Power Of The Power

Not a self portrait!

Key Scripture:  “ For you are still (unspiritual, having the nature of the flesh) under the control of ordinary impulses.  For as long as there are envying and jealousy and wrangling and factions among you, are you not unspiritual and of the flesh behaving yourselves after a human standard and like mere (unchanged) men?”  I Corinthians 3:3, Amplified

Power Point:

      Power. It’s such a lovely word isn’t it?  As Christians we sing about the power. We pray for the power and we imagine ourselves as huge sword-yielding people who can destroy every enemy in our path. That’s true of course. Really! That is part of what the power is. On the other hand, probably the most significant definition of power is the ability to choose to live a transformed life. You don't have to stay the way you were (or are).

      Paul is frustrated. In I Corinthians, in The Message, says, “ I’m completely frustrated by your unspiritual dealings with each other and with God. You’re acting like infants in relation to Christ, capable of nothing more than nursing at the breast.” Whew!  Don’t you think we need to ask ourselves at times if indeed, just possibly, perhaps, WE are being unspiritual?

Let’s look at it this way:

Spiritual is always seeking peace. It refuses strife. The power of His presence is what brings the power for things to change for the better and they change when we change our perspective. When we are spiritual,we decide to let our spirit man guide our soul. We have the power to decide to be everything that Jesus is.

Unspiritual is usually full of strife; full of Me, Mine, My way; of doing what "feels" good to ME! The Message puts it this way:  “As long as you grab for what makes you feel good or makes you look important…aren’t you being totally infantile?” 

I'd say that's pretty clear, wouldn't you?

     Jesus has given us all of His power. We have the power to be:

Humble. Gracious. Merciful, Kind. To Love unconditionally. It cost Him everything to give us that power.  Why would we stay the same?

     What I understand is that the more I lean into the power of the Spirit for those things to grow in my life, the more powerful I am in destroying any other enemies in my path. His power gives me the freedom and the joy to see others succeed. The power of bearing His fruit in our lives is what brings heaven to earth. The more fruit-full we are, the more spiritual (peaceful, powerful) we are. The more spiritual we are, the more we have the ability to bring heaven to earth, sowing abundant seeds of of life in ourselves and in others.

     My friend Julie and I were talking this morning. She saw a picture of seeds on the ground. She knew they were seeds of weeds. When we chose to be “unspiritual”, we are inviting weeds to grow in the very soil where the seeds of power should grow.  Jesus has given us a choice hasn’t He? What seeds are you planting in your heart? Are they seeds of weeds or seeds that bring true power to your life? His famous last words were, "And you shall receive the power-ability, efficiency and might-when the Holy Spirit comes upon you..."
Have you?  Have I? Hmm.

Power Thought:

How does your garden grow? What are you giving the power to in your life? Don't worry God has a big weed-eater!