It takes Power to Live The Christian Life.
It takes Divine Power to change the way we think so as to think in accordance with His Word, that produces change in the way we live. It takes Divine Power to bless others and not curse them, when they have hurt you;It takes Divine Power to trust God and live by faith in Him when you see nothing change in your circumstances. It takes Divine Power to be humble. To admit your sin and not make excuses, owning it as your own and asking His forgiveness and that of others in Humility. It takes Divine Power to care for others, seeking nothing in return. It takes Divine Power to do nothing from a selfish motive but denying yourself so as to prefer, put others first. It takes Divine Power to forgive others totally, wholly and irrevocable, holding no grudges, never bringing it up again to embarrass, or use against them.
It takes Divine Power to be kind to others, spending your life on them for their highest good. It takes Divine Power not to return evil with evil but with good. It takes Divine Power to Love your wife as Christ loved the church. It takes Divine Power to submit to your own husband, unless it is a sin issue, out of reverence for Christ. It takes Divine Power not to exasperate your children but instead train them up in the Word of God and by Godly actions. It takes Divine Power for children to honor their parents with a right attitude and obey them with right actions. It Takes Divine Power to look out for the interests of others and providing for their needs. It takes Divine Power to love unconditionally, seeking or demanding nothing in return, only their highest good for Jesus sake. It takes Divine Power to accept others who have different preferences than you, as Christ has accepted you. It takes Divine Power to rejoice in the LORD amidst difficulties. It takes Divine Power to persevere, God’s way, in trials.
It takes Divine Power to deny yourself in order to prefer others for their highest good and God’s glory. It takes Divine Power, the courage to follow Christ wholeheartedly. It takes Divine Power to obey Jesus Christ; It takes Divine Power to hate sin and turn to God and worship Him. It takes Divine Power to say no to temptation and yes to the LORD. It takes Power to read, understand, meditate, obey, love His Word.
It takes Divine Power to live the Christian life. But not just any “power.” The power of self, is no good. The power of positive thinking is no good. The power of academic education is no good. The power of religion is no good. It takes DIVINE Power to bring about Divine change in a life and to enable that person to live out a life of Godly life changing thinking, decision making and the DIVINE POWER to live out those deeds. This is what is needed. God Himself is our need, for only He has such Power! Power is a Person! The good news for those who have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of the LORD Jesus…
You have DIVINE Power to live the Christian life, the Christ life!
“ seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. {virtue} “
-{2 Peter 1:3}
1.You have “DIVINE POWER…” – “Note that words derived from the stem duna— all have the basic meaning of “being able,” of “capacity” in virtue of an ability. Duna– is the root for English words like dynamic, dynamo, dynamite, etc. Dunamis is the word generally used by Paul of divine energy. Scripture uses dunamis to describe deeds that exhibit the ability to function powerfully (deeds of power, miracles, wonders) (eg, see Mt 11:20, 23, 13:54, 58, etc)”-{preceptaustin}
“God is at work IN you both to desire and do for His good pleasure.” -{Phil 2:13}. “I can DO all things through Christ who strengthens me”-{Phil 4:13}. ” Now to Him who is able to DO immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His POWER that is at work WITHIN us, ” -{Eph 3:20}
He Empowers you Through The Gospel;
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: ” -{Rom 1:16}
He Empowers Through The Grace Of God;
“Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, “-{Heb 13:9}
He Empowers you through The Spirit Of God;
“I pray that out of his glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, “-{Eph 3:16}
He Empowers Through The Word Of God;
“Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith “- {Acts 15:32}.
Divine Power,… there are no Spiritual power shortages, or ever a time where we have His power withdrawn or it does not work. No power shortages! We have His power within us to accomplish HIS goal.
“William MacDonald comments on Paul’s reminder to Timothy of his access to God’s “dunamis” writing that…
Unlimited strength is at our disposal. Through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, the believer can serve valiantly, endure patiently, suffer triumphantly, and, if need be, die gloriously.”
John Piper writes,
“the Christian faith is not merely a set of doctrines to be accepted. It is a power to be experienced. It is a tragic thing to ask people if they know the Lord and have them start listing the things they believe about the Lord. Brothers and sisters, believing things about Jesus Christ will save no one. The devils are the most orthodox believers under heaven. It is divine power that saves. If the power of God does not flow into your life and make you godly you are not Christ’s. “All who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God” (Ro 8:14–note). The mark of sonship is divine power. And the mark of power is godliness; which means a love for the things of God and a walk in the ways of God.” (Read or listen to the full sermon Liberating Promises on 2Peter 1:1-4)
2. “GRANTED…”- The word emphasizes the generosity of the Giver. It carries the idea of the graciousness of the Giver. Not earned but generously, lavishly, freely, lovingly, gifted! The believer has everything they need to live a reverential, obedient life of faith in their daily lives because God has provided newness of life, “For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. “- {Rom 6:4 NLT},… eternal life, the indwelling life and Power to do so! The word, “Granted,” is a perfect tense verb, He gave it and it has a continuous effect. How marvelous He is!
