By Dr Steve Danso – Believers tend to overlook one aspect of creation that bodes in their favor: That man was created in God’s image. “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (27) God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Gen. 1:26-27). Isn’t this amazing? Absolutely!
The moon, stars, mountains and valleys were all created by God, but they are just inanimate objects; dull, lifeless and without any spirit. God cannot communicate with these objects, except man. Yet, we have looked down on this privilege because of what the devil whispers in our ears from time to time: ‘You are not pleasing anybody; you can control your own life’. But let’s think about this: A torchlight without batteries is of no use. In the same manner, it is of no use putting batteries in a torchlight without switching the light on. A believer is like the flashlight with batteries. The Holy Spirit dwells in us the moment we surround our lives to Him. However, in order to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, we have to turn on the power switch.
In the Book of Ephesians, Paul made an interesting point: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). How do believers find out what God has created them to do? By keeping a close relationship with Him by studying His word, praying and obeying what He teaches us to do. Intimacy with God! This is one aspect of our Christian life that is underdeveloped. God does not promise life without pain and suffering and if we are to develop this missing component of our lives, we would understand how God works and cope much better with whatever life has to throw our way.
The story is told of a man who went on a cruise during vacation. For three days, this man was holed up in his cabin eating crackers and cheese. On the fourth day, one of the stewards of the ship knocked his door to find out why he was not coming out to take his meals because he paid for them. The man’s response, “I never thought the package included meals.” The ticket he bought included all activities on board, including meals, but he never thought that food was part of the package and for three days, ate only cheese and crackers. That is exactly what happens to believers. We walk in darkness and bump heads when we are fully powered to ‘turn our lights on.’
King Davis said in Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” The key point here is that what we desire will come to pass if our motives are consistent with the will of God. Operating in the power of God means that we are in agreement with God. We follow him and listen to His instructions.
Early fathers like Moses, Elijah, Elisha and Paul are lessons of spiritual forthrightness. To these spiritual giants, prayer, fellowship with God, obedience and sensitivity to the voice of God were critical. Living in the sanctity of God, they attained spiritual successes because of their intimate relationship with Him. The Apostle Paul defined our position here on earth. “Therefore, you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:7). John paints a clearer picture. He says in John 14:12-14. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do.” Our power to survive challenges resides not in us, but with God, who dwells within us. The Scriptures say in Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” If that is our assurance, then we must rise up to the challenge.
We’re not exempt from the storms of life. We will come very close to cursing God at a point because of frustrations and the specter of failure. It will threaten our faith and stability, but with full confidence in His power to sustain us, we can say with Paul, “We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed, we are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed” (2nd Cor. 48:9).
Remember that God is aware of every situation we go through. He came to live with us and was tested in all situations like us. Job became very intimate with God not because he simply wanted to know Him; he realized that through Him, he was primed to overcome. What we know is that at a point in his crisis, Job turned his light on and emerged out of the dark shadows of life into the glare of sunlight once again. If you haven’t turned your light on, don’t waste any more time. Nurture your relationship with the Lord and begin doing the great things that God has designed for you to do. The power of God is in you, turn it on right now because you need that power to survive!
