Power in the original is Exsousia from which we derive the root word for dynamite, its means absolute power and authority.
Power according to the first law of physics: Must be defined according to and by the context of movement, a movement against a stationary object, “In other words something has got to stay still long enough for a force to be exerted against it?
“be still and know that I am God.. be still and let the Lord fight your battles”
Presence in the original is Parousia and means a visible, physical manifestation, to be seen, felt and experienced physically, hence the presence and the power is real.
In other words when you come into the house of worship, the Church (into Bethlehem which means the house of God or the bread of life?) it’s not just a ritual or routine? because you have actually entered into the very presence of Almighty God! and you access his power!
Now, let’s look at Jesus in his wilderness temptation, notice scripture said he was led by the Holy Ghost into the wilderness to be tempted.
(Hey, don’t count all your struggles and trials as of the devil, perhaps God is wanting to mold you and shapes you, build you into a productive vessel?)
Yes, it says he returned to the power of the Holy Ghost but it was after a struggle with his flesh. Remember he was tempted and tried for 40 days in which he ate no food, and got little rest.
He suffered hunger, thirst, deprivation, and temptation. He had to experience his Gethsemane alone. While he was in the desert he had no blankets, and the only covering he would have would be the cold chill of the night, the only pillow would be a hard jagged rock, the only company He has are the distant stars, the only shade would be found under the stinging pricks of a cactus.
But thru this deprivation was birth desperation, thru this famine came faith!
One writer said he often crossed Cedron (the place of mourning) in order to go to Gethsemane and it was out of his Gethsemane experience that he came out in triumph! and power!
(Cedron means a place of deep mourning, in sackcloth and ashes, a place of sorrow and grieving)
But it was after all this, that he was able to return to the power! and demonstration of the Holy Ghost! What is all this saying well for one he often went to a place of mourning and weeping over lost mankind, (Cedron) and he suffered? why? Cause there is a cost to walk in the power?
Let’s follow Jesus along with his Gospel journey as he went about in the power and demonstration!
John 12:1-7 A lowly prostitute, you see for this lady it was her lovers by day and her drinks by night. Were the drinks more medicinal than social? For you see they serve to numb her mind from her humiliating profession and SHAMEFUL CONSCIENCE.
Her lovers never acknowledged her needs only theirs.
Oh, how she often dreamed of a day when her knight in shining armor would come and take her away from all this? Did you know prostitutes dream too? But it was just a dream or was it?
So here she is out in her usual corner when she sees the shadow of a man approaching.
So she gingerly drops the veil covering her chest to reveal some cleavage hoping to get his attention. But for some odd reason to her surprise, unlike most men she knew.
His eyes did not follow the contours of her very lightly clothed body? But instead, they pierce deep into her heart and soul.
As he whispers Mary Mary the love you seek here you will never find but come follow me
“ for I care for you” the rest is his-story.
EVER WONDERED WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE USED AND ABUSED? To sell yourselves out? Oh, you may not sell ur body for some man’s pleasure. But u sell urself out, sell ur faith out, ur God for another God, your soul for sinful gain, your destiny, and future for something that only gives you pleasure for a season?
Matthew 8:1-3 Then there was the leper, what a sight he must have been!
Required to cry out loudly any time he was near another individual ‘ unclean! unclean! ‘ as his disease would progress he would eventually be shuffled off to a leper colony.
There he would live out the remainder of his life, rejected by his family, mocked by children, shunned by society. Condemned by the so-called religious hierarchy, left an outcast.
Oh at first he would have some friends and family visitors, but little by little they would stop coming as the disease got worse and the pain more evident.
Soon the only visitor would be his mother and even her visits would become less frequent and of shorter duration. Soon she would not be able to even look him in the eyes, she stands further away now, her heart is broken! But this is outside the cave, inside is another story, another world, you see food would be brought in and lowered down to them in a bucket, only the fittest survive here?
But he had an encounter with a man called JESUS and the rest is his-story!
MARK 2:1-5 A paralytic: His life defined by a 5×6 mat, and oh what a life? His spiny legs and bony hands formed the prison bars to the cell that imprisons him, his body, no telling ravaged thru sin or neglect, or possibly neither. For him, he has prayed but the only mediator he knows are the ceiling walls which neither acknowledge his prayers nor offer any condolences, for every morsel he would eat, every drink he would take, every move of the bowels, he would need assistance? Oh, how he often dreamed of a day when he would be free from his prison of being paralyzed. But it was just a dream.. but oh what a dream for he dreamed of running thru the tall green grass with his shoes off and perhaps chasing a daughter or son .. playing hide n seek… Thank God for some faithful friends who refuse to be discouraged! read the story
MARK 5: 25-34 Luke 8: 43-47 A widow with an issue of blood:
One writer said she had spent everything she had on doctors who took all her money but none of her disease? Hum.. then comes Jesus and takes all her disease but none of her money? Can you imagine what it must have been like for her?
