth, and to use it as it should be used.
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
To turn this vast spiritual wealth over to a mere human being, living by human wisdom and strength, would be like handing an atomic bomb to a two-year-old.
God’s power enables us to use God’s wealth.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Grace, forgivness, repentance, eternal life, the word, gods love, gods mercy, gods judgment, the church, the holy spirit, the truth, ....
The fruit of the spirit -
The gifts of the spirit -
2nd reason why we need God’;s power~:
There are Enemies who want to rob us of our wealth.
There are Enemies who want to rob us of our wealth.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
We could never defeat these spiritual foes in our own power, but we can through the Spirit’s power.
Paul wants us to know the greatness of God’s power so that we will not fail to use our wealth, and so that the enemy will not deprive us of our wealth.
The power is seen in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In the Old Testament, people measured God’s power by His creation or by His miracle at the Exodus of Israel from Egypt.
But today, we measure God’s power by the miracle of Christ’s resurrection.
The Exodus was the validation of God’s promises to Abraham.
The resurrection is the validating of God’s promises to us.
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
But how does this resurrection apply to you and me today?
But how does this resurrection apply to you and me today?
In Ephesians 1:22–23, Paul explains the practical application.
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Because we are believers, we are in the church, which is Christ’s body—and He is the Head.
This means that there is a living connection between you and Christ. Physically speaking, the head controls the body and keeps the body functioning properly.
Injure certain parts of the brain and you handicap or paralyze corresponding parts of the body.
Christ is our spiritual Head.
Through the Spirit, we are united to Him as the members of His body.
This means that we share His resurrection, ascension, and exaltation. We too are seated, in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:6), and all things are under our feet.
Christ, as the head is perfection might and perfect in power. That perfect his is what you ass the body are connected too. The perfect power of Christ as the head need to flow to you as the body.
No wonder Paul wants us to know “the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward”!
Apart from this power, we cannot draw on our great wealth in Christ.
I recall going to the hospital with one of our church members to try to get her husband to sign a paper that would authorize her to draw on his private checking account so she could pay his bills.
The man was so weak he could not sign the paper. She finally had to get witnesses to verify his “X” on the document.
His weakness nearly deprived her of his wealth.
The power of the Holy Spirit, through the resurrected, ascended Christ, is available to all Christians—by faith.
To whom is this power given?
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
You have a power shortage not a blessing or a wealth shortage. Draw on that power by faith!!!