Scripture reveals that the very same POWER which God “...worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand...” [Ephesians 1vv19-20] is the POWER that is “...at work in us...” [Ephesians 3v20, cp.v16].
This truth is often employed, quite appropriately, to encourage believers who are struggling in their walk with Christ and their growth (or, lack of growth) in Christlikeness by either informing them, or reminding them, of the amazing magnitude of true divine POWER available to them as a resource...true divine POWER which they may avail themselves of.
It can, however, sometimes assume the likeness of a cheerleading exercise, leading to a sense of “Wow!” “Look at what ‘you’ can do with this great POWER!” Jesus, Himself, warned His disciples against such a response. In Luke 10, the disciples returned from the mission Jesus had sent them on and they were filled with amazement at the POWER made available to them as they ministered in Jesus’ Name. Jesus, however, says to them “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” In effect, Jesus says, Yes...I have given you use of (My) AUTHORITY and POWER...BUT!!! Don’t rejoice in what you were able to do with that POWER...but rather, rejoice in what God has graciously done for you by that same POWER...that which could only be accomplished by His AUTHORITY and His POWER.
So, another aspect of this truth about God’s POWER at work in us also needs to be carefully considered. It is an aspect of this truth that moves us to conviction, rather than (self) confidence. Specifically, this same truth should move us to awe over the POWER necessary...the POWER required...to overcome the deadness of our sin-sick souls...to overcome the stone-cold deadness of our rebellious hearts! It should, and must, move us to awe and wonder, NOT at what we can do by His POWER, but to awe and wonder at the POWER required to do what He has done...to bring us from death to life...from cursed enemies to blessed children...from hopelessness to sure hope.
His (available) POWER is awesome! But, not more awesome than His LOVE...the motivation behind the use of His awesome POWER...by His grace, and for His glory...to which our only proper response is unbounded and unending praise!
