A spiritual powerlift

APHYSICAL trainer friend of mine will sometimes present his clients with a weightlifting bar with a large amount of weight on each end. He then instructs them to lift the bar, and — of course — they can’t. Next, he tells them to try and lift the weight several times a day for several weeks. After the allotted time, they return and unfailingly report that they can lift the weight over their heads. They often remark that, at first, they never thought this growth in power would be possible!

In Ephesians 1, Paul passionately wrote to the saints in Ephesus, “I . . . pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him” (Ephesians 1:19). He then declared with obvious confidence that the same power which raised Jesus from the dead also placed Him at the right hand of Almighty God in heaven (Ephesians 1:20). “Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else — not only in this world but also in the world to come” (Ephesians 1:21). His power is eternal, and that power has been given in fullness to His church — that is, to the people He has chosen! (Ephesians 1:22-23).

The power at our disposal for furthering Jesus’ work on earth to God’s praise and honor is limitless. Yet, speaking for myself, I can frequently be found languishing in defeat — seeming to lack even the smallest amount of real spiritual strength. Paul makes it clear that defeat isn’t God’s plan for His church! Learning to rely on God’s limitless power is worth striving for, even if at first we fail to lift the “weightlifting bar” of His amazing calling. Through the study of Scripture, prayer, and the equipping of the Holy Spirit, we can learn to reveal God’s presence so that He’ll be honored and His power will be displayed in us.