ACCESSING THE POWER OF GOD

BY PASTOR T. O. BANSO

“God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you” (Psalm 62:11 NLT).

God is not just powerful, He is the All-powerful, the Almighty. He has all power and every other power, including the power of the devil, is under His power.

Power is defined, among other things, as the ability to control people or things, the ability or opportunity to do something or make people do something, and the right or authority of a person or group to do something. Sometimes power is used together with the word “authority.”

Power can also sometimes be differentiated from authority. Power can be used to suggest physical strength while authority is used to suggest a right to command or power to act. For instance, one can have the power to perform a task but lacks authority. But both power and authority belong to Jesus, and He gives both to those who believe in Him.

Three kinds of power

There are three main types of power, namely, demonic power, human power, and God’s power. God’s power is a positive supernatural power, unlike the devil’s power, which is an evil supernatural power. Human power can be derived either from God or from the devil.

The world we live in is a world that is being controlled by power. Both the power of God and the power of the devil are at work and are working in opposite directions. People are not satisfied being without power because anyone who is without power will become subservient to the one who has power. So there is a desire for power by humans. Unfortunately, there are people who seek power from the devil rather than from God, because they cannot afford to be without power to protect themselves, to control others, to determine and influence what happens, and to advance their causes.

Desire for power              

Human beings are in search of power – political power, spiritual power, financial power, etc. This is because power enhances their status and promotes them. There are also things that natural power cannot do so people seek supernatural power – the power that is more than natural – either from God or the devil.

In Acts 4, the difference the power of God can make in the life of a person was made manifest to all present by the healing of the lame man at the gate. Seeing how the lame man was healed, the religious leaders arrested Peter and John and set up an enquiry, which centered on the issue of power.  Acts 4:5-7 says, “And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes,  as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, ‘By what power or by what name have you done this?’” (NKJV).

Their enquiry was to find out by what power the man was healed. Those who see someone do what they cannot do always want to know by what power this is done. It could be because they are envious of the person or because they want to know the source of the power that is higher than the power that they have so that they can acquire it as well.

In Acts 8, Simon the sorcerer saw the demonstration of power that was superior to his own. He offered money to acquire the power but this made him incur the wrath of the apostles (verses 18-23). Simon had a measure of power before this time, but he felt small when he saw someone with power doing what he could not do. He saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, the Holy Spirit was given to people and offered Peter and John money to receive the same power (verse 18). “But Peter said to him, ‘Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity’” (verses 20-23 NKJV).

There is always that desire in man for power and more power! That is why many people today in some nations engage in abominable things just to secure political, financial, or spiritual power.

If you are a child of God, you must not seek power outside of God. You must not pursue power outside what the Bible allows, and what the Holy Spirit gives. The Kingdom of God is a Kingdom of power and it is under the control of the power of God. In fact, children of God come into the Kingdom by power or authority. John 1:12 says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (KJV). Instead of power, other Bible translations use right or authority.

Those who are born into the Kingdom of God by power have the right to access the power of God. One cannot access the power of God unless one understands the nature of this power, and what the power can do.

Ignorance about the power of God

In Matthew 22:29, Jesus replied to the Sadducees who asked him an ignorant question on resurrection thus: “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God” (NKJV). They were ignorant of the power of God.

It was that same ignorance about the power of God that made the chief priest and the Pharisees think that what Jesus said about His resurrection was a lie, and soldiers must be kept at the sepulcher for His body not to be stolen and reported as the resurrection (Matthew 27:62-66).

It was useless keeping the guards there because they would not be able to stop the earthquake, which would open the grave.  What could the soldiers do when an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it? Matthew 28:4 says, “And for fear of him the watchers did quake, and became as dead men” (ASV). If the chief priest and the Pharisees had known the Scriptures or the power of God, they would not have done what they did. They used their power – their influence on Pilate – but the power of God was superior to their power!

Is there a power, at the moment, apart from the power of God, that is giving you false confidence? That power is inferior to the power of God. All power belongs to God, and it is the power of God that you need to live a victorious life. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (KJV). Philippians 2:9-11 says, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (NKJV). Do not seek power from the devil, whether spiritual, political, or financial. Seek only the power that God alone gives.

Ignorance about the power of God will hinder one from accessing the power of God. So it is good to understand what the power of God is all about.

Some Truths about the power of God

Here are some truths you should know about the power of God:

1. His power is above all. God’s power is supreme! Every other power is under His power. All the gods are under His power. Psalm 95:3 says, “For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods” (NKJV). Psalm 97:9 emphasizes the same truth saying the LORD is most high above all the earth and He is exalted far above all gods. Similarly, Psalm 135:5 says the LORD is great and is above all gods. He is excellent in power (Job 37:23).

