An Available Powerhouse

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms…Ephesians 1:17-20

Two weeks ago my husband and I cancelled our YWCA membership and joined a gym much closer to our home. The Y is a state of the art facility and it worked well for my husband because his office was nearby and he could work out during his lunch break. For me, however, it only worked for a short while…

Although it boasts the huge, inviting swimming pool and sauna, top of the line weight machines, updated treadmills with personal, built-in TV screens, an indoor track, and Zumba classes, it didn’t work for me for one main reason. It just wasn’t convenient to home and all the places in my normal errand route, and therefore I did not use it. Not to mention I was just plain lazy.

It was an available powerhouse so to speak, but my body was not affected because I did not take advantage of that membership. Yes, I belonged to the Y, but admittedly my outward appearance does not look like one who regularly works out!

And so I began to ponder those same similarities between the Holy Spirit and me - the Christian…

The Holy Spirit is an available Powerhouse to all believers…The Bible tells us, “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit…” Ephesians 1:13

The Spirit is able to give us wisdom, discernment, and the power to do incredible things we would not otherwise have the capability to do on our own. Believers can tap into this “incomparably great power…like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead.” (vs. 19-20) Some pretty serious business!

I just finished the book Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo, who happens to be a pastor. It is about his four-year-old son’s trip to Heaven when he almost died several years ago. A must read, and a fascinating story as the parents gradually learned more and more information about his experience in Heaven in the months following his hospital release.

There is a chapter in the book called “Power from Above” and it absolutely gave me chills! The young child told his mother, “I’ve seen power shot down to Daddy…Jesus shoots power down to Daddy while he’s talking.”

When his dad approached him about it, he responded so simply, “It’s the Holy Spirit. I watched Him…He showed me…he shoots down power for you when you’re talking at church.”

WOW!

All I can say is that has given me a whole new outlook on the power of the Holy Spirit - The True Powerhouse!

If we are believers, we already belong to the club. We don’t even have to go anywhere to get the Power – He has already taken up residence in our body, we just have to ask for His help. It really is that simple.

So, as for my physical workout, I am already more active and I have been working out on a more regular basis. Soon, I hope to see some results in my body, like less of it!



But I also hope to see more results in my spiritual workout…some of the equipment at my gym is called Body Masters…when I see those words written across the weight machines, I think of who the Master of my body really is…my body is God’s Temple and His Spirit lives in me! (1 Corinthians 3:16)

Through Him I can have an available Powerhouse of “endless energy, boundless strength.” (Ephesians 1:19 MSG)

The Equipment stands ready…I just have to use it.

Lord, thank You for this available Powerhouse You have given us through Your Holy Spirit. I am in awe that You would choose to “shoot down power” to your children on earth. Forgive me for all the times I have been too busy or even just too lazy to ask for Your guiding, powerful, discerning Holy Spirit in the various facets of my life. Please fill me with your strength and power and use me for Your glory in a mighty way. Amen!

© Christy Long 2011. All Rights Reserved.