I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT)
Read that again.
The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the very power that is in you as a believer.
Do you notice anything about the words around the word “power?” This is no ordinary, battery commercial pink-bunny power. This is mightypower, a power of incredible greatness. It is power capable of raising Jesus from the dead and seating him at God’s own right hand!
The Greek word in the original text is “dynameos.” Yes, you’ve probably heard that before. It is the word from which we get our word “dynamite.”
It is used 120 times in the New Testament.
It’s used when Jesus’ describes his own return in Matthew 24:30:
Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (ESV)
Mark and Luke use exactly the same word when they recount what Jesus said about his return.
Paul uses the same word in 1 Corinthians 6:14 to describe how we will be raised:
And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. (ESV)
And again when he writes to Timothy:
…for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV)
Here’s a dynamic quote about Jesus from Hebrews 1:3a (ESV)
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
So the power that raised Jesus from the dead, that will raise us from the dead, that drives out fear and replaces it with love and self-control, is the same power that holds the entire universe together? That power is in us?
2 Peter 1:3 certainly seems to agree with that assessment:
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, (ESV)
And here’s Ephesians 3:20:
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
And what are we to do with this power?
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 ESV)
Today’s Praise
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Revelation 4:11 NIV)