With all the innuendos, all the accusations, the gossip, the mocking and criticizing.
The local gossip was that it was a curse due to some perverse sexual sin no doubt.
She had to endure with this treatment for 12 long years, such humiliation, such shame, but she knew if she could but get into Jesus presence the rest would be history!
But first, she would have to humiliate herself by acknowledging her sickness to Jesus in the presence of the very people who ridiculed her, hello there’s a lesson here…
need a healing? humble yourself.
Then there’s the widow at Nain: Death was no stranger to her for it had robbed her earlier in her life of her sole provider, her husband? now it was back again this time for her only son, oh what a sting this was! Now all she had to look forward to was scavenging in the back alleyways thru garbage cans for scant leftovers.
You see for a woman to be without a male heir in this time error was a sure road to poverty and pain, misery, and shame. So here she is traveling along the backside of Nain with her entourage of followers saddened with gloom, and carrying a heavy load of pain and emptiness, bitterness and brokenness, despair and discouragement, wallowing in her misery.
With no hope and no future or so it seemed? Then on the other side of this road is traveling Jesus with his cargo of mercy and truth, help and hope, life and love. It is here the two roads and their travelers are about to clash and so with her entourage, of saddened people, death will meet life, defeat will meet victory, faith will meet failure! Jesus said:
“ I am the Resurrection and the life.. whosoever believeth in me shall never die”
(anybody wonder why Jesus choose to travel along the backside of Nain on this day instead of on the main road? his-story was about to be made ) After all, Jesus is always willing to go out of his way for a hurting soul. Hint hint…
Ever wondered how it feels to lose everything that means anything to you? To lose ur job, ur spouse, ur family, ur sanity? (anybody wonder why Jesus choose to travel along the backside of Nain on this day instead of on the main road? his-story was about to be made ) After all, he’s known to go out of the way for a hurting soul, how about you?
John 8: 1-11 The adulterous woman caught in the act:
Well for her it didn’t look too promising according to the law she was dead meat?
To be stoned to death! and here was a man righteous and qualified enough to condemn her Jesus?
The only problem with this story is that according to the law both parties were to be stoned to death, where was the man? And not only that but the husband was to be the one to initiate it and cast the first stone, where was he? Sounds like a setup? hum…
Ever felt the sting of condemnation? Ever been accused before? Ever been caught in the act? And knew you had no way out? Ever been condemned before by your so-called brothers and sisters?
Do you know what it feels like to have no defense or hope in mercy?
Did you know there’s still mercy left for you on the cross? Still, hope for you?
Still, there’s love for you!
1 John 1:8-9 “ for God is faithful and just to forgive if we confess ”
“ neither do I condemn you to go and sin no more”
Isn’t that like God to never point a finger? never condemn? hum…..
And another story; remember the demoniac?
Ever wondered what that was like? It must be terrible to be under the control of demons who only come to “ steal, kill, and destroy..” Oh, how he must have felt? Oh, how he must have longed for deliverance? What madness? what pain, what emptiness, what abandonment, what shame, what rejection, he must have felt.
Maybe he prayed, maybe he cried, notice the bible said’s always night and day he cried and cut himself… Maybe it was only for it split second during a moment of sanity he cried out? That was all it took to get the attention of Jesus?
( for the bible says ”that if thou shall confess the Lord Jesus thou shall be saved”)
Notice Jesus came with extra clothes? Ever wonder why? read it, Jesus said I need to go to the other side! He had a purpose, a plan, after this encounter the man was seated fully clothed and in his right mind. Remember he used to run around naked, cursing, cutting, and screaming but now here he is set free! The rest is his story
CLOSING: Here we are today, many of us hurting and broken, some of us lost in a world of misery and shame, shackled by sin, chained in condemnation?
Dumped deep in the dungeons of despair? in a prison of poverty unable to climb out of our financial ruins? some of us bound in the hands of hypocrisy? unable to find that place of repentance and renewal? some hardened by the humiliation and hurts of life? So discouraged by the destructive circumstances and situations we have had to live thru? faith that has been robbed by seemingly unanswered prayers and needs?
Some rejected and ridiculed by family, friends, and foes? others used up and abused up?
You feel cheap, unwanted, unloved? confused and compassionless? don’t give up! there’s hope! there’s peace! there’s purpose! and yes power for you!
“casting all your care upon me for I care for you” but my God shall supply all your need..” for the which cause I also suffer these things, nevertheless I am not ashamed for I know in whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed unto him against that day”
that ought to make somebody rejoice! He will see you thru that’s his promise!
behold I give you all power over all the power of the enemy” and nothing shall by any means hurt you” behold I give you peace, not as the world gives” ye I am with you even unto the end”
God is your answer! your hope! your need! your power!
To God be the glory! Hey, when you’re in the house of God you’re in his presence, and when ur in his presence anything is possible when ur in a relationship with him ur in his presence continually thus his power and his healing is yours for the claiming!
