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Please turn in your Bible to Proverbs 23:7 What if I told you that you have POWER to make things happen in your life? Supernatural power, power from God to live the more abundant life. Not just life, getting by kind of life, but the MORE abundant life. Having all your needs met all the time in every category of life? You’ve come to the right place. We’ll learn from the Bible how to have Power in our lives We have power in our lives by thinking, saying, and doing the Word.   You and I, born-again believers according to Romans 10:9 & 10 , have easy access to power in this world.   This power enables us to be more than conquerors in every situation ( Romans 8:37 ). This power brings release to any mental or physical prison ( John 8:36 ) and victory ( 1 Corinthians 15:57 ) to our lives.   This power is from God. Whatever we believe is directly reflected in what we confess.  What we confess in the innermost being (our heart) is what we bring into reality in our lives. Confession of belief = receipt of confession; believing = receiving The law of believing works for both believers and unbelievers.   However, believers, because of the spirit from God within, will bring forth more abundantly.  Right believing is constantly knowing God’s power and presence are in you and with you in every situation!  How you think about a situation at this very moment will determine the outcome. Mark 9:23 If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. We want to align our thoughts, words, and actions with what God says in His Word so that we receive the abundance and power He promises.  We can shape every part of our lives for success by thinking, saying, and doing the Word to the end that our confession of belief is God’s Word. Walk with power by thinking the Word Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he Thoughts are the seeds of words and actions, and we receive the outcome of the thoughts we hold in our hearts. What we think, we are. Whether you think you can, or you think you can't – you're right. Henry Ford Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Think those thoughts Jesus Christ thought.  Jesus kept his thinking lined up with the Word, but he had to work at it.  He had to direct his thinking to the Word.   Keeping our thinking on positive truths is the key to power for abundant living. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. God tells us exactly what to think about.  Think about what you think about. Science tells us that the average human has about 6,200 thoughts every single day.  Retemorize (retain & memorize) verses. This means you memorize verses to believe them, to make them the joyful meditation of our heart, so we receive what we confess. Job 3 is an example of what continual negative thinking can produce in one’s life once it takes root in someone’s heart.  Job 3:25  and Job 1:5  show that Job continually feared. - This is not what we want in our lives. In contrast, Mark 5:25-29  is the record of a woman who had an issue of blood for 12 years. She spent all her money on doctors and only got worse. The Amplified Bible, Classic Edition of  Matthew 9:21  reads “ For she kept saying to herself, If I only touch His garment, I shall be restored to health ” - this is what we want in our lives. We continue to say the Word. This is the contest we have in our minds.  We have the freedom and authority to think the Word, which produces positive, successful fruit in our lives Walk with power by thinking the Word We just finished a class called Power for Abundant Living.  One teacher said that we replace our thoughts with God’s word.  He went on to say that if you go for a run or go to the gym and do a hard, sweaty workout, you don’t put on clean clothes over your smelly ones; you take off the old, smelly ones and put on new, clean ones. We replace our thoughts with God’s word to walk with power. How do I do this, Alicia? I’m glad you asked Here’s an example My friend has five kids. He told me that when his kids say something negative or something that doesn’t line up with the Word, he says, “Renew your mind”.   Renew - it’s as simple as that.  We put away our thoughts and think what God says.  For example, “I’m never going to get this project done, it’s just too hard.” NO! “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Let’s go God!” We walk with power by saying the Word Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Spoken words are referred to in God’s Word as coming from the ‘tongue” and the “mouth.” Whether positive or negative, they have power.  Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. Proverbs 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. We can keep, or hold our tongue, until the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart are acceptable in God’s sight My mother always said, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Our words can build up or tear down.  Before you say something, run it through your heart and ask, “Is this going to build up or tear down? This applies to words we say to others AND to ourselves. You are the person that you spend the most time with. You are the person who does the most talking to you. What are you saying? Is the Word dwelling in you richly  so that you speak it to yourself, so that you speak it to others? Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. We speak the positives and power of the Word, which minister grace to ourselves and others Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Can any challenge or issue in life be bigger than moving a mountain? We walk with power by doing the Word The “doing” of the word is sticking with our choices and refusing to back down on what we know to be the truth of the Word in any situation. “Doing” keeps us moving forward with power on what we decide to think and say. James 1:22-25 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. This verse shows a man who looks in the mirror, sees his face, turns around, and forgets what he saw. We don’t want to read the Word and then turn around and forget what we read. We line up our actions with the Word; we do the Word. As we move, God can move and open doors for us to bring about godly impact, as you can read about in Acts 2, 3, and 4. To walk powerfully in life, we must do what we have decided to think and say.  We are fully equipped to be doers of the Word ( 2 Timothy 3:17). There are over 900 promises in God’s word; we can only do what we know.  We can search God’s Word to see what it says about our situation, or we can ask a fellow believer for help.  Once we find God’s promise that meets our need, we think it, say it, and take believing action (like the woman with the issue of blood - she continually said if I may touch his garment, and then she took action on her believing) and do the word. Believing = receiving.  What we confess in our innermost being withwhat we bring into our lives. We can determine to think, say, and do the world so that our confession of belief tracks with God’s Word and we reap God’s abundance and power in our lives. We can walk with power by thinking, saying, and doing the word.

