Made for More Challenge #3: YOU Can Tap Into God’s Physical Power

The last two weeks, we’ve been talking about the risen life—how you can walk in the MORE for which God created you. The first week, I challenged you to take a step toward a life of faith by finding one Scriptural promise to claim for your need and praying that promise back to God. Did you do it?

The second week, I challenged you to commit to a life lived in agreement. I asked you to dedicate one hour each week to attending a small group at your local church, so you can build friendships and find like-minded people to walk with you on this journey of life. I hope you’ll be in that small group this Sunday, worshipping and studying God’s Word together.

Today as we celebrate the Feast of Firstfruits, I want to talk to you about a life lived in power. Christ himself was and is our Firstfruits (1 Corinthians 15:23).

Did you know that you can tap into God’s physical power?

God’s power is not reserved for an elite few. It’s not just something you can see at church services, when people get healed or fall to the ground in the glory of the Holy Spirit. No; God’s power is available to everyone. Our Father wants us to be filled with His power in our daily lives.

Romans 8:11-12 says:

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.”

Notice that Paul wrote that the Holy Spirit would give life to your mortal body! He wasn’t referring to some kind of heavenly power that would fill your immortal body after you go to Heaven. He was saying that God will give you the power you need to accomplish every task set before you on THIS earth, in THIS life!

That means the Holy Spirit will give you power to:

· Take the kids to ball practice;

· Face another day working in a tough job;

· Say “au revoir” to your military spouse who’s leaving on deployment;

· Save money and get out of debt;

· Get to church every week;

· Exercise and eat right; and

· Take care of your marriage.

. Forgive those who have hurt you

God’s power is available to you right now. He wants to help you with every task you will face this week.

So how do you tap into God’s supernatural power?

Your challenge today is to try out the two secrets to being filled with God’s power. Both of these secrets are found in Psalm 71:5-9, which says:

“For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth. By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb.

My praise shall be continually of You. I have become as a wonder to many, but You are my strong refuge. Let my mouth be filled with Your praise and with Your glory all the day.

Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.”

Secret #1 to being filled with power is to ask.

The Psalmist specifically asked for strength. He said, “Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.” Jesus said that if we ask, we would receive (Matthew 7:7), and the apostle James told us that we have not because we ask not (James 4:2).

So we need to ask God for help, even in the mundane circumstances of our daily lives. If something is important to you, it’s important to God. So ask your Father for the power you need!

Pray this simple prayer with me:

“Heavenly Father, in Jesus’ name, I want to thank You for Your Word today. I ask You to fill me with Your Holy Spirit right now. Fill me up with Your joy, which is my strength. Fill me with Your own strength, life, and victorious power today. Help me to notice Your power at work in my life, and help me to finish everything I have to get done today with more power and anointing than I ever dreamed. Bless all the work of my hands, and I give You praise and glory for what You’re going to do. Thank You, Father.”

Secret #2 to tapping into God’s power is to trust.

If you just prayed the prayer above, God heard you and He will answer. So believe Him, and go after everything you have to do today in faith.

Faith without works is dead, so you have to act and not just ask. However, if you’ll go after what you have to do today (the “works”) and believe Him to keep His promise (the “faith”), He will be right there to back you up with His anointing! He will put His “super” on your “natural” and do supernatural things that surprise you.

As you move throughout your day, it will build your faith AND your joy (and remember, the joy of the Lord is your strength) if you will keep an eye out for the Holy Spirit at work in your life. For example:

· When you get the kids in bed and they haven’t burned the house down, thank God for His help!

· When you get your housework finished, notice what a miracle that was and praise Him for it!

· When you make it through a tough day at work and you weren’t sure you would, thank him for it!

Your final Made for More challenge is simple: ask, and you shall receive!

Ask God for physical strength. Ask Him to fill you with His victorious power. Then trust that He heard your prayer and will do extraordinary things in your ordinary life.

Do you need God’s power and strength today? Leave a comment below if this message speaks to you!

Also, don’t forget to pray for our RPMI Passover conference starting today! I'm asking God for a mighty outpouring of his spirit and partners to help me do what God has placed in my heart to do.

Here are the mission projects we’re currently working on:

We’re hosting an evangelistic crusade in Nicaragua in June.
We’ve almost finished the construction of Phase 4 of our new Abba's House Church and children’s center in Cien Fuegos Dominican Republic.
Plans are underway for Abba's House Haiti and Cuba.
The dream for RPMI is to build a second church in El Rubio, D.R. This area has not been reached with the Gospel.
Also, our feeding and homeless ministries needs additional funds.
We want to support local churches in the inner-city to assist them with Chattanooga's gang problems. We are working with like-minded individuals about some partnership ideas.

Will you be one of our partners? Will you come into agreement with the mission and vision God has given us and stand with us as we carry the message of Christ to the ends of the earth? We are asking those that can to Sow a Firstfruits offering to RPMI today. You can give securely on this website if you can't make it to the conference. If you don't have a church home, we invite you to join us live today at the Faith Worship Center (Chatsworth, GA) Facebook page at 10:30 am.

Thank you in advance for your partnership and prayers, and please keep us in your prayers this week. Expect Big Things. Experience New Things. Exemplify Christ in all you do!