2 THESSALONIANS 1:11-12 - MIRACULOUS POWER SUPPLY

Miraculous Power Supply

Lord, You supply the power

for every work of faith.

Help me to wholly lean on You,

living each day by Your grace.

“With this in view we constantly pray for you,

that our God may deem and count you worthy 

of [your] callingand [His] every gracious purpose of goodness, 

and with power complete in every particular [your] work 

of faith [faith which is that leaning 

of the whole human personality on God 

in absolute trust and confidence in His power, 

wisdom and goodness].

Thus may the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be glorified

and become more glorious through and in you, 

and may you [also be glorified] in Him according to the grace (favor and blessing) of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ,

the Messiah, the Anointed One.”

II Thessalonians 1:11-12 (Amplified Version)

dunamis¹⁴¹¹ – force (lit. or fig.); spec. miraculous power (usually by impl. A miracle itself): - ability, abundance, meaning, might (-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle (-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.

pistis⁴¹⁰² – persuasion, i.e. credence; mor. convicition (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), espec. reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstr. constancy in such profession; by extns. The system of religious (Gospel) truth itself: - assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.

            Sweet Pea is in the clutches of the bad guy. All seems lost. Popeye is scrawny compared to Brutus until he whips out his spinach, consumes it straight from the can, and sprouts muscles instantaneously. Sweat Pea is saved, and children everywhere eat their spinach.

God’s power is far better than spinach.  Without Jesus, I can do nothing; but if I stay close to him and allow him to live through me, I can do everything he has called me to do. (John 15:5, Philippians 4:13).

Miraculous power – have I ever prayed for that?  When I pray for my friends in ministry, do I pray that God will empower their works of faith in order to glorify Christ? I’ve come to the conclusion that I voice puny prayers. I pray, “Lord, if it’s your will, please strengthen Richard to lead men to a closer walk with you.” I pray as if God’s power is limited by our ability.  It is not.  I should pray, “Lord, I know it’s your will for men to be transformed by your grace. Infuse Richard with your power to speak boldly and live adventurously for you. Complete his work of faith by taking the men you’ve entrusted to him and totally renewing them to serve you faithfully.”

            Lord, I yearn to have absolute trust in your power, wisdom, and goodness. I pray that your power will be evident in the works of faith you are completing in and through me. I am relying on your ability to complete the work you started in me (Philippians 1:6) because I know that without faith in Christ I am incapable of pleasing you (Romans 8:5-11).