Power or Empower

The New Testament Church was most powerful when it functioned with a healthy fear of God. As I prepared to preach on the subject “the fear of God”, the Holy Spirit taught me this truth on a deeper level as I examined New Testament passages that spoke of Jesus’ disciples during his earthly ministry and the church in His ascended ministry. I learned that the disciples were more frightened after Jesus calmed the storm than before He calmed the storm. As a result, God’s power was manifest, His name was glorified, and the disciples were more empowered for ministry.

Fear fell on the church after the incident with Annanias and Saphira. Here were two church members who saw fit to lie to the Holy Spirit. God manifested His power by ending their lives. The Bible says that fear gripped the church. As a result the church was more empowered for ministry than before.

The moral of the story is this, the more we acknowledge the power of God, the more we are empowered in ministry. Personally I have entered a time in ministry when I am more aware of my dependence upon the Holy Spirit in preaching than ever before. Sure I can say a few words in my own power. To be empowered to preach with what the old timers called unction from the Holy Spirit requires a healthy fear of God. We are more powerful when God is recognized as more powerful. In order for God to be seen as more powerful in our own circles, we must see ourselves as less powerful. As John the Baptist said, "I must decrease, He must increase." In order to gain life one must first lose life.