Should we seek power ?

[Lou Newton]

I do not seek power. Why should I seek power ? I am sinful and would not do the right thing with any power. But also The Lord Jesus has all power and He walks with me every second. So I do not need any power, for He has it all. Certainly power is better left with Him, than for me to possess.

PURITY - Or POWER??

by David Wilkerson


Christ Is Made a Stranger In Our Midst - When We Want His Power

More Than His Purity!


Reader Harris, an Englishman and director of The Pentecostal

League of Prayer, once challenged a congregation on this matter

of power and purity. He said, "Those who want power, line up to

my right. Those who want purity, line up to my left." The

congregation lined up 10 to 1 - for POWER!


In the book of Acts, Pentecost was synonymous with purity more

than power. Peter told the council at Jerusalem what God did at

the house of Cornelius, "God...giving them the Holy Ghost, even

as He did unto us...purifying their hearts by faith..." (Acts 15:8-9 KJV)


Who is the man or woman of God who has power? Is it the one

who can heal the sick and raise the dead? Is it the one who can

best talk in tongues and prophesy? Is it the one who draws the

most people and builds the greatest church? No! The one with

the power - is the one with the purity! "...the righteous are bold

as a lion... (Proverbs 28:1 KJV)


The prophet Malachi prophesied of a supernatural purge coming

to God's house.


"... the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple...

but who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand

when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's

soap. And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He

shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver,

that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness."

(Malachi 3:1-3 KJV)


This is a dual prophecy. He speaks of Christ's first coming, and

also of His second! He will come again suddenly, as a thief in

the night. But first, He will purify His Church.

[Steve Hollander]

Amen Lou. I would only become more sinful with power. I need purity. I am counting on Him to purify me.

[Lou Newton]

Thanks for the reply Steve.

I have been to many churches that seem to seek power. I have heard many people pray for power. Why would we want power when we have confessed that we are sinful and lack wisdom; and we have given our lives to The Lord Jesus and asked Him to rule in our lives. I do not want power, for I am certain I would not do the right thing with it.

I trust in the Lord Jesus and not in myself. So I would desire that The Lord keeps all the power and does with it as He pleases. Now The Lord has sent me to pray for people to be healed and when I obeyed miracles took place. But I do not have any power to know who to heal, or when to heal, or the ability to heal. I am just a body of flesh that The Lord uses to speak through. He has all the power and it is Him alone that heals.

[Steve Hollander]

Lou wrote:
"He has all the power and it is Him alone that heals."

Amen Lou. I am thankful that it's all in His hands. I hope you're doing well.

[glen smith]

John 5:19 NIV
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

John 6:38 NIV
³⁸ For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

John 14:31 NIV
³¹ but he (prince of this world) comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

Luke 5:17 NIV
¹⁷ One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. (Note: In this verse “Lord” does not refer to Jesus.)

Literal word for word Greek Translation of Luke 5:17
And happened on one of days and he was teaching, and sitting were Pharisees and who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and power of Lord was for him of to heal,

Seeking Power is idolatry and the temptation from the evil one.
During the temptation of the Lord Jesus it was power that was being offered.
The story of Simon the magician demonstrates the Apostle Peter's teaching on seeking power.

Acts 8:18-23 NIV
¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money ¹⁹ and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰ Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! ²¹ You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. ²² Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. ²³ For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

As with Luke 5:17 and in this passage in Acts the power is a supernatural gift from God and is not the property of any other than God. Such power is not something to be owned or obtained but to be delivered when provided. The magician Simon thought he could obtain the power. The Apostle Peter reveals that even "such a thought in your heart" of seeking power indicates Simon was full of bitterness and a captive to sin.

So, what kind of person is it who seeks spiritual power?

[Lou Newton]

John 5:19 NIV
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

John 6:38 NIV
³⁸ For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

John 14:31 NIV
³¹ but he (prince of this world) comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

Luke 5:17 NIV
¹⁷ One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. (Note: In this verse “Lord” does not refer to Jesus.)

Literal word for word Greek Translation of Luke 5:17
And happened on one of days and he was teaching, and sitting were Pharisees and who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and power of Lord was for him of to heal,

Seeking Power is idolatry and the temptation from the evil one.
During the temptation of the Lord Jesus it was power that was being offered.
The story of Simon the magician demonstrates the Apostle Peter's teaching on seeking power.

Acts 8:18-23 NIV
¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money ¹⁹ and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰ Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! ²¹ You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. ²² Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. ²³ For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

As with Luke 5:17 and in this passage in Acts the power is a supernatural gift from God and is not the property of any other than God. Such power is not something to be owned or obtained but to be delivered when provided. The magician Simon thought he could obtain the power. The Apostle Peter reveals that even "such a thought in your heart" of seeking power indicates Simon was full of bitterness and a captive to sin.

So, what kind of person is it who seeks spiritual power?

Very good points Glen, it was power that Satan tempted Jesus with. Jesus refused Satan's temptations. As to His manhood, Jesus only had the power of a man, but as to His Godhood He was The Creator of everything that exists and had all power. But Jesus walked as a man and obeyed God and did everything that God asked Him to do, and did nothing unless God asked Him to do it.

We should follow His example.