3. – “EVERYTHING PERTAINING TO LIFE AND GODLINESS”– The order in the original Greek is first “everything He has granted.” In the context everything we need to grow spiritually has been provided. We lack nothing. We are “complete” In Christ “-{Colossians 2:10} the word referring to the state of “no deficiency!” There is no lack in what you need to live this life…
If He has, and He has, granted us “everything,…” then what is lacking for us to live out the life? Nothing! What is missing? Nothing! What is deficient in His Provision and Promises? Nothing! Think on this phrase, “… EVERYTHING pertaining to life and Godliness.” “Everything…” that is good for us to grow spiritually in Christ-likeness, we already have! Fully Sufficient!
He does not tell us to wish for it, plead for it, pray and fast for it but to KNOW, He has “GRANTED…,” Generously wholeheartedly provided as His gift to us what is needed for us…EVERYTHING we need for life and Godliness!
“Godliness,”…The word. “eusebeia” means true reverence, reverence in worship and active obedience. Living according to the will of God. You have every spiritual resource you need, you lack nothing, TO MANIFEST LOVING REVERENTIAL OBEDIENCE to HIM… Godly living. Learning from His Word and believing and applying His promises!
The Grace of God that saves us is equally as powerful to change our conduct, and to daily manifest Godly living! Don’t forget!
4. -“THROUGH THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM.” – Through The LORD JESUS- It is through the full knowledge of God and the LORD Jesus Christ, which is the means by which this power produces this Christian life of power and Godliness.
This “knowledge” is a deep intimacy from personally knowing. It is a gift of God and the Holy Spirit makes real to us. – {John 16:13-14}. It is used of a man knowing a woman sexually in the Old Testament. It speaks of intimacy. And this comes from God who “called us.” This is the supernatural, Sovereign work of God convicting of sin and then showing us the glory, the wonderful Person of JESUS CHRIST and His RIGHTEOUSNESS in exchange for our sin…“But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him you will have life by the power of His Name.”- {John 20:31}
We see His work, Glory to Him who saves! This is His work to save. How does HE call us? By the revelation of …“His own glory and excellence.” He reveals His glory, His Divinity, His excellence to us and imparts to us “precious and magnificent promises “-{v4} Look at His lavishing us with His goodness…! Every PROMISE is yours … you have all you need…
You have a New STANDING with God, you just need to grow in your UNDERSTANDING of all you have inherited! {Read Rom 5:1-2; 2 Peter 3:18}
“PRECIOUS AND MAGNIFICENT PROMISES.”-{V4}
As you read through the New Testament and note what you have inherited in the way of Promises! What Promise presently come to mind of of what you have inherited? Are you using them? He died, and was raised again and exalted to the right hand side of God, so you could! His Promises are not to admired but applied.
A bit like living in your home in the pitch dark, stumbling along, night after night, from room to room, groping as you try not hit things that the dark has covered, and without using the electricity when you have the power to turn the switch on and use the light that is available to you! Or imagine a soldier in wartime under attack, admiring his weapon, able to tell others about the type of gun it is, its make, capabilities but failing to use it! Crazy… a little like us with His wonderful inheritance of His Promises…Having them at our disposal and not using them as HE desires we should! Living in the dark… failing to use our weapon… not because we do not have the ability OR RESOURCES to, we just don’t! Go figure!
It reminds me of an elderly couple found dead in their apartment. the autopsy showed they had died of malnutrition. When investigators went through their apartment they discovered two bags stuffed with cash – $40,000 inside them! The couple died needlessly, failing to use the resources at their disposal! How often we fail to use God’s resources at our disposal!
“Precious” means, valuable, honorable,costly. “Magnificent,” {megistos} means very great, superlative, The Greatest! He has given us continually these promises, to be used.
The Promises of Life- eternal life; “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;”-{John 14:21}; “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “-{John 10:10}; “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” – {John 17:3}. The promises of eternal life, the promise of abundant grace, the promise of power, the promise of provision, the promises of rest for the weary, the promise of wisdom for those who need it. Promise, promises, promises given and He has the power to deliver! Gracious God!
You just need to grow in the knowledge of HIM and what He has gifted you, your inheritance. Where do we find this? In His Word. What a good verse to pray, ” Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.”-{Psalm 119:18} and note how He met two disheartened followers, “… He opened their mind to understand the Scripture.”-{Luke 24:35}
You can make choices to love because you have the POWER to live the Christ life today! You have Resurrected Power -{Read Phil 3:10;) You have Divine Power to enable you to do so! {Read Eph 3:16,20}. Divine Power to live GODLY… in reverence and loving obedience, “God-like,” as you live on this earth.
THANK God for His Grace, of His Son, His indwelling Holy Spirit, His Word, Promise of Provision to live out the Christ like life!
THINK ON this Verse. Memorize it, Meditate upon it. You will find as you meditate upon it, you will end up memorizing it and the HOLY SPIRIT can recall to you at times of need of HIS PROVISION and PROMISE to you.
PERSONALIZE the verses, where it says “us” place your name or “me” so you can understand this is for you to. it is Personal, it is His Provision to…you as well as all believers!
SHARE THIS truth with someone. Perhaps ask them would they like to memorize it with you. That way you can encourage someone in the Word and know something of the INHERITANCE that is theirs “IN CHRIST.,”