NEW POWER
By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the One who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence.
2 Peter 1:3 (NLT)
There is a phrase I say a lot, but I’m not sure it’s quite sunk into my heart. I say this phrase: the same power that raised Jesus from the grave lives inside of me. Think about this: tons of men have claimed to be God throughout history. In fact, 38 men have claimed to be Jesus, the Messiah. There have been many people who have performed a miracle or proclaimed to. However, only One has ever risen and conquered the grave. Buddha doesn’t claim that. Mohammed doesn’t claim that. Only One has ever claimed that kind of power: Jesus of Nazareth. Now, that verse has been welded to me. Faith is a journey, but part of victory in Jesus is realizing the power that we have through Him. For years, I tried to conquer demons, sin, and strongholds with adrenaline and my own strength, and it seemed like I always inevitably lost. I was good for a while, but I didn’t have the strength to overcome what I was facing.
Nowadays, my way forward is what John the Baptist said: I become less, and He becomes more. Said another way, I take hold of His power by surrendering mine. What would your life look like if you really believed the same power that raised Jesus from the grave lives inside you? How would it affect the way you pray? How would it affect the way you face the sin in your life? How would it affect the way you speak about Jesus to those around you? The question isn’t whether His power is available to you, but rather, are you aware of the power living inside you? The more we know Him, the more we live like Him. Draw near to Him today.
APPLICATION: Trust that God’s power is living inside of you today.
PRAYER: Spend a few moments thinking about the power of Jesus. Think about His miracles. Let your heart be filled with awe at His power. Then let the Spirit remind you that He is with you! Ask the Spirit to open your eyes to your power in Jesus.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?