To operate successfully in real power is to know the difference between authority, anointing and power. It is not reaching for power but living in the authority, anointing and power you have in Christ.

Ultimate Authority

God is the source of all authority. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God and the Word was God, John 1:1. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among among us, John 1:14.

Jesus said, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth, Matthew 28:18. Authority exists before it is felt or seen for it is the being before the fact and is a delegated position.

Authority is also a legal position that says ‘You have the right to’. It is vital that followers of Christ understand the authority that is imparted to them through the person and name of Jesus Christ.

Anointing

At the moment of accepting  that Christ died to take the punishment for their sins, all believers are sealed and given the Holy Spirit in their hearts as a pledge, 2 Corinthians 1:21. They are set aside and empowered to do His will as God chooses to use human vessels. The anointing of God’s Spirit then rests on a person for a particular purpose connected to calling and function.

To be anointed is to be set aside and empowered. Jesus said, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me, Luke 4:18. The anointing of God is the power to preach the Gospel, proclaim release to the captive and recovery of sight to the blind. To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord, Luke 4:18.

The anointing increases through the depth of the intimacy of a person’s relationship with God and obedience to the Word of God. It can also be present in different measures, 30, 60, 100-fold, for not all have the same anointing or depth of commitment. It can be quenched or increased, depending on the depth of surrender to the great I Am that I Am, Exodus 3:15.

Power

Divine power is at work in the followers of Christ enabling them to do far more than all we can ask or even imagine, Ephesians 3:20. That power is not a vague force but the activity of a living God manifesting His authority, mercy and love through specific means, 1 Corinthians 4:20.

Christ’s followers were to stay in Jerusalem until they received the gift of the Holy Spirit, which the Father had promised, Acts 1:8. It enabled them to preach the Gospel in power that does not come from self-driven ambition or ego.

Increased Power

Power is increased as you enter into a deep and meaningful covenantal relationship with God, who is the only source of real and lasting power. It is uniquely bound to His eternal nature and purpose. Power that reaches into eternity and the ‘Now’ where God dwells.

To operate in the power of God is to be fully led by the indwelling Holy Spirit. There we operate in humility and the unshakeable authority of God, not from our own power. Operating in the power of God is not self-serving for real power is not egotistical. It is to be used to empower and exhort others.

The Combination

Just at the Godhead operates in unison, so too authority, anointing, and power must operate in unison. Authority without anointing becomes legalism as seen in many religions. Anointing without authority is unstable for it is ungrounded. Power without authority is counterfeit, dangerous, and temporary.

The seven sons of Sceva tried to operate in the power, but they had no godly authority, power, or anointing. The evil spirit they were trying to dislodge, mocked them, and left them naked and wounded, Acts 19:13-16.

Simon saw the authority, anointing and power the Apostles had. He offered them money to which Peter gave a scathing reply. You thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! Acts 8:18-20.

Align with the Truth

Truth is the source of all enduring authority, power and anointing. Lies, manipulation and hypocrisy distort the truth. Satan is the arch-enemy of truth for he is a liar and a murder from the beginning, John 8:44. He delights in smoke and mirrors in order to deceive even the very elect, Matthew 24:24.

We need to walk in God’s truth and to stand where spiritual law supports us, as we fully lean on the promises of God. Real power is not telling God what we want but yielding to what the Holy Spirit is doing and seeking only the will of the Father.

Be a Servant

Jesus, the creator of all things in heaven and on earth, Colossians 1:16, came to serve, Matthew 20:28, and to do only the Father’s will, John 6:38. If we desire to operate fully in the power of the Holy Spirit, we must do it with a servant’s heart.

You cannot command how the power of God will manifest itself, for you are not the master, just the willing servant. Service refines your intention, and God alone increases the influence. To operate sincerely in power is humbling, not pride inducing. Even of Jesus it was said I am a worm, Psalm 22:6.

The more seekers of power try, the more true power eludes them. Power is entrusted to us by God, at His choosing and by His will. We cannot command it anymore than we can command the wind. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit, John 3:8.

Hidden

Real power is hidden, for it is dictators who use power as a weapon. The barely noticed old lady sitting quietly in church may have more power in her little finger than the preacher yelling from the pulpit.

The quiet prayer warrior has power that is far beyond their knowledge or understanding. They move mountains that many people never know about, Mark 11:23.  They dwell in the secret place of the Most High God, Matthew 6:6. Their reward is not of this earth, but in heaven. There is no self-promotion, no self-gain, just a deep loving relationship with the Heavenly Father. 

How to Successfully Operate in Real Power

We are all accountable to the Highest Authority, God. We minister through His mercy and grace for in ourselves we are spiritually nothing. Even the most enlightened can fall when detached from accountability.

To successfully operate in real power is a blend of compassion with discernment, mercy with truth. Such power heals rather than harms, builds rather than breaks.

Operating successfully in real power is about not striving, but a life totally yielded to the Holy Spirit, through obedience, listening and walking in love. Above all it is about operating from love, the greater gift, 1 Corinthians 12:31.

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Dr. Wendy Stenberg-Tendys is a servant of the Lord who enjoys researching Biblical topics and sharing words of encouragement from the Word of God. She asks the hard questions.

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