Power for Christian Living
Have you given in after trying hard to please God and others? Are you so exhausted that you don’t care anymore? God just must lower his standards and have mercy on you, because you’ve done everything in your power.
Do you know what? You’ve got it all wrong. You are not even supposed to do it all on your own or in your power. Actually, no one can do it. No one but Christ in us can live the Christian life. No one but the Holy Spirit in us can empower us to do what we are called to do. Why then do we try to deal with everything on our own, in our own power?
With the words of Richard C. Halverson “Christ is not an idea which you are expected to try to emulate in your life. Christ is alive – contemporary – anxious to invade your lives with His dynamic presence, giving you Divine direction, power and wisdom in your daily affairs.”
We can’t. But God can.
We don’t have energy, skills, wisdom or power to succeed in Christian living. We are not even meant to do it on our own or in our own power. We are to live in God’s power. He is ready to pour out grace upon grace to empower us to do whatever he calls us to do.
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:3-4, NIV)
We have not been left to our own devices, the Holy Spirit is here to help us. We just need to stop trying to manage our lives on our own and welcome the Holy Spirit’s powerful, energising presence. And that’s what we are supposed to do. As long as we try to do everything in our own power, we are telling Jesus that his sacrifice on the cross was not necessary.
You don’t need to be discouraged by failing to meet God’s standards. That’s what happens to all of us when we press on in our own power. But that’s not the end of the story. Jesus has already met all God’s standards. He is ready to help you in everything. You are not alone in this. If you allow, Jesus will come alongside you and empower you along the way.
We don’t get into heaven because we are flawless and successful. We get into heaven because Christ is flawless and successful and when we are in Christ, we are what he is: flawless and successful.
Q4U: Do you have power for Christian living?
Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you live in God’s powerful grace.
Image courtesy of Mari-Anna Stålnacke. Linking up with Unite the Bloggersphere and#tellhisstory.
4 thoughts on “Power for Christian Living”
I read someone’s fb post this week that said “God gives grace to those who work for it.” I’m so happy that is NOT the truth, aren’t you? Thank goodness that He gives grace to all who don’t deserve it and could never earn it through our faith in Christ. Then, He supplies that needed power, ability, energy and strength in and through us to do all that He calls us to do! Hallelujah!! Our job is to seek Him and rest in His provision. Thanks for sharing this liberating reality!!
It really is liberating reality! And yes I am so happy that we don’t need to work for grace. It is free and we just need to receive it through our faith in Christ. We truly are blessed. Thank you, Karen for your thoughtful comment. Blessings on your way!
I love how the Amplified Bible says that the Holy Spirit fills our innermost being and personality. Boy, do we need Him! So glad to meet your neighbor at Jennifer Lee’s!
Yes! Isn’t it beautifully said? We do need Him. And we are utterly blessed to be His. So glad to be your neighbor. Blessings upon blessings!