“God has spoken once, twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God.” Psalm 62:11

Real Power

In the store looking for cleaning fluid, I saw a vast array of products to choose from. The one I chose had the word “Power” in its name. I almost chose the “Power Booster” product but it was a tad expensive.

It’s always about the power.

We are Americans; we are accustomed to being powerful. We want to use a powerful breath freshener. A lottery game is named Powerball. We use a power blaster drain cleaner. We want powerful engines in our cars. A deodorant is named Power Stick. When we’re sick, we want powerful antibiotics and drugs. We eat blueberries for their powerful antioxidants, and take powerful sleep aids to stay asleep. We are told to think powerful thoughts and live empowered lives. We gladly listen to a powerful speaker give a powerful message, and we want to pray powerful prayers.

Power motivates us. We all want it at various times, and need it for various reasons.

But don’t forget: it’s in God’s hands to give or withhold. Power belongs to God.

When God’s power is manifest, it is like a cannonball shooting through a spider web. Don’t doubt His power to work, to intervene in our plans, to rule sovereignly over our daily affairs.

There are four different words for power in the Bible. We’ll learn something if we look at them individually:

  1. Koach, meaning the God-given capacity or ability for physical, mental, or spiritual accomplishments (see Deuteronomy 8:18);
  2. Exousia, meaning delegated authority. Jesus had exousia to forgive sin, heal sickness, and cast out devils. He gave His followers exousia to preach, teach, heal, and deliver (see Mark 3:15);
  3. Dunamis, meaning energy or great force. It describes both worldly powers to work on earth, and divine power to overcome all resistance (see Acts 4:33);
  4. Kratos, meaning effective power shown in reigning, primarily used to show God’s kingdom authority (see 1 Timothy 6:16).

Every kind of power comes from God. What power do you need today? Ability for some accomplishment? Authority to heal, to teach, to deliver? Power to overcome the enemy?

All power “belongs” to God—but He’ll give it to us when we need it.

 Father, we have no real idea of Your mighty power, but You enable us to do great things when You give it. We ask for the power we need to do the work You have given us to do, not for our glory, but for Yours. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.