The Power To Change

But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God (John 1:12, NRS)

I have a friend that quit smoking. She has had to change her routines to make sure she won't pick up a cigarette. I am blown away every time someone changes the way they have always lived. Put simply, our brain memorizes the triggers that cause an individual to behave in certain ways. It makes sense when someone says, "I have always done it this way." The brain signals the individual to do what they have always done because of specific triggers.

Christ offers humanity a power that transforms the way we live, a power that is greater than any trigger. John makes a remarkable statement about the gift of power which is to be received and realized within the life of the believer. The power (dynamis) of God is a dynamic force that transforms the experience of living for the believer.

How can this be possible? The power comes from the Spirit residing in the believer. Meditate on the Ephesians 3 prayer:

I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit . . . Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, (Ephesians 3:16,20 NRS)

Evaluate what you need to change.
Receive the power that is able to accomplish far more than you can ask or imagine.
Rely on the Spirit to change what needs to be changed.

Learning with you to live in and through the power of Spirit,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)