Heart in Bloom

“The greatest Source of Power in the Universe is God’s Spiritual power that provides an unending source of energy:

Most of us have never lived without electricity. And we wouldn’t know what to do without it. Flip a switch and we have light. Press a remote control in the car and the garage door opens. Hit another remote in the house and the T.V. comes on to give us news, weather, and all kinds of entertainment. Our grandparents and even some of our parents who grew up on the farm, remember the days 75 or 80 years ago before rural electrification. They remember kerosene lamps, lanterns, ice boxes, cellars, scrub boards, rug beaters, foot pedal sewing machines, and windmills.

But rural electrification changed all that including the fundamental aspects of life – day light, dark, clean, dirty, hot, cold, work, leisure, praparing food, and preserving it. When the Rural Electrification Administration first came to many rural areas there were people who didn’t accept it for one reason or another. This power source that could make their lives far better was practically brought to their doorstep. But they didn’t want change. Other’s couldn’t afford it or were just too tight to spend the money to hook it up.

Electric power is worthless to anyone who doesn’t make the effort to make the decision. Whether to stay in the old-fashioned way of life or add some electric lines and modern convenience like a refrigerator, stove, and light sockets. God gives us a similar choice in our lives. He offers us a different kind of power – the power of the Holy Spirit and all the spiritual energy. But we’ve got to get hooked up to it or we stay in darkness.

Before Jesus began his ministry, John the Baptist was a forerunner of our Savior. He was a lone voice in the wilderness saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2. It is not all that different from when the R.E.A. came to rural areas with a similar message. It could have been worded this way, “Repent – change your life – for electricity is at hand.” In the case of Jesus our Savior, God, wanted His children to accept the Messiah and the gospel message of the coming “Kingdom of God.” Christ’s Kingdom message is meaningless unless we choose to hook up to this power source. What it does is transform our “ordinary” life into something that’s eternal – a life of hope and abundant living. No earthly kingdom compares to the spiritual and eternal one offered by Jesus.

Like John’s message Jesus said, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is near.” Matthew 4:17.

That door to His kingdom is real. “The whole earth is filled with His Glory!” – writes Isaiah in Chapter 6, verse 3. This Glory is so simple to hook up to this power, its available to all, its free, it costs nothing! “For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9. This power is always available so that everyone who truly calls upon Jesus as Master of the Universe and Prince of Peace will be heard and delivered into this abundant life. The greatest power of all is spiritual power. God always uses spiritual power for good, and God sends us the power of the Holy Spirit so we can overcome evil with good. “But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power” – writes Luke in Acts 1:8.

As Christians, all of us need the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill our mission. It is up to us to ask God to show us our mission in life and help us fulfill it. And as we step out in faith, that mission becomes clear, but usually only one step at a time. Yet God’s Word warns us that there are false prophets who are trying to deceive us and keep us from serving God. That is why we need His spirit every day of our life. “But you belong to God, my dear children,” writes John. “You have already won your fight with these false prophets, because the spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

Not a single one of us has the physical or mental power to overcome the spirit that lives in the world. That is why the spirit of God must live in us – because that spirit is greater than any evil power. And we know He (God) lives in us because the Holy Spirit lives in us. (1-John 3:24.)

But until we realize the awesome power of the spirit, we aren’t going to be able to use even a small portion of it. The apostle Paul warned of this in his letter addressed to his associate Timothy. It was probably Paul’s last letter. It wasn’t the unbelievers Paul was warning, but the followers of Christ. It was those who claimed to be”religious” but weren’t allowing the Holy Spirit to work in their lives. “They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them goldy. You must stay away from people like that “writes Paul in 2 Timothy 3:5.

The only way Christ’s promise of sending a comforter can be fulfilled is through the Holy Spirit. “For this is the secret; Christ lives in you and this is your assurance that you will share in His Glory” (Colossians 1:27). The Bible warns that we are in a spiritual fight with powerful unseen forces. And we must have God’s spirit in us to win this battle. “Don’t be afraid, there are more on our side than on the side of evil, we have God and His angels on our side. That is why Elisha prayed for his frightened servant. “O Lord open his eyes and let him see!” (2 Kings 6:17). Today let us pray that God will open our eyes so we can see the power of the Holy Spirit in our life.

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. (Psalm 18:16.)”