About Power

All power originates from God. By His power He created the world, spoke humans into existence, and provided salvation through His Son Jesus. Any power we possess as human beings is a gift from God that we ought to wield for His glory. God exercises His power in our lives through the presence and influence of the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of His Word.

Wise Words

God is the ultimate power. Once God has spoken; twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God. – Psalm 62:11 ESV

God has power over life and death. But I trust in you, O Lord; I say “You are my God.” My times are in your hand. – Psalm 31:14-15 ESV

God has power over nature. When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth. – Proverbs 8:27-29 ESV

God uses His power to save. Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving might of His right hand. – Psalm 20:6 ESV

Wise Warnings

We are not in control. Then Job answered the Lord and said: ‘I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. – Job 42:1-2 ESV

Words are powerful. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. – James 3:5-6 ESV

All earthly authorities are established by God. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. – Romans 13:1 ESV

Gospel Wisdom

The temptation to try to save ourselves or change ourselves through our own power is common to all of us. We are drawn to self-sufficiency and drawn to being in control. We must instead focus on the Gospel, specifically the person of Jesus Christ, as the only one who has the power to save and to transform. In addition, any time we receive power it’s an opportunity for us to use it to love, serve, and bless others who might not have much. We must use the influence God has given us to help influence others toward the Gospel. Jesus is our example in this, as He was given all power and yet chose to serve and to sacrifice.

Other Wisdom

Job chapters 38 – 41
Romans 1:16
Colossians 1:15-23
Revelation 19:11 – 20:6
Gospel, by J.D. Greear
The Transforming Power of the Gospel, by Jerry Bridges
Rescuing Ambition, by Dave Harvey