Do You Feel the Power When You Believe?
Good Morning Friends,
I do not know if others experience cycles of doubt, belief and knowledge, but I imagine we all must, for even though we have faith that embraces a tangible Kingdom of God in the moment, and in reflection on the past, we still must, in anticipation of the future; believe the truth we cannot yet see. This experience of God can be difficult or it can be exhilarating. Do You Feel the Power When You Believe?
Scripture: 17I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. 20God* put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.
Ephesians 1:17-21 (NRSV)
13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 (NRSV)
16Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?*
1 Corinthians 3:16 (NRSV)
For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.
Habakkuk 2:3 (NRSV)
45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures,
Luke 24:45 (NRSV)
Message: Today’s Scripture prods us to look forward in an expectant and joyful anticipation of what God would do next in us and specifically to look forward eagerly in our belief that Jesus is coming back. The power and love of God received in the believing of this is available to all of us. The same power is demonstrated in the resurrection of Jesus and the exultation of Christ. Even now this power is in action over all spiritual beings and in God’s complete control and rule for the building up of the Body of believers. We are to experience here not a tangible human institution but rather a spiritual institution, a relationship for our benefit. Our lack of belief is what is holding us back from experiencing more of the power of God. Our choice to sin is keeping us from allowing Him to be Lord of our lives just like He is of all creation. Therefor I urge you this morning to hold back no longer. Allow God to open the eyes of your heart to know the power of God which raised Christ from the dead and seated him at God’s right hand. And in the power of believing we allow God to make us examples of faith, putting into practice what we believe and sharing what we have learned. And here when the Holy Spirit puts power in our belief and steel in our convictions, this determination changes the way we live. Our thoughts become taut and vision of the future is sharpened. We have a future, a distinctive sense of the future as Christians that sets us apart for His purposes. It is this forward thinking that is so important to our faith, to our health, to our happiness. This anticipation creates a change in us. It puts things in perspective. We become the message of joy when we think to a future with Jesus reigning. Today, when we live in a way that expects Him to return soon, hope becomes forged with gladness. Our belief, our desire for closure, becomes balanced in His peace.
Pray we believe in the power of God. Pray we are not ignorant and apathetic when it comes to understanding the Bible. Pray we be birthed by belief and become our true selves. Pray we find hope in a belief that embraces a universe united in Jesus, hope in the reality of a resurrection unbound by time. Pray
we submit and cling to the belief that God will answer our prayers in a way that will glorify Jesus Christ in and through our lives. Pray we allow our faith to grow in the belief that God has already placed in us the seed of the fruit He desires to harvest. Pray we claim the understanding, power, healing, truth, salvation, conviction, vision and relationship of the Word made flesh. Pray we believe that the power of scripture…the power of the Holy Spirit, the power of fellowship with Jesus is the power of God who created it all and is in control of it all.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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