After the hurricane, a dear friend stayed a couple of nights with us because she had no power / electricity at her home. No power is a big deal! So many things in our lifestyle rely on electricity. In fact, after a storm like we had, the first thing you ask someone is if they are ok; then, if they had damage to their property; then, if they have power. Power ranks pretty high on the list of concerns!
Whether it was storm related or from some other cause, we probably all have experienced a loss of power in our homes at one time or another. And at those times we see how much we depend on power. Electricity keeps our food cold in the fridge and provides hot coffee for us in the morning. It gives us entertainment, comfort, and a sense of security. We can feel robbed of those things when the power goes out.
Of course there are more forms of power than just electricity. But electricity gives me a good illustration to use. Electricity must have a source, a destination, and a connection between the two, in order to be usable (these are my layman’s terms). Most of the time when we lose power in our homes, it is somewhere in the connection between the source and the destination.
In addition, another element in the source-connection-destination circuit is that we can voluntarily break the connection. We are very familiar with this ability when it comes to electricity. We don’t think twice about flipping a switch to turn off the lights. That is breaking the connection. And of course, flipping the switch to turn the lights on is restoring the connection. The breakers in the box in your garage or basement are called breakers because they break the electrical connection when they are tripped. The electricity is still present, it just cannot complete the circuit to be usable.
So, as my manner is, I thought about this in comparison to the power of God in our lives. Like electricity, in order to have the power of God in our lives, we must have the source, the destination and the connection between the two.
First – obviously, the source of this power is God. The difference between a physical power source and God being a power source is that God NEVER gets damaged, broken, or unable to work. God is omnipotent and indestructible. He is ALL POWERFUL! He is ultimately the source of all power because He is the Creator. He is El Shaddai, the almighty God in resources to support, to defend and supply every need. His power never fails! God’s power never goes out no matter how severe the storm is!
Secondly, the destination of that power is us. We are the intended recipients of God’s power. Just like the appliances in our homes are built to operate on the power of electricity, we were designed to receive and utilize God’s power in our lives. God’s plan for mankind from the beginning was to have us be His family. God’s power in us is the gift of holy spirit that we received when we got born again into that family. Therefore, it only makes sense that God’s original design for us would be conducive to receiving and operating His power.
Now let’s consider the connection. There must be a connection between the source and the destination for power to be manifested. Electricity is flowing all around us, but we can’t see it. We see the power lines, but not the electricity. It must connect to something to be evidenced. The same is true of God’s power. It is spiritual and invisible. When it connects to a destination (us), it can be manifested. That connection gets formed when we get born again. Now, there is one particular difference between God’s power in us and the power in the coffee pot for example. When the connection is completed and electricity reaches the coffee pot, its function is evidenced automatically. We can be born again and have received the power of the holy spirit inside, but the manifestation of that power is not automatic even though the connection is complete. We must make the choice to put that power into evidence in our lives. Without our choosing to utilize God’s power, it remains latent within us. It can remain dormant by not knowing or by not believing that power. But that connection with God can never be broken, even if we allow the power of that connection to remain idle within us for years. God gave us the power, and He will NEVER take it away. So think about this – if God won’t take it away, who can take it away? That’s right! The answer is NO ONE! Also, God never forces us to use that power. He give us the privilege to make that determination ourselves by our free will decision.
God entrusted us with power from on high – a gift of unspeakable value. He gave it to us. And He gave instructions on how to use it. But He left the decision up to us whether we utilize it or not. And even if we don’t choose to manifest His power, He still loves us. What a testimony to the goodness of a loving God!
So, when we got born again, we received holy spirit, and that spirit is a direct connection to God. It cannot be broken and will never go away. But it is up to us to manifest that power. We by our free will can either flip the switch to “on” and believe to manifest that power, or we can flip the switch to “unbelief” and ignore that power. (can’t lose it but can ignore it). I think of it like this… The electricity in your house is working perfectly, but you choose to not turn on the lights. The electricity is still there, your decision doesn’t change the power of it, you are simply not using it. Take it a step further; it gets dark outside, and you still choose to not turn on the lights. Maybe you were reading a book and now you can’t see to read. The power to turn the lights on is available but you’re not taking advantage of it. You would find it silly to not turn on the lights, right? Well, we live in a pretty ‘dark’ world. Why not take advantage of the connection we have with God and manifest the power we have from Him?
The storms of life can knock us down sometimes, but they cannot separate us from our heavenly Father. Our connection to Him cannot be severed no matter what our senses tell us. God is bigger than any and every situation we may face, and He is able to handle whatever we toss His way. Utilize your connection with God by flipping your believing switch to “full steam ahead”! You have the power of God in you and a connection that will never fail!
Note to my readers: Oh, to fully comprehend the power we have! What a glorious (life-long) endeavor to undertake! Thanks for reading.