Let's turn to a section of the Word and just enjoy reading the verses one after another. Sound good? Please turn to John 17. And let's go verse-by-verse through the whole chapter. Let's do a John 17 Bible study. In John 3:17, we learn that "God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." God sent his son to save us. And we're all saved by confessing with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, and we believe in our hearts that God raised his son from the dead (Romans 10:9-10). When you do Romans 10:9-10, you’re born again, receive holy spirit, and you’re on your way to living a powerful abundant life.  We’re in John 17. And this is before Jesus’s arrest. He is praying out loud. And we get to listen. Before this moment, Jesus told his disciples that he's going away, but the Comforter (the gift of holy spirit) will be coming.  And in John 17, Jesus is praying in 3 movements. First, he prays about himself. Second, he prays for his friends. Third, he prays for all future believers. Finally, he prays that we'd all be one, with him, and we'd know God's love. John 17.  Verse 1:  "These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:" Right out of the gate - Jesus looks up and says "Father." He's praying to someone other than himself.  "The hour has come." Everything has been leading to this. Verse 2:  "As thou hast given him power  over all flesh, that he should give eternal life  to as many as thou hast given him." God has given Jesus power. That's important. If Jesus were God himself, he wouldn't need to be given anything - he'd already have it.  And this "eternal life" flows from Father, through the Son, to us. Verse 3:  "And this is life eternal , that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."  This is one of the clearest verses in the Bible. Jesus defines eternal life as knowing two things: 1: “Thee, the only true God” (who he calls “Father”). And 2: knowing “Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” Those two things. Knowing God and Jesus Christ.  Jesus is praying to the only true God, whom he calls “Father.” And he identifies himself as the one who was sent. There’s the sender and the sent.  Verse 4: “I have glorified thee on earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” God gave him work to do. John 4:34, we have Jesus saying that he “is to do the will of him  that sent me, and to finish his  work.”  Verse 5:  "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee (not "as thee") before the world was." Verse 6:  "I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word." Verse 7:  "Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee." Verse 8:  "For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me." God gave Jesus the words, Jesus then spoke the words, and the people received them, and believed, and kept them. Verse 9: "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine." Jesus is not praying for the whole word, but for those who followed and believed, and they belong to God.  Verse 10:  "And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them." There is a sharing relationship here with God. What belongs to Jesus belongs to God and vice versa. They are unified in purpose. Jesus is glorified in the disciples, through their believing, their actions, their words, and their lives. Verse 11:  "And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that  they may be one, as  we are." Jesus is about to leave. The believers will remain in the world. So he asks God to keep them (to protect them). For what purpose? "That." So "that they may be one, [just] as we are" one. What kind of "one" are Jesus and God here? Are they one being? No. They are not one being, one person. They are one in purpose, in spirit, in love. Jesus is praying that the disciples would be one, that they would have the same oneness, the same unity with each other, just as God and his son do. Jesus isn’t praying that all disciples (and all followers and all believers) would merge into one big human being. That’s impossible. But that they would be unified, like members of one body. My daughter and I "are one." A husband and wife are "one flesh."  Verse 12:  "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition (Judas); that the scripture might be fulfilled." (That's referring to Psalm 41:9 and Psalm 109:8). Verse 13:  "And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves." Verse 14:  "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." Verse 15:  "I pray NOT that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." Verse 16:  "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." Verse 17:  "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."  Believing and acting on the Word set us believers apart, sanctified. It’s almost like we’re not of this world. We’re different. The word makes us holy and separates us from the world. Through the truth. And what's the truth? “Thy word is truth.” God's word is truth.  