Every year I spend time at the end of the year praying for a word, direction of what the Holy Spirit is up to. I know that God lives outside the realm of time and made time for us, so we can mark seasons and such. So the turning of the new year is significant for us, we make goals, look forward to change. There’s anticipation, a sense of newness.
As a Christian, I live in an understanding that we should walk with eternal eyes, not temporal, understanding that this life is but a blink in eternity. How I live my life here does indeed echo in eternity.
As I was worshipping and praying on New Years Eve, I heard the words, “pray for my power”, so immediately the verse came to mind in Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” As I began to pray, what I thought in my mind was power to heal, power for miracles, power for anointing in speaking etc. what I heard come into my heart was instead, “Ask and receive My power. My power to love, My power to forgive, My power to overcome, My power to have fervency to devour My word, My power to be steadfast and pray. When this power is displayed in your life the power of those other things can freely flow.”
We so often sing as Christians for the power of God to fall upon us. We discuss the power of God as an elusive mystery hard to grab hold of and walk in. We know and quote the verses but often our lives lack the evidence and the experiential action. We may compare our walks with others who we see walking in the “power of God”, and wish we had that. Or we might observe in other nations the miracles taking place. Yet we fail to see or comprehend the deep discipline that has been at work in their lives. We don’t see the tears, prayers, struggle and heartache as they have wrestled with God, we simply see and desire the anointing. We have all been given the power, through Jesus Christ, to love, to forgive, to let go of bitterness. Many Christians don’t want that power, they want the power to perform miracles and preach. Those are wonderful and we should desire that, but if we can’t walk in the power of Jesus in foundational things why are we going to be trusted with the latter?
This year, right now, I urge you to get before the Lord. Ask Him to bare your heart to you and tell Him you accept His discipline. When the urging comes up to forgive...then forgive. If you are made aware of a hurt or an offense you have created, go to that person and be reconciled. The word of God says in Romans 12:18 “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” Don’t allow pride or bitterness keep you away from the power of God being displayed in your life. Let us glorify the Lord by living in His power!
I heard a very wise and respected brother in Christ, who has lived an extraordinary life, full of Gods power once say that the Lord told him, “Don’t take it personal.” How simple. How difficult. We can talk all the talk but God knows our hearts and if we are honest with ourselves we will allow Him to work in it.
I have seen this theme being worked out over and over in my life for the last year and a half. But specifically the last 6 months I have felt this with an urgency to let go the things that hinder and block our focus of Jesus. I keep hearing “you do not have time to be entangled.” The Lord is moving quietly among His people, He will use those who submit to the discipline of the Refiner’s Fire. Be a light in these times, allow the deep quiet work of God to mend and heal your heart so that you will display His glory and power.
Father, we desire, we ask for Your power to come bursting forth from within in our lives. You have come to live in us and we have been given Your power. Forgive us, Lord, for trampling on it, for taking light the power to forgive, to love. Help us, Lord to have the power to be hungry for Your word, for Your holiness in our lives that we may be a people who walk in faithful steadfastness in this time. Lord, let us be filled with Your power and let us understand the brevity of time. Place on our hearts those things so deeply hidden, even to ourselves, that have hurt and offended us so that we may be released from the prison we have put ourselves in, that keeps us hurt, embittered, victims. We ask for the power of humility to go to those we have hurt and be reconciled. Lord, I thank You for that the keys have already been given to us and we just need to use them. Let Your name be glorified, let us correctly represent You to our spouses, our children, our co-workers, our friends and to the lost. Be exalted in our homes, our churches and our lives, in Jesus name, amen.
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