“THE POWER OF GOD”
Allan H. Kircher
Second Chronicles 7:14 “ If my people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land.
Time and time again we ask one another, “Why can’t I win my friends to the Lord? Why is it that my family members just don’t seem interested in God?”
The answer may shock you in its bluntness, but the truth often hurts.
The reason people who know you aren’t interested in your God may be because you don’t have enough of the presence of God in your life.
You see, there is something about God’s presence and power that makes everything else crumble in comparison.
Without it, you will be just as pale and lifeless as everybody around you.
No matter what you do, without the power of God in your life, you will be “just another somebody” to those around you.
I don’t know about you, but I was tired of just being “another somebody” to the lost around me.
I made my mind up and set my heart to declare, “I am going to pursue the power of God in my life.”
I am going to get so close to God, that when I walk down the street people will meet Him.
They will not know that I’m there, but they will definitely know that He is there.
Acts 2:28 “You have made known to me the paths of life: you will fill me with joy in your presence. “
When I live in the presence of God, I am naturally joyful. I have a natural glow because it is God’s power and presence in my life.
I don’t have to act……I don’t have to hide myself or my identity within my shell when I come into God’s house or around other Christians.
I don’t have to have people ask me if I’m a Christian………they know……. They see…..they feel….the presence and power of God.
2 Timothy 1:7 “God did not give us the spirit of Timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. “
What are you timid for? God says to proclaim His name above all. Proclaim boldly. Do you remember what it was like in your earthly life?
Remember how you were dead in all your ways? Depression, anxiety, worthlessness, despondency, loneliness, pride, …..
Where is the God that has delivered you from all these? Have you forgotten Him so soon?
The same God that has delivered you, is waiting for you to respond.
Claim your identity…..your identity as a disciple for the Lord.
To work in His Spirit, not yours.
Hebrews 13:8 tells us that our God is the same yesterday (when he delivered you) as today (when you trust him) and forever (when you spend eternity with him).
How can you not be elated with Joy……?
Your joy is in the presence and the power of God.
The Spirit’s role is to empower you. Jesus probably left His disciples flabbergasted when He said,
“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12).
These greater works were apparently dependent on both his going and the Holy Spirit’s coming, for the two events were closely linked.
When the disciples were evidently grieved at the thought of his leaving, Jesus said: “ But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you”) John 16:7.
Can you imagine the disciples? They were very much aware of their weaknesses and shortcomings. …..now they would do greater works than the Master Himself had done?
Don’t you know your weaknesses and shortcomings? ….. Can you believe a person like you could do greater things than the Master?.
Isn’t it breathtaking to hear Jesus’ brother James say in 4:2 “you do not have, because you do not ask”?
Ask and you will receive. You will receive all the blessings, riches, and promises that are true and steadfast when you have true saving faith in the power of God.
Ask Peter, who preached on Pentecost Sunday and three thousand believed.
As far as we could tell Jesus never had that type of response. Perhaps He did not gather that many genuine converts in his entire ministry!
Wake up today Christians……. for the key to the disciples’ success was not in their abilities and strengths.
Jesus had told them to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5), who would give them the power that He had promised, the ability to do the things that He had predicted:
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”
You see, this enabled them to succeed in their task at that time,
and can you believe that it is the same resource available today. The power of the Holy Spirit.
As we take a stroll back 3446 years ago right before the Exodus, God spoke to Moses at the burning bush and said, “ I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites “I am has sent me to you.” Exodus 3:14.
God says, “ this is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.”
Notice the Lord didn’t say, “I was or I will be” he says “I am” our God is the same now then He was 4000 years ago.
Now let’s look at the power of God before this verse, then after.
First, God came to Moses because he heard and is responding to the cry of his people. Exodus 3:7-8. Says “ the Lord said, “ I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey”.
The almighty God is answering the call of his people through the power of God.
They are crying out to Him, appealing to Him, yearning for Him, pleading for Him, to show His power and strength and mercy.
Some of us in here have cried out and seeked God’s mighty hand in our life.
We have gotten on our knees and stretched out our faith and yearned His power to be manifested upon us like a dove.
And He has delivered, just as He delivered the children of Israel.
Unfortunately, when the rollercoaster ride is over, we forget what God has done.
When I’m delivered from nicotine or alcohol, the ride is over, I don’t need God anymore. Now this is where Satan comes in and starts to work in your life.
