Growing In Spiritual Power

II Chronicles 27.1-6

Walking steadfastly before the LORD brings spiritual power.

Steadfastly

Established, stable, secure

Being Established 

Being stable

Making your election and calling sure II Peter 2.10

A strong spiritual life means that the Holy Spirit has control of the vessel. Then He can fill it to overflowing. He can send it into the places where He wants it to be and where it will be used in powerful ways.

Many men pray for the power of God.

 

More every year.  Those prayers sound powerful, sincere, godly and

without ulterior motive.  Hidden under such prayer and fervor, however,

are ambition, a craving for fame, the desire to be considered a

spiritual giant.  The man who prays such prayer may not even know it,

but such dark motives and desires are in his heart ... in your heart.

 

Even as men pray these prayers, they are hollow inside.  There is

little internal spiritual growth.  Prayer for power is the quick and

the short way, circumnavigating internal growth.

 

There is a vast difference between the outward clothing of the Spirit's

power and the inward filling of the Spirit's life.  In the first,

despite the power, the hidden man of the heart may remain unchanged. In

the latter, that monster is dealt with.

The path to power used by God in His Kingdom is a pathway of inner spiritual growth.  So if you are desiring to work for God you must first let Him do a work in your own heart.

1. Humble Yourself

Tell Him what you need Him

Realize without Him you can do nothing.

Ask for forgiveness

Give Him all glory for your successes.

Pray

Don't believe your own press.

2. Obey His Word - John 8.31

John 8.31 Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples."

Read it.

Regularly 

Have a plan to go through the whole Bible.

Keep your appointments with God.

Hear it.

Every chance you get.

Do what it says.

Obedience to Him out of love for Him is beautiful. Dr Aileen Coleman

Jotham did this.

3. Be a Servant

Follow the example of Christ Jesus as a servant. Philippians 2.5-11

Let this be your attitude.

Let this mind be in you.

Your attitude should be the same of Christ Jesus... Make me a servant.

There is such joy in this.

It is a safe place to be.

There are such blessings.

John 12:26 Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, My servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves Me. 

4. Keep Your Eyes on Jesus Hebrews 12.2

Fix them on Him.

to turn the eyes away from other things and fix them on something.

Pleasure

Fame

Money

Power

5. Run the Race with Perseverance. Hebrews 12.1

steadfastness, constancy, endurance

to remain i.e. abide, not recede or flee

to persevere: under misfortunes and trials to hold fast to one's faith in Christ

to endure, bear bravely and calmly: ill treatments

Climbing the mountain on the Sugarloaf Trail in New Hampshire

My grandkids who went up this past week are the fourth generation in our family to do this trek into some of the most beautiful mountains in the world. My Dad started it. I remember him leading us up there 50 years ago. When my daughters were about the same age they hiked it. Monday my grandkids, Emma and Jackson join the fellowship of family members who have reached the summit.

Tonya and I kept going because we knew what was ahead. We knew the rewards awaiting us as my son-in-law put it.

The entire Presidential Range with majestic Mount Washington in the center came into view from the summit. We ate lunch, took in the gorgeous view, took some video and pictures then headed back down. At the base of the mountain is a river. Children and adults were frolicking in it. We joined them. I took the ice cold water and threw up into my face. I put my feet in. My grandson, Jackson, joined me. It was so refreshing to our weary bodies and feet.

Our work joins a number of memories already in our minds and gave us a sense of accomplishment.  Our growth in spiritual power comes from our walk with the LORD. The closer we walk the more we make ourselves available to Him.