He’ll give you Power” (John 1:12)

“He’ll give you Power”
(John 1:12)
A Message by Rev Dr Vincent Leoh on 28 December 2008

2008 – Year of Empowerment

I. POWER TO HIS PEOPLE

RECOGNIZE YOUR POSITION IN CHRIST

What Do You Get When You Receive Christ? (John 1:12-13) “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed (trust in) in his name, he gave the right (and the power) to become (what they were not before) children of God.”
You Get A New Nature. When you receive Christ, you get a new nature Ezekiel 36:26. We can’t change our natures or give ourselves new hearts with new desires. Only God has that power. God not only forgives us, and forgets our sins but He also gives us a new nature. A nature that gives us the desire to serve and obey Him.

We are accepted by Him!
We become children of God!
We are “Born Again!”

RECOGNIZE YOUR PRIVILEGE IN CHRIST

He’ll give you Power, meaning, He gave them the right, privilege, authority, ability, capacity, competency, freedom, delegated influence, jurisdiction, liberty, and strength.

1. Because Christ is Eternal, We Have His Lasting Power (John 1.1a)
2. Because Christ is Divine, We Have His Invincible Power (John 1.1)
3. Because Christ is Distinct, We Have His Purifying Power (John 1.2)
4. Because Christ is Creator, We Have His Purposeful Power (John 1.3)
5. Because Christ is Life, We Have His Regenerating Power (John 1.4a,11-13)
6. Because Christ is the Light, We Have His Revealing Power (John 1.4-5,9-10)
7. Because of Christ’s Glory, We Have His Perfect Power (John 1.14)
8. Because Christ is the Truth, We Have His Freeing Power (John 1.14c,17)
9. Because Christ Is Full of Grace, We Have His Available Power (John 1.14c,16-17)

RECOGNIZE THE NATURE OF GOD’S POWER.

It is Indwelling Power. 1 John 4:4 God’s power is already within us…it’s present all the time.
It is supernatural power.–2 Cor. 10:3-4 It is power that sometimes defies logic, defies the odds, isn’t limited…
It is Overcoming Power. John 16:33

When you are empowered you will walk with new authority.

The Power is Released in Proportion to our Response

II. YOU HAVE TO RECEIVE CHRIST
“Received” – to receive near, that is, associate with oneself to obtain take get a hold of. To “receive” means to welcome into your life/home. Rev. 3:20
The greatest gift is Jesus. This gift has great value. This gift must be received. We can’t earn this gift. Ephesians 2:8-9 We can’t buy this gift. The gift of Christmas is free but it’s not cheap. It cost God the death of his one-and-only Son. Salvation is available to anyone and everyone who wants it.

It is important and significant that this word “received” or “accepted” is a part of this verse because it implies something beyond mere belief. Many people believe in Jesus but for some reason have not accepted Him. Contrast the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18-30. Jesus offered him status as a child of God but this man rejected it because it required more than he was willing to do.
Now a chapter later, chapter 19, Zacchaeus, who had a tremendous change of heart to the extent that it caused him, in contrast to the rich young ruler, to be willing to give away half of his wealth and to make right his overcharging. Both believed in God and both found Jesus attractive but only one truly accepted Him so that the power of God really entered His life.

John 1:9-1:13 Even His own people as a whole rejected Him. But for those who did receive Him, they were truly blessed! The same remains true today. Many people do not receive Jesus. Missing out on the wonderful blessings He offers! Why do people not receive Christ? Some loved darkness more than light. Some were afraid of what others thought. Some were misinformed of the facts. Some were hardened by their traditions. Some loved the praise of men.

The Bible states clearly, Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life. NO One can come to the Father except through me. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” “There is only one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”

God gave us a choice, a free will (Deu 30:15 KJV) See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; Choose life! Every redeemed saint in heaven will have at least this one thing in common, by claiming the promises of made in scripture, they will have “freely” chosen to yield their souls to Christ!

3. YOU MUST BELIEVE GOD.

Purpose of John’s writing – “that you might believe” John 1:7; 20:31

Some people look a miracle in the face and dismiss it. Matthew 2:5ff Even though they knew the truth in words, they never understood the truth in their hearts, they were misguided in their faith and as a result missed their Christmas miracle.

John 2:23; 8:30-32. You got to believe God for everything, O he’s my Source, he’s my Strength, and he’s my Refuge. He’ll Give You Power.

Do you believe?

John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but He who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of the Father.”
The word “believe” appears 4 times in these three verses. In fact, some form of the word “believe” appears over 320 times in the bible. Even with limited understanding of the Scriptures, we can conclude that believing in God is an obvious necessity within the Christian faith.
Hebrews 11:6 ; Mark 16:16; Acts 16:30-31; 2Chr 20:20

Two different types of belief. The first type of belief or believing is the type that most resembles Webster’s dictionary definition for the word ‘belief’ which is defined as, “assent of the mind, or to hold /in the opinion of.” John 2:23-24 The people in this passage are those that have adopted the Webster’s dictionary version of the word ‘believe.’ They have intellectually come to hold the opinion that, because of the miraculous things that He did, Jesus had been sent from God. But belief without knowledge of the truth the matter is an empty belief. Jesus is not calling for an empty belief. The biblical type of belief as found in John 3:16 means, “to fully commit oneself to.” Jesus is looking for people that will fully commit themselves to Him.

Trust Jesus. Just Believe! “Do not be afraid; only believe” (Mark 5:36; Matthew 21:22;).

John 20:24-31 Thomas had an issue regarding faith and doubt. If you have ever heard the phrase Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” For Thomas, seeing was believing; for us believing is seeing. The invitation by Jesus still exists today. He invites us to believe. He invites us to examine the evidence, and to put away the doubt that we have. For if we are willing to seek, we will find.

Matthew 9:28-29 “Do you believe I can do this?” “According to your faith let it be to you.” We get according to our faith.

If You Are Not Believing God for Something, You Really Don’t Believe! Lk 18:35-43
We’re learning how to believe God for anything and to believe God for everything because the basic purpose /function of a believer is to believe. You’ll have to believe God for something.
The bottom line is: If your faith is not reaching up for something, then you really aren’t believing God for anything.
Heb 11:1 – You have to have “Now Faith” that is believing God for something specific, something new, something God has promised to you. And always believe God to do it! Believe God NOW!
Get on B.A.S.E. with God. BELIEVE – ADMIT – SURRENDOR – EXPRESS
Believe that Jesus is Lord; Admit to yourself that He is your Saviour; Surrender your heart to Him today; and Express Him to others around you.

I Know Whom I Have Believed 2 Tim 1:12

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.