THE POWER OF GOD IN THE CHURCH
EPHESIANS 3:20-21
ONLY GOD’S POWER CAN TRANSFORM THE CHURCH INTO WHAT HE WANTS THE CHURCH TO BE. IT IS HIS POWER THAT QUICKENS US, JOHN 6:63 TEACHES, “IT IS THE SPIRIT THAT QUICKENETH.” WE ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF DIVINE POWER. THEREFORE, ONCE WE RECEIVE THE POWER, WE ARE OBLIGATED TO APPLY IT IN EVERY AREA OF OUR LIVES. VERSE 20 SAYS THE POWER WORKS IN US, WHICH IMPLIES THAT THE POWER IS NOT DORMANT OR DEAD.
WHAT IS THE POWER DOING IN US? A) IT MOVES US TO MAGNIFY, GLORIFY, EDIFY, AND PRAISE GOD. B) THIS POWER MOVES US TO REACH THE UNREACHABLE. C) THIS POWER MOVES US TO LIVE QUALITATIVE LIVES.
WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS POWER? IT IS THE POWER AND PRESENCE OF GOD TAKING UP RESIDENCE IN US. HIS POWER IS UNMATCHED IN ALL OF THE COSMOS.
II. THE CHURCH
THE CHURCH SHOULD REFLECT THE POWER AND THE GLORY OF GOD. THE PEOPLE OF GOD MUST BE A LOVING PEOPLE, A FORGIVING PEOPLE, A CONCERNED PEOPLE. THE CHURCH MUST BE ALIVE AND ACTIVE.
THE POWER OF THE CHURCH IS NOT MEASURED BY THE FINANCIAL STRENGTH OF THE CHURCH, BUT BY THE IMPACT SHE HAS ON OTHERS.
IF THERE IS TO BE A MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S POWER IN THE CHURCH, IT’S GOING TO REQUIRE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTED UNTO TO GOD. IT’S GOD’S POWER THAT EFFECTS A CHANGE IN OUR LIVING AND OUR GIVING. IF WE ARE NOT DISPLAYING HIS POWER, WE ARE NOT LIVING IN ACCORDANCE TO HIS WILL. IF WE WANT TO SEE THE POWER OF GOD MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR INDIVIDUAL LIVES AND COLLECTIVELY AS A BODY OF BELIEVERS, WE MUST SUBMITT OUR WILL TO HIS WILL.
III. THREE POINTS
ONE, GOD’S POWER CAN DO MORE THAN WE CAN EVER IMAGINE. IT CAN EXCEL ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE CAN ASK OR THINK. WHATEVER WE ENDEAVOR TO DO FOR THE KINGDOM, WE CAN DO IT. WE SHOULD NOT FOCUS ON WHAT WE CANNOT DO, BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST. GOD HAS THE POWER TO PERFORM GREAT WONDERS IN ZION, FAR ABOVE WHAT WE THINK OR DON’T THINK. TWO, WE ARE EXPOSED TO HIS INFINITE POWER. THERE IS NO LIMIT TO WHAT GOD CAN DO. THREE, HE IS WORTHY TO BE PRAISED. THESE VERSES ARE A DOXOLOGY. A PRAISE PHRASE.
