Real Power

God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
-2 Timothy 1:7

It’s a crazy notion. The One who has all authority and power has given us His power through the Spirit in us. Not a theoretical distant power, but a real, living, authoritative power. Crazy, but true. But we too quickly forget. We find ourselves flooded with fear and anxiety or held captive by the lies of the Enemy or trapped in persistent habits. We feeldefeated. Meanwhile, the power of the Almighty God is in us.

The reality of the Spirit in us means we do not have to be held captive. We don’t need to fear. The Spirit leads us to come to the Father, to trust Him, to invite Him to accomplish in us and through us what we cannot manage alone. It does not feel easy at times because it is an act of surrender on our parts. We have to let go of the allusion of our own power. We have to die that Christ may live in us. And the Spirit who raised Christ from the dead will give us life! (Romans 8:11). That is real power at work in us. The church of Christ, His Body, is marked by the power of the Spirit.

This is the Spirit we have seen at work. This is the Spirit that made the way for our friends to move here from Tennessee when it seemed like an impossibility 6 months ago. It is the Spirit who is bonding together communities that have beenhistorically divided in Spartanburg. It is the Spirit who encourages us through the Word and the words of other believers when we need it most. It is the real power of the Spirit that has brought greater depth, joy, and unity to our marriage than we could have ever hoped for or imagined. We see the Spirit of God at work building the Church here in Spartanburg. We are blessed to be witnesses to what He is doing. And we know He will do far more.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21