God’s power is unimaginable. Joshua 2:11 says the LORD God is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. The LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth (Psalm 47:2). He is great in Zion and is high above all the peoples (Psalm 99:2). The LORD is high above all nations, and His glory is above the heavens (Psalm 113:4).

All these descriptions are just the tip of the iceberg regarding the excellence and supremacy of the power of God. That should excite anyone who chooses this God as his God and chooses to trust in Him and access His power.

2. God’s power made the heavens and the earth. The devil did not create the earth; he only seeks to destroy what God has created. Jeremiah 10:12 says, “He has made the earth by His power” (NKJV). Jeremiah 51:15 repeats the same scripture. This same truth is also expressed in Jeremiah 27:5 thus: “I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and have given it to whom it seemed proper to Me” (NKJV).

According to Jeremiah 10:12, “He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens at His discretion” (NKJV). Jeremiah 32:17 says the Lord GOD made the heavens and the earth by His great power and outstretched arm and there is nothing too hard for Him. The God who made the heavens and the earth by His power has not diminished in power. He has the power to put right whatever is going wrong or has gone wrong if humans will recognize Him as the Creator of all things, and obey Him instead of believing stupid theories and stories of creation.

3. His great power subdues the enemy. “Say to God, ‘How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You” (Psalm 66:3 NKJV). No power can withstand the power of God. Praying to the LORD about the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who came to fight Judah, King Jehoshaphat of Judah said, “O God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?” (2 Chronicles 20:6 NKJV). The enemy cannot withstand the power of God.

The power of the devil is subject to the power of God. Psalm 81:14 says, “I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries” (NKJV). Because God was backing Cyrus, His anointed, He promised to subdue nations before him (Isaiah 45:1). He did just that. You will subdue your enemies too if you put your faith in Him.

4. His power is in His word. That is why He created everything by His Word. Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (NKJV). He, therefore, upholds all things by the Word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). When believers speak in faith and in agreement with the Scriptures, we can also create. The Word of God in the mouth of the believer is power. “Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Have faith in God. I assure you that you can say to this mountain, ‘May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,’ and your command will be obeyed. All that’s required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart’” (Mark 11:22-23 NLT).

5. His power brings about changes anywhere it is released. It brings salvation, deliverance, healing, life, comfort, etc. God anointed Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit and with power; He went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil because God was with Him (Acts 10:38). 2 Corinthians 13:4 says, “For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you” (NKJV). The power of God gives life.

6. The preaching of the cross (the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection) is the power of God. “I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NLT). Jesus defeated the devil on the cross, and he does not like to be reminded of that monumental defeat! But when we preach it, the power of God is released. “He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross. In this way, God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross of Christ” (Colossians 2:14-15 NLT).

7. There is power in the name of Jesus and the power of God is given to those who believe in Jesus Christ. Christ is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:24 says, “Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (NKJV). Following Jesus’ death on the cross, God highly exalted Jesus and gave Him the name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11).

Jesus left His name on the earth for believers. He said whatever is asked in His name shall be done (John 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23). There is superior power in the name of Jesus. All other names are subject to His name.  God has put His power in the name of Jesus. There is power in the name of Jesus. When the name of Jesus is called in faith, the power of God is released.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus told His disciples, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19 KJV). That word translated power also means authority and, it is given not only to the disciples of Jesus then but to everyone who believes in Jesus today. And to be able to access this power, He told His disciples then, “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49 NKJV).

Thank God, the Holy Spirit came down, and every child of God can have access to the power of God after each person receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the key to the powerhouse of God.

How to access the power of God

Having shed light on the power of God, the next question one may ask is: How may I access the power of God? This I want to address briefly, though I have already made reference to some of them. By accessing the power of God, I am talking about being a channel of the power of God and also a beneficiary of the power of God through another vessel. If you want to access the power of God, you need to do the following:

1. Be born again. That is you must be born anew. You must be born anew into the Kingdom of God, which is a kingdom of power. 1 Corinthians 4:20 says, “For the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power” (NKJV). According to Jesus Christ, unless one is born again, one cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Church attendance or holding an ecclesiastical title is not enough. Jesus said, “You must be born again” (John 3:7 NKJV). To be born again means to be saved. This is not by one’s works of righteousness but by the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22). Our “righteousnesses” are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). We are saved “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5 NKJV). Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (NKJV). Salvation is by grace, not of works (Romans 11:6).

How can you be born again? Jesus said unless one is born of water and the Spirit, one cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5). You must be born of the Word of God and of the Holy Spirit. Peter said believers are “born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Peter 1:23 NKJV). You must believe the Word of God that you are a sinner and that Jesus is the Son of God, and died on the cross to save you from eternity in hell. You must confess Him as your Lord and Saviour.

Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (NKJV). Only those who are born again have a right to access the power of God. They are His children and have a right to what belongs to their Father.

