Plugged In And Powerful

So many Christians think that if they go to church regularly, serve in various capacities (i.e., committees, teaching, etc.) that this is what pleases God.  Unfortunately that is not necessarily true.  Yes, He does want us to attend church regularly and to serve, but if it is not done for the right reason, with the right attitude and with the proper power behind it, the results will not garner the best possible outcome.

Our motivation behind all we do should be only to reflect Christ in our lives.  It should never be so that we will be personally recognized or honored.  If recognition and/or honor should result, then our response should be one of grace and humility – not with any kind of “puffed up” reaction.

If we are not plugged into the true source of power our works can never have the full results that they should.  His power needs to motivate us and empower us to function at full capacity for the utmost results.  It is rather like having a flashlight that we need during a power outage, but it’s barely putting out enough light for us to see our way.  The power source is weak – the batteries have been used up – not unlike us when we try to do things only in our own strength.  But when new, fresh batteries are put into that same flashlight, there will be a bright light that can help guide us where we need to go and accomplish what we need to do.

As much as we would like to believe that we are strong and capable, we need to recognize that we really are pretty weak on our own.  But we do not have to live our lives as weak characters floundering through life.  We need to recognize the strength and power our Lord has and that He is willing to give us that same power.  2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV) the Lord speaks to Paul and says: “…’My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’”  Paul’s response to that is:  “…I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  How could Paul possibly be strong if he is weak?  Because he is plugged into the greatest power of all – his Lord!

Then in a letter Paul writes in Ephesians 1:18-20 (ERV) “I pray that God will open your minds to see his truth. Then you will know the hope that he has chosen us to have. You will know that the blessings God has promised his holy people are rich and glorious. And you will know that God’s power is very great for us who believe. It is the same as the mighty power he used to raise Christ from death and put him at his right side in the heavenly places.”

2 Peter 1:3-4 (TLB) tells us that “For as you know him better, he will give you, through his great power, everything you need for living a truly good life: he even shares his own glory and his own goodness with us! And by that same mighty power he has given us all the other rich and wonderful blessings he promised; for instance, the promise to save us from the lust and rottenness all around us, and to give us his own character.”  I believe the next 5 verses (5-9-NLT) then tell us how we can get plugged in and what some of the results can be:  “In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.  The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.”

To be plugged in and powerful we only need to lean into the loving arms of our Heavenly Father!

Written by Karran Martin – February 15, 2019/Revised October 16, 2026