[x_custom_headline type=”left” level=”h4″ looks_like=”h4″]I am truly a blessed man, for several reasons. One of them without question, is that I grew up in church.[/x_custom_headline]
Much of what I learned growing up in the House of God is still working for me to this day. However, not everything I learned during my early years of church life was biblically accurate. And one of those things, is how to activate the power of God.
Now don’t get me wrong, we had a number of church services in my childhood where God’s power was truly in manifestation. And during those times, there were genuine healings that took place, needs were met and lives were changed. But most of the time we just weren’t too certain how that outpouring of God’s power took place, and how to have it happen again.
So what we would do to try to bring about another outpouring of God’s Spirit, is resort to doing an examination of what was happening in the church the last time God’s power was in manifestation. If for example, we were singing a particular chorus, we would sing that exact same chorus every single service for months and months in hopes that that song would bring about another outpouring, like we thought it did once before. What I am saying, is that we resorted to a lot of fleshly things in our efforts to duplicate whatever it was that caused God to move as He had done in the past. And almost always, with no results whatsoever. Instead, we had a lot of disappointment.
[highlight]But today I have some really good news as to how to activate the power of God in your life.[/highlight] Had we simply spent time in God’s Word, and studied this issue, we would have discovered that there was no mystery to it at all. Because when you study the Bible on this subject, here is what you will find: Faith activates the power of God!
Another way we could say this, is that our faith releases the power of God, or puts the power of God into operation. In fact, the Bible says that the same power the raised Jesus from the dead flows towards those who believe, or who are releasing their faith (see Ephesians 1:17-23). So then, if you want God’s power in operation in your life, you are going to have to believe God for it. It won’t happen automatically.
Do you remember the story in the Bible about the healing of the woman with the bleeding disorder (see Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48)? Her case is a prime example for us, as to how to activate the power of God. This woman’s faith activated the power of God, and she was healed in her body because of it. Look at these two sections of Scripture from this story:
[x_blockquote cite=”Mark 5:25-30 KJV” type=”left”]“25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?”[/x_blockquote]
[x_blockquote cite=”Luke 8:46 NASU” type=”left”]“But Jesus said, ‘Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.’”[/x_blockquote]
It was her faith-filled words, and her act of faith that caused the healing power of God to flow out of Jesus, and into this woman. And we also know this as well: that at this event many people were touching Jesus, and yet no power was flowing in their direction. They touched Him and weren’t healed. They touched Him and weren’t delivered. They touched Him and the power of God didn’t change their circumstances. In other words, those people were not releasing any faith when they touched Jesus, so no power was activated.
[highlight]God’s power flows in the direction of whoever is releasing their faith for it.[/highlight] So then we can rest assured, that there will be no manifestations of the power of God in our church services, or in our individual lives for that matter, unless we use our faith for them. Because, as I stated above, it is not automatic.
It is faith that connects us to the power of God. What I have discovered is that some people try to act on the faith of others, but that will never work. And still other people try to act out of their head, the way we did when I was growing up in church, and that never worked either.
One of my favorite verses about the power of God is Acts 10:38. It reads:
[x_blockquote cite=”Acts 10:38 KJV” type=”left”]“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”[/x_blockquote]
The Power of God is always present everywhere. And the reason this is true, is because God is everywhere present. That means wherever He is present, all of the attributes of God are there, all of the ability of God is there, and all of the power of God is there. And it is our faith that gives it action, or puts it to work in our lives.
The healing power of God went out of Jesus and into the woman with the issue of blood, when she spoke her faith and acted on it. The feeling and healing followed the saying and the doing, or the action of her faith. And it will work exactly the same way in your life.
