The A, B, C’s of an Empowered Life
- Debbie Salter Goodwin
- Apr 29
- 3 min read
Where are you feeling overwhelmed or overpowered? Where are you facing a challenging circumstance or difficult person?
God wants you to live an empowered life. But there isn’t an internal button you can press to turn on the power. Instead, God makes a continuous, unlimited supply available. However, you must request His power. It is not automatic, though it is always available, anywhere, anytime.
How? I’m glad you asked because that’s what we’re going to explore today. To make it easy to remember, I’m using an A, B, C list. Let’s get started.
A – Address the source of all power.
Our tendency is to overexplain our weaknesses, fears, and insecurities. Instead, we need to start with God, the source of all knowledge and power.
Our verse for today says it best:
The more specifically we rehearse God's immense, unparalleled power and knowledge, the less we focus on whatever is making us feel powerless. Make your own power list of God’s authority in this world and over you. I love using Psalm 103 for this exercise. The worse I feel about my lack of control, the more deliberately I must rehearse this list.
Rehearse God’s power before you start listing what is out of control in your life. It’s the first way we make a place for God’s power to work. Start with something small. See what happens as you begin an inexhaustible list of God’s authority and power. Then, ask, “Can God’s power address my issue?” I think you already know the answer to that question, don’t you?
B-Believe that God’s power is enough.
When we hold on to the way we want God to address a weakness, a lack, or an out-of-control issue, we make ourselves less responsive to God’s answers.
The first time this truth impacted my life was in a Bible Study. The leader was talking about this verse:
After she read the verse, she asked, “Are you facing anything that resurrection power cannot address?”
I’ve never looked at God’s power the same. If God had enough power to raise Jesus from the dead, don’t you think He has enough power to help us through anything? We just need to believe that His power can accomplish whatever His will directs!
C-Confirm and cooperate with God's will and timing.
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This is key. We are not the controllers in this power exchange. God will direct His power the way He knows is best. His power brings His will not only to our lives but also to others through our empowered obedience.
I learned this from Romans 12:1-2.
It’s the living sacrifice verse that you are familiar with. However, it is verse 2 that arrested my attention. The “do not conform” instruction came with a subtle warning. If we align our lives with a non-believing culture, we can have trouble confirming God’s will. We can easily confuse it with our will. Instead, becoming a living sacrifice means that we conform to God’s ways, That’s what makes it easier to discern God’s will.
Confirming and cooperating with God’s will involves cooperating with his timing.
We probably stall here more than anywhere else. However, if we want the promised power, we have to submit here, too. While it can be a struggle, I have never heard someone regret waiting for God’s timing. He always brought more than expected.
Let’s review:
Address the source of all power.
Believe that God's power is enough..
Confirm and cooperate with God’s will and timing.
Then, join the empowered circle of those who testify how the submission was difficult, but the power that God brought was worth everything.
What is your power story? Where has God’s power helped, overwhelmed, or protected you? I’d love to hear your story. Write me at debmgoodwin@gmail.com
Download your devotional scripture lists for
"How to Live a God- Empowered Life," April 15-28 and
April 29- May 12
Make this journey to Pentecost a time to learn how Jesus wanted all of us to experience: daily power for any life situation.
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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