2. Be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8 says, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (NKJV). The Holy Spirit fills you with power. The more of the Spirit you are filled with, the more the power of God you have access to. Micah 3:8 says, “But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD” (NKJV).

3. Constantly hear and study the Word of God. The Word of God is full of power. Load in His word and you will load in power in your recreated human spirit. Keep confessing the Word of God.  His Word creates, changes situations and circumstances, brings back to life, etc. The Word is already anointed – confess the Word.  “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:8-10 NKJV).

4. Consistently exercise your faith in the Word of God. Faith in God is believing that what God says He will do, He will do.

In Matthew 9:1-8, the four men who carried a paralytic to Jesus came to access the power of God by putting their faith into action. They removed the roof of the place where Jesus was ministering, and let down the paralytic on his bed for Jesus to heal him. Jesus could afford to do nothing about the case because of the kind of faith exhibited by these four men.

They did not care whether the roof got damaged or not. All they wanted was to get to Jesus despite the barrier posed by the crowd to their mission. They were not ready to postpone the man’s healing till a more auspicious time; they were a decided people. And their faith worked. Jesus could not turn them back. They got their miracle. The story is also recorded in Mark 2:1-12 and Luke 5:17-26. God will respond to your faith too if you take steps of faith for God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).

5. Live a holy life. An unholy living will deny anyone access to the power of God. Sin will block the flow of God’s power into anyone’s life. It will also hinder one from enjoying the wonders of His power in one’s life. Those who live a holy life and seek God will find Him and receive His power. “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face” (Psalm 24:3-6 NKJV).

6. Use the key of prayer and praise. Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (NKJV). Paul and Silas used this key in one of their times of persecution in ministry – while in prison and the power of God answered them. The power of God invaded the prison where they had been held captive and they were loosed. The prison doors and windows were opened but they refused to escape – a ministry was born through that unique incident. The jailor and his household were saved (Acts 16:25-34).

Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah also accessed the power of God for victory over their enemies through the key of praise. They did not have to fire a shot – their enemies killed themselves. “Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another” (2 Chronicles 20:22-23 NKJV). 

Psalm 149 calls on the saints to sing to the Lord a new song and praise him – a weapon of battle. It says in verses 5-9: “Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgment — this honor have all His saints. Praise the LORD!” (NKJV).

7. Do the will of God enthusiastically. Jesus did not do the will of God reluctantly, as many believers do today. The will of God was a delight to Him. Speaking about the supreme sacrifice He was about to pay for the salvation of mankind, Jesus said, in John 10:18, “No one can take my life from me. I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right to lay it down when I want to and also the power to take it again. For my Father has given me this command” (NLT). That means he freely gave His life; He was not under compulsion. He did not go to the cross under duress. In the Garden of Gethsemane, His prayer was: “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39 NKJV).

No one will have access to the power of God who has no regard for the will of God. One who will access the power of God and walk in its fullness must be able to say confidently as the psalmist said:  “I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8 NKJV). The will of God must not be seen as a burden, but rather an attractive thing for this is the whole purpose of man – to do the will of God. “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come — In the volume of the book it is written of Me — To do Your will, O God’” (Hebrews 10:7 NKJV).

8. Exercise faith in the name of Jesus. The name of Jesus is superior to any name beneath, on, and above the earth. Philippians 2:9-11 says, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (NKJV).

Paul also speaks about this exalted position of Jesus Christ and His superiority over every other power. “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come” (Ephesians 1:18-21 NKJV).

There is power in His name. Jesus Himself said in Mark 16:17-18: “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;  they 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” (NKJV). Please note the phrase “in my name.”

Everything spoken of in this scripture will only happen in His name. There is power in His name. Also, Jesus said, “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13 NKJV). The name of Jesus is full of power.

Romans 10:13 says whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. However, you must use His name in faith. Peter said in Acts 3:16 that the crippled man at the Beautiful Gate was healed through faith in His name. When you exercise faith in the name of Jesus, you will access the power of God.

9. Faithfully wait upon the Lord. “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31NKJV). Why? Verse 29 tells us the reason: “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength” (NKJV).

Those who know they are weak and have no might, and, therefore, wait upon the Lord, will access His power. Wait upon the Lord; do not depend on your own understanding. Your brain is too small to deal with all the issues of your life! “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn your back on evil. Then you will gain renewed health and vitality” (Proverbs 3:5-8 NLT). We should depend on God for power. When we think we are strong, independent of Him, we are really weak. But when we acknowledge our weakness, His strength will be made perfect in our weakness. When we are weak, then we are really strong in Him (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

10. Be correctly positioned with the anointed. Maintaining a sincere relationship with the anointed based on divine revelation is another way to access the power of God. Such a relationship, including honouring the anointed, sowing seed into their lives, and serving them or under them, will cause the power of God to flow into your life. Elisha, “who poured water on the hands of Elijah” (2 Kings 3:11 NKJV), received a double portion of his spirit (2 Kings 2:9-15). The phrase “who poured water on the hands of Elijah” means “who was servant to Elijah”(Bible in Basic English).

