When God promises power to man, it is an extraordinary promise! Imagine that the same God who created the universe with his word promises power to us mere mortals.
1 Corinthians 4:20 "For the kingdom of God does not consist in speaking, but in power."
This passage gives us an explanation of the simple but profound promise of power received from God - how to obtain it and what it means.
Steps
Step 1. Find the promises Jesus made about receiving power from God
I am in Luke 24:49 "And I will send upon you what my Father has promised; but you remain in the city of Jerusalem, until you are clothed with power from on high," and in the Acts 1: 8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea, in Samaria and to the extremity of the earth."
Step 2. Notice that in Luke's verse power is associated with "the promise of my (Jesus) Father and in that of Acts it is associated with the Holy Spirit
Step 3. Notice that in Acts 1: 4-5 Jesus identifies the Father's promise with the baptism of the Holy Ghost, so we can now see that the "power" comes from the same source:
the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2: 4 the disciples received power with the descent of the Holy Spirit, and they also spoke in different tongues. In Acts 2:38 Peter tells us how to receive power by explaining how to receive the Holy Ghost.
Advice
- Although whoever receives the Holy Spirit receives the power, he can still ask, seek and knock because whoever asks receives; he who seeks finds, and it will be open to him who knocks. (see Matthew 7: 7-11)
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There are many aspects of power from God:
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Healing the Sick and Performing Miracles in the Name of Jesus:
- John 14:12 Truly, truly, I say to you, even whoever believes in me will do the works that I do and will do greater ones, because I am going to my Father.
- Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who can, through the power that works in us, do infinitely beyond what we ask or think,
- Acts 1: 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea, in Samaria and to the extremity of the earth.
- 1 Corinthians 2: 4 And my word and my preaching consist not in persuasive speeches of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power:
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To rejoin the Spirit, love God and serve Jesus with all your heart:
- Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in your belief, so that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
- 2 Timothy 1: 7 Because God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of strength, love and discipline.
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To bear testimony of Jesus and draw people to the Lord:
- John 2:23 While he was in Jerusalem during the feast, many, seeing the miracles he performed, believed in his name.
- Acts 8: 6 And crowds of equal consent paid attention to the things said by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles he performed.
- 1 Thessalonians 1: 5 Because our Gospel was announced to you not only with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with great fullness of conviction; and in fact you know what we have been among you for your sake.
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To give testimony of salvation. Example of witness of salvation: pritma.
- Romans 1:16 In fact I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, because it is the power of God for the salvation, of whoever believes, of the Jew first and then of the Greek.
- 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is madness to those who perish; but for us who are on the way to salvation, it is the power of God.
Warnings
- The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and injustice of men who suffocate the truth with injustice, in fact what one can know of God is manifest in them, having God manifested it to them. (you see Romans 1: 16-19)
- When someone is proud of himself and of what he has done, he proves that he is not worth so much, the thing is very different when, instead, it is the Lord who approves him. (John 7:18, 2 Corinthians 10: 17-18)
- This power Not it is power or authority over other men (see Matthew 20: 25-28)
- Many men deny that the power of God is still present today. The Bible teaches us to avoid these men (see 2 Timothy 3: 5) but to continue to pray for them, if it ever happens that God allows them to repent in order to recognize the truth. (you see 2 Timothy 2:25)
- Nor does it make the person more important than the others, Jesus said "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted". (Luke 14:11)
- Receiving power is not an excuse to act in the wrong way rather it gives us the strength to act in the right "I can do everything in the One who strengthens me". (Philippians 4:13) (see also Philippians 4: 8)
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