Verse 18:  "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world."  God sent Jesus. Jesus sent disciples. We too have been called.  Verse 19: "And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth."  Jesus set himself apart with the Word.  Verses 20-26: Jesus Prays for All Believers Verse 20: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe  on me through their word." Now, his prayer expands to everyone who would ever believe. That includes you and me. 2,000 years later, we're in this prayer. We are connected to this moment through a long thread of believers. That’s really cool. Verse 21: "That they all may be one ; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee , that they also may be one in us : that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."  Here's that "oneness" again. And it's clearly explained in this verse. Jesus is praying to the only true God who he calls Father, O Father, Holy Father, and here again "Father." And here, oneness is explained. From verse 20, it says “them also which shall believe" … verse 21, “that they all may be one." So, being one is: all that shall believe may be one.” All that believe? That’s a lot of believers.  Does it mean that billions of people are squished into one big human being? No.  What does “may be one” mean?   The verse 21 says how this "oneness" is.  It’s God (who Jesus calls Father) God is in Jesus: "Father art in me."  And Jesus is in God: "And I in thee."  Father in me, I in thee. One. We’re one.  That's God in Christ right there.  Well, what is the purpose of that? Well, it’s in the verse. Verse 21. So "that they also may be one in us." We believers are to be one in them. This is relational unity. Having a shared purpose. And a shared love. So that the "world may believe that [God] has sent me." Our "oneness"? That's God in Christ in you. When I see a believer walk in my open door during fellowship, I don’t see “Bob”, I see Jesus Christ. I see God. That’s what the verse says. "That they all may be one ; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee , that they also may be one in us .” Verse 22 : "And the glory  which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:" That glory (Greek doxa) is referring to a most exalted state or condition of unconditional love, one for another. So that we may be one, even as God and Christ are one. Wow.  Verse 23:  "I in them [Christ in you], and thou in me [God in Christ], that [purpose?] they may be made PERFECT in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast LOVED them, as thou hast LOVED me." It's all about love. Love. Agape love. Unconditional love. God in Christ. Christ in us. And the result is perfected in one.  And look at the end of verse 23: "thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."  This "loved them" from verse 23 = ἠγάπησας (ēgapēsas) - agapao, VERB And "loved me" in verse 23 = ἠγάπησας (ēgapēsas) - agapao, VERB It’s the same word! God loves us with the same love he has for his Son. Let that sink in. That's God's heart for his children. God's agape love for his son is the same agape love he has for us believers. That's incredible. Same love. One love. Wow! And the word "Perfect" here in verse 23 is the Greek word teleioo - meaning completed, full maturity, and accomplished. Our unity reaches its accomplished goal when we're fully walking in love together as one.  Verse 24:  "Father [the only one true God], I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou LOVEDST me before the foundation of the world."  "lovedst" = ἠγάπησάς (ēgapēsas) - agapao, VERB.  God's love for his son (and us) existed before creation. That's that eternal love. Before I ever met my wife, I knew that I would fall in love with a woman who would be my wife. You could say that I had love for Alicia even before we met.  Verse 25: "O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me." It's knowledge that sets us believers apart.  Verse 26:  "And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the LOVE wherewith thou hast LOVED me may be in them, and I in them." That’s the love of God in you, and Christ in you. No ever taught me this! Right here, Jesus talking about God in Christ in you! Wow.  And this word "love" in verse 26 = ἀγάπη (agapē) - agape, NOUN And the word "loved" in verse 26 = ἠγάπησάς (ēgapēsas) - agapao, verb This is the only place in John 17 where the NOUN form "AGAPE" appears. And it's in the final verse - the conclusion of the whole prayer. Ain’t that something?  Jesus declared, explained, taught, and showed everyone God's nature. So that, and here's the goal again, so "that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them." God's unconditional agape love is in you. That's God in Christ in you. And it's all about being unified in love. That's the glory. That's the goal. God's unconditional love operating in us through our renewed minds, manifesting in how we live powerful abundant lives. Talk about power for abundant living!  