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I’m examining how to turn the power switch on. Suppose you knew everything about your computer there is to know—a real computer whiz—but you didn’t have any idea how to turn it on. What good would it do you to have all that computer know-how if you couldn’t turn on the computer?
Well, as silly as that sounds, many of us Christians have never learned how to turn on the switch that allows us to be powerful for God. We have this incredible source of power within us—the Holy Spirit of God. Yet we don’t know how to turn on the switch. Or could it be we don’t want to?
You see, the switch that turns on God’s power in our lives is prayer and God’s Word. You probably know that but are you willing to use those power tools? Maybe you’re looking for easier answers. Or something different—or something that gives a quicker fix.
Let me explain. In order to have electricity in your house, you have to pay your bill. Have you noticed—the power company is very insistent about regular payments. But we do it because we want the power; our lives are much better with electricity in our homes. So, we pay the price.
There’s a price to pay if you want to be a powerful Christian. The power is there, but you must be willing to pay the price.
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God (2 Corinthians 7:1).
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly (1 Timothy 4:7).
You must purify yourself and train yourself. That’s your job, and until you’re willing to pay that price, the power just doesn’t come on in your life. There are no shortcuts here. What is contaminating your body and spirit? Television? Wrong reading material? A judgmental attitude? A loose tongue that speaks in anger and haste? Those are some of the more common things that can contaminate our bodies and spirits. We must clean them out if we want to have power.
Then we have to have a training program for ourselves: A disciplined life that makes time for prayer and Bible study and fellowship with God’s people. That’s how we train to be godly, and when we are willing to pay the price, then the power comes on in our lives. It’s just that simple. I didn’t say easy, but it is simple. You want to be powerful for God; pay the price and you’ll discover how incredible it is to have his power flowing through you to others day in and day out.