Crosswalk.com

How to Put God in a Box, OR How to Unleash His Power in Your Life

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20

I love this verse! It is such a great reminder of God’s power, of his ability to simply blow my mind with what he can and will do. I like to think about my dreams, knowing that God can do far more than anything I could ever dream up in my wildest imagination.

But, I often forget about that little phrase that says "his mighty power at work within us." Have you ever really stopped to contemplate that phrase?

I grew up in a biblical denomination which gave me a very solid foundation in scripture. We were always heavy on the Bible, but cautious with the Holy Spirit. My foundation is in biblical inerrancy, conservative interpretations, and absolute truth. But, the official stance was that some of the gifts of the Spirit had ceased when we received the completed word of God. According to the tradition in which I was raised, many of God’s miracles of healing, his displays of power, had no place in our lives today.

However, as I grow in my relationship with Christ, I can’t find a scripture anywhere that says the gifts have ceased, the miracles have ceased. Instead, I find passages that clearly say my God never changes (Hebrews 13:8). Christ Jesus himself stated that whoever believes in him will do even greater works than the ones he himself performed (John 14:12).

If Scripture teaches that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever; if Scripture teaches that we will do even greater works than Christ did while he walked the earth; if Scripture teaches that if we have faith we can move mountains (John 17:20); who am I to decide how he works, what gifts have ceased, and how he communicates to believers today?

I have reached the conclusion that I have spent most of my life putting God in a neat little box that I can tie with a pretty bow. I have decided that I have always had a God that I could explain rather than a God who defies explanation. I have lived as if the time of miracles has ceased, and we are living in a more enlightened age than the ancient biblical characters. I have decided that I have limited God’s work in my life.

And now I have decided that it is time to unleash God’s power in my life.

“…his mighty power at work within us…”

Let’s take a few minutes to really contemplate that power that is available to us. His power is mighty. But, exactly how mighty?

It’s the power that caused Abraham and Sarah to conceive a child well beyond child-bearing age (Genesis 21).

It’s the power that parted the Red Sea (Exodus 14).

It’s the power that provided meat to the Israelites in the wilderness for an entire month (Numbers 11).

It’s the power that rescued Joseph from prisoner and exalted him to leader (Genesis 37-50).

It’s the power that caused the walls of Jericho to come tumbling down (Joshua 6).

It’s the power that made the sun stand still (Joshua 10).

It’s the power that allowed the oil to keep flowing for the widow of Zarephath and raised her son back to life (1 Kings 17).

It’s the power that gave sight to the blind man, the power that allowed the lame to walk (Matthew 15).

It’s the power that healed the woman of an issue of blood (Luke 8).

It’s the power that allowed Peter to walk on water (Matthew 14).

It’s the power that raised both Lazarus and Jesus back to life (John 11, 20).

And it is that same power that is at work in me! And it is at work in you!

What does this look like? How does it translate to our lives?

Honestly, I don’t fully know. That’s part of the fun, the excitement!

What I do know is that God didn’t call us to safe living. He called us to live out our faith, to take a chance on him. He called us to walk by faith, to take a risk on a God who promises to always be faithful. He called us to step out of our comfort zone and live in the realm of the supernatural.

He called us to live an abundant life (John 10:10).

I am tired of limiting God in my life, of experiencing anything less than the fullness of his glory and grace and power. I am tired of living in fear instead of stepping out in faith. I am tired of missing out on miracles. I am tired of a God that I can keep in my neat little box.

I am ready for my God to unleash his mighty power in my life.

Lord Jesus, you alone are God of the heavens and the earth. You are the God who is the same yesterday and today. You are the God of miracles, the God of the impossible. And, you promise that your power is available to believers today. I ask your forgiveness for failing to recognize my own pride in deciding how you can and cannot act, for limiting you by my own beliefs. I ask you to unleash your power in my life, to do exceedingly and abundantly above all I could ever ask or imagine. Have your way in my life.

Dena Johnson is a busy single mom of three kids who loves God passionately. She delights in taking the everyday events of life, finding God in them, and impressing them on her children as they sit at home or walk along the way (Deuteronomy 6:7). Her greatest desire is to be a channel of God’s comfort and encouragement. You can read more of Dena’s experiences with her Great I AM on her blog Dena's Devos.

Publication date: January 12, 2015