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."

"...but who are you?"

Leviticus 19
Acts 19

Food for Life:

Leviticus 19
"Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy" (19:2) This verse sums up the entire book of Leviticus which reveals God's instructions on how, as stated previously, the Israelites could be 'positionally holy" - their standing before the Lord, in the first 17 chapters. The last half of the book reveal actions, how to 'walk' holy based on that positional holiness. Many 'don'ts' are contained in chapter 19; really good ones! One writer observed that Jesus' command, "To Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself" sums up all the instruction - the Law of Leviticus and the OT. Jesus Himself said He came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). It is by grace through faith we have been saved, not a work of our own, that we could boast (Ephesians 2:10). Hallelujah, what a Savior! (I [want] to never tire of proclaiming that..."Lord let us never tire of the reality of Who You Are, and Whose we are."

Acts 19
"One day the evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you'" (19:15)?

( One thing I've noticed about blogs or emails etc., is that if they are too long, most people will not read it! Therefore, while much could be said about this chapter - even about this verse, I ask the Lord to help me focus on the one thing to be said for today :))

The demon did not recognize the authority of the one(s) that were commanding the demon to depart. So the demon spoke up! I know Jesus, and I know Paul....but...WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE/??

Paul had The Authority within him. He had the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, the Power of God. It wasn't the person of Paul who had power over evil spirits, illness, sickness, and power to imbue handkerchiefs and aprons (19:11) for illness and sickness to be cured. Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit. He was blood bought. It was told of him by Jesus that he would see how much he would suffer for Christ's sake.

This is one of the clearest illustrations or portraying the difference between 'knowing about Jesus' and 'knowing Jesus.' The Seven Sons of Sceva and the Jewish chief priest knew ABOUT Jesus - they had cognitive understanding of Jesus...so they thought they could repeat the words they heard and see miraculous acts performed! BUT there was no power in their words, because there was no power in their lives, because they knew ABOUT Jesus, but didn't have a relationship with Jesus. They were not filled with the Holy Spirit.

And the demon recognized this. It is the Power of the Living Christ Who has power over demons. It is the Power of the Living Christ Who has power to heal the sick, to deliver from evil spirits, to raise from the dead. It is the Power of the Living Christ Whose Words have power! Words are just words without the Power of the Holy Spirit behind them.

The Seven Sons of Sceva and the chief priest found this out....the hard way. What about me? What about you? Is the Power of the Holy Spirit evident in our lives or do we have words with no power? Do we have a 'form of religion but with no power' (2 Timothy 3:5)? "God, please reveal Yourself to each one of us, help us examine ourselves and be filled, continually, with the power of Your Holy Spirit. Thank You Lord."