POWER FROM ON HIGH
In September 2021, the citizens of Denton, North Carolina found themselves without electricity. The cause wasn’t a storm or a transformer malfunction. The power outage resulted from a snake that slithered into a Duke Energy substation. Somehow the reptile created an electrical connection, causing sparks to fly, starting a fire, and shutting down everyone’s power. The culprit was fried in the process. (https://www.newsweek.com/entire-town-nearly-left-without-power-after-snake-started-electrical-fire-1629986)
Snakes give most people the heebie-jeebies. A survey conducted among 1000 American adults, reported 64% of us fear snakes, making it our #1 phobia. (americans-fear-snakes-heights-spiders-poll%).
Perhaps this is the result of The Fall of mankind. Genesis 3:15 prophecies future enmity between snakes and humans. But on a deeper level, this verse predicts Christ crushing the head of the serpent (Satan), destroying any ultimate power he has over us.
We still battle daily with this slithering serpent, the devil. He hates us and wants to destroy us. Revelation 12:9 speaks of a war in heaven, and then states, “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan.” Verse 11 identifies him as, “the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night.”
But remember, the Holy Spirit lives in us, and fills us with supernatural power. In Ephesians 3 Paul prays that Jesus would “strengthen you with power through his Spirit” (v.16); that we “have power together with all the Lord’s holy people (v.18);” and that God can “do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us” (v.20).
If we allow it, Satan can steal God’s power from us, faster than a snake in a substation. Sometimes we’re lulled into complacency, settling for a mediocre spiritual life, rather than being on fire with the power of the Holy Spirit.
I believe the greatest struggle we face as American Christian, is comfort. I like being comfortable, far too much. God didn’t call us to a life of spiritual complacency. He calls us into battle. Far too often, I allow the old serpent into the power house of my heart, blocking the passion and power of the Holy Spirit, which brings me life. Ever feel like you’re trudging through life, running on empty? Passionately pursue more of God. Ask him to fill you with power from on high. And don’t let that snake ever create a power outage in your life.
Principle: Don’t allow the devil to shut down God’s power in our lives and lull us into complacency.
Ponder:
When have you felt you weren’t experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit in your life?
When do you find yourself “strengthen[ed] … with power through his Spirit?”
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Ephesians 3:14-21.
Lord thank you for the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in me. Help me never to allow the enemy to create a “power shortage” in my life, even for a moment.
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