By his power

Luke 24:49 By his power
In other winter seasons, my daughter and my wife usually had cold. But I rarely had cold. But few weeks ago something strange happened at my home. I had cold. But my wife and daughter did not have cold. "What a strange thing !" I thought, 'why ?' And I guessed, "Oh, it is because my daughter and my wife have the power to overcome cold because they had flu shot. But I didn't."
Brothers and sisters, humans have potential power. Before the fall of Adam and Eve and before the Noah's flood, humans had the physical power that they could live more than 900 years. And they had the intellectual power that Adam could name all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. And they had the spiritual power so that they could hear the voice of God.
But after the fall of Adam and Eve and after the Noah's flood, the change of the environment caused humans to lose their power so that they cannot live 100 years and they cannot know that there is God. But we desperately need power because Satan and his demons try to steal, kill and destroy us.
We need the power to overcome cancer and other diseases, sins and curse, Satan and his demons. We need the power to reach the resurrection of our body, and the power to live prosperously even in this foreign land. And we know it is not possible by human power. So we trust God and we want to be clothed with his power.
Let me ask you a question. What is the source of your power ? Where does your power come from ? Some people think that the power comes from human knowledge or from the medical science or from human experience and their will. And they think Christians to be a kind of persons who have weak will or escapists from reality. But we are not the escapists from reality. Christians are the persons who have realized the limit of their power, and the humble persons who rely on God's power.
Let's see the apostle Paul. He was once the disciple of Gamaliel who was the most famous rabbi at that time. He had the Roman citizenship. He was very excellent at Greek language. And he thought himself to be perfect in law. But by his power and ability he misjudged Christianity so that he persecuted the Christians and destroyed the church. But after he met Jesus, he realized that by his power he could not overcome the world and sins, and could not do the works of God by his power.
Before he realized that, he named himself Saul which means 'big one'. But after he realized that, he changed his name to Paul which means 'small one'. Of course he had much more power than other disciples. He healed many patients. He built up many churches. He wrote half of the new testament. But he realized that he had no power in himself but in God.
He confessed, "We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."(2 Cor 4:7) "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."(Phil 4:13) It means that he can overcome the world, sins, diseases and curse by God's power not by his power.
My beloved, those who have come to this foreign land realize that they cannot do it by their power, by their experience, by their career. So they come to God and rely on God's power. It is the great benefit to us.
Bible says, "The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power."(1 Cor 4:20) And the power does not mean the human power but God's power. God wants to give us his power with the gospel of Jesus. The gospel has come to us not simply with words but also with power.(1 Thess 1:5) We are not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.(Rom 1:16)
One day as Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman who had been subject to bleeding for 12 years came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his cloak with the belief "If I touch even his cloak, I will be healed !" As she believed, she was completely healed. And Jesus said, "Someone touched me ; I know that power has gone out from me."(Luke 8:46) Many people touched his cloak. but the miracle happened to
only the woman who had belief in Jesus' power.
Brothers and sisters, we need his power, especially in this foreign land. We cannot overcome this world with tears but with his power. Without his power we cannot preach the gospel. Therefore Jesus said, "Stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."(Luke 24:49) "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you ; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."(Acts 1:8)
Jesus could do good and he healed the weak because God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and power.(Acts 10:38) And Paul said, "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."(1 Cor 2:4-5)
Today's Christians know very well that they have to love, to pray, to preach the gospel, to be holy. But they cannot do that because they do not have power. But I want all of us to receive his power. And by his power we may do that ! Amen !