Joshua served Moses. He was his servant or assistant (Exodus 24:13, 33:11; Numbers 11:28). Thereafter, the LORD chose him to succeed Moses (Numbers 27:18-23; Joshua 1:1-2). Deuteronomy 34:9a says Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. Joshua, Moses’ former servant, led the Israelites into the Promised Land.

Samuel served Eli the priest. 1 Samuel 2:11 says the child (Samuel) ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest. Similarly, 1 Samuel 2:18 says Samuel ministered before the LORD, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod. This same child became a great prophet in Israel.1 Samuel 3:19 says, “So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground” (NKJV). Unfortunately, some people today do not want to serve any servant of God or serve God under any minister of God but covet the power of God they see in their lives.

Gehazi served Elisha, but could not get the power of God. Instead, he got Naaman’s leprosy, because his heart was not right. Unlike his master, Elisha, who was focused on getting the double portion of the spirit of Elijah, and got it, Gehazi was after material gain (2 Kings 5:20-27).

The sons of the prophet, who had great regard for Elisha, and requested that he follow them on their mission, accessed, or experienced the miracle-working power of God that caused the axe-head that fell into the river to float (2 Kings 6:1-7).

The Shunamite woman, because of her regard for the Prophet Elisha, accessed the power of God for a miracle child and the restoration of the child to life later when he died (2 Kings 4:8-37). She was also spared the agony of a seven-year famine and her land was restored to her when she returned after the famine (2 Kings 8:1-6).

The widow of Zarephath also accessed the power of God for a miraculous food supply while the famine lasted for three and a half years (1 Kings 17:8-16). God supplied all her needs because she heeded the word of the prophet of God, Elijah, and fed him. Praying for the Philippians for their generosity towards him in the ministry, Paul said, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus”(Philippians 4:19 NKJV).

11. Laying of hands, anointing with oil, and transfer of the anointing through handkerchief to the sick, especially those who are not physically present. In the New Testament, there are instances where the power of God was accessed through the laying of hands and the use of emblems. It is still possible today to access the power of God through these today if one is led by the Spirit of God. However, care must be taken not to use emblems to replace God or the Bible in people’s lives. They should not be seen as a magic wand. There has been much criticism of this because of the abuse by some people and the wrong motive of people who often introduce unscriptural practices because of money.

In James 5:14-15, the Bible says, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (NKJV). Also, in Mark 6:12-13, the Bible says of the twelve disciples of Jesus: “So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them” (NKJV).

In the ministry of Paul, the power of God was also accessed by people through handkerchiefs and aprons. Diseases were healed and evil spirits departed. “Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,  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”(Acts 19:11-12 NKJV).

After this incident, something strange happened. As I said earlier, human beings are always in search of power – either the power of God or the power of the devil. They know that standing without power makes them vulnerable. After the incident of Acts 19, some itinerant Jewish exorcists, who probably felt they were losing out to Paul who had the power of God, which was greater than their own, began to imitate him. It, however, boomeranged.

The Bible says, “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.’ Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’ Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded” (verses 13-16 NKJV). These exorcists, who were using the power of the devil, got what they did not bargain for. They must have regretted their action.

Conclusion: You do not have to remain powerless. Nevertheless, you do not have to search for power that is not from God. Some are doing that today to the damnation of their souls. They may think they have become powerful through the acquisition of demonic power, but they will end up in hell if they fail to repent. Do not fall into this temptation.

It is even annoying that such a thing could be mentioned among those who call themselves the ministers of God. How can someone use the power of the devil to do the work of God? Does it mean that Satan is now helping God to do His work because God is inadequate, incompetent, or powerless? Such people are either complete agents of Satan, pretending to be servants of God or they are turncoats, deserters, or apostates. God’s work must be done in God’s way. Be careful!

Do not also try to copy the power of God that you see working through people. You will become a counterfeit and alienate yourself from the authentic power of God. Once you begin to copy or pretend to have what you do not have, you begin to open yourself to demons.

Seek the real power that comes from God. Pay the price to receive authentic power from heaven. Do not patronize those who are Satan’s agents who may be demonstrating strange power not given by God. It is not everything that is supernatural that emanates from God. There are lying wonders; be careful! (2 Thessalonians 2:9). The Bible has foretold the manifestation of such ‘miracles.’“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand” (Mark 13:22-23 NKJV). Go for the genuine power of God! It is available to and accessible to all children of God.

TAKE ACTION!

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.

T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org