Praying for power

Most Australians are innately suspicious of power.  When we spy a tall poppy, our instinct is to lop its head off.  Preferably unceremoniously.  Suspicion of authority and power is blamed on that ‘convict past’.  It’s so pervasive that even a migrant like me has absorbed it to some degree. 

‘Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely’ – Lord Acton.  So we are right to be suspicious of power.  Right?

Actually, the Scriptures give us a mandate to pray for power!  And to pray for power for ourselves, for each other and for our fellow-servants in the Gospel work.  It’s in Ephesians 3:14-21. 

‘I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power…’ v16

But what sort of power is Paul asking God to strengthen the Ephesian Christians with?  Four observations: 

First, it is power that comes from God’s infinite storehouse of wealth and might, ‘out of his glorious riches’.  God’s power!  For us!  A mighty power, and a holy power – untainted by sin and corruption. 

Second, it is power to ‘strengthen’ us.  What is achieved is a spiritual strength that will enable us to dominate any evil influence.  That’s real power!  It achieves all the things Paul writes about in the next three chapters.  Culminating in chapter six, Paul writes, ‘Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power… Put on the full armour of God’. 

Third, it is a spiritual power.  It is ‘power through his Spirit in your inner being’.  It is the kind of power that comes with the indwelling Holy Spirit, who lives in every converted Christian believer, transforming us from ungodliness and unholiness to become increasingly godly, holy, wise, loving, humble, servant-hearted and … powerful.  Powerful in a way that the world struggles to understand, but still recognises when it acknowledges true godliness and wisdom working for peace and justice. 

Fourth, it is a Christ-in-you power.  For the purpose of that power, is ‘…that Christ might dwell in your hearts through faith’.  The verb ‘to dwell’, indicates living or dwelling in a place in a settled or established manner.  We pray for a power that results in the exuberant, un-self-conscious exclamation, ‘It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me!’  (Gal 2:20). 

Christian believer: would you pray for this sort of power?  For me, for CMS missionaries, for your church members, for yourself?  Would you use Ephesians 3:14-21 and the four observations above to pray for our shared Gospel ministry in Christ?  Please do!

Here is a great book on prayer sure to reinvigorate your prayer life through the Scriptures: ‘A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from the Prayers of Paul’, D. A. Carson.  Buy two copies – give one away! 

(First published in CMS Victoria's Branch Matters bulletin, December 2012.)