Talk or Power?

1 Corinthian 4
"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power" (1 Corinthians 4:20).

Faith and the power of God is not only or even primarily a cognitive discourse or exercise. Yes, we are to "be transformed by the renewing of our mind" but the Scripture doesn't end there. Paul's continues to write "THEN you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing, and perfect will" (Romans 12:2). Renewing our mind is not only a cognitive exercise, our minds are the part of us which reasons, thinks, feels, wills, perceives, judges... We ask the Holy Spirit to speak to us (yes, the Holy Spirit speaks today - audibly?, no (although don't rule that out...God moves in any way He deems fit..), but He 'speaks' in ways so loudly sometimes, or so softly sometimes - through our conscience, through impressions and senses, through others - all in accordance with the Scripture - that it seems audible.

Do you know what I mean? Have you heard from the Lord in a way that you just knew it was God? That is the Holy Spirit. That is the God of the universe(s) who knows you so intimately that He knows just what you need and how you need it....better than you know yourself. God knows how He has gifted you, how He wants to use you in the working out of His plan and purpose, in your story and in the bigger story around you, History, His story.

The power of God is manifested in many ways. All you need to do is to read Scripture and you can see how God moved in the lives of the folks portrayed and recorded in the Word. Does God manifest Himself in the same ways He did in years and centuries before us? There is debate among believers about this - there is great theological (study of God) discussion about this.

I am simple. As I read the Scripture of the New Testament, I see God moving in supernatural ways through and around His people...and through and around those who do not confess Him! I do not read that He does not act in the same ways...with power...as He did in previous days. I do not read that He has ceased His activity - in fact Jesus said that the disciples (which includes us) will do 'even greater things' than Jesus did....God is still supernatural.

So, if we are not seeing the power of God in, through, and around us...who changed? Or where is the hindrance? "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). God does not change (James 1:17).

The kingdom of God is not about talk but about power. There is a difference between talking about God, and believing and experiencing God. Paul said that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead...lives inside of us (those who have been regenerated, born-again, through the Spirit) (Romans 8:11). When was the last time you saw, sensed, the power - the presence of God - in, through, and around you?

"Lord, forgive us for relying and believing more in talk and our own thinking, than in You. Help us to think Your thoughts and to rely in Your moving of the Holy Spirit - in, through, and around us. Help us not to first focus on Your power, but as we focus on You, and we ask for eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to know, we will see You move in power. Thank You Lord."