Whenever the topic of power comes up in Christian discussions, there is always the argument of whether or not Satan has any power at all. If I were asked, my answer would be “I do not know”. I cannot give yes or no answers because I am still searching for answers to the question. And when it comes to questions like this, one has to be careful not to answer wrongly.
What I do know is that the One living in me, in you, in every believer, is greater than the one in the world (1 Jn. 4:4). That settles it. No matter the case, do well to remember that on the opposite side of God is not the devil–they aren’t equal in any form. On the opposite side of God is still God. There is no one and nothing as powerful as He is. (2 Sam. 7:22)
Another question is one of who has this power. Is God’s power only for certain people, like pastors? No. That is one thing Jesus rectified by His sacrifice. We can all come boldly to the throne of grace (Heb. 4:16). There is access to all. In Luke 10: 19 KJV, He says, behold I give unto you power. He wasn’t talking to spiritual leaders alone but to the entire body of Christ. The only difference is that those leaders have spent more time developing this gift and for the sake of their calling, there is that measure of grace given to them. You too can lay hands on the sick and watch them recover. You too can call those things that be not as though they be, by the power of God Almighty.
In last week’s post, we discussed the dimensions of God’s power. This week, we will be discussing a matter that I dare say is more pertinent to the body of Christ but often forgotten. What is God’s power for? If God kept His power all to Himself, maybe this conversation would not be required. But scripture tells us in Luke 9:1 and Acts 1:8 that we have been given power. Why is that?
The first thing to know is that God did NOT give us His power for flaunting. God did not give us His power as a means to gain fame or favor. When you do great and mighty things through the power of God, it is easy to get proud and feel the need to “flaunt” it. But that’s not why God gave you. For some people, when they feel they can’t do those great and mighty things yet, they start to doubt God and feel sad. In Luke 10:17-20, the disciples had just returned from their very first assignment and they were overjoyed at the way demons were cast out and the sick received healing. This is what Jesus said to them: “Rejoice not that these spirits are subject to you but that your names are written in Heaven”.
A Christian’s joy and greatest joy should be in salvation. When you start to get carried away with power and the display of it, you risk losing appreciation for the most important thing; salvation.
So what is the reason God gave us His power? The display of God’s power helps to increase our faith. Wherever God’s word is preached and preached in its true and pure form, His power follows. One of the most popular displays of the power of God in scripture was the day of Pentecost. People saw the Apostles speaking in unknown tongues and when the word came, 3000 souls were saved. The faith of those 3000, whether wavering or non-existent, was strengthened that day by the word and the display of God’s power (Acts 2:1-41). Even today, our faith is still getting strengthened by this, through the witnessing and hearing of testimonies.
God loves it when we have faith. Jesus says “Blessed are they that believe without seeing” (Jn. 20:29). But if we are being honest, God helps us believe, sometimes, by showing us His power. But for the stubbornness of the Israelites, there was no need for them to doubt the power of God even after seeing the sea being split into two for them to walk through. God uses humans as vessels for His power, just as He used Moses, so that we may see reasons to adore and trust in Him. The purpose is to give adoration to God and He alone. Not any pastor. They are only vessels.
“Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. Yet he saved them for His name’s sake, that he might make known his mighty power.”
Psalm 106:7-8 ESV
Most importantly, God gives us His power so that we may glorify Him. Ultimately, all that we have and are should be to the glory of God. We must remember that this power is not exempted. We risk appropriating the power of God and glorifying that power more than we glorify Him when we forget the purpose of the power.
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 14:13
I have seen people obsess about the power of God, forgetting the commandment of love. It’s so common these days to see people who talk more about power than the word. Power doesn’t save. It is the word of God mixed with faith in our hearts that saved us. People rejoice more in power than in salvation. People respect power more than the pure, undiluted word of God. They even seek power more than they seek Jesus.
Because of this, many have fallen into error and some have even become so delusional to think they can monetize the power of God or turn it into merchandise. Remember the story of Simon the Magician (Acts 8: 9-25). If he had understood that God’s power is given to man for His glory, he would have known that he could not purchase it to keep as his own. Simon wanted God’s power, not to bring glory to God, but to gratify himself. Unfortunately, many believers do this today. They charge and pay to experience the power of God.
God’s power was given to us for work. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
The mandate we have been given is not something we can run with on our own strength. We will have to rely on the power of God, through the Holy Spirit.
This is what the power of God is for; to strengthen believers to the glory of God.
Faith+blog 