Sermon-"Power Struggle"

Introduction: Where do we see “power” in our culture? (money, politics, status (get to the top no matter what), Control) How does that compare to power in the kingdom of God? (humility, dependance, less of me, abiding) Do we believe that power is available to us? If we do, would it change how we live?

Power-Greek work “dunamis” where we get dynamite

·         ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might ²⁰ that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:19-20)

·         16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,… 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, (Ephesians 3:16,20)

Power of Father (His Word & Weapons)

·         Genesis 1:1 & And God said And It was So (3,6,9,11,15,24,30). When God speaks, things happen.  Is God still speaking today?  Absolutely.  When you hear God speak, it will change your life. 

·         For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵ We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

o   Bible-Hebrews 4:12- For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

o   Do we believe prayer is powerful?  Do we pray together believing God can change things? Prayer-Acts 12:5-12- So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.⁶ Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. ⁷ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. ⁸ And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” ⁹ And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. ¹¹ When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”¹² When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

·         Our Struggle-Self-Worship (Conceit)

Power of Jesus (Name & Blood)-defeated sin, death, Satan, and sickness

·         Name-Philippians 2:9-11- Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

·         Blood-We are justified by it (Romans 5:9), are redeemed by it (Ephesians 1:7), brought near by it (Ephesians 2:13), we have peace in it (Colossians 1:20), sanctified by it (Hebrews 13:12), Cleansed by it (1 John 1:7), freed us of our sins by it (Revelation 1:5), defeat Satan by it (Revelation 12:11)

·         Our Struggle-Self-Righteousness (Comparison)

Power of Spirit (Gifts & Fruit)-,

·         Acts 1:8- But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

·         Gifts- 1 Corinthians 12:4-11-Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵ and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; ⁶ and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. ⁷ To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

·         Fruit- Galatians 5:22-23- But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

·         Our Struggle-Self-Sufficiency (Competition)

Closing

·         Confess the Struggle

·         Ask for Power

·         For His Kingdom and Glory!