A Demonstration of Power
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the [a]testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of [b]human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
“When you are trying to find out the condition of a church, do not just inquire whether it is evangelical. Ask whether it is an evangelical rationalistic church that says, “The text is enough,” or whether it is a church that believes that the text plus the Holy Spirit is enough…. I would rather be part of a small group with inner knowledge than part of a vast group with only intellectual knowledge. In that great day of Christ’s coming, all that will matter is whether or not I have been inwardly illuminated, inwardly regenerated, inwardly purified.” A.W. Tozer
Tozer is referencing the power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. The Greeks prided themselves on their wisdom. It was a huge part of their culture. Paul once again addresses the wisdom of man v. the preaching of Jesus and power of God. He was not an eloquent speaker, but his sermons came forth accompanied by the power of God. You might remember Paul ministering at Troas
Acts 20:7-12 Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upper room where [a]they were gathered together. 9 And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. 10 But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” 11 Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. 12 And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.
Perhaps Paul was boring to listen to. He was not a dumb man, maybe his preaching was just dry. I know people who listened to someone just because they are a “Greek scholar”, this appeals to our sense of righteousness. “They are so intelligent, they must know what they are talking about.” Not to burst your little bubble, but you can be a Greek scholar and still twist the Scriptures, and many do. I don’t care how much head knowledge you have, do you have the power of God in your life?
Experience and knowledge. It is not one or the other- it is both. You must have knowledge about God and His Word, and you must experience Him. Knowledge must translate into experience. You cannot just have knowledge about God or His Word, that’s a dead religion. You must experience Him.
““And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” Revelation 3:1
Outwardly, this church had a reputation of being alive and successful; but Jesus saw the absence of His Spirit. Without the Spirit, we are still dead. It is the Spirit that gives life.
John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
The same with His power.
My friend had a Nissan Maxima that I drove home from a youth trip. Man, this car was fast
Maxima has a standard 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 300-hp that provides pulse-quickening performance at every trim level.
I had to get rid of my Ford Probe GT to take my grandma. I wanted a car like my friends. I bought one that looked just like it on the outside. Mitsubishi Gallant. It was a very pretty car and looked just like the Nissan outwardly. But under the hood it was a four cylinder and it lacked the power of the Nissan.
Some of you look good, but you lack the power of God in your life. You might say all the right things and you maybe even have some knowledge of God and His Word, but you lack the power of God in your life.
You look like a Maxima but you are really a gallant
Amanda’s hip pain- Megan said to ask me. Megan has knowledge, I have experience
Red Sea- anyone there? No. Do you believe the text? We have knowledge, only the Israelites had experience.
Praise God, we can experience that same power because of the cross. I am going to talk about 3 types of power:
Power 1- grace “Gk charis” where we get charisma or charismatic gifts, gifts of grace and power
The Strong’s definition of grace is “God’s divine influence on the heart and its reflection in the life”. Grace is not only forgiveness, it is power.
Zechariah 4:7 ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!
And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ”
God commissioned Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem. Zerubbabel began to do what God had told him, but he later encountered serious opposition that made the vision seem impossible to complete. Zechariah prophesied to him that through grace he could move mountains and through grace, he could complete the vision.
Paul knew that grace was power to move those impossible mountains and to complete the vision God had given him.
2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Here we see grace and power. The book of Acts speaks of “great grace”
Acts 4:31-35 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. 32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.
We see how grace is the power of the baptism in the Holy Spirit
Grace is the power to speak God’s word boldly
Grace is the power to live in unity with other believers
Grace is the power to witness
Grace is the power to give generously.
Grace is the power to fulfill our calling- to see the vision of God fulfilled and persevere to the end
Power 2- power to overcome sin, our flesh and the enemy
“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-4 NKJV
“knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.” Romans 6:6-7 NKJV
This power of God that has been poured out into us by the Holy Spirit is the power to not sin. Yes, I said it. WE have been given the power to overcome our flesh and sin- but most refuse to crucify their flesh and lustful passions. Your flesh, attitude, outlook, feelings, faith and passion are YOUR responsibility.
