What do you think our main goal is as Christians? I think it is to let the love of Christ eminate through us so strongly that it makes the people around us want to come to Him. Mark 16:15 says, “Go into ALL the world and preach the good news to ALL CREATION.” So, what would you say it is that really draws people to us? What’s the real kicker that makes people want to drop the lives they’ve come to know, just to be like us? In my opinion, the most extreme thing is the power that we have. Yes, we have love and joy and peace and patients and the whole tree of fruits of the Spirit, but we also have awesome, unbelieveable power through Jesus Christ and this power is supposed to show.
I believe that one of the main reasons that Christianity is in a downward tailspin in many areas of the world, even here in the U.S., is that people are letting their God-given power die. It’s just like a house whose occupants neglect the electric bill; the power gets shut off - it gets disconnected from the source and this place that was once full of light and life grows dark and empty. I don’t know about you, but if I was given the choice to go into a dark, empty place or a place that’s full of light and love, I would pick the latter. But just like this, if we don’t stay connected to our power supply, that is Jesus Christ, we allow our power to get shut off and we become dark and powerless.
In Mark 16:17-18, Jesus says, “These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people and they will get well.” This is AWESOME power and it is ours to claim if we are willing to plug in and get connected to our power supply!
People today who have let their lights go out – who have let their power get shut off by falling for the lies of the enemy – are claiming that these signs that Jesus spoke about were only for the disciples; they say that they aren’t relevant in our world today. When I read this, I don’t see any disclaimers or fine print that says, “While Supplies Last,” or “This offer expires ________.” These things are promised by Jesus and they are still valid today. “The Word of God cannot return void.”
Romans 8:35 says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” What this is saying is that when we go through hard times, God still loves us just the same and we are still just as full of His power as we are when things are going great! To exercise our rights as believers, we need to SPEAK LIFE into every situation in our lives and the lives of the people around us.
I used to pray for God to do this or do that, but I remembered that God promised that whatever we asked for in His name would be done. His Word also says that our tongue holds the power of life and death. The same power that came forth from the mouth of God that formed the earth and all that’s in it has been given to us…So now when I pray, I don’t just simply whine and beg for God to do things or move my mountains; I speak life into things and say that it has already been done. I speak to the moutains and they can’t stand because of the power that is in me through my God! Now I say, “Thank you, God, that you have already done this for me…it is already taken care of…it is in your hands now.”
The very same power that raised Jesus from the dead is in our hearts through the Holy Spirit that was given to us and we have the ability to release it into the very atmosphere around us by our words! By speaking to our situations in the name of Jesus, we are claiming victory before the battle even begins. On our own, we are powerless – we are nothing. But if we plug in and turn on to Jesus, we have the power to illuminate the darkest night and overcome any circumstance. Just like in Psalms 107:20, we too can “send the word that heals and delivers.”
The Bible says we are MORE than conquerors through Jesus Christ. A conqueror is a very powerful person, but we are MORE than this with the power of Jesus! So whatever you’re going through, just remember – You have more power, more favor and more strength than you know when you simply speak to your circumstance and claim your power in the name of Jesus!
ROMANS 8:37-39 “…in all these things we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor ANYTHING else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
