The power of God – Friday, 24 November

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Romans 1:16 KJV

Paul is saying that the gospel (good news) of Christ is the power of God which produces salvation for everyone who believes.

Christianity isn’t about what you can do or should do for God; it’s about what He has done for you! Religion focuses on what we need to do for God, to please God or be accepted by God or see the power of God at work in our lives and all that this does is put a burden on people that they cannot carry.

Christianity focuses on Jesus and what He has done for us so that we can be accepted by God and have the power of God working in our lives. Jesus doesn’t want us to carry the burden of getting right with God – He carried it (2 Corinthians 5:21), and now He offers us an invitation to a life of resting and receiving, not striving and achieving (Matthew 11:28-30).

The word salvation in the Greek means more than having your sin forgiven and going to Heaven; it can be defined as health, deliverance, prosperity and wholeness. The good news of Jesus and what He has done for us (and on our behalf) is the power (ability) of God to produce healing, freedom, prosperity and wholeness in our lives. We cannot produce salvation (and all that it includes) – it’s a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8). You cannot earn it or deserve it; it’s a gift that must be received. This is good news!

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Romans 1:16 KJV

We receive this gift of God by believing. When we believe on Jesus (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10) it activates the ability of God in our lives to produce salvation, which includes health, freedom, prosperity and wholeness in every area of our lives.

The pressure is off! You do not experience God’s blessing and power in your life in proportion to your holiness (Acts 3:12) but in proportion to your believing (Mark 9:23; Mark 11:24). Look to Jesus and what He has done for you and your faith will be activated to receive (Hebrews 12:2). Stop trying to be right with God and accept that He has made you right in Christ. Stop trying to deserve His blessing and simply believe that you deserve because you are in Christ. Stop striving to achieve and start resting and receiving!