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Empowerment is important for a happy, peaceful, and successful
life. There are many self-help books and techniques written and
developed by men. In this article, we investigate empowerment from
God.
Notice that God has empowered everyone (having normal mental faculties)
to repent from sin and turn to God (Lk. 13:13). And, He has empowered
all men to believe into the name of Jesus and therefore receive
the right to become children of God (Jn. 1:12-13). But God empowers
Christians beyond the power granted to alien sinners.
Paul writes to the Colossians: "For this reason we also, since
the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that
you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding; that you may have a walk worthy of the
Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might,
according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering
with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light" (Col. 1:9-12).
Note these points of interest from the above Scripture:
- This is Paul's prayer to God for them (vs. 9).
- Paul prays that they are filled with the full-knowledge of
God's will (vs. 9).
- Paul prays that they be filled with spiritual wisdom and understanding
(vs. 9).
- The result of being filled with full-knowledge; spiritual wisdom
and understanding:
- vs. 10 walk worthy of the Lord.
- vs. 10 fully pleasing - literally: into all pleasing.
- vs. 10 being fruitful in every good work.
- vs. 10 increasing in the full-knowledge of God.
- vs. 11 strengthened with all might - literally: empowered
with all power.
- vs. 11 for all patience and longsuffering with joy.
Now someone asks, "How do I do that? How do I access the power
from God in my life?"
First: We must come to a full-knowledge of God through His word.
Jesus says: "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free"
(Jn. 8:31-32). The word of God empowers us through knowledge to
overcome sin through Christ. Additionally, Christians are empowered
to overcome every trial of life to "glory in tribulations" (Rom.
5:3).
Second: We make our requests known to our Father in heaven. We
are confident that if we ask anything according to His will He hears
us (1 Jn. 5:14). We cast all our care upon Him (1 Pet. 5:7). And
our faith assures us of God's providential care.
Third: We gain strength from other Christians as we assemble in
considering one another in order to stir up love and good works
(Heb. 10:24-25). We admonish one another (Rom. 15:14), restore the
one overtaken in a trespass in a spirit of gentleness (Gal. 6:1),
and bear one another's burdens (Gal. 6:2).
God has blessed us with the revelation of His mind, an avenue whereby
we may petition Him,and a spiritual family to edify, encourage,
and admonish one another. God Himself even chastens us if we sin
and refuse to turn back to Him (Heb. 12:5-11).
God strengthens (empowers) Christians with a power that the world
cannot receive. Therefore, we should not compare ourselves to the
world, nor should we be of the world. For we are a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, God's own chosen people (1 Pet. 2:9).
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