I. Why Do We Need Supernatural Power?

                   ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts

To Demolish Strongholds Eph 6:12 we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,

          but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness…

To Please God  Rm 6:4 we were buried w/ Him thru baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life

To Endure for Eternal Life   2Tim 2:8 Recall to mind* that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David,

          was raised from the dead acc to my gospel

                                                                                                                   2Thess

*loaves; Lot's wife; Word (?greater); promised persecution; P's ministry & labor; +blessed to give vs rcv; past life; 2:5; ldrs; 1^st love; rcvd                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Rm 8:11 if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies thru His Spirit who dwells in you.

8:12 obligation/debtors to not live acc flesh 13  For if you live acc to the flesh you will die;

                   but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Phil 3:8…I also count all things loss for the excellence of the KNOWledge of Christ Jesus

          my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish,

 Þthat I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is thru faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;Þ

10 that I may KNOW Him & the power of His resurrection, & the fellowship of His sufferings,   being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the

                                                                                         EX-resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected;

          but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

14  I strive/persecute toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind;

                   and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.

II. We plug into God’s Power by Faith in His Revealed Truth

Plead the Need Mt 9:27 Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him,

crying out: "Son of David, have mercy on us!" 28  when He had come into the house,

the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"

They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying,

                                                                   "According to your faith let it be to you."

 2Cor 12:9  “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Therefore most gladly I will rather boast (glory/be content*) in my infirmities,  *Phil 4:11-13

                                                                   that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 Therefore I take pleasure# in…suffer for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

                    #non-strength/illness, insults, hardships/distress, persecutions, difficulties/troubles

                                1Pt 5:10                       hubris      calamity/unmet needs     hunt animal          confined to a narrow space/box

Obey what you know

2Pt 1:3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,

                                      thru the KNOWledge of Him who called us to glory and virtue,

4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises,

          that thru these you may be partakers of the Divine Nature,

                   having escaped the corruption that is in the world thru lust/temporal desires

Rm 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God  

                                                                    (cf Gal 3:2. rcvd HS by hearing of faith)

Rm 8:11 if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies thru His Spirit who dwells in you.

We disobey cz we desire/value wrong things, demonically deceived it's necessary for happiness

 [satan/demonic spirit/world have more influence/control of our lives than does the Holy Spirit]

2Pt 2:18 they speak great swelling words of emptiness,

          they allure thru the lusts of the flesh, thru unbridled desire,

                   the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.

19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption;

                             for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

2Pt 2:20  For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world

                             thru the eKNOWledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

they are again entangled in them and overcome, latter end is worse for them than the beginning

21 For it would have been better for them not to have eknown the way of righteousness, than having eknown it, to turn from the holy commandment
delivered to them.

2Pt 3:3 eknowing first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking acc to their own lusts

3:11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved,

                   what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,

14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things,

          be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;

17  You therefore, beloved, since you proKNOW  this beforehand,

                              beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness,

                                      being led away with the error of the wicked

Work the Truth into and out of your Heart  -Rm 12:1-2 submit daily, put off, transform mind, put on

Php 2:12 work out 13 God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Jn 8:31…If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 

                   32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Rm 6:11  Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin,

                   but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.      Jn 15:7 abide...ask

Eph 3:16  that He would grant you, acc to the riches of His glory/power,

                   to be strengthened with might thru His Spirit in the inner man,

                             17  that Christ may dwell in your hearts thru faith;

                                      19 know the love of Christ

                                                …that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Eph 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,                                       acc to the POWER that works in us...be glory in the church...

                                                                                      21 by/in union with Christ Jesus          

Expect God to be Faithful to give you what you need to do His will

          and ACT AS IF you have it until you do 

(step out in faith that what God has promised/commanded He is able to fulfill, IF you obey).

Josh 3:13…as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD,

 the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan  

  shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap

2Cor 9:8 God is able to make all grace (power*) abound toward you, that you, *Coin of the Realm of Heaven

            always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every/all good work

1Jn 5:14  this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ASK anything acc to His WILL, He hears us 15…whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him

1Jn 3:22  And whatever we ask we receive from Him,

          cz we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

We cut ourselves off from God's grace, and become enslaved to satan 2Tim 2:26  by pridefully failing/refusing to submit to God's will.  Heb 5:7 was heard because of His reverent submission

Js 4:6 God resists proud...gives grace to the humble 7 submit to God. Resist the devil...flee

Jn 7:17  If any man will/desire to do His will, he shall know of the teaching… 1Jn 3:22

                                                seize with mind; NIV choose                                                                                              ask-rcv cz obey-do

Heb 13:20 Who brought our Lord Jesus up from the dead 

          21  make you complete in every good work to do His WILL,

                   working in you what is well pleasing in His sight,

                             thru Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Js 1:5 lack wisdom…ask of God 6  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting,

                   for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

7  For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

8  he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Refuse to Retreat into Doubt and old Sin Habits as you Seek to Please God 

2Cor 5:9..we make it our aim (love of honor)…to be well pleasing to Him  cx Heb 11:6 impossible to please Him

                                                ambition             vs ourselves/flesh                          rewards diligent seekers

Heb 10:36 you have need of endurance,

          so that after you have done the will of God,

                   you may receive the promise

38 Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back,  cf Habakkuk 2:4 by his faith

                                                                   My soul has NO pleasure in him.