Summary I hope you enjoyed reading the Word. In John 17, Jesus is praying, and we get to listen. He prayed to God. And we can too. We have the same access to God. When we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised his son from the dead, then we receive the gift of holy spirit. And that's God in Christ in us, the hope of glory (2 Corinthians 5:19 and Colossians 1:27). Oneness is unity. God and his son were one in purpose. We believers are one in the same way. With unconditional love of God. That's power for abundant living.  You are the best. Amen? Further study: Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 8:6, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 1 Corinthians 12:20, Ephesians 4:4-6, Colossians 3:15, Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5-6, Mark 10:8, Ephesians 5:23-25, Ephesians 5:30-32, 2 Corinthians 11:2, 1 Corinthians 6:17, and Galatians 3:28. Join the conversation on this study throughout the week. Follow us on Instagram: @raleighfellowship

In John 10:10 , Jesus Christ made a defining statement about his purpose: “...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” This wasn't a poetic metaphor; it was a statement of fact. If the Lord Jesus Christ said he came to bring abundance, then that abundant life must be available right now. It implies that there is a specific way to access it—a set of keys or signposts that can lead a believer out of lack and into power. The Word of God puts those keys directly into your hands. It serves as the practical instruction manual 2 Timothy 3:16  designed to teach you exactly how to live with the power of God. The Problem: Why Are We "Running on Empty"? If this abundance is available, why do so many believers feel drained, anxious, or powerless? The Scriptures point to two specific reasons: 1. We Rely on Defective Sources The prophet Jeremiah recorded a vivid illustration from God in Jeremiah 2:13. He compares God to a "fountain of living waters"—a source that never runs dry. In contrast, he describes human efforts and worldly systems as "broken cisterns." A cistern is a holding tank; if it is cracked, it can hold no water. When we try to find life in our own efforts or in the systems of the world, we are drinking from leaking tanks. That is not the abundant life. 2. We Lack Knowledge Hosea 4:6 states: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." The issue isn't that God is unwilling to help; the issue is often that we simply don't know what He has offered. The Solution: Knowing the Will of God The greatest truth you can discover is that the Word of God is the Will of God   2 Peter 1:20-21 . It is not a secret to be hidden; it is a promise to be declared. To operate this "instruction manual" effectively, we have to understand a few fundamental principles. Principle #1: You Must Know What Is Available You cannot claim a right if you don't know you have it. The instruction manual is clear on what belongs to you: Health and Prosperity:   3 John 2  reveals God's heart clearly: "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health..." That is the available standard. Total Victory:   Romans 8:37  tells us that "in all these things"—regardless of the challenge or circumstance—we are "more than conquerors." The literal Greek translation of this word is "super-conquerors." There are over 900 promises in God's Word that we can claim. Why can we claim this status? Because God so loved that He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16) , and Christ so loved that he willingly laid down his life to redeem us. That exchange is what makes us super-conquerors. God is not only able  to meet your needs (2 Corinthians 9:8) , He is willing  ( Matthew 8:2-3) . Principle #2: You Must Know How to Receive Knowing what is on the menu is the first step; ordering it is the second. How do we move God's promises from the page into our lives? The mechanism for receiving is believing . In this culture, we often think of believing as a passive mental state (like "I believe it will rain"). But biblically, believing is a verb —it requires action James 2:17 . It means acting on the Word of God with the same confidence you would have if you saw Jesus standing right in front of you. When you know what is available and you take action to claim it Mark 11:24 , the result is the abundant life Jesus promised. Ready to Learn the Rest? God’s ability always equals God’s willingness. If you are tired of broken cisterns and are ready to tap into the fountain of living waters, join us at Raleigh Fellowship. Let’s open The Word and learn how to live the more abundant life.

