More Power

You may already know that California has a power problem. The new governor, Arnold Somethingorother, replaced Grey-out Davis in a recall election over this issue. Many trace it back to former governor, now Oakland mayor, Jerry Brown, who said "if we don't build it, they won't come." They came. Brown and gray pretty much explains our problem. We need more yellow and white, but we don't have it. It reminds me of a quotation from the admiral, James T. Kirk, "We need more power!" This need for power seems to have spread to Christians.

If I could, I would like to enlighten you on this point, that being, you don't need any more power. There. Scripture is clear that people who have received Jesus Christ and, therefore, have the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9), already have all the power of the universe inside of them. Ephesians 1:3 informs you have every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ, and 2 Peter 1:3 says that you have all things that pertain unto life and godliness. If the Holy Spirit indwells you, Who is God, then you have certainly everything that you need in the way of power. Sort of like Eve in the garden, you have all the trees from which you can freely eat.

So why do people still pray for power? Praying for and looking for power relate to a wrong view of sanctification which popularly began in England in the mid 1800s, called the Keswick Movement, also known as Higher-Life or Second Blessing Theology. One branch of this movement culminated in the Charismatic movement in the United States. Other professing Christians don't look for the Charismatic signs and wonders, but they do look for special manifestations of Holy Spirit power in their life. Jack Hyles, the late pastor of what was the world's largest church while he was alive in Hammond, IN, led a nationwide crusade to pray for power, an activity copied by many men.

The Bible does command "to be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). The Holy Spirit does not come afresh or provide more power, but He is allowed control of the life of a believer. The power comes from our surrender to the Holy Spirit, not receiving more of Him. He is a Person of Whom when you have Him, you have all of Him. It is not a question of having more of the Holy Spirit, but of His having more of you. When Philippians 1:19 mentions the supply of the Spirit, this is not provision of more Holy Spirit, but of the Spirit Himself definitively providing what any person needs to succeed in his life for God.