Indwelling Power:

How many times as Christians do we sing words like,”I will follow You”, or “I give You my all” and really contemplate the magnitude of what we are singing?

Even without knowing, perhaps a more truthful sub-clause should be added to these songs, that being, “As long as I am comfortable in the process!”

We sit in church and hear of stories like Peter walking-on-water and what's our contemporary response...if we're really honest? “Well that was Peter and he had Jesus there with Him”... what about, “That's just a Bible-story!”, perhaps even “Peter didn't have enough faith.”?

But what about the simple point that Peter got out of the boat to walk upon water!

What about the wonderful hymn, 'There's Power in the blood'? Check out these lyrics:

Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There’s pow’r in the blood, pow’r in the blood;
Would you o’er evil a victory win?
There’s wonderful pow’r in the blood.

Refrain:
There is pow’r, pow’r, wonder-working pow’r
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is pow’r, pow’r, wonder-working pow’r
In the precious blood of the Lamb.

Would you be free from your passion and pride?
There’s pow’r in the blood, pow’r in the blood;
Come for a cleansing to Calvary’s tide;
There’s wonderful pow’r in the blood.

Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow?
There’s pow’r in the blood, pow’r in the blood;
Sin-stains are lost in its life-giving flow;
There’s wonderful pow’r in the blood.

Would you do service for Jesus your King?
There’s pow’r in the blood, pow’r in the blood;
Would you live daily His praises to sing?

There’s wonderful pow’r in the blood.

These powerful lyrics speak of VICTORY over sin!

The power to OVERCOME un-godly lives and serve Jesus daily because of the blood of Jesus. You see, it is by the blood of Jesus Christ that we are washed and made clean of sin, allowing God Himself to then come and reside in us.

When we are forgiven and washed clean, we have the indwelling power to OVERCOME because of the One inside us. Amen! And this is truly living...life in abundance...a life in relationship with Jesus, working with Him in His salvation work...Amen, Halleluiah, I'm alive because He lives and He lives in me! The risen Christ now living inside of me and journeying with me to work for His glory and Kingdom. Wow what an awesome gift.

Why then do so many of us sing of living for Jesus, but never step out of our own boats?

Why do we have churches full of people, attending services but still trapped by their own flesh?

Why are people trapped by their passion? Full of pride and envy? Anger and arguing? Swearing and lust? Liquor or drugs? Greed and gluttony?

Why do people who believe that Jesus is real, settle in their own minds for lives that are far less than victorious?

I think it's because we do not understand the available INDWELLING POWER of the One inside us and we simply cannot be bothered to wage war with our flesh. It's all too easy to think, “It's just too hard, I'm just not strong enough, and His grace covers me.” We settle for a life less than victorious and therefore begin to preach an untruthful gospel based upon our experience, rather than the truth of scripture. It is then the enemy claps his hands and says, “Yes I have them right where I want them!”

I will never preach a different gospel.

The Gospel is 'The power of God for salvation' – Romans 1:16.

We MUST understand the power of God, to take us and transform us into the likeness of Jesus Christ. We must be brutal and cut of any sin that dares to try and cling to us by the indwelling power available for victory.

We MUST surrender our whole selves, letting go of any self-ownership – understanding that we have died and are no longer our own. When temptation of the flesh comes, we must battle. Yet we are not alone or unprotected. We have Him inside of us and His Armour, the Holy Bible. When temptation comes, don't settle for less than anything but victory; draw near to Him and His powerful love by prayer and reading the Holy Bible and you will overcome because this is His desire for you.

Will you trust Him and step out of your boat? Will you not only sing the songs but live them? No, it will not be comfortable...but when did Jesus ever promise that? Will you live your life abundantly with Him and become a living and breathing testimony of victory?

Melanie.

Let me leave you with a clip, that makes me cry...Oh His love is so immense! Praise Him!