Wheel of Power

In these last days the Church in America has become almost powerless in spirituality. The Church organization has gained huge powers for mankind but has lost the spiritual power of God. The Scripture says; For people will love only themselves and their money… They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. 2 Tim 3:2-5 (NLT) The Church reflects the attitude of its members and modern America has produced a rich but ungodly Church. It is full of members that are “do it yourself” people. We cannot have the power of God in our Church if we insist on doing religion in our own way. Thank the Lord, God has always had a remnant of true believers. The answer is obviously for people to quit loving themselves and begin to love others. When people love only themselves they are automatically rejecting the power to be godly. The Spirit of Jesus that lives in us certainly has the power we need to live a godly life but to have it in our life we must repent and ask the Lord to give us a new attitude. In a complete spiritual life most victories will depend upon several different things, so let’s look at some spiritual traits that we could call “the wheel of godly power”.

First of all God’s remnant will always strive to love other people. This is what real Christians do. A local Church will miraculously becomes a place where people love to gather and worship God when a group of believers decide to put others ahead of themselves. The power of God is for people who are willing to follow the new path of Jesus even when it divides them from some part of their old selfish life. Jude was concerned about believers losing their way so his recommendation was for us to love each other. But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Jude 1:20-23 (NLT) It seems that we will be safe in God’s love when we are actively showing His love toward others. Faith leads us into righteousness which will result in love and we are back to faith again. This is the circle of life that the Spirit will honor with power.

We should expect the wheel of power to start with our faith. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” Gal 3:11 (NLT) Everything we do in our new eternal life must be through the faith that God has given each of us. The beginning of our power is when we trust the Spirit within us. But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in…(following any law) What is important is faith expressing itself in love. Gal 5:5-6 (NLT) The words “expressing itself” mean righteous living. The only way our faith will ever transfer into love for others is through the righteousness that God requires of His people. We must live a righteous life before a godly love is possible. The connection can be seen in this verse; So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God. 1 John 3:10 (NLT) Righteousness that ends in love is required of every Christian.

There are people that do not understand how righteousness is absolutely necessary for a Christian life. This verse shows that it is essential for eternal life. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. Romans 8:10 (KJV) We must learn to live a righteous life or the Spirit will not supply the power we need for our eternal life with God. Many of us have trouble loving other people because we are selfish. But when we live a righteous life our selfishness consequentially becomes less. If we will make our goal to love others it will please the Lord. The Scripture says; For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true.  Heb 6:10-12 (NLT) We should pray that the righteous remnant of God’s people will do all they can to reach out to others. This is extremely important as the world becomes a more difficult place for believers to live.

The faith and love we have for Jesus is how our righteous character takes shape. If we keep the commandments we can become righteous and we do it with the help of the Spirit. Here is what Paul recommended; Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law… These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Romans 13:8-11 (NLT) Living a righteous life is all about faith and love. When we continue this circle of faith, righteousness and love, the power in our life will increase. This is what God wants in every Christian. The love of God in our life will grow as we obey Him. Some people say that God loves everybody so why should we attempt to live a righteous life. There is a different love that we can experience if we will serve God. It is different because the Spirit lives inside of us.

Weak Christians must learn about the power contained in the circle of faith, righteousness and love. This will enable them to live a positive life and not a spiritually needy life. The Bible says; I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Eph 3:16-19 (NLT) Paul prayed one time “that our love would overflow more and more”. He understood how to access the power that lives inside a Christian better than anyone. The fact is that the power will flow when we love the way God commands. A Christian should make many investments in the wheel of God’s power.

Fallen and Cannot Get Up

The Almighty declared His name to be “I AM” from the beginning. We usually take this to mean that there is nothing that did not come from Him. Later in history when the Son of God came to earth He declared to us, I AM LIFE. This means that Jesus came to provide the reconnection between the “I AM” and our life. Every human-being begins their life as a walking dead person because we are a “fallen race”. Our race was disconnected from God because of our sin. The only way we can ever gain eternal life is to have faith in the one who said I AM LIFE. It would be wonderful if everyone would give up their “fallen life” and obey God in order to “get up” and walk in love for others. The exchange of our old selfish life for a new life should be a no-brainer but many people resist change. In addition, some people enjoy their “fallen life” too much to give it up even though they will end-up in eternal death. How people react does not change the fact that Jesus has gone to great lengths to bring us back together with “I AM”. To “get up” from our selfish life and walk in a new life is the greatest miracle that can be achieved.

Jesus first showed us proof that a new life was contained in Him when He returned to life from among the dead. Even before Jesus died he was telling His friends who He really was. Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, (put in your name)?” John 11:25-26 (NLT) History records that Jesus certainly did “get up” from among the dead. Today, the Spirit of Jesus is telling us that we may also “get up” from the dead if we will trust Him with our entire life. To the unbeliever all this looks impossible but to a believer there is actually nothing that makes any more sense. The Bible tells us that there is another world that is far beyond this world. Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.” John 8:23-24 (NLT) Somehow we must cross the great void that separates us. The tie between the I AM and the I AM LIFE is absolute and is the necessary connection for the salvation of any person.

The Son of God came to provide the way for us to “get up” by believing in Him and what He has done. This is why we have careful instructions in the New Testament about following the Savior. It was necessary for Jesus to return to Heaven and for the Spirit of God to come down to earth. Because the Spirit is living inside of Christians we now have the power we need to “get up” and return to the “I AM” forever. Jesus taught this when He said; The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But some of you do not believe me.” John 6:63-64 (NLT) Our return to God depends entirely on our continued believing in the plan of God.  Jesus is the bread of life in another passage; Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” John 6:50-51 A Christian must love having Jesus in their new life each day in order to grow. This bread will give us the strength we need to live a godly life and please the Almighty.

Some people call our return to the “I AM” the grace of eternal life. Others like to think of our return as “fountains” of the water of life. Here we are “getting up” from a fall. Whichever way we like to think of it, we must all acknowledge Jesus as our Savior and our Lord. Jesus said; My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. John 10:27-28 (NLT) Our eternal relationship with the trinity is more valuable than all the gold in the world. When one of the disciples questioned Him Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” John 14:6-7 (NLT) This passage shows that the “I AM” and the “I AM LIFE” are very closely tied together. The disciples, through Jesus, both knew God and had seen God. This is why Jesus is able to help us up from our fallen condition. Jesus said; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 (KJV) It’s true that there is nothing in this world that compares to the abundant Christian life.

What a privilege it is to serve the great I AM after we have been rescued from our fallen position. Paul said; Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! Phil 3:8-11 (NLT) In a similar way that Jesus was one with the Father, we may become one with Jesus Christ. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. John 17:22-23 (NLT) Nothing is more impressive than becoming “one” with Jesus Christ. Israel used to cry out “Emmanuel” (God be with us, please) but today Jesus is Emmanuel or we say God is in us.

What wonders await us as we “get up” by joining the I AM LIFE by our faith. Peter denied knowing Jesus three times but he made a great comeback. This is what he said after his return; All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. 1 Peter 1:3-6 (NLT) Every Christian should feel the power of their new life as we are lifted out of our place among the “fallen race” of humanity. To receive and live our new life is an exchange of such value that it cannot be calculated. The great I AM, really loves us when we “get up” and follow His Son.