The Power of Self or the Power of the Savior?
Satan is using false prophets in the church world to call God’s children to rise up when the LORD and His apostles clearly taught that we are to lay down our lives, not try to raise them up. Resurrection is His work but dying or laying down our lives is what He calls us to do.
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24 (memorize this)
The Bible says that women are the “weaker vessel” and never a warrior princess (1 Peter 3:7). God’s Word tells us that “every man at his best state is altogether vanity.” (Psalms 39:5)
Warrior Princess or “Weaker vessel”? “Mighty man of God” or Mighty Messiah? Do you see all the tough guy type lingo circulating among professing believers where we are being lured into standing up, picking ourselves up by our bootstraps and being poised to become like “mighty men and women of God.” On the surface this sounds good to the unlearned but is it biblical? These are terms we often hear and see modern artwork created that reflects the world’s idol figures of super-human type figures. This all an enormous deception that has brainwashed many. Start listening closely for terminology like this and weigh it all against Holy Scripture (Acts 17:11; Colossians 2:8-10). All this coming out type lingo and acts we see of the worlds people and those within professing Christendom, is not biblical. This is what is called self-actualization in the new age movement. Read Isaiah 14:12-15 and you will see just now luciferic this is. Paul said “to DIE is gain.” (Philippians 1:21) The Bible teaches us that there is a “mighty God” of weak men who when they surrender, it’s only then that He, the LORD, makes them “strong IN THE LORD and in the power of HIS might.” (Ephesians 6:10; Isaiah 9:6) Paul the apostle learned and taught this very dependence. He said “when I am weak, THEN am I strong.”
Paul also said “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” (Romans 7:18)
John the Baptist cried “He must increase but I must decrease!” (John 3:30)
Satan wants to taunt the believer to attempt to live in his own strength, denying Christ’s Lordship and power in his life (Luke 9:23-24). Satan loves this because man, without Christ’s divine power, is powerless to effect the enemy’s kingdom.
As the principle of great power and fruitfulness, Jesus taught this:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn (grain) of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone (is unfruitful): but IF it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” John 12:24-25
The key to bringing “forth much fruit” in the power of the God, is to “die” and to “lose” our life and hate our lives in this fleeting world.
The apostle Pauls wrote:
“And he said unto me, MY grace is sufficient for thee: for MY strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, THEN am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
If we want “the power of Christ” to “rest upon” us, we must begin to with Paul, “glory in my infirmities” or limitations, weakness, powerlessness and futility of self-effort. Then, the LORD will raise us up in His divine power. When we surrender to Him afresh, laying down our lives, He will reciprocate by causing us to bounce back up in His resurrection power. He will never raise us up until we by faith obey Him by laying down our life.
“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:10-12
God wants us getting down low – sinking down into the death of Christ – and it is then that His glorious power is made perfect or brought to fruition in us.
Beware beloved. There is a literal epidemic “conspiracy” of deceivers who claim to be representing Christ and yet teach contrary to His cross message (Ezekiel 22:25-27). Paul said they are “enemies of the cross of Christ.” (Philippians 3:18-19) Any and all leaders who are not preaching the original Gospel given us by Jesus and His apostles and recorded in the New Testament Scriptures, are a false teacher and “accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9)
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