Do I Really Have Power?

Now that is a great question. This mourning I just finished reading Luke’s gospel. I must admit that as often as I have read through the scriptures, I really for the first time have notice that Luke writes the parables of Jesus from a perspective that at least to me seems to be a bit different.

Ok, Okay so that I don’t alarm some of you biblical scholars allow me a minute to explain. I read the parable of the “Talents” and Dr. Luke tells this parable a little different than Matthew does, you know, that tax guy. Same story, same principals just a little different route to get to the main issue. And of course the point of the parable is to teach us that we all have been given spiritual gifts. God expects all Christians to use our spiritual gifting for his glory and honor.

Ok, where was I? Oh yea this “Power” thing, I was completing the Gospel of Luke, the last few verses to be exact. And Jesus is revealing himself to some folks who thought he was dead and he gives to them some curious instructions. He tells them that he must go, but he is going to send his HOLY SPIRIT and put his spirit in them with power, so he instructs them to wait there in Jerusalem until this power comes. Let’s check out the verse. Note Luke24:48-49“And ye are witnesses of these things.49And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

Ok, the “things” that Christ is speaking of are his teachings, and the fact that he was dead and he’s now alive, he’s risen. But what stands out to me the most, is the fact that he says wait in Jerusalem, until you be endued with power from on high. What does he mean by power?

Ok, I think it’s time for an illustration here. I played college and high school football. And what I learned over the years of playing the game was that the guy who had the most strength was going to win pretty much most of the battles. And so what most coaches do if they’re smart is they work to get their players “endued with power.”

Jesus knew that what the disciple had ahead of them was not going to be an easy battle. So he did what any good coach does. He gives to them and us as Christians this same power. This power is none other than his Holy Spirit and it can only come from heaven. We can’t get it in the weight room we only get it when we decide to make Jesus Christ the Lord of our life. But much like what happens in that physical weight room a person only gets stronger when they work-out. It’s amazing how many Christian will allow them self to be pushed around by the devil when we have in us this same Holy Spirit power that Christ used to defeat death and the cross. The problem is Christians are like a lot of athletes, lazy.

We have the power but refuse to get into God’s weight room and work out. We will not study the word so we never know what to do. We will not pray consistently, so we never have the Holy Ghost strength we need in order to walk in obedience. So while we have all this Holy Spirit power in us, because we refuse to work out spiritually we never seem to be able to win any battles and the devil just pushes us all over the field of life.

Here’s the deal if you want this spiritual power inside of you to get strong enough to help you win on the field of life, you have to get your self in God’s Weight Room. So here is a simple question. Have you worked-out today?