I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit, and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19 HCSB
2. I pray that He may grant you to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit.
God has strength and power for all of us. This power is not dominion, power over others, but it is a servant power to others. It is not a weak power but it is His power through His Holy Spirit.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/act.1.8.HCSB
And look, I am sending you what My Father promised. As for you, stay in the city until you are empowered from on high.”
Luke 24:49 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/luk.24.49.HCSB
It is a witnessing power.
Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/mat.28.18-20.HCSB
It is a discipling power. It is a teaching power.
Then He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; they will pick up snakes; if they should drink anything deadly, it will never harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”
Mark 16:15-18 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/mrk.16.15-18.HCSB
It is a preaching power. It is a driving, speaking, and healing power.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” After saying this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
John 20:21-23 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/jhn.20.21-23.HCSB
It is a peaceful power. It is a sending power. It is a forgiving power.
It is the power of God for those who are in the church, outside the church, and the ones who will hate the church.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/gal.5.22-23.HCSB
Love is God's power.
"Joy is love rejoicing.
Peace is love resting.
Longsuffering (patience) is love forbearing.
Kindness is love serving others.
Goodness is love seeking the best for others.
Faithfulness is love keeping its promises.
Gentleness is love ministering to the hurts of others.
Self-control is love in control."
(copied from Derek Prince's "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit" https://www.derekprince.org/Publisher/File.aspx?id=1000021496)
The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/1jn.4.8.HCSB
God's power is not to harm others but it may hurt when a rebuke is needed, but yet we are to rebuke in love. God's power is not to enable others to stay in sin but is to be used to encourage others out of sin. Just as He does with us.
I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of His appearing and His kingdom: Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching.
2 Timothy 4:1-2 HCSB
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