God will not pour new wine into old wine skins.
A god that forgives and then tells you to go your way and sin no more, but doesn’t give you the power to stop sinning is not very good or powerful. That’s not my Jesus.
1 John 3:7-9 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
1 Peter 5:12 By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.
This is true grace. And if there is a true grace, there is a counterfeit grace, where men have turned grace into lewdness.
People don’t like verses like this because they don’t want to be held accountable. They want to believe that they continue to live a fleshly life and inherit eternity. It doesn’t work that way. I am not saying you have to be “perfect” in the world’s sense- but God expects us to overcome sin and our flesh through the power of the HS. I am not perfect. I have messed up a lot. But I repent, get up and keep going. I learn from my mistakes and my failures, I learn from Scripture, I don’t make excuses for my sin, I own it and allow others to correct me. I keep pressing on with a firm knowledge and conviction that I CAN overcome and I will overcome. The things I struggled with 5-10 years ago, I don’t struggle with anymore. I have the victory.
By this power, we overcome our enemy. Your enemy is already defeated, but you have to recognize that he is real and he seeks to destroy and devour you. But you have been given the power and the authority to overcome him- put it to use.
Luke 10:19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Either you don’t recognize that we have an enemy, or you feel powerless against him and so he will continue to beat you up. We have POWER over the enemy. Why are you letting the enemy just stomp all over you? Cast him out in Jesus name. Be sure to know HIM though- Paul I know and Jesus I know, but who are you?
Stop praying wimpy prayers. Pray powerful prayers over your home and family and church.
Power 3- miraculous power (dunamis)
THIS is the power that Paul speaks of in the above- I came to you in power. The power of God was revealed in his life to the churches.
Acts 19:11-12 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.
Throughout the rest of Corinthians, we have chapters of those power grace gifts that Christ has given to the church. Will you have the same gifts as Paul? Probably not. But I know people personally that have a gift of miracles. I know someone that has a gift of healing, about 98% of the people they pray for get healed. You have to be blind and ignorant to deny this power. You have a powerful grace gift as well
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses (Gk martyr) to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”” Acts 1:8 NKJV
Dunamis-Strong’s #1411: dunamis (pronounced doo’-nam-is)
from 1410; force (literally or figuratively); specially, miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself):–ability, abundance, meaning, might(-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle(-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.
We get the words dynamite, dynamo and dynamic
The power of the Holy Ghost in all His forms and ways strengthen His people to preach the Gospel, and work miracles in confirmation of it, to have courage and peace of mind amidst all reproaches and persecutions, to face and oppose our enemies, to profess the name of Christ boldly, to abide by His truths and ordinances, make our way through all opposition and difficulties, and spread the Gospel all over the world.
It is not just “power to witness” as some quote- we receive power when the HS comes upon AND we will be His witnesses to that power within us.
WHEN we preach Jesus Christ and HIM crucified. This is the message of the gospel that produces power in the lives of all. The power of the cross. Andy said it last week, no cross, no Jesus. No cross, no gospel. No cross, no power
Mark 16:17-18 And these signs will follow those who [a]believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they[b] will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
This power is of God and from God- but God uses people to work through.
Acts 14:8-15 And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. 9 This man heard Paul speaking. [a]Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked. 11 Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 And Barnabas they called [b]Zeus, and Paul, [c]Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out 15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,
Just as there is counterfeit grace, there is counterfeit HS power. Satan mimics God. EX: high school hanging out with satanists, I experienced the counterfeit first hand. I witnessed to a HS friend years later
Abuse and misuse of God’s miraculous power, does not equal disuse. We have to recognize the real and the counterfeit. Somebody whose life is in line with Scripture has the real, someone whose life is in chaos will have the counterfeit. You need discernment to recognize the real and the false.
Paul tell us that our faith is not in the wisdom of man- but the power of God. If you find in your life you are powerless to overcome- tonight the power of God is available.
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