Satan’s main goal is to cut off your dependency with God. When you start thinking your done with God’s help or you can do it on your own, you will get swallowed up like Jonah.
When you get in this mindset that you can do it on your own—Satan has you right where he wants you.
When you have victory in an area of our life, it is only through the power of God that we obtain that victory.
Whether you believe in the power of God or not, it is only through His power that we have victories.
We can do nothing apart from God’s power.
You see, the power of God wants a faithful servant coming to his throne in obedience.
How many of us have cried wolf like peter from the children’s stories?
God get me out of this situation. Thank you God I can handle it now.
God get me out of this situation. Thank you God I can handle it now.
God get me out of this situation. Thank you God I can handle it now.
Doesn’t this get frustrating after a few times. .. not to mention the depressing affect on your mind.
It doesn’t have to happen that way…….
Stop rejecting the power of God in your life. Pull it out and use it in all you do. It’s there waiting.
Let’s look at what God did for Moses in his situation….remember the burning bush.
Moses said “what if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, the Lord did not appear to you.” Exodus 4:1
Now this is where God displayed his power…..
The Lord said to Moses…ok Moses here you go…Here’s your sign….
What is that in your hand? Moses said, Staff…… Lord said, “Throw it down”. Moses ran.
The Lord said, “Reach out your hand and pick it up by the tail” Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.
God says He is the same yesterday, as today, and forever.
Reach out your hand today in the faith and power of the Holy Spirit. AMEN
Now the Lord was not finished…….He told Moses put his hand in his cloak….so Moses put his hand in his cloak and when he took it out it was leprous, like snow…….
Now put it back into your cloak…the Lord told Moses… and when he took it out, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.
God says He is the same yesterday, as today, and forever.
God’s presence and power can and will restore you from any deformity of your life. AMEN
Now the Lord said “if they do not believe you or pay attention to you with these signs……
Take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, the water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.
After all this Moses’ is still reluctant to obey God’s call to rescue Israel.
And Moses did this 5 times…….
How many today has God driven His divine power in us and we turn our back to His grace.
Do not doubt God and His ability and promise to deliver you from the world.
Our God is a restorer, refiner and a loving God.
As you know how the story ends……God’s mighty power restored the Israelites from the oppressed hands of Egypt.
This is the same God who sent His son into our hearts with the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in your heart right now.
We are the same as the disciples, as Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, we are all believers in the ever powerful great God who controls our life.
When we read the book of Acts and all its conversions, healings, deliverance and other miracles that took place in the early church, it is still here today.
But we must appeal and believe and shake off our earthly shells. We need to be restored in the presence and power of God.
Does God really divide history up into neat little segments where he acts one way with that generation and another with us?
God says He is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8)
The church today needs to discover once again that we have an unchanging God and an unchanging kingdom. Let us shout in victory for our God.
We need to once again discover the power of Pentecost. We need to become a Pentecostal Church—and I am not talking about a denomination—I am talking about an Acts 2 church. Not yesterday, not tomorrow, but today…..
We need to be filled with the Spirit of God…true saving believing spirit. We need to be operating in the gifts of the Spirit……
Take off the masks of fake religion, self righteousness and put on God’s power He placed upon you and live it in all you do.
We need to be living in genuine love for each other, and when we fail at that….. then we need to seek reconciliation. We need to have the fire fall and the people of God to rise up.
You see when God sends forth the Spirit amazing things begin to happen.
Barriers are broken…..communities are formed….opposites are reconciled.. unity is established..disease is cured…hope is established….addictions are broken….people are blessed and church happens without schedules and time frames.
Today, God’s Spirit is present, right now and were going to have church…
So be ready……get ready….God is up to something…
Discouraged Christians cheer up…..Dishonest Christians fess up……sour Christians sweeten up…Closed Christians open up….gossipers shut up….conflicted Christians make up….sleeping Christians wake up….lukewarm Christians fire up…..dry bones shake up, and pew potatoes stand up…..
But most of all, Christ the Savior of all the world be lifted up.
Not if, but when this happens, God’s glory is revealed and evident in our worship.
The power of God comes to us when we realize the Christian life is not about keeping rules, but about knowing Christ.
Until we live by repentance and faith we will always be going through the motions of religion without knowing the person of Jesus Christ.