Discover the instruction manual for living with real spiritual power. Many people assume that simply being born as a human being makes them a child of God. However, the Bible makes a vital distinction between being a creation of God and being a Son of God (John 1:12-13) . The Word of God clearly teaches that mankind’s natural state was one of separation from God—not physical distance, but spiritual alienation caused by sin (Isaiah 59:2; Ephesians 4:18) . Yet God, in His love and wisdom, provided a perfect solution through His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:8) . Through Christ’s accomplished work, those who were once merely alienated creations can now be reconciled and born again as true sons of God (2 Corinthians 5:18; 1 Peter 1:23) . Once Alienated from God Prior to the work of Jesus Christ, humanity stood in a state of estrangement from God. The apostle Paul addresses this reality directly: “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works…” (Colossians 1:21, KJV) Alienation was a condition of the mind and heart, expressed through works that were contrary to God’s will. Likewise, Gentiles were described as being completely outside God’s covenantal blessings: “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12, KJV). To be “without God” meant lacking relationship, life, and promise. Humanity could not restore itself to God through law, ritual, or human effort. Reconciled by the Man Christ Jesus God’s solution was not philosophical or symbolic—it was accomplished through a man, Jesus Christ, whom God ordained and sent. Scripture teaches that reconciliation was achieved through Christ’s obedient sacrifice: “…yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death…” (Colossians 1:21–22, KJV) Reconciliation is God’s work, not man’s. When Jesus Christ gave his life, the barrier between God and mankind was removed. Those who were enemies were made at peace with God: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son…” (Romans 5:10, KJV) This reconciliation restores fellowship with the one true God, the Father, and makes relationship possible once again. Brought Near and Made Members of God’s Household Through Christ’s redemptive work, believers are no longer outsiders: “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13, KJV). Paul continues by declaring the believer’s new standing: “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19, KJV). This household language reflects belonging and access, not distance or fear. God’s desire was not merely to forgive but to restore relationship. Sons of God by the New Birth One of the central truths taught in Scripture—and emphasized in Dr. Wierwille’s biblical research—is that believers are not merely adopted in a legal sense but are literally born again as sons of God by receiving Holy Spirit. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12, KJV). This new birth is spiritual in nature. God places His gift of holy spirit within the believer, creating a new identity: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:16, KJV). Believers no longer live under fear or bondage: “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15, KJV). In biblical usage, this “adoption” reflects placement as mature sons—those with full standing and inheritance—rather than Trinitarian concepts of deity. Paul states this plainly: “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:7, KJV). Conclusion The Word of God reveals a powerful truth: those who were once alienated and without God have been fully reconciled through the accomplished work of Jesus Christ. By believing on him, individuals are born again, receive holy spirit, and become sons of God—members of His household with full access and inheritance. This is not tradition, philosophy, or theology built on creeds. It is the instruction manual for life.  God’s plan was not merely to restore fellowship but to create sons—people who can walk in newness of life and manifest God’s power and love in the world. We don't just talk about God; we teach you how to operate the power He gave you.

One of the most confusing stories in the Bible is Genesis 22, where it appears God told Abraham to kill his son. If God is love and the giver of life, why would He ask for a human sacrifice? The answer is found when we look at the original language and the customs of the time. We discover that God never wanted Isaac dead; He wanted him dedicated. The confusion came because Abraham misunderstood God’s instruction, viewing it through his own cultural filter. Here is the breakdown of what really happened. 1. God Does Not Tempt with Evil The King James Version of Genesis 22:1 says, "God did tempt Abraham." This translation creates immediate confusion because James 1:13 clearly says: "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man." The Correction: The Hebrew word used in Genesis is bachan, which means "to prove" or to test. God was not enticing Abraham to do evil (murder); He was testing Abraham’s commitment. 2. The Meaning of "Burnt Offering" God told Abraham: “Take now thy son... and offer him there for a burnt offering...” (Genesis 22:2). To us, "burnt offering" sounds like death by fire. But in the Eastern culture of the Bible, when this term was applied to a human, it often meant total dedication. It meant giving a person over completely to God’s service, not killing them. Scriptural Example: In Judges 11, Jephthah vowed to give whatever came out of his house as a "burnt offering". It was his daughter. He did not kill her; instead, she was dedicated to the temple service for her entire life, never marrying. She was a living sacrifice. This is what God wanted from Abraham: the total surrender of his son to God's will. 3. Abraham’s Mistake: "Sense-Knowledge" If God only wanted dedication, why did Abraham take a knife and wood? Abraham added to God's Word because of his "sense-knowledge". The