Revelation 5:12 says ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.’
DAILY READING 2 Corinthians 11; 2 Kings 25; Habakkuk 2.
Maria Woodworth-Etter was one of the most influential Pentecostal Evangelists of the early 1900s.
From a nobody, she was elevated by the power of God to great prominence in Church history.
She was converted at age thirteen and immediately became filled with such zeal that she attended as many as seven Church meetings a week and lost all interest in youthful amusement.
As she grew older, she heard the voice of Jesus calling her to go out in the highways and hedges and gather in the lost sheep.
However, Maria was reluctant to answer the call because she had never heard of any woman preaching. She then rationalized that if she got educated and got married, she might be accepted for missions work.
Soon Maria married Mr. Woodworth but was disappointed to find he wasn’t willing to work in the ministry. The mountain of circumstances against Maria made her almost to give up answering the call.
She didn’t know how she could start preaching. She was terrified with fear of talking before people. Her husband disallowed it and to further complicate matters, she had small children.
Eventually Maria lost five of her six children to sickness. She became so sick herself that she almost died many times. All the while, her thought was consumed by the relentless call to preach.
It became a battle for her life. One day, she told the Lord she needed preparation, a course of study in the bible, and then she would go to preach. The Lord responded by suddenly opening her eyes in a vision where she saw upon the wall a large open bible and the verses stood out in raised letters. She suddenly found herself filled with supernatural understanding and then Jesus said “Go and I will be with you.”
From that encounter, Maria received power from the Lord.
When Maria finally stood shakily to preach the first time, it was in the home of her husband’s family. As she opened her mouth to preach, to her surprise, the power of God swept through the room, leaving many of the hearers in tears, with many falling to the ground.
That marked the beginning of her ministry. As Maria began to receive more invitations to preach, news spread of her powerful meetings and the unusual manifestations of signs and wonders.
Maria Woodworth Ether was used by God to raise a global ministry that greatly affected her generation and continues to affect many lives even today.
Though Maria seemed to have all the odds against her, she rose by God’s power. Indeed an encounter with the power of God will bring total transformation to our lives. It doesn’t matter our background, gender, educational qualification or financial status; the power of God makes the ultimate difference.
When God’s power begins to work in you, everyone and everything in your environment will take note of you.
This is why as believers, we should make seeking the power of God priority in our lives. Power is what meets the spiritual needs of mankind and overcomes the forces of the enemy.
It is through the exercise of great power that we will be distinguished in life and ministry.
At the cross, Jesus paid a great price to ensure that we received the power to live in dominion on the earth.
Revelation 5:12 says ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.’
Jesus died to receive all of these gifts for us so that we might live in victory.
Therefore, by the power of Jesus’ resurrection, we are not permitted to live an ordinary life. His resurrection has translated us from the natural realm to the supernatural.
We can no longer afford to live like ordinary men.
Jesus conquered sin and death and arose from the grave so that we can live a new life of power.
We have been buried and raised together with Him, and made to sit with Him in heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion.
As children of God, we are ordained to be carriers of His power on the earth. His power is ultimate and unchallengeable.
Jesus came out of the grave and said, ‘All’ powers in heaven and on earth had been given to him (Matthew 28:18) so there is no other power but the power of God.
Understand therefore today that you have all it takes to dominate over every negative situation and circumstance around you.
You have the power to rise above every challenge and live in victory.
Jesus suffered on that cross so that we don’t have to suffer again. The ultimate purpose of His resurrection is to enforce a supernatural change of position in our lives and turn us into living wonders to the world.
Through His death we have been lifted from the low places to our high places in life. We have been lifted from sickness to health, from poverty to riches and from weakness to strength.
Therefore it doesn’t matter your situation today, as you diligently seek God’s power through a lifestyle of study of the Word and prayers, you will certainly experience divine elevation and powerfully fulfill God’s call upon your life.
PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for Your Power available to me through the price You paid at the cross. Today, by Your grace I am leaving behind every defeat and negative condition around me and arising to my high places in life in Jesus Name.
QUOTE
God’s promises in Christ in your life may appear delayed, but never forget that delays are not denials.. -WORDBITE 222