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Christ told his disciples to
tarry in Jerusalem until they should be endued
with power from on high. Paul speaks of the
power of Christ resting upon him. It is God's
will that all his people be endued with this
heavenly power. God's power never works in the
soul of man independently of the presence of the
Holy Spirit. Whatever power people possess that
does not come through the Holy Spirit is not the
power of God; but when God is present with us,
his power is always present, and this power will
manifest itself. This power does not work
according to the human will, but works according
to the will of God; therefore we must be
submitted to his will in order for it to work
through us. God will never take orders from us.
If we attempt to use his power for a wrong or
selfish purpose, it will react to our own
hurt.
Sometimes people
mistake for manifestation of the power of God
things which are not such at all. Some think
that noise and demonstration are the result of
power, or indicate the presence of power; and
the more noisy and demonstrative a person is,
the more power he is thought to possess. Noise
is not power nor an indication of power. It
often indicates only human enthusiasm or
hysteria. Some bodies of religionists are very
noisy, and yet they have very little of the
power of God in their lives. As a rule, those
who make the most noise accomplish the least for
God. It is generally a mark of superficiality,
especially where there is a disposition to carry
it to the extreme. Some modern religious
movements are noted for the demonstrations of
their adherents. They leap and shout and "fall
under the power" and do many unseemly things.
They do many things that make the people ashamed
who look upon them. Sometimes they "carry on"
until they are utterly exhausted. Sometimes they
go through strange contortions and jerkings, and
sometimes froth at the mouth. They think all
this to be the manifestation of the power of
God. One thing I have noticed about these people
who go to such extremes is that very often those
who are the most demonstrative are living lives
which are anything but commendable and in some
cases even immoral. There is a power in such
people, but it is not the power of God; for the
power of God does not manifest itself in an
unseemly manner. There is something beautiful
and attractive about his power, something that
draws the soul, something that melts it and
inspires it and awes it as if in the presence of
the Almighty.
Noise is not
power. One day I walked with a friend down a
street in a large city. A motorcycle passed us
making a great racket. There was much noise, but
little power. We walked on a little farther and
went into the engine-house of a great factory. I
stood beside the great Corliss engine there and
watched it running so smoothly that there was
hardly a sound. I could not realize what power
was there. It seemed as though I could put out
my hand and stop it. But there was power there,
great power. It turned the wheels through-out
that large factory and kept the machinery busily
running. Likewise, those who are most powerful
for God are often persons who are quiet and
attract little notice. The power in them works
softly and silently, but mightily. It
accomplishes God's purposes.
It is true that
persons of some temperaments do sometimes make
considerable noise when they are full of the
power of God, but this is the result of
temperament, not the result of the power, for
the same amount of power in another may work
quietly and silently, though none the less
effectually. I do not object to some noise in
religion if there is divine power back of that
noise, the power to be what a Christian should
be, the power to live as a Christian should
live, the power to glorify God, but the noise
with out the real power for accomplishment is a
vain thing. God does not judge people by the
amount of noise they make; he does not value
them for their noise, but for the power that
they possess. There are some who once were
powers in the hands of God, but who now are like
shorn Samson. The power is gone. They have the
form, but they lack the power. Some sing, "There
is power, power, wonder-working power"; but when
you look for it in their lives, you do not find
it. Power is the thing that counts, and God
wants us to be filled with it. Natural ability
counts for something, but no matter how great
our natural capacity, if the power is lacking
the capacity counts for nothing. We are like
empty vessels. God has plenty of power, and he
will give us power if we will tarry before him.
Power is something that comes down, not
something that is worked up. The "howling
dervishes" work themselves up into wild hysteria
and fall in fits and have all sorts of
manifestations, but there is no power of God in
it. So we may do. I repeat, enthusiasm is not
power, hysteria is not power. Only the presence
of God can give us power.
Power Transformed
Electric power
passes silently through the wires; but as it
passes through the incandescent bulb, it is
turned into bright light; as it passes through
the resistance-coil, it is transformed into
heat; as it passes through the motor, it is
transformed into activity; and as it passes
through the magnet, it is turned into magnetism.
So God would have his power transformed into
light so that we may shine for God and so that
those around us may behold his beauty in us. God
would have us be lights to the world, and so he
lets his power rest upon us that it may be
transformed into light and shine out into this
dark world. He wants men to see our light and
thereby know his power to save and to keep.
He wants his power
turned into heat so that our lives are no more
cold and barren, but our affections and emotions
are warmed and enriched and bring forth fruit
unto his glory. He wants all our faculties and
powers to be filled with fervency, all our lives
warm and radiant with his glory. He wants his
power transformed into activity so that we may
work righteousness, that 'men may see our good
works and glorify our Father which is in
heaven.' People who are full of the power of God
are not content in idleness. They feel that they
must work the work of God while it is yet day.
You do not have to coax such people to work.
They are ready for a job anytime. The power of
God will manifest itself in zeal. Where zeal is
absent, power is absent Power is always seeking
an outlet. If the power of God is resting upon
us, we cannot be easy while multitudes around us
are going to destruction. There is much
Christian activity that comes to naught because
there is no power in it or too little power in
it. There may be zeal without power, but zeal
will be ineffectual without power. The power of
God does not need elaborate ecclesiastical
machinery in order to work. It will work in the
heart; it will work out in the life. All that
God asks is that the heart be submitted to his
will and all the powers of life dedicated to his
service; then he will fill us with power and
work through us the accomplishment of his
purpose. Our lives then will be fruitful to
glorify his name.
God wants his
power in us turned into magnetism, that we may
draw men to ourselves and through ourselves to
Christ. If our lives are unlovely and
unattractive, God cannot draw men through us. It
matters not what may be our situation in life
nor how few may be our natural talents. Our
lives may be hampered and our development may be
hindered, but if the power of God rests upon us,
we shall attract men to Christ. The humblest
life may be glorified and made attractive by the
presence and power of God. But magnetism not
only attracts; it also repels. So we, if we are
full of this divine magnetism, shall repel all
that is evil. Our very presence, even though a
word is not spoken, will be a reproof to evil.
Our looks will be louder than the words of those
who are without the power of God. Those who are
wicked and corrupt will feel ashamed and
reproved in our presence. They will try to hide
their wickedness. They will be careful of their
language. They will find no pleasure in their
wickedness in our presence.
Oh! let us be
filled with the power of God and let us manifest
it in our lives, so that the world may believe.
Let us submit ourselves to the divine will. Let
us seek daily a real enduement from on high, and
then when it comes let us realize that the
excellency of the power is of God and not of us,
and let us give to him the glory. Let us
manifest to our fellow men this power, not to
show that we have the power, but that we may win
them to Christ - that we may make them to know
the riches of his love, the power of his grace,
and the wonders of his holiness. "Ye shall
receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon
you." |
