The Surpassing Greatness of Knowing Christ . . . Power

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection...

Philippians 3:10

Ladies, not only is righteousness part of the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ. Power, too, factors into the equation. Incredible, dynamite, resurrection power! At your fingertips, power! Let’s see what we can figure out about power today.

Our great God is omnipotent. Power is an essential part of God’s nature, as is righteousness and love. The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary tells us that “God (has) absolute power…He is able to do everything that is in harmony with His wise and holy and perfect nature.”

Take creation for instance: with a word of power God called all things, and all people into being (Genesis 1). How could anyone miss such power? For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made (Romans 1:20).

Resurrection power ranks up there with creative power. Only God could raise a man, side pierced with a sword, stone-cold dead, three days in the grave, to life again. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also (1 Corinthians 6:14).

Just how important to us is that power? His incomparably great power for us who believe is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:19-20).

But not only did God exert His power on our behalf; He also gave us Holy Spirit power at Pentecost (Acts 1:8). We have the power to move mountains (Matthew 17:20), are shielded by God’s power (1 Peter 1:5), have the power to fulfill God’s kingdom purposes (Matthew 28:18-20), and we have the power of prayer on our side: “whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24).

The one thing we need to remember is this: But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us (2 Corinthians 4:7). Power’s not about us; it’s all about God!

Nancy P