Common Christians imagine the qualities of Jesus as those the world considers to be good. They do not realize that the sensibilities of the natural man find actual righteousness repugnant. They ignore the many scripture accounts where Jesus demonstrates qualities they find offensive. Jesus wasn’t crucified for being a nice guy, but for pointing out that a lot of what people thought was good was actually evil, and at least some of what people thought was evil was actually good. The problem is that God’s character cannot be subdivided, and the undesirable portions are at least as necessary to obtain as the desirable portions. All of God’s power is completely coupled to all of God’s character. To obtain and exercise his power in ways that normal people find attractive, you must also obtain and exercise his power in ways that normal people find repulsive.
When God’s power is spoken of, it is typically in the context of working miracles. The kinds of miracles you expect—healing, prophecy, and so on—are performed in conjunction with and as a result of the kind of miracles you probably wouldn’t even count as such, let alone desire. The power of God includes the power to:
- Love those who hate you.
- Rejoice in suffering for the benefit of others.
- Stare into the darkest abyss for as long as it takes to see the light
- Overcome evil with good.
- Forgive those who spitefully use you and persecute you
- Bless those who curse you.
- Limit yourself to actions that are God’s will.
- Endure all intensities and duration of suffering
- Maintain the Lord’s principles in spite of all opposition
- Overcome all things that would otherwise control you
- Do what you say.
- Say what you do.
If you aren’t interested in developing the power to do these things, you will never develop the power to perform miracles such as healing the sick, commanding the elements, or raising the dead.
God’s power is found in God’s purpose, and those who only pursue the parts of his purpose that are pleasant will find very little of his power. Only those who are as willing to advance God’s purpose when it hurts them as they are when it helps them will possess more than minimal power with God.257
Footnotes
- 1. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. (1 Thessalonians 1:5) ↩
- 2. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. (1 Corinthians 4:20) ↩
- 3. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:1521) ↩
- 4. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power. (Luke 4:32) ↩
- 5. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: (1 Corinthians 2:4) ↩