Prerequisites for Experiencing Son Power

Part 2:

Everyone experiences sun power on a daily basis, but not everyone experiences Son Power.

God's Word reveals to us that certain steps are necessary in order to experience the full

power of Jesus Christ. Failure to understand these steps and properly apply them will short

circuit the Son Power working in our lives. Jesus brings us a new life and a new light!

Step #1: Experiencing Spiritual Birth

All things related to our relationship with God begin with spiritual birth. Jesus tells

us that one must be "born again" to see the kingdom of God. Each and every person who

wishes to see and experience the kingdom of God must experience the spiritual birth he

mentioned to Nicodemus.

"I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom

of God."

"What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go

back into his mother's womb and be born again?"

Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God

without being born of water and the Spirit."

—John 3:3–5, see full story in vv. 1–18

Those who believe and trust in Jesus Christ, God's Son, experience spiritual birth.

Have you taken this important first step? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal

Savior and asked him to be the Lord of your life? If so, you are a part of the family of God!

If not, take time right now to turn to appendix A, "Begin Your Relationship with God."

John tells us that Jesus came into the world not to condemn it but to save it (see John 3:17).

Failure to believe and trust in Christ alone for salvation

results in judgment for "not believing in God's one and only

Son" (John 3:18). Jesus said, "I say to you, he who hears My

word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life,

and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death

into life" (John 5:24, NKJV).

This important first step enables us to have the re-

lationship with God that he desires to have with each one of his children. This step allows

Jesus to give us access to the Son-powered life.

It is impossible for a lamp to produce light on its own without having a proper rela-

tionship with a source of power. Likewise, a mirror gives light only when it receives light

from another source. In both of these examples, a right relationship with a power source is

non-negotiable. If we want to be reflecting the Son and his power in our daily lives, we must

have a right relationship with the power source, Jesus Christ. That right relationship is only

achieved by becoming a member of God's family by receiving and trusting in Jesus Christ as

one's personal Lord and Savior. This is called salvation, saved from one life and given anoth-

er with an alternate power source.

It is critical that we have a proper understanding of what our salvation in the person

of Jesus Christ really accomplishes. God, the Father, has "qualified you to share in the in-

heritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and trans-

ferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness

of sins" (Colossians 1:12–14, ESV).

Our eternal salvation is a done deal. The Father has qualified us to share in the inher-

itance of the saints. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness. He has transferred

us to the kingdom of his Son in whom we have the forgiveness of sin. These are all works

of God, accomplished without our help. I find it interesting to note that each one of these

verbs is in the past tense. I believe this indicates that because of those actions, we experience

a paradigm shift. Yes, we are still in this world, but we are now living with a new identity.

We are under a different law, the law of faith which gives us the law of life in the Spirit of

Christ Jesus.

Furthermore, Paul tells us that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit of God.

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of yoursalvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit

of promise.

—Ephesians 1:13, NKJV

We are secure in a new relationship with the King of Kings. Christ himself purged our

sins. It is a finished work that he has done on our behalf. We are convinced of this when we

read these words in the book of Hebrews:

The Son radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God, and

he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had

cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of

the majestic God in heaven.

—Hebrews 1:3

The Father and Jesus took care of our sin problem. We trust in Jesus alone for our

salvation. He daily saves us from the foolishness of trusting in ourselves. In truth, we are

"signed, sealed, and delivered" for shipment to the kingdom of God. In the same way that

we trust in Jesus Christ's power on the cross for our salvation, we must trust him for power

through the Holy Spirit to live each day in the life he has designed for us.

Step #2: Depending on the Holy Spirit

When we accept the life God has for us through a relationship with Jesus Christ, every-

thing changes. The Holy Spirit begins to work in us to transform our lives. Without this

work, there is no capacity for living a Son-powered life. The

Holy Spirit is the game changer. He is the great enabler. It

is he who generates in us the power to live the life God has

planned for us. A relationship with Jesus is just the begin-

ning, each one of us needs to be empowered by the Holy

Spirit as well.

When Jesus was on earth he told his disciples he needed to physically leave them in

order for them to receive the Holy Spirit who would help them and teach them. John record-

ed this for us:

"But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy

Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have

told you."

—John 14:26

The Holy Spirit comes to live in the heart of every believer, "And because we are his

children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, 'Abba,

Father'" (Galatians 4:6). We are made alive by the Holy Spirit, and with him working in our

lives we have a God-given desire to have a living relationship with the Father.

The Holy Spirit shows us that trusting in self-effort is a dead end. I like to think of

self-effort as a dependence on my "three amigos." The amigos are "Me, Myself and I." We

need to say goodbye to those friends and trust completely in Christ to live his life in us on a

daily basis. Our human nature is totally rooted in self-effort and the fixation of our culture

is on self-accomplishment. "Look at me, look at all I've done!"

A relationship with Jesus changes all of that. We realize that God has a plan for our

lives and he will give us the strength to accomplish his purposes. The Holy Spirit is at work

in and through us. It is his job to reveal things to us as we grow in our relationship with

God. We rely on his strength. When that happens, the lights turn on, the engines rev up,

the Son rises with power in our heart, and we begin to experience a life that is transformed.

When we use our spiritual eyes, we can see the fingerprints of God all around us.