Command:  God said, "Offer him" (Dedicate him). The Mistake:  Abraham looked at the pagans around him. The Canaanites actually did  burn children to their gods. Abraham filtered God's command through what he saw in his culture and assumed God wanted the same thing. The Addition:  The Bible never says God told Abraham to take a knife or wood. Abraham gathered those things himself because he misunderstood the method of the offering 4. God Stopped the Act, Not Just the Test Abraham was about to make a terrible mistake based on his misunderstanding. Genesis 22:11-12:   "And the angel of the Lord called unto him... Lay not thine hand upon the lad." . God had to intervene immediately. If killing Isaac had truly been God’s will, He would not have stopped it. God stopped Abraham because He does not accept human sacrifice. He accepted Abraham’s heart  (his willingness to give up his most precious gift), but He rejected Abraham’s method  (death). Had this been God’s will, as Abraham thought it was, there never would have been an angel needed to suddenly terminate the action because God cannot contradict Himself (2 Timothy 2:13, Titus 1:2, 1 Corinthians 14:33); He cannot change His will (Malachi 3:6, Numbers 23:19, James 1:17). It was not God’s will to literally burn and kill the young man. This was Abraham’s idea. Yet, even though Abraham went beyond God’s request and was wrong in so doing, he proved his utter willingness to relinquish his son. Therefore, the angel of the Lord could make the following declaration in Genesis 22:12, not because Abraham went beyond God’s request, but because he was committed to total relinquishment of his son. Genesis 22:12: for now I know that thou fearest [has awe or reverence for] God, seeing thou hast not with- held thy son, thine only son from me. 5. The Lesson: Be A "Living Sacrifice" God wants us to live for Him, not die for Him. He wants our lives to be "burnt offerings"—totally dedicated to His service. Romans 12:1  sums this up perfectly for us today: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice , holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." . God is not the author of confusion or death. He is the God of life. He asked for Abraham's trust, and once that was proven, He provided a ram for the physical sacrifice and preserved Isaac for the spiritual dedication.

A Teaching on True Spiritual Strength All year long in our church, we've been learning about power—who we are in Christ, what we have because of what God gave us, and what we can do with it. Walking powerfully in abundance and love. I want to talk about meekness. And I want to clear up a misunderstanding right from the start. Meekness isn't weakness. A lot of people think being meek means being passive. Being a pushover. Never standing up for yourself. But that's not what the Bible teaches at all. Here's the truth: If you can't do something, you don't get credit for not doing it. You can't call it peace if you never had the option of war. You can't call it restraint if you never had any strength to restrain. Real meekness requires power first. And as believers, we have power. So let's look at what meekness really means. THE JESUS EXAMPLE Let's start with Jesus Christ. And let's start with something a lot of people skip over—Jesus was a working man. In Mark 6:3, the people of Nazareth say, "Is not this the carpenter?" The Greek word there is tekton. It means a craftsman, a workman—someone who worked with wood, stone, and building materials. This wasn't desk work. Jesus spent years doing hard physical labor. He had strong hands. Calloused hands. He knew what it meant to work. So when we picture Jesus, let's not picture someone frail. Picture a man who could handle himself. A man who worked with his hands his whole life. Now look at what that man did in John 2:15: "And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables." Notice what's happening here. Jesus didn't lose His temper and grab the nearest object. He made a whip. Deliberately. He took the time to fashion it. Then He drove out the merchants, flipped their tables, and scattered their coins. That's not weakness. That's controlled, purposeful, physical action. Jesus was capable—and He chose when and how to act. Now look at Matthew 26:53. Jesus is being arrested in the garden, and He says: "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" That's over 72,000 angels. Jesus knew who He was. He knew what He had available. He could have ended it right there. But He chose not to—not out of weakness, but out of love. Out of purpose. He had a mission and He walked in it. That's the difference between being harmless and being peaceful. Jesus wasn't harmless—He was the most powerful man who ever walked the earth. He knew it. And He chose peace. He chose the mission. He chose to do the work that had to be done. That's where the virtue is. Not in inability. Not in ignorance. But in knowing what you have and choosing how to use it. MEEKNESS: THE WORD WE'VE GOTTEN WRONG In Matthew 5:5, Jesus says: "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Most people hear "meek" and think doormat. Pushover. But that's not what the word means. The Greek word here is praus. And here's what's interesting—over 300 years before Christ, the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote about this word. In his Nicomachean Ethics, he said the praus person—the meek person—is one who feels anger "at the right things, with the right people, in the right way, at the right time, and for the right length of time." Did you catch that? Aristotle didn't say a meek person never gets angry. He said a meek person knows when to get angry, how to get angry, and how long to stay angry. It's not the absence of strength—it's strength under control. The word was also used for horses that had been broken and trained—powerful animals brought under the control of their rider. A praus