Power

He has no power over me.  
Jesus
to His disciples
referring to "the ruler of this world"
Satan.

He.has.no.power.over.me.

NLT Study Bible says this:  The events unfolding in Jerusalem that led to the cross were not controlled by the ruler of this world, meaning Satan.  The cross was not an accident and Jesus was not a helpless victim.  Rather, Jesus was obedient to God's plan (page 1803).

Hmm?  How many times have I thought I had no power over the ruler of this world?  Or, that the circumstances I was facing caused me to be a victim?  How would things have changed if I had seen them as an opportunity for me to simply be obedient to God's plan ... and rendered the enemy powerless?

Story.  Once upon a time, my Chris and I experienced one of the hardest times in our lives.  We felt attacked personally and professionally.  The heart-ache that we endured was none other like we had experienced.  The most painful part of the whole thing was the participants of the conflict were like-minded people - Christians.

Looking back, the experience brought us to a new place, taught us the difference between relationship and religion, and dared us to trust God more than men.  Tough lessons but well worth the education.

Yet, while walking through the mire of that situation, there were often times that I believed the opposite of what Jesus told His disciples.  I DID believe that the ruler of this world had great power over me.  Because of the intensity of pain I was experiencing, I believed that there was no way out - that the enemy had won - that God was hiding ... or more disturbing still ... that God was cowering in a corner just like I was.

Therein lies the catch.  If Satan - the ruler of this world - can convince the followers of Jesus of a nasty little lie: He is not only the ruler but holds all power - then he's won.  However, for those of us who dare to trust God's Word as truth, it's a lie: to believe that we are victims to what the world throws at us.

What if I dare to believe that in difficult circumstance, I am not the victim?  I get to exercise the power that I have in Christ - through the Holy Spirit - to walk through being obedient to God and trust His plan.  Will it hurt?  Probably.  But the hurt molds and shapes me more like the One I am following.  Will it cost?  Probably.  But it will not cost more than the One I am following has already paid.

It's a paradigm shift from taking the role of a victim to that of a victor.  But, what does that really look like? Jesus still went to the cross; that was God's plan.  He didn't go through the experience pain free; he hurt.  But, all the while, He went through it in obedience to God - trusting His plan not His own.  He could have gone through kicking and screaming.  He didn't.  He walked through it - through the power of the Holy Spirit that had rested on him after being baptised by John.  He was in fellowship with His Father - in the midst of the anquish.  He knew who held the power - and who didn't.

On our own, we will believe lies.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will believe truth.  We will know that we are not victims.

Putting on My Power Suit,
Christina


NLT=New Living Translation