39  But we are not of those who draw back to destruction

          but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

                                                                                           Reproof-brings to light

11:1  Now faith is the groundspring* of things hoped for, the demonstration of things not seen.

 *Invisible reality behind/underlying things (as behind the endurance of the martyrs-Josephus) TDNTA 820

Calvin on 2Cor 5:9 “Wherefore we strive.”

Having shown how magnanimous Christians ought to be in the endurance of afflictions,

{1} so that even in dying they may be conquerors over death, and that too, cz by afflictions and death they attain to a blessed life, he now from the same source draws also another conclusion — that they must, by all means, make it their main desire to please God.

And indeed it cannot but be, that the hope of a resurrection,

and thoughtfulness as to the judgment, will awaken in us this desire; (to please God)

as, on the other hand, the true reason why we are so indolent and remiss in duty is,

that we seldom, if ever, think of what ought to be constantly kept in remembrance,

{2} that we are here but lodgers/sojourners

{3} for a short time, that we may, after finishing our course, return to Christ.

Observe, however, what he says — that this is the desire both of the living and of the dead,

by which statement the immortality of the soul is again confirmed.

III. We keep plugged in by Daily Denial and Dependence

                                                                                    pulling away from the power source unplugs us

Rm 12:1 yield bodies a living sacrifice (deny self daily) holy, pleasing to God...3...perfect will of God

              6:13,16,19                                                                      

Lk 9:23  He said to them all, If any man will* come after me, let him deny himself,

                                                and take up his cross daily, and follow me.   *Have in mind..purpose

Lk 22:42  saying, "Father, if it is Your will/purpose*, take this cup away from Me;

                             nevertheless not My will/desire#, but Yours, be done."

                                                *boulomai- deliberate purpose, intention; #thelema- choice, inclination, desire, pleasure  - cf Mt 1:19

Mt 26:41 Watch/guard and pray, lest you enter into temptation. Mt 6:13 deliver/rescue from the evil (one)

                             The spirit indeed is willing,* but the flesh is weak.

                                                          *boulomai- deliberate purpose, intention

George Müller discovered the deep meaning and powerful effect of prayer soon after his conversion. In his lifetime, he cared for over 10,000 orphans, started many Christian projects, and gave millions of pounds to missionary work and Christian literature every year.

Müller said that he wanted to prove to Christians that God answers prayer. He believed firmly that God was moved by prayer alone, i.e. he did not ask people for help, directly or indirectly. He recorded some 50,000 answers to prayer in his lifetime!

The following are six guidelines Müller used to determine the will of God:

 Release your own will: First, I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to the given matter. Nine-tenths of the trouble with people, generally, is at this point. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the Lord’s will, WHATEVER it may be. When one is truly in this state, it is usually just a little way before one discovers the knowledge of what God’s will is.

 Do not trust in feelings: Second, having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impression. If so, I make myself liable to great delusions.

 Look to the Spirit and the Word: Third, I seek the will of God through, or in connection with, the Word of God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone without the Word, I also lay myself open to great delusions. If the Holy Spirit guides us at all, He will do it according to the Scriptures and never contrary to them. Subjective vs Objective will

 Consider the circumstances: Next, I take into account Providential circumstances. These often plainly indicate God’s will in connection with His Word and Spirit.

 Pray for God to show you His will: Fifth, I ask God in prayer to reveal His will to me so that I may understand it correctly.

 Assess your peace regarding the decision: Thus, through prayer to God, the study of the Word and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment, according to the best of my ability and knowledge, and if my mind is thus at peace, and continues to be after two or three more petitions, I proceed accordingly. Both in trivial matters and in transactions involving most important issues, I have found this method always effective

How George Müller determined the will of God - Jericho Walls (jwipn.com)

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. Why do we need God’s power, and why would He give it to us?

          What would prevent us from getting it?

2. What’s the difference between Self-control and Spirit-control?

          Repression and Reprogramming?  How does God get glory?

3. How do we know God’s will, or if we’re experiencing it? Cf George Muller: Will of God

          Why is following Jesus closely so crucial to experiencing His power?

4. How do you demonstrate your daily dependence upon God?

          Can you expect His help when you’re putting Him second? (usurped His throne?)

5. How does your life bear the fingerprints of God’s shaping and molding of you?

          Where will His power be seen/experienced in your life this week/month/year?