Our Power Supply

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

I’m not making light of the working of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christ follower, but I’m really glad that the Christian life doesn’t come with a disclaimer that reads: “Batteries Required.” What that means, in a practical sense, is that there is no power supply to operate what you have. Isn’t it great to know that the Holy Spirit of God empowers us with all the resources needed to serve and minister to each other! 

Paul told the Christ followers at Ephesus that they had everything they needed—every blessing—in Christ. Here’s how he put it, “How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ” [Ephesians 1:3]. Later he would tell them that the inner man was strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit [3:16]. 

Paul’s understanding of God’s power supply wasn’t merely theoretical—his was a hands-on experience. On many occasions he was stretched beyond limits both physically and spiritually. Yet he could boldly proclaim, “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.” [2 Corinthians 4:8-9].

And so, Christ follower, no matter the difficulty or discouragement you are facing now, or will face in the future, please know that we are sustained by the same power source as Paul’s, the Holy Spirit of Promise. When hindered we need not be frustrated. When puzzled, we need not despair. When persecuted, we don’t face it alone. When knocked down, we are not knocked out! 

The outer man may be hard-pressed, but we have the assurance of an infinite power supply—our inner man is renewed with fresh strength daily from the Holy Spirit [2 Corinthians 4:16]. I like the way that passage is rendered in The MESSAGE Paraphrase: So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. 

Amen!

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us… Ephesians 3:20