horse wasn't weak. It could charge into battle, kick through a shield wall. But it was disciplined. It responded to its master. That's meekness. Power under control. WHAT SCRIPTURE, MARTIAL ARTISTS, AND LEADERS UNDERSTAND The Bible makes this point crystal clear. Look at Proverbs 16:32: "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." Did you catch that? A man who rules his own spirit is BETTER than a warrior who conquers a city. The Bible is saying self-control outranks military victory. Ruling yourself is the greater accomplishment. And the flip side is in Proverbs 25:28: "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls." A man without self-control is defenseless. Vulnerable. Wide open to the enemy. His strength means nothing if he can't govern it. This isn't just an ancient concept. People understand this today. Think about a martial artist . They train for years—sometimes decades—to be capable of serious damage. They can break bones. They can end a fight in seconds. But the whole point of the discipline is not using it unless absolutely necessary. The better they get, the less they need to prove. That's meekness. That's Proverbs 16:32—ruling your spirit is better than taking a city. Think about a police officer . They carry a weapon. They train to use force. But the goal is control, de-escalation, protection. The power is there so it doesn't have to be used. That's meekness. Think about a boxer . Outside the ring, a trained boxer could knock out just about anyone who picks a fight with them. But that discipline translates to self-control, not street fights. They don't need to prove anything. That's meekness. Think about a good leader —a boss, a father, a reverend. They have authority. They could throw their weight around, make demands, dominate. But real leadership is using that position to serve and protect, not to control people. That's meekness. Trained. Capable. Even dangerous. But under control. And here's something that needs to be said—especially to the young men hearing this. Masculinity gets a terrible rap these days. The world is telling young men that strength is the problem. That being capable and assertive and powerful is somehow toxic. That you need to be softer, smaller, less. That's a lie. We need men to be masculine. We need men to be capable. We need men to be strong. But we need that strength under control. Directed toward good. Used to protect, to provide, to serve. The problem was never masculinity. The problem is masculinity without control. Strength without wisdom. Power without love. That's the city without walls. That's the man who can take a city but can't rule his own spirit. God isn't looking for weak men. He's looking for strong men who know who they are, know what they have, and choose to walk in love. KNOWING WHAT YOU HAVE This connects directly to what we've been learning all year in our ministry. When you confessed Jesus as Lord and believed God raised him from the dead—Romans 10:9-10—something happened. You received the gift of holy spirit. And with that gift came power. Look at Ephesians 1:18-20: "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead..." Paul's prayer is that you would know. That your eyes would be opened . Why? Because you already have it. The power is already there. The inheritance is already yours. But you have to know it to walk in it. It's like having a million dollars in the bank and living like you're broke because nobody ever told you about the account. The money's real. It's yours. But until you know it's there, you can't use it. Same with your spiritual power. Same with who you are in Christ. The knowing comes first—then the walking. And once you know? Now meekness means something. Now you're not weak—you're a powerful son or daughter of God who chooses to walk in love. That's strength under control. That's abundance with purpose. WALKING POWERFULLY IN LOVE Martin Luther King Jr. said, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." That's the test. Not what you do when everything's easy. What you do when you know who you are, you know what you have, and you choose to walk in love anyway—even when you could do otherwise. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit of the spirit. And look at the last one: "...temperance." That word means self-control. The ability to govern yourself. To have power and use it with wisdom. To walk in abundance and still choose love. Rocky Balboa said it this way: "It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." Rocky's not scripture—but even the entertainment industry figured out that real strength isn't just about what you can do. It's about what you choose to do. It's about standing. Enduring. Walking forward in love when the world gives you every reason not to. When you believed and confessed, you were born again into a family. And this family isn't made up of weak, harmless people. We're sons and daughters of the living God who know who we are, know what we have, and walk powerfully in abundance and love. CLOSING So here's the question for this week: Do you know who you are? Do you know what you have? Are you walking in it? Because once you know—really know—then every act of patience, every act of kindness, every time you choose love when you could choose something else... that's not weakness. That's meekness. That's power under control. There's no virtue in being harmless. There's no virtue in being weak. The virtue is in knowing you're powerful, knowing you're a child of God filled with holy spirit, and choosing every single day to walk in that power with abundance and love. Jesus could have called down legions of angels. He knew it. And he chose to finish what God sent him to do. Know who you are. Know what you have. Walk powerfully in love. Main point to remember: Meekness isn't weakness—it's knowing who you are and choosing to walk in power and love. You're the best! Amen.

