Originally from Sam Storms at Enjoying God
On October 5-7, we hosted some 1,400 people in OKC at the Convergence Conference where we focused on the passionate pursuit of both Word and Spirit in the Christian life and in the local church. My first message was on the power of God. Here are ten things we should all know about this power.
(1) God's power, the sort of power that dwells within every born-again believer and energizes his/her life and ministry is not the sort of "thing" that you can touch or contain in a bottle. It is the very energy of the life of God himself. It is the supernatural energy that emanates from God's being.
(2) This supernatural and divine energy or power quite literally fills and indwells the bodies and souls of every born-again believer. God does not call upon us to speculate about the nature of this power. His desire is that we avail ourselves of it to partner with him in his purposes on the earth.
(3) In Philippians 3:8-11 Paul speaks of his urgent desire to "know Christ and the power of his resurrection." He is asking God that he might personally experience the very supernatural power that was exerted by the Holy Spirit that prevented the decomposition of the body of Jesus, the supernatural energy that restored life to a corpse.
(4) The power that indwells every born-again believer is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him to the right hand of the Father.
(5) Consider the words of Peter: "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Pet. 1:3). Whatever deficiency you may experience in your Christian life can be overcome through God's power.
(6) The power of God is essential for every facet of Christian living. "For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me" (Col. 1:29).
(7) We often mistakenly think that the only individuals in the church who are recipients of God's power are Apostles or Elders or Pastors. But consider Stephen, described as "full of grace and power" (Acts 6:8).
(8) This power is something not only that God has but something that he generously and abundantly gives to us.
(9) When I speak of God's power I'm not talking about fleshly triumphalism in which we live above and immune to weakness. The power of God is most clearly in evidence when it is displayed and manifested precisely through and in the full light of our weakness.
(10) This power operates in us first and foremost to change us and make us more like Christ.