Until the people who call themselves the people of God renew their commitment to knowing Christ on a daily basis and living faithfully for Him, we will not experience the power of God.
As long as we think that Christianity is something that we do, we are missing the point.
It is not about what we do, but what God does in us.
Being a Christian is not about believing the right doctrines, it is knowing the right person.
It is not about reciting creeds or going through a formatted schedule.
It is about coming to God’s throne any time during the worship, not just at alter call.
God’s power moves in unpredictable and spontaneous moments.
Satan is the one who holds you to the pew. Satan is the one who binds your hands to your knees when the power of God says lift them in His honor and glory.
He wants to cut off your dependence to God.
Don’t let Satan win in your life. Don’t let Satan control your thoughts.
It is about surrendering my life, my body, my mind and my heart to Jesus Christ and asking Him to take up residence in me again right now.
The only one you need to answer to is your heavenly Father. He knows all and sees all in your life.
Answer to His presence this morning. Answer to His calling right now.
The Christian life is about the most powerful and wonderful person in the universe who desires to know us intimately.
It is about confessing my sin and turning from it. It is about banking everything I have and am on God and loving Him with my whole heart.
It is not a feeling, it is reality.
The experience is not tame, it is wild and powerful. Paul said, “ I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection” (Phillippians 3:10)
The Christian life is not just about salvation, but transformation.
Regeneration is the miraculous transformation of the individual and implantation of spiritual energy.
Jesus made this very clear to Nicodemus that regeneration is essential to acceptance by the Father. Flesh gives birth to flesh and spirit gives birth to spirit. (John 3:6)
The acceptance, adoption, and transformation of the Spirit will empower you in a mighty way.
We are to grow in holiness, and be salt and light in a tasteless and dark world.
We are to become transformed on a daily basis, through the spiritual disciplines, and then become agents of transformation in the world.
You don’t want the Holy Spirit to just save you for heaven, you want Him to use His power to transform your life and sustain that power to glorification.
You want Him to use you in this world for kingdom purposes. The kingdom is here and now.
To be a functioning Christian today, you need the power of the Holy Spirit operating in your life every day.
The apostle John, in the Revelation, talks about the things we have to go through in this world and says, “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus” (Revelation 14:12)
The power of God’s Spirit comes upon you when you replace apathy with zeal. You can’t just try to be good and be a Christian.
You have to want to be transformed into the image of Christ and want to be made like Him.
You can’t be complacent toward the things of God and his kingdom and experience the power of God.
A true saving faithful transformation results in a transformation of a true heart that loves God and desires to seek Him with every morsel of your being.
The power of God is seen when we lift veils from our face and seek His glory.
2 Cor 3:18 “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the spirit.”
We shed our pride and take off the veil of anger, gossip, meanness, idleness, timidity, and we allow the Lord our God to mold us to His likeness with ever increasing glory.
And the power of God lay upon us. The power to smash unrighteousness. The power to smash bitterness. The power to smash hostility. In the name of our Savior Jesus Christ.
And through the power of God we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.
Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways…..we do not use deception nor do we distort the word of God.
For God said, “ let light shine out of darkness, made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” 2 Cor 4:6
And when that light is shining in your heart, you experience power.
This is the way to live. We have been powerized. We have inherited eternal life. We have experienced eternal love.
We now hold nothing back because we have discovered God’s mighty presence.
Because of this we are excited about life and we are excited about the wonderful God we serve.
We are willing to do whatever it takes to have more of Him.
Are you willing to do whatever it takes to have more of Him today?
Are you willing to cut away everything that is holding you back to experience the power of God?
When you do, the Holy Spirit will come to you in new ways and you will experience a life that you did not know was possible.
The bible says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress.
And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1)
Philippians tells us to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead.
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Leaving it behind him as done with and settled. All of our earthly motives were settled on the cross. Rejoice in victory in his precious name.
Put into practice the truth what is already comprehended? Explode in the mighty presence of the Son of God who is in your heart.
Christ’s present power in your life was earned by His obedience to death by humbling Himself before the throne of God.
In this He received His resurrection and ascension which is universal and absolute.
Live the power of the universal and absolute presence of the Holy Spirit that is upon you.
Be imitators of Christ’s humility.
“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:1-4)
When you are imitators you have power. The power of God’s spirit.
