Power!

POWER!!!!! Eph 1:18-19

What exactly is power? We hear about it, talk about it...everybody wants more of it....what does it mean? Is it wealth? Fame? Authority?

There are two trans for power in vs 19....(read) the first meaning ultimate power . God is literally almighty! He can raise the dead, heal the sick...and use YOU to do that! The last sentence in vs 19 speaks of another kind of power.... more of an administrating power.....like your boss...He has absolute authority of ALL things in heaven and on earth...and that includes us! reread vs 18: God is not bound by man’s laws as we know them...gravity we need to open the eyes of our hearts...become enlightened...why? So we may know the hope of HIs calling!

What vs 19 is telling us is that we SHOULD have power...it is in accordance with HIS power that we be empowered! Says so! So...what is power and how do I get it? SHOW BATTERIES....ONE REGULAR, ONE RECHARGE-ABLE both of these have power right now. I want you to think of when you first came to the Lord....you were charged up! reved up....or amped up as we used to say! Nothing could stop you....testifying to everyone, witnessing to everyone...talk about what God did for you at the drop of a hat! Used to wear folks out with it!

Do you know the difference between how enthused you are now and how exhuberent you were then? It is POWER! Let me show you something....when these batteries are fully charged they are both equally powerful.....they start out the same! But then something happens as we use them.....everytime I use my remote control (my wife will tell you that it’s often) it drains a little bit of my battery. Eventually, I will be watching TV and all of a sudden, it will change by itself.....going someplace that I didn’t want it to. It starts slowly..then pretty soon it just keeps switching and I can’t keep it on the thing I’m watching. That’s what happens when you start losing power in your battery......you slowly start doing things you don’t really want to do...going places you didn’t really want to go. Being in situations you don’t want to be in...and it’s all because your power is low! Let’s look at what happens to these batteries as they are used........

Every trail you face, you need power! It takes power to overcome! read Eph 3:14-19

We are strengthened by power in His spirit....the holy spirit...in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts! ( vs 16 )

Being rooted AND established in .......love. That’s the key to recieving God’s power! Love! Greatest commandment! Vs 18 says TOGETHER with ALL the saints.....we have to all get along! (Rodney King reference) Too many churches have too many problems!

The love of Christ surpasses ALL knowledge and if we can comprehend and have that love, we can have that power! Vs 19 says if we can know that love, we can be FILLED with the fullness of God......RECHARGED!!! We MUST have genuine love inside our inner man...our spirit......not just lip service! So...how can we do that? Vs 20 answers that! We MUST have POWER working within us....fully charged batteries. (Plug battery in charger).........now, is this battery being charged? It looks as if it is......it’s in the right position to be charged! Everything LOOKS good, right? But guess what? (show that power cord is unplugged) It’s not plugged in!!!

It’s where it should be......making an attempt....but until it is plugged in, it will NEVER get recharged! You can come and sit at church in a pew every service....you can say the right words all the time....you can "look" like you’re getting charged.....but unless you are plugged in, you are recieving about as much power as that battery is right now....NONE! You see, it’s not enough to just be in position to recieve the power.....you must recieve it!

I can plug this regular battery in the charger and what will happen? It still won’t charge, will it? It is unable to be recharged...sometimes we aren’t able to be recharged....something, somehow keeps us from being able to recieve God’s power. This battery wasn’t made for recharging....in your mortal self, you aren’t either! You have to be "specially" made to be receptive to the power that God wants you to have! Otherwise, you just reject it...like this battery rejects a charge...even WHEN it’s plugged in!

We have to make our lives submissive to the will of GOD...not our own fleshly desires

Unconditional love is NOT a natural thing. Often, when we love something, we really want to control it....to have power over it. That’s why it’s hard to love someone that’s quite a bit different than you.....they make you mad cause they don’t think like you, don’t dress like you, or don’t act like you. They’re different, and that’s hard to accept....maybe you could love them if they change, huh? Or maybe if YOU change and get powered up, you can love with the love of Christ and be filled with the fullness of God....doesn’t that sound good to you? It sure does to me!