SOUNDING OUT:
It’s Your Move!
I remember standing at a sink at an airport
trying to wash my hands. I had already acquired the
soap from the dispenser, but I couldn’t figure
out how to turn the water on. I was pondering the situation
when someone came up to another sink near me, acquired
his soap, and began to wash his hands. He just acted
like the water was running and when he placed his hands
under the faucet the water came out. I chuckled as I
thought, “One more new gadget.” I began
to spread the soap and placed my hands under the faucet
and, sure enough, the water started to flow.
I no longer hesitate in those situations; I’ve
learned to expect the motion sensor to do its job. Not
only does the water start when I place my hands under
the faucet, but it stops when I remove them. Efficient,
economical, simple. I expect it to work, and I proceed
without doubt or concern.
That’s what we need to do in ministering
situations. As fellowlaborers with God we do our part,
and He does His. If we have clear direction from His
Word, we don’t wait on Him before we begin. We
do our part expecting Him to do His. When we move our
lips, throat, and tongues to formulate words we speak
in tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance. We act,
and He energizes the utterance. We speak the wonderful
works of God and magnify God.
The simplicity that we learned regarding speaking
in tongues should be applied to all the manifestations.
In all the manifestations we act, and God energizes.
We have become quite versatile and confident with speaking
in tongues and we can do the same with all the manifestations.
Confidence develops with successful experience. If we
can learn to trust an electric eye, surely we can learn
to trust the Lord God Almighty.
When it comes to many of the things of God action
precedes results.
When it comes to operating the power of God in your
life, you do not need to understand it all before you
begin. Just start! When you begin God will energize.
Your desire to operate the power of God is much more
important than you knowing every detail about how to
do it. Don’t let it get complicated. It is all
as simple as speaking in tongues.
The power that it took to change Jesus to his
exalted, glorious position at the right hand of God
is available to each of us, as we believe.
God wrought the power when he raised Jesus from the
dead and set him at His own right hand. We are seated
together with him. We can reign in life with Christ
Jesus. God has moved! It’s now our move.
Ephesians 1:17-23:
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation
in the knowledge [the full acknowledgment] of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding
being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope
of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of
his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding
greatness of his power [dunamis] to us-ward
who believe, according to the working [energeia]
of his mighty [ischus] power [kratos],
20 Which he wrought in Christ,
when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his
own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality
[archê; refers to the rank, dignity,
or jurisdiction of a prince. It refers to the right
to rule, to initiate actions and lead the way or champion
a cause. It emphasizes the position.], and power [exousia;
refers to the authority or liberty to do as one chooses.
It emphasizes the authority.], and might [dunamis; refers
to the potential power to effect the course of events
of your life. It emphasizes the ability.], and dominion
[kuriotês; refers to lordship. It emphasizes
allegiances. There is no allegiance of people or evil
forces that can now effect you.], and every name that
is named, not only in this world, but also in that which
is to come:
22 And hath put all things
under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all
things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the
fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Now
that’s power! Do you have the power you need? How
does God work within you? “According to His mighty
power which he wrought in Christ, when he raised
him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in
the heavenly places.” Can it really be
that the power that brought Jesus to life and seated him
at God’s right hand lives in us?
How are we ever going to get a grip on that? Remember
verse 18 said: “I pray that the eyes of your understanding
[kardia] heart may be enlightened” not
the eyes of your head. We need to learn to see the truth
of God with our hearts. Most of the time we see with the
eyes of the head. But we have to remember that these eyes
are not all we have for seeing with.
We need to see the truth with our hearts. Seeing
things with our heads gives us information and gives us
head knowledge which can puff us up (like it says in I
Corinthians 8:1,2) if we are not careful. Seeing things
with our hearts adds an emotional element… It adds
a depth of commitment… It has strength and solidarity
behind it. We want God’s Word to sink down into
our hearts. We want to acknowledge God and work with God
on a heart level, not a superficial one.
Knowing things on a heart level makes it personal,
special, and the impact is immeasurably increased. The
challenge before us is to open the eyes of our hearts
today and see Christ seated at the right hand of God far
above all else. As we acknowledge our ability and authority,
we will act more resolutely. Being convinced of God’s
will, will encourage us to pursue it at all times. At
least that’s how I see it in Wayne’s world.
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