The Empowered* Christian
(*to give power or authority)
Pastor George Lehman
God has put all the ingredients you need for a successful life in His word
The promises of God are of NO value to us until, through obedience, we come to understand the nature of God through His word.
This is the truth but in so many of our lives it’s not a reality.
How? By reading His word and gaining “knowledge”.
2 Corinthians 8:7 (Amp) – Now as you *abound and **excel and are at the front of everything, in faith-in speech – in knowledge.
*abound = plentiful; to be rich ** excel = higher in quality
Yes, we are talking about the importance of KNOWLEDGE.
An empowered Christian is one who walks in a higher, richer, quality of knowledge.
John 8:31-32(Amp) – 31So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, ‘If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. 32And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.’
The level and quality of your “knowledge” will empower you to walk by “Faith” and a “Holy overcoming lifestyle”.
It’s clearly seen in an Empowered Christians life
Matthew 12:33 – Jesus compared our lives to a fruit tree – A tree (man) is recognized by its fruit …
True story of East Berlin years ago was controlled by the communists. West Berlin was free.
One day some people in East Berlin took a truckload of garbage and dumped it on the West Berlin side. The people on the West Berlin side could have retaliated by doing the same thing.
BUT instead they took a truckload of canned food, fancy goodies, bread & milk and neatly stacked it on the East Berlin side.
On top of the stack of food they placed the sign: “Each gives what he has.”
Here Paul compliments the church for what He recognizes in them.
Romans 15:14 (Amp) – Personally I am satisfied about you, my brethren, that you yourselves are rich in goodness, amply filled with all [spiritual] knowledge and competent to *admonish and counsel and instruct one another also.
*admonish = urge, advise, remind, warn
You cannot give what you don’t have – to bless, encourage and uplift people.
Don’t ever underestimate the power of knowledge.
2 Peter 1:2-3 (NIV) – 2Grace and peace be yours in abundance… (HOW) through the KNOWLEDGE of God and of Jesus our Lord.
3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness (HOW) through our KNOWLEDGE of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.
Jesus’ own words:
Matthew 13:11-12 (Amp)
In verse 11 – Jesus, speaking says to the disciples… The Holy Spirit brings knowledge to us about the secrets of God.
v12 – For whoever has (spiritual knowledge) to him will more be given and he will be furnished richly so that he will have abundance; but for him who has not, even what he has will be taken away (the enemy will rob it from you, Not GOD, it will be a result of your own Ignorance think of the Parable of the Sower).
Here is a real stern warning as to what we do about all the Sermons and word we are regularly hearing. Boy, are we going to be held accountable
Hebrews 2:1-3 (Amp) 1Since all this is true, we ought to pay much closer attention than ever to the truths that we have heard, lest in any way we drift past [them] and slip away.
For if the message given through angels [the Law spoken by them to Moses] was authentic andproved sure, and every violation and disobedience received an appropriate (just and adequate) penalty,
How shall we escape [appropriate retribution] if we neglect andrefuse to pay attention to such a great salvation [as is now offered to us, letting it drift past us forever]? For it was declared at first by the Lord [Himself], and it was confirmed to us and proved to be real and genuine by those who personally heard [Him speak].
Paul to the church:
1 Corinthians 15:34 (Amp) – Awake [from your drunken stupor and return] to sober sense and your right minds, and sin no more. For some of you have not the knowledge of God [you are utterly and willfully and disgracefully ignorant, and continue to be so, lacking the sense of God’s presence and all true knowledge of Him]. I say this to your shame.
This in the Amplified bible is one of the heaviest rebukes we will ever read, as a result of our ignorance
We’re talking about being “empowered” by “knowledge”.
Proverbs 1:7 (Amp) – The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline.
“Wisdom” is the ability to use the “knowledge” you have received.
To live wisely, talk wisely, act wisely, think wisely.
Isaiah 11:9b (NKJV) – For the earth shall be full of the KNOWLEDGE of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
Proverbs 1:22 – How long, O simple ones [open to evil], will you love being simple? And the scoffers delight in scoffing and [self-confident] fools hate knowledge?
It’s not so much hating knowledge – it’s the deliberate [opsetlike] choice not to:
Acquire knowledge, or
be obedient to knowledge
Hear this:-
Galatians 6:7 – Do not be deceived and deluded (fooled) and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained or mocked by mere pretensions or professions or by His precepts being set aside). [He inevitably deludes (fools) himself who attempts to delude (fool) God.] For whatever a man sows that and that only is what he will reap.
The sad truth is this:
There is so many Christian’s walking around that are weak, defeated, ineffective and unproductive, because they have never bothered, discovered or developed their full potential as believers in their Knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
They are not “Empowered Christians”.
SO!!
How can a Christian be “Empowered”? (“given power” – authority)
One most certain way is:
Through knowledge of the WORD of God.
Then wisely applying the WORD effectively and appropriately as a way of life.
James 1:22 – Be doers of the word, not merely listeners to it.
You need to make a real heart commitment too, Never take getting knowledge for granted or be slack about it.
Read your Word, study it, meditate on it, growth will come.
You’ll be surprised what an “Empowered Christian” you’ll become.
CLOSE
Daniel 11:32b (Amp) – But the people who know (have knowledge) of their God shall prove themselves strong and shall stand firm and do *exploits (for God).
*exploits = bold and daring.
Remember the story of the garbage – each one gives what he has!!
What do you have, what’s in you to give right now???????????????
AMEN
