Knowing God #3: Activating God’s Power In My Life
Pastor Scott Applegate
Sermon Notes:
“Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: “Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.” Revelation 19:6 NLT
“And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!” Revelation 19:6 NKJV
Omnipotent: God is all powerful to do what He wants and wills to do
“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” Jeremiah 32:17 NIV
Are there things God cannot do?
- He cannot deny Himself
“if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13 NIV
- He cannot lie
“…in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time…” Titus 1:2 NIV
- He cannot be tempted by evil nor does He tempt anyone
“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;” James 1:13 NIV
- He cannot change Who He is
“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19 NIV
When can I count on God’s power?
- When I am tired
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV
- When I am weak
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:8 NIV
“…For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” Romans 7:18 ESV
- When I hurt
“…I am the Lord, who heals you.” Exodus 15:26 NIV
How to activate God’s power in your life (Ephesians 1:11-23, 3:14-21)
- Acceptance: We need to admit we are powerless in ourselves
“…God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5 NASB
- Allegiance: We need to be consistently connected to the source
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NASB
- Assurance: We need to courageously face our fears and the future
“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1 NLT