Can I Really Live Resurrection Power?

God wants us to live in His power. 

He doesn’t want us just to taste it, use it as an option when all else fails, or try to control it our way.  No.  God has all power, and He isn’t stingy with it.

So what does it mean when Paul, frustrated by a recurring malady he called a thorn, said that God’s “power is made perfect in weakness”

How does weakness become perfect strength?

We have been taught that to get strong, you must exercise, build muscle, and keep up the rhythm.  But God’s formula for strength doesn’t begin in the gym.  It begins with surrender and honest confession:  I can’t do this by myself.

It doesn’t matter what “this” is.  It could be anything from the day ahead,  an appointment, a relationship issue, a medical problem,  anything that flattens resolve, creates dread, produces fear, and renders you feeling helpless and alone.

That’s when God wants us to hear His words: My power is made perfect in weakness.

Do you hear that promise as an over-the-top, more-than-enough endowment that doesn’t depend on you trying harder? 

I have used this verse as my prayer so many times. I remember crossing a college campus to teach my speech communication class. I would have welcomed any interruption that canceled it.  My heart was beating out of my body.  I wasn’t certain I would actually make it to class without passing out.  I needed God to work His and transform my total weakness into God’s unfailing power.  The fact that I successfully taught my first class is a testament to His power, not mine.

Weakness isn’t always a fault we need to correct or improve on.   Sometimes it is simply the overwhelming presence of fear.  Fear that we can’t do something. Fear that we will fail, even if we try.  Fear, even if it is unfounded, presents itself as weakness anytime we use the words "I can’t do it." 

God waits to hear our confession, not just our complaint. That’s when He smiles and says, “No worries, my power becomes your perfect answer when you let me have your weakness.”

Surrender is the ticket to empowerment.  Surrender of ideas, of processes, of expectations, anything that becomes a roadblock to perseverance through a challenge.  When weakness becomes a confession to God instead of a complaint, we open the door to being filled with His power and resources. We exchange our control for His, our self-reliance for His sovereign authority, our limited perspective for His unlimited knowledge. This must be a complete turnover of control and assessment.   

His power in us isn’t a formula we control for our purposes.  It is His gift to us in exchange for complete surrender.

These days after Easter tempt us to return to life as usual. But God says there’s more.  God reminds us that power waits. 

Below is a list of Power Scriptures for Pentecost.  Read one a day. Take it like a vitamin. Answer the companion question.  Let the messages build.  Pentecost Sunday is May 24. That’s plenty of time for God to do a work in our hearts and minds. 

His invitation is simple: His power for our weakness. How can we turn down that extravagant exchange?  

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"How to Live a God- Empowered Life,"  April 15-28

You will receive a daily scripture sheet with a self-examination question for each day, leading up to the next blog post on April 29. Then, you can download your next scripture list.

As always, if you have trouble downloading the document, write me at debmgoodwin@gmail.com, and I will happily send the list to your email.

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