But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. (Luke 24:49, ESV)

Jesus never suggested that power is a threat to our piety, humility, or sanity. He talked about spiritual and miraculous power as something beneficial and necessary. He never cautioned us about having power, but he taught on how to have more of it. He never warned against faith, but he warned against the lack of faith. He did not rebuke anyone for believing too much or hoping for too much, but he rebuked people for believing too little and expecting too little. He calls his people to have a deeper faith, a higher faith, and a wider faith, to believe for more things and greater things, even miraculous things. Paul told the Corinthians to desire the miraculous gifts of the Spirit even as he rebuked them for abusing the power.

Many Christians have a very different and even opposite perspective toward spiritual power. They have a conception of Christianity, what it is, and how it operates, that is fundamentally antagonistic to Jesus’ philosophy of Christian life and work, and Jesus’ view regarding the qualifications for ministry. Will we follow Jesus Christ, or will we agree with those who have strayed from him, and who have set up their own theologies and institutions in order to conspire against the Holy Spirit? On the one hand, we have faith, power, life, and success. On the other, there is defeat, bondage, death, and punishment.

The neglect of spiritual power has contributed to many of the enduring problems in our doctrines, in our churches, and in our societies. It is naïve to think that we can oppose the Lord on anything with impunity. God’s power demands our acceptance and emphasis more than ever before. Jesus has commissioned us to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins to all nations, but he said to do it as we are clothed with power from heaven. Therefore, be zealous for God’s power. Talk about it. Exercise it. Encourage others to believe in it. We shall always desire power – more and more power – and run over those who would hinder us with their unbelief and trickery.