Pastor’s Perspective: The Word of God and His Power unleashed

By Guest Columnist Spencer Sullivan, Pastor, Pelahatchie Baptist

As people, we are drawn to great demonstrations of power. For example, as sports fans, we’re amazed and in awe of powerful athletes. The most ooohs and aaahs at football games in the Fall are generated by the biggest hits. At basketball games we love the fast breaks when guys seem to glide through the air before throwing down a thunderous dunk. Those plays set the arena into an uproar of deafening cheers. But as a former baseball player, I love watching pitchers throw 100+ mph fastballs by whiffing bats or when the sluggers launch baseballs deep into the night, landing in the upper deck or even clear out of the stadium. These are the plays that bring us to our feet.  They cause us to cheer at the top of our lungs. Maybe your thing is auto racing or MMA or wrestling. But, regardless, you get my point. We love power.

The Bible is absolutely full of examples that display the might and power of God.  In fact, the very first words of Genesis capture God creating the universe and all that we see and know on this earth by the simple word of His power. Moses and the Israelites witnessed firsthand the power of God as they observed the plagues in Egypt and then walked through the Red Sea on dry ground with walls of water to their left and right. The Son of God performed miracles that left both His disciples and His opponents speechless. He brought sight to the blind and strength to the lame. He fed thousands of people with a few fish and loaves of bread. He set free weary souls by casting out demons who knew who He was and cowered at His name. He walked on water and even the winds and the waves obeyed when He spoke to them. He even restored the dead to life! As the kids say, the OG was and is OP! Ask a teenager if you need translation help. That’s what I do. :)  If my children were to read this, they would cringe!

For some reason, though, when we read about His great power, it rarely has the same effect as seeing something with our own eyes. Perhaps, we read the stories of old as if they are fantasy or fiction.  However, the power of God is no less real today than it was when Jesus walked the earth. In fact, He is changing lives all around the world every day.  As the Good News is proclaimed and people believe, His power over sin and death is unleashed. While He answers prayer and while there is evidence of His healing in different situations, His greatest display of power is redeeming lost sinners doomed to an eternity in Hell to a right relationship with the holy and almighty God and an eternity in Heaven. While we are born sinners by nature, we are still guilty and unable to make right all the wrong.  Instead, Jesus unjustly endured the wrath of His Father that we absolutely deserve. Therefore, through no merit of our own, we can be made right in the eyes of God through faith and belief in the all-powerful work of Jesus. Some reject this Good News because they don’t believe they need it.  Others reject this Good News because they feel they’ve sinned too much or gone too far. But the truth is each one of us needs this Good News and no one is too far. I invite you to experience the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16) by turning from your sin and by placing your faith in the only One who has the power to rescue and save!