Understanding your Power in Christ

Spirit Wars

Authority and Power go hand in hand

Authority -Privledge or Right to do something

Power- the ability to carry it out

look at it like this.

Authortiy is like the power lines

Power it like the electricity that traves down those lines

If you truly understand these 2 topics not just in the head, but actually put them into practice it will absolutely change everything you do.

Its true our world is full of those who quest for power.

We can see it in kids sports fields where a referree wants to control every aspect of the game.

We see it in the very wealthy when money no longer satisfies they go after greater power.

This is exactly what is happening with the World Economic Forum. They are currently meeting in Davos

and its easy to see their thirst for power.

for them power mean control

But what I want to talk about today is not that type of Power.

Instead i want to talk about real power.

not the power to control others

but rather the power to see the will of God carried out on the earth

The ability to do what God wants you to do!

You see its not simply having the power to do whatever we want

rather is having the power to do what God wants us to do!

As spidermans Uncle said.

“ wth great power comes great responsibility”

By God providing us His Great Power, we have a Great responsibility to use it to grow His Kingdom here on eatth.

The natural world requires natural power, but our inner beings require spiritual power to function properly!

The concept of power is spoken of much in the Bible—especially in the New Testament—and is a hugely important topic from a Biblical perspective!

Jesus gave power to the 12 disciples

Luke 9:1–2 NASB95

And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing.

Jesus gave power to the 72 disciples

Luke 10:19 NASB95

“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.

Jesus, before he died, told his disciples to wait for power from on high

Luke 24:49 NASB95

“And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

After Jesus rose from the dead, he promised his disciples they would receive Holy Spirit power

Acts 1:8 NASB95

but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Power to be witnesses

4Paul prayed that the believers would know God’s incomparably great, resurrection power

Ephesians 1:18–23 NASB95

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

IN the New Testament there are 4 primary words for Power

a. Kratos

is often associated with a king who reigns and rules over a kingdom. The king has dominion, supremacy, and authority in that realm. His word is the final say.

b. Ischus

“Is-cuss”

is the ability to perform.

If I had the ability to lift 500 pounds, that is ischus.

I am not lifting 500 pounds, but I have the strength and resource to do so.

At any point I could walk over and grab 500 pounds and lift it above my head –

I have the ability, strength, and resource.

Ischus is the ability to perform,

c. Dunamis

dunamis is actually performing and demonstrating that strength and ability.

if I walked over and actually lifted 500 pounds, that would be dunamis.

d. Energeia

The word translated “working” is another Greek word for power:

You can easily recognize the word “energy.”

This word has the concept of movement, flow, the energy of.

So what does this all mean in light of the passage

Ephesians 1:19 NASB95

and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might

God is dwelling from a place of absolute authority, power, supremacy, and dominion.

Nothing or no one can touch Him.

Within this place of sovereignty

He has measureless ischus – the ability and resource to perform.

He can do anything!

He takes this ischus and literally flows it into your life, your situation, your circumstance and demonstrates His power (dunamis …dynamite) in and through you.

…and what is the surpassing greatness of His power [dunamis] toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working [energeia] of the strength [kratos] of His might [ischus]… (Eph 1:19 NASU)

Kratos- God is in complete control

Ischus- The ability to do what God calls us to do

dunamis- Doing what God calls us to do

Energia- sustaining power to carry on what God wants us to do.

think of the battery in your car

it holds the power, so that it can be started Ishcus

It release a high volume of power to start the car Dunamis

it continues to keep the car runnning Energia

Kingdom of God

Mark 9:1 NASB95

And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

1 Corinthians 4:20 NASB95

For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.

Acts 10:38 NASB95

“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Power to do great works as Jesus did

Hebrews 2:2–4 NASB95

For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

Acts 2:22 NASB95

“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know—

2 Peter 1:16 NASB95

For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

The apostle Paul exercised the power of God

Acts 19:11–12 NASB95

God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.

Romans 15:18–19 NASB95

For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

The Good News carries in it the saving power of God

Romans 1:16 NASB95

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

1 Corinthians 1:18 NASB95

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Our lives require the testimony of Power

Romans 15:13 NASB95

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:4–5 NASB95

and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

When people, in their human frailty, rely on God’s help, His power is revealed in and through them

2 Corinthians 4:6–7 NASB95

For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;

Power is perfected in weakness

2 Corinthians 12:9–12 NASB95

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody. The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles.

God does works of power among people as they exercise faith in Him

Galatians 3:5 NASB95

So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

God’s grace comes to people through the working of His power

Ephesians 3:7 NASB95

of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.

I’ve talked before about satan having no authority

but he does have power

The antichrist will display the power of satan

2 Thessalonians 2:9 NASB95

that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,

Revelations 13:2

Revelation 13:2 NASB95

And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.

Revelation 17:12–14 NASB95

“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. “These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”

PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, WHY DO WE NEED GOD’S POWER?

1) To win spiritual battles within and outside ourselves

Resist

James 4:7 NASB95

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Destroy

1 John 3:8 NASB95

the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

Overcome

John 16:33 NASB95

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

2) To sustain and grow things within and outside ourselves

Romans 8:20–21 NASB95

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Mark 4:30–32 NASB95

And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? “It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade.”

HOW DO WE ACQUIRE GOD’S POWER?

Intimacy with God

1) Have God’ Word, God’s Truth in us

2) Know and understand that God wants us to have His power!

3) Pray for God’s power to be given

4) Wait upon God—in hope and trust—to give His power

5) Embrace personal weakness so God can be strong

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 NASB95

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.