How does this happen? We have been identified with Christ in his death, burial, and

resurrection so that we can serve in the new life of the Spirit (see Romans 7:6). We have

Christ, the power of God living inside of us!

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of

our lives.

—Galatians 5:25

Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful

nature craves.

—Galatians 5:16

And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin,

the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit

of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised

Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same

Spirit living within you.

—Romans 8:10–11

You have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you

live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put

to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by theSpirit of God are children of God.

—Romans 8:12–14

Our entire perspective is changed. We now focus on God's desires and the Spirit's

power to accomplish his desires through us.

Step #3: Embracing Our Spiritual Identity

As believers, we have been transferred permanently into

the kingdom of God's Son. We now live under a totally

different law, the law of the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ. We

are no longer under the law of sin and death as long as we

walk according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh.

This is stated clearly in the New Testament when Paul says,

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk

according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ

Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1–2, NKJV). This is a

totally different paradigm than the system under the Old Testament law.

What we are talking about here is a new world with a different set of rules and laws, a

world that we experience while in our earthly existence. The law of the spirit of life in Jesus

Christ now rules in our relationship with God, and not the Old Testament law comprised of

the law of sin and death. We are still under a law, but a different law powered and sourced

in the person of Jesus Christ through his Holy Spirit. This is explained to us in the book of

Romans:

The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful

nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body

like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's

control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the

just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow

our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

—Romans 8:3–4

The law of Moses could not save us because our flesh (or self) did not have the power

to meet its demands. The law's purpose was to show us we needed a Savior. Because Christ

satisfied the requirements of the law for us by paying the penalty for our sin through his

sacrifice in our place, we now have a right standing with God as a gift from him.

We are also now identified with Christ in his resurrection. When we accept Christ'swork on the cross, we are raised with him from the dead and our spirit is given new life. The

law of the Spirit in which we now live enables us to serve God in a new way. We have died to

the law and have been delivered from it so that we can live in the newness of the Spirit.

This is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ.

And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result,

we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God … But now we have been re-

leased from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now

we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the

new way of living in the Spirit.

—Romans 7:4, 6

This is a critical point, and one that I personally still struggle with. It is difficult to

separate works, which are a by-product from the old way of life, and faith, which is the new

way. And yet, we must always keep in mind that Christ came to free us from the foolishness

of self, self-works, and self-justification. It is through Jesus Christ that we have been given

life and immortality.

The Old Testament law represents the impossible, what we need to do to please God

and come into his good graces. The work of Jesus Christ eliminates all of that. We come to

God now because of what Christ did for us on the cross. It is totally because of God's grace

that we no longer need to rely on self. This, to me, represents the difference between dark-

ness and light. It is self-effort versus the power of Christ who works in us. We simply live

our life in response to God's grace, and that my friends, gives us freedom.

And yet, some of us still try living under the Old Testament grid. Self-effort tends to

plague us, we think we need to earn our way into a relationship with God, or if things are

moving too slow, we need to step in and help God out. But it is critical that we embrace our

new identity, and celebrate that we are no longer in bondage to the law. Our lives are now

established in a new paradigm with new rules. We simply cannot live out the Son-powered

life if we do not embrace this new spiritual lifestyle. The Son-powered life is a life possessed

by the Holy Spirit of God, controlled by him, and empowered by him. It is only available

to us as we trust in him. When we fail to avail ourselves of this life, we become oblivious to

what God wants to do through us.

Since we are dead to the law, we have been released from the law and its power to

keep us captive. We are to no longer trust in self, but trust in Christ to live in us and to em-

power us to live in accordance with his purpose for our lives.

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christlives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved

me and gave himself for me.

—Galatians 2:20

When you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of

Moses.

—Galatians 5:18

God is active in the life of the believer who is proactive in his relationship with him. He

gives life and empowerment to those who choose to present themselves to him for his service.

"For the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, 'Awake, O sleeper, rise up from

the dead, and Christ will give you light'" (Ephesians 5:14).

The life-giving Spirit has freed us from the power of sin so we are not under its con-

trol as we were before Christ brought his life into our heart. Once we meet his conditions of

waking up and rising from the deadness of the prison of self, Christ will shine on us and the

light of his countenance will be on us. When Christ shines on us with his favor, things hap-

pen! When the earthly sun shines, plants grow and power is harnessed for prospering the

earth. When the Son shines on us with his favor, we will grow in our relationship with God

and we will be in a position to harness his power to bless those around us.

Son Power at Work

1. In what ways are you already aware of the Holy Spirit working in your life?

2. In what ways do you tend to live your life by self-effort?

3. What one idea from this chapter do you need to apply to your life?

Talk to God

Scripture Meditation

"Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you

to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us

to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

(Colossians 1:12–14, ESV)

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of your Son and for the power I

can experience through the work of the Holy Spirit. Help me to understand ina deeper way how you have qualified me to share in your precious promises.

You have delivered me from the kingdom of darkness and have transferred me

into the kingdom of your Son.

You have enabled me to live a victorious life in this world that is totally

sourced in the person of Jesus Christ and fully empowered by him. By faith

I choose to abandon my own efforts at accomplishing anything for you and

entrust my time, talent, and treasure into the strength of Jesus Christ and the

Holy Spirit. May this become a reality in my everyday living. Amen.