Plugged In

But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8, AMP)

Last week, the power went out at my house.  I spent 2 and a half hours without power and wasn’t sure when it was coming back on again.  My son Zion and I spent some time outside because it was a little cooler and lighter.  While sitting out on our deck… I got to thinking… What if the spiritual power in my life went out?  Then I thought, it does go out every time I step away from the Word.  Every time I think I can do something on my own.  Every time I walk away and ignore God’s guidance.  The power that God wants to give me vanishes every time time I separate myself from Him.

In John 15:5, Jesus puts it like this…

“I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do NOTHING.”

We only have power when we are connected to the source.  We can’t produce fruit without the life giving sap that runs through Jesus.  What does a life with power look like?  Well, I think it looks like three things.

1.  Love in Action

“Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.”  ~1 Corinthians 13:4-8

2.  Thoughts in Check

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”  ~Philippians 4:8

3.  Character in Balance

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”  ~Galatians 5:22-23

Okay, so if this is what a life of power looks like.  What does one look like without power?  Let’s see…

A life without power looks impatient, unkind, envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, keeps a record of wrongs, delights in evil, ignores the truth, never protects others, never trusts, never hopes, and never perseveres!  A life without power is a life without love!  We cannot love others without first loving God and understanding His love for us.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”  ~1 John 4:7-8

A life without power looks chaotic.  Quite possibly the thought life of someone who isn’t plugged in to God’s Word could look a little like this…

A life filled with worry, anxiety, false claims, assumptions, hateful thoughts, fear, pride, anger, frustration, and gossip.  Your mind is a powerful tool.  It can be filled with things that glorify God or things that diminish the power of God.  You have a choice every day with every thought to choose life or death.  What thought patterns will you choose?  Will you choose thoughts that produce life or thoughts that bring about death for you and others?

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”  ~2 Corinthians 10:5

A life without power is a fruitless life.  A fruitless life looks a little like this…

A life of hateful moments, misery, war, impatience, unkindness, immorality, unfaithful lifestyle, harsh behavior, and lack of control.  A life like this looks pretty similar to the world around us.  We are called to look different!  We are called to be set apart for the Lord.  Our lives should not look like the lives of those who don’t know Jesus.  Our lives should be filled with fruit and we should be reflecting Christ in every interaction we have.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But the mans who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.”  ~James 1:22-25

So after taking a look at all this…  What’s the verdict?  Are you plugged in?  Are you receiving the power that only God can give?  If not, I encourage you to get into the Word.  Soak up God’s Truth and let it transform the way you live life.  May God’s Word come alive in you and may you experience the freedom of living charged up!  Filled up with God’s abundant grace!  And ready to be a dispenser of love to all those you come in contact with.

Dear Father God, I desire to do Your will.  I know that I can’t even attempt that if I’m not plugged into You.  Lord, I need the life giving sap that only comes from being plugged into the Word of God.  Please help me to be diligent in my times with You and help me live a disciplined life for Your glory! 

Plugged in to the Source of Power,