The Holy Spirit Empowers “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,” – Ephesians 1:19-20 Our heavenly Father has called us to live a supernatural life—one that is contrary to the world’s thinking. In our own strength, it is very difficult to say no to ungodliness, because our flesh yearns to say yes. To live the Lord’s way takes His divine power. In order to draw on His strength, believers need to develop attitudes of humility, trust, and perseverance. God opposes the proud, who think, I can do this myself (James 4:6). He pours out His strength to the ones who know that they cannot accomplish the goal but believe that He can do so through them. The Lord wants us to trust Him. He may at times ask us to remain in an uncomfortable situation or take on a task that seems far beyond our capability. In either circumstance, relying on Him will bring us the inner fortitude to choose His way. When we are too weak to withstand temptation or too fearful to pursue the Lord’s plan, we must persevere in prayer. Doing so will draw us closer to Him, build our faith, and invite Him to work His will in and through us. Then, as we praise our Father for His almighty nature, proclaim His sufficiency for every circumstance, and declare His goodness, His Spirit will help us move past our weaknesses and fears to a place of strength. Today the body of Christ is experiencing a lack of spiritual power. Believers have a diminishing influence on our culture as our lives often reflect the world’s values. To turn this around, we need to cooperate with the sanctifying work of the Spirit. When we do, He will empower us. {By: Dr. Charles F. Stanley who is senior pastor of First Baptist Church Atlanta, founder of In Touch Ministries, and a New York Times best-selling author.} References: James 4:6 – “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” #BeTheDifference
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 10:28:20 +0000