Focus: Purpose Of Power

Text: Lk.24:49

"And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, UNTIL ye be endued with power from on high."

No one can function effectively and successfully in this world without power of some sort. Our edge is found in the area where we have power to wield or exercise. People who suffer the most in this world are the powerless and the helpless.

When you are down and unable to lift yourself up, you are powerless. When all you have known in life is failure and defeat and you are unable to do anything about it, then you are powerless. We all need power to live victoriously, securely and successfully on earth.

Jesus Christ tells His disciples not to step out an inch nor embark on any mission at all until they have God's power infused into them. 

God's work can only be done with God's power. To function as God's worker without God's power is to expose ourselves to failure, defeat and danger. We need God's power.

The father of king Saul was described as "a mighty man of power" (1Sam.9:1). The Angel of the Lord says to Gideon, "The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour" (Judg.6:12). Luke tells us that Stephen was full of power.

Beyond or behind possessing power is the purpose of power. God gives His power to no one for the sake of grandstanding or showmanship. Rather, God gives us His power to accomplish His purposes. Let us see a few places in the Scripture where power is connected to purpose.

*Power to become

John writes, "But as many as received him, to them gave he POWER TO BECOME the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" (Jh.1:12). By receiving Christ and believing in His name God grants us the right and privilege of being recognized as the children of God. God gives us the authority to bear His nature and name. That is the power of a new surname and status.

*Power to live

Paul tells us in 2Cor.13:4, that we live with Christ by the power of God. It is not possible to live out the Christian faith by our own power. Christianity is a supernatural religion, and it requires the supernatural power of God to live it out.

*Power to make wealth

Moses says to the people of Israel and to us, "But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee POWER TO GET WEALTH…" (Dt.8:18). God makes available to us potential ability for wealth creation or acquisition. God has put into us the power to make wealth. So we become wealth creators by the power of God.

*Power to bear witness

Jesus Christ says to His followers, "But ye shall receive POWER, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be WITNESSES unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Act.1:8). We have received divine power from God to testify of Christ to the world. We bear witness to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. 

Luke reports that "with GREAT POWER gave the apostles WITNESS of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all" (Act.4:33). Paul testifies that "through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ" (Rom.15:19). He says again, "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power… For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power" (1Cor.2:4; 4:20). Call it preaching, teaching, witnessing, or evangelizing, we certainly need be in possession of God's power to do it. God's word is proclaimed or declared by God's power.

*Power to speak and stand for the truth

Micah says, "But truly I am full of POWER by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, TO DECLARE unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin" (Mic.3:8). It requires divine power, boldness and audacity to deliver truth to God's people without mincing words, without dilution, without contradiction and without compromise. It takes plenty courage to speak the truth of God's word in clear terms.

*Power to edify

The Apostle Paul tells us that the power given to him by God is for edification, not for destruction (2Cor.13:10). God has not given His power to anyone in particular to abuse or debase others, but to help and uplift them.

*Power to serve

Paul declares, "Whereof I was MADE A MINISTER, according to the gift of the GRACE of God given unto me by the effectual working of his POWER" (Eph.3:7). The author of Hebrews says, "Let us have GRACE, whereby we may SERVE God acceptably with reverence and godly fear" (Heb.12:28). Power is for ministry, not for the mere demonstration of might. God gives us power to serve others and to glorify Him.

*Power for the miraculous 

Matthew writes, "But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had GIVEN SUCH POWER UNTO MEN" (Mt.9:8). The Lord Jesus Christ miraculously healed a man of his paralysis, and the eye-witnesses marveled at this kind of power given to men by God. God has given men power to do miracles (Mk.16:17-20). Luke tells us about Stephen, "And Stephen, full of faith and POWER, DID great wonders and miracles among the people" (Act.6:8). Stephen was authorized and empowered by God to work miracles, and God is still using His servants today to work wonders and miracles among men.

*Power to dislodge demons

Matthew reports that "when he (Christ) had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them POWER AGAINST unclean spirits, TO CAST THEM OUT, and TO HEAL all manner of sickness and all manner of disease" (Mt.10:1). The word 'power' here speaks of authority, not ability. Luke says, "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them POWER and AUTHORITY over all devils, and TO CURE diseases" (Lk.9:1). Here Christ gives His disciples both ability and authority to dismantle demonic powers and deliver the demonized and diseased. From the account of Luke, Christ says to His disciples, "Behold, I give unto you POWER (exousia) TO TREAD on serpents and scorpions, and OVER ALL THE POWER (dunamis) of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Lk.10:19). 

Christ gives us authority over all the abilities of Satan with the divine assurance that he cannot succeed in hurting us.

James also lends his voice: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (Jam.4:7). Satan and his cohorts cannot in any way withstand our God-given authority.

I pray we use God's power for the purpose for which it was to us. Power is given to be exercised and expressed for a divine purpose. Find your power and use it.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter