More In The Cold and Dark?

The suffering economy is touching nearly every imaginable area of life. And now the number of Americans who have had their electricity or gas turned off for non-payment is rising sharply. New York State reports that 17 percent more have fallen into this category than just one year earlier. And the numbers may well rise significantly with winter around the corner and the nation’s finances in the gutter.

In attempts to alleviate the growing problem, Congress recently approved a measure to nearly double the federal money available to help poorer people cope with home heating costs. Also, New York is spending an extra $49 million on household energy efficiency programs.

Any who rely on an outside power source, and then live through an unexpected outage, can attest to the many difficulties when that lifeline suddenly vanishes. In modern day America, nearly everything is supported by one source of energy or another and citizens are sometimes stunned by their utter helplessness without it.

And yet energy is not something confined to the physical world. The Bible speaks about power as it relates to a variety of matters – mostly spiritual!

The Greek word used most often in the New Testament for power is ‘dunamis’. It speaks of great force, literally or figuratively, and specifically of a miraculous power. And it is the word from which the English word ‘dynamite’ is derived. This power is used in numerous ways in Scripture to apply to various aspects of spiritual truth and the Christian faith:

Power is seen in Christ’s person. "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power." (Colossians 2:10)

Power is seen in Christ’s salvation. "But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins." (Matthew 9:6)

Power is seen in Christ’s resurrection. "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death." (Philippians 3:10)

Power is seen in Christ’s Word. "For the word of God is living and powerful , and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow." (Hebrews 4:13)

Power is seen in Christ’s people. "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." (Ephesians 3:20)

Power is seen in Christ’s kingdom. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." (Matthew 6:13)

For Christians, there is never a shortage of God-based power in their lives. If there is, it is only because they have themselves pulled the spiritual plug or never turned the switch on. And the power of the Holy Spirit is not just some vague and mystical concept or occasional perk. It is an uninterrupted flow of God’s unspeakable energy, based soundly upon His great underlying promises!

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)

Bill Breckenridge