The Same Power

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by Max Lucado

 

You don’t have to hurry or scurry. The Spirit-led life does not panic; it trusts.

In Ephesians 1:19-20 (NCV) the apostle Paul reminds us that, “God’s power is very great for us who believe. That power is the same as the great strength God used to raise Christ from the dead and put him at his right side in the heavenly world.” The same hand that pushed the rock from the tomb can shove away your doubt. The same power that stirred the still heart of Christ can stir your flagging faith. The same strength that put Satan on his heels can, and will, defeat Satan in your life.

Just keep the power supply open. Who knows, you may soon hear people asking, “What’s gotten into you?” You see, as God’s story becomes our story, his power becomes our power.

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Listen for His Voice

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by Max Lucado

 

Wait on the Spirit. If Peter and the apostles needed his help, don’t we? They walked with Jesus for three years, heard his preaching, and saw his miracles. They saw the body of Christ buried in the grave and raised from the dead.  They witnessed his upper room appearance and heard his instruction. Had they not received the best possible training? Weren’t they ready? Yet Jesus told them to wait on the Spirit. “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised…the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5).

Learn to wait, to be silent, to listen for his voice. Cherish stillness; sensitize yourself to his touch. And just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all. All God’s gifts right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene.

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Wait for God

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by Max Lucado

 

To walk in the Spirit, respond to the promptings God gives you. Don’t sense any nudging? Just be patient and wait. Jesus told the disciples, “wait for the gift my Father promised—the Holy Spirit“ (Acts 1:4-5). Abraham waited for the promised son. Moses waited forty years in the wilderness. Jesus waited thirty years before he began his ministry.

God instills seasons of silence in his plan. Winter is needed for the soil to bear fruit. Time is needed for the development of a crop. And disciples wait for the move of God. Wait for him to move, nudge, and direct you. This beautiful promise in Isaiah 30:21 where God says, “This is the way; walk in it.” It’s nice to be led by a master. Won’t you let your Master lead you?

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Spiritual Dashboard

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by Max Lucado

 

Is there anything in your life that needs to be removed? Any impediment to the impression of God’s Spirit? We can grieve the Spirit with our angry words and resist the Spirit in our disobedience. We can test or conspire against the Spirit in our plottings. We can even quench the Spirit by having no regard for God’s teachings.

But here’s something that helps us stay in step with the Spirit. It’s in Galatians 5:22: “We know that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” These are indicators on our spiritual dashboards. So whenever we sense them, we know we are walking in the Spirit. Whenever we lack them, we know we are out of step with the Spirit. Keep in step with the Spirit.

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To Save and Sustain

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by Max Lucado

 

I believe we make the mistake the Welsh woman made. She lived many years ago in a remote valley and felt it worth the cost to have electricity installed in her home. Several weeks after the installation, the power company noticed she’d barely used any electricity. A meter reader went to see her. “Is there a problem?” he asked. “Oh no, we’re quite satisfied. Every night we turn on the electric lights to see how to light our lamps.”

We’re prone to do likewise. Depend on God’s Spirit to save us but not sustain us. We turn to him to get us started and then continue in our own strength. It is possible to have the Spirit, but not let the Spirit have us. Scripture urges us “keep in step with the Spirit.” Plug in to his power, and leave the switch turned on.

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God’s Power in Us

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by Max Lucado

 

We look at other believers and ask, “Why is her life so fruitful and mine so barren? Why is his life so powerful and mine so weak? Aren’t we saved by the same Christ?”

The answer may be found in the first chapter of the book of Acts where Jesus told Peter and the other followers, “Wait here to receive the promise from the Father. John baptized people with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5 NCV).

During Jesus’ earthly ministry Jesus lived near the disciples. The Holy Spirit, however, would live in the disciples. Jesus taught; the Spirit teaches through us. Jesus comforted; the Spirit comforts through us. The Holy Spirit is a year-round resident in the hearts of God’s children. As God’s story becomes our story, his power becomes our power.

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Not the Final Chapter

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by Max Lucado

 

Death is not the final chapter in your story. John 11:25-26 assure us that in death we will step into the arms of the One who declared, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (NIV).

Winston Churchill believed this. The prime minister planned his own funeral. Two buglers were positioned in the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral. At the conclusion of the service, the first played Taps, the signal of a day completed; the second played Reveille, the song of a day begun. Death is no pit but a passageway, a corner turn. Isaiah wrote, “Your dead will live…All you dead and buried, wake up! Sing!…The earth is bursting with life, giving birth to the dead” (Isaiah 26:19 MSG).

So play on, bugler, play on!

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Covered in Christ

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by Max Lucado

 

The Apostle Paul says, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:27 NIV). When you make God’s story yours, he covers you in Christ. You wear him like a vest. Old labels no longer apply. How about these new labels: Royal priest. Free from condemnation. Secure. God’s coworker. God’s temple. God’s workmanship. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe.

Psalm 103:12 reminds us not to mess with the old clothes any longer. “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (NIV). When God sends your sins to the east and you to the west, you can be sure of this: he sees his Son and not your sin. In fact, Isaiah 43:25 says he “remembers your sins no more.” How do you like that outfit?

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Keep Your Mind on Heaven

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by Max Lucado

 

Do you feel as if your best years have passed you by? Hogwash! You’ll do your best work in heaven. Do you regret wasting seasons of life on foolish pursuits? So do I. But we can stop our laments. We have an eternity to make up for lost time.

Colossians 3:1 (NKJV) is a great reminder to “seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.” Seek heaven the way a sailor seeks the coast or a pilot seeks the landing strip. Colossians 3:2 (NCV) says, “Think only about” it. Other translations say, “Keep your mind on” it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides.

In other words, obsess yourself with heaven. Open your eyes, Christ invites. Lift up your gaze. You were made for more than this life.

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God Will Never Let You Go

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by Max Lucado

 

Satan tried to write his own story in which he was the hero and God is an afterthought. He admitted as much: “I will ascend to the heavens…I will make myself like the Most High” as quoted in Isaiah 14:13-14. Satan wanted to take God’s place, but God wasn’t—and isn’t—moving. Satan wants to win you to his side, but God will never let you go. You have his word!

Even more, you have his help. Scripture says, “For our high priest (Jesus) is able to understand our weaknesses…he was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin. Let us then…come before God’s throne where there is grace…to help us when we need it” (Hebrews 4:15-16). You don’t have to face Satan alone. We shout, and God runs—at the right moment.

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