POWER WITHIN

Ephesians 3:20

²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

Def. Power - (dynamis). n. fem. power, demonstration of power; display of divine, supernatural ability. The core idea of this term is the ability to do something.

I.                   WE ARE NOT POWERLESS

A.    God wants us to know the power available to us

Ephesians 1:17-19

¹⁷ That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸ the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

B.    God wants our faith to be in the power of God

1 Corinthians 2:5

⁴ And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in a demonstration of the Spirit and of power  ⁵ that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

1 Corinthians 4:19

¹⁹ But I will come to you shortly if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.

C.     The Kingdom of God is power

1 Corinthians 4:20

²⁰ For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.

1 Thessalonians 1:5

⁵ For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

2 Timothy 3:5

⁵ Having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

2 Corinthians 13:4

⁴ For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.

II.               WE MUST LEARN TO USE WHAT WE HAVE

I want to introduce three important words to you:

A.    Position

This is what we have been given in Christ. Since we been given position, we have access to it.

Ephesians 1:20-21

²⁰ Which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Ephesians 2:4-6

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Our position is in heavenly places in Christ, far above all principality and power. But it’s not enough to have the position - we must activate it by faith.

B.    Activation

Acts 16:16-18

¹⁶ Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” ¹⁸ And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.

Paul had authority the first day encountered the spirit, but he tolerated it because He did not activate his position or authority sooner. Our position and authority must be activated.

C.     Manifestation

Acts 3:1-10

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. ² And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; ³ who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. ⁴ And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” ⁵ So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶ Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” ⁷ And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. ⁸ So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. ⁹ And all the people saw him walking and praising God. ¹⁰ Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Acts 4:5-13

⁵ And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, ⁶ as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. ⁷ And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” ⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: ⁹ If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, ¹⁰ let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. ¹¹ This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ ¹² Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” ¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

Manifestation is what we are desiring. We don’t want to be satisfied with the position. We want to activate our position so we see manifestation. As I talk about power, we have to remember that we must activate it by faith and with words for power to manifest.

III.             OUR POWER

A.    Power over Satan

Luke 10:18, 19

¹⁸And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. ¹⁹ Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

ἐξουσία (exousia). n. fem. authority. This noun refers to the power or ability to do something, but can also describe the right to exercise authority or rule.

This is the authority to use power…

1. Power to Resist

James 4:7

⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

2. Power to Stand Against Spiritual Opposition

Ephesians 6:10-18

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints

3. Power to Cast Out

Mark 16:17

^17 “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name, they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues.”

4. Power to Bind and Rebuke

Matthew 16:19

^19 “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Answer Key: Powerless; Kingdom, We Have, Power; Cast out