From Powerless to Powerful

 DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS

FROM POWERLESS TO POWERFUL

Rom 5:6-8

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

NIV

Just to consider the fact that without being in Christ, all men are powerless. Before we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we were undoubtedly powerless. Jesus even said that apart from him, we can do nothing. Of course, that was in the context of bearing fruit, and that he is the vine, and we are the branches. However, that truth applies the same to our life in general. As far as one person daring to die for another, we think that has happened in the sense of war, and men have given their lives for others. As one who served, those we served in the Army with had that sense of being willing to die for our country and those who live in it. It is as though we gave the people in this country of ours a blank check up to and including our lives. However, even then would not have given anyone any power, they would have remained powerless. There is no power in the blood of man, but there is power in the blood of the Lamb. That power is what gives us life and sustains our lives. The truth is all about the love that God demonstrates to all of us by sending his Son to pay the penalty for our sins. Even if it had been required for us to give our lives for our family and friends, it would not have any effect on their sins, as in for their forgiveness. Even within the band of brothers, it might have been necessary to die for one another, it might have saved their lives, but it would not have given them any power or eternal life. The truth is that Jesus gives us eternal life, and he gives us power, for if we were powerless when Christ died for us, then once he died, we would have power. But what power we have is all wrapped up in the name of Jesus. Because we are in Christ and remain in him, we will bear much fruit. In addition, we can ask the Father for anything in the name of Jesus and we are told it will be done to us. Of course, because we are in Christ, we will only ask for that which is in the will of God. We would not ask God to give us material riches, although he has done that of his own choice for some believers, for he has said that he would provide all our needs. We can look to Jesus for all that we are, all that we have, and all that we do. If we are not looking to Jesus, then we are looking to ourselves and that has nothing to do with our faith in God. That type of living is strictly self-serving and humanistic. The other point here is that we should not look to God for power, but the fact is because we have faith, we have power. Once we were powerless, now we are powerful.