Seize Your Power Today

This seems to be season in many lives where we are exposing vulnerabilities, shoring up our weaknesses, dismantling weapons of the flesh and setting the stage for the Holy Spirit within us to RISE UP and do battle on our behalf. How exciting, it does nothing short of set the stage for personal and corporate revival!

Our Inadequacy

A friend of mine recently made the offhand comment in conversation, "Your power is in your inadequacy." I had to really think about the many ways in which I'm inadequate, and therefore powerful. The list is long. I'm inadequate to utilize my gifts without the power of the holy spirit. I'm inadequate to make good career choices. Certainly, when I do relationships on my own, I fail miserably. In fact, in nearly every aspect of our lives, we are one bad decision away from utter failure.

Never Fade

Lately, I've been studying the word "abide" and what that means to me as a believer. I'm loving learning to ABIDE more fully in every aspect of my life! My favorite definition of abide is "to continue without fading or being lost." When we abide in Christ, we don't get swallowed up by our own inadequacy, vulnerability or circumstances. We know that the holy spirit living within us will provide our spirit with the power to make good choices, even when our flesh isn't feeling it. We are abiding.

In fact, Christ says in John 15:4 "Abide in my, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." (New English Standard version) In other words, to bear fruit, not only do we abide, but like a fruit tree, we are disciplined to strengthen our character and faith. I may be pruned, but because I'm abiding in the life-giving tree, I WILL bear fruit - it's God's promise to me.

A New Creation

My woman's small group this semester is doing the study Renovate, and it relates to exploring the foundation of who we are as believers. It has been incredibly powerful for us (and it's my second time!) as God shows us specific areas where we are weak, vulnerable, and powerless. Once those areas are exposed, we begin to see how the dual enemies of our flesh and Satan can use those very weaknesses to attack.

More importantly, though, we are diving into what God's word says about those specific areas of vulnerability, and how it is often in direct opposition to our flesh. God is showing us how the enemy is attacking us at those points of weakness, and how to shore up our defenses through praise, prayer and the word - a trifecta of powerful tools! Holy Spirit is bringing us awareness so that we can dismantle the false beliefs and replace them with God's truth about who and what we are!

To me, the scripture that encapsulates this whole notion is 2 Corinthians 5:18 "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come." When we allow Christ to become Lord of our life, He transforms us on every level. This a process of letting go of the hurts, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities of our flesh to abide and allow God to rise up within us.

This transformation is ongoing. For me recently, I have been living in some things within my own life where I've had to learn painful lessons about maturing my faith. I'm being pruned, and learning to abide. This work is not easy, but once we are on the other side of it, we can use our testimony to powerfully influence and encourage others, and that is a priceless contribution to eternity.

Where do you need to abide? Are there areas of your life that you need to let go of and allow God to be fully realized? If so, consider using praise, prayer, the word and a mature accountability partner to help grow you up in that area, and tap into your life-giving source, Jesus!

And while you're growing, Praise Crazy!