Part 1: Setting the Stage Let's open up Ephesians Chapter 1. Ephesians is a letter written by the Apostle Paul. Inside his letter is a prayer that he wrote for the believers in Ephesus—and it's for us too. Here's the main idea: We can live bold, confident, and powerful lives, if we KNOW who we are, what we have, and what we can do with it. Let's learn those three things (who we are, what we have, and what we can do), because God has given us power. But if we don't know it's there, we can’t live like it is. I want to live powerfully. How about you?  Think about it like this. Imagine someone with a million dollars in the bank, but they don't know it. They never opened their bank app to check. They're living paycheck to paycheck, stressed about bills. And this whole time, they've got a ton of cash just sitting there. The money was always there. They just didn't know it. That's how a lot of believers live. When you get born again, God gives you a gift—holy spirit, inside you. There’s a Greek word used in the Bible that describes this gift of holy spirit— it’s dynamis — means inherent, potential power. Spiritual ability. It's like having an F-350 with a full tank of gas parked in the driveway. The power is there. It's ready. But just because it's sitting there, that doesn't mean it's being used powerfully.  The power that raised Jesus from the dead? That power? It's already in us who believe. But if we don't know it's there, we can’t use it. So, let’s go back to the letter.  So what does Paul pray for? Let’s read the entire prayer. Ephesians 1:15-23.  (Eph 1:15 ) Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, (16) Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; (17) That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: (18) The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (19) And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, (20) Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (21) Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: (22) And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (23) Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Reading those verses can be hard to understand, right? In short, Paul prayed that the believers in Ephesus would have their eyes opened—so that they'd see and know what they have. That’s what he prayed for.  Quick Background Paul writes Ephesians from a Roman prison. But he had spent about three years in Ephesus—a wealthy, pagan city in what's now Turkey. While he was there, God did amazing things through him: healings, deliverances, casting out spirits (Acts 19:11-12). The Ephesians had seen the power of God in action. So, later, when Paul writes to them about the exceeding greatness of God's power, they already know what he’s talking about. Look at how Paul opens this letter in Verse 1 of Ephesians 1: "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints  which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful  in Christ Jesus." To the saints and the faithful. In the Bible, a saint is simply a believer—someone who is born again. This letter wasn't written to a special class of Christians. No. It was written to ALL the faithful believers at Ephesus, AND to us too. This Letter Is Doctrine 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us the Bible (every part) is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. Each letter or book of the bible leans into one of these. Here's a simple way to think about it: Doctrine  = teaches us how to believe rightly Reproof  = shows us where we our believing is off Correction  = gets us back on believing rightly For example, in Galatians, Paul shows people how their believing action is wrong (reproof). In Corinthians, Paul corrects people on what they’re doing wrong. But in Ephesians? None of that. No correcting. He opens with a blessing in Verse 3 of Ephesians 1: Let’s read Eph 1:3: " Blessed  be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed  us with all spiritual blessings  in heavenly places in Christ." He's not fixing something broken. He's speaking to blessed people, and teaching us what's true. This letter is doctrine — a foundational truth that we, ourselves, can build our lives upon. Because it’s written to us.  So let's look at Paul's prayer. Verse by verse. Turn to Ephesians 1:15. Part 2: The Prayer — Ephesians 1:15-23 Verses 15-16:  "(15) Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, (16) cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers." Paul is thankful for them. Their faith. Their love. He prays for them continually. And what does he pray for? Not for their circumstances to change. Not for their problems to go away. Look at what he asks God for… in the next two verses. Verses 17-18:  "(17) That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: (18) The eyes of your understanding being enlightened..." Paul prays that they would know. That phrase "eyes of your understanding" can be translated as "eyes of your heart." He wants them flooded with light so they can see something. What does Paul want them to see? Three things that he wants them to know: " (Second part of Verse 18) ...that ye may know (1) what is the hope of his calling, and (2) what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and (3) what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe..." The First Category: The Hope of His Calling Hope is something we look forward to—something we don't have yet but will. We hope for Christ's return, when we'll be gathered together (1 Thessalonians 4:17). That's the hope. The Second Category: His Inheritance in the Saints The 2nd thing he wants us to know? God's inheritance is us. We belong to Him. He put His spirit in us. And Colossians 1:27 says we have "Christ in [us], the hope of glory." We are God’s inheritance. But The Third Category: The Exceeding Greatness of His Power! And here’s our focus right now. Verse 19 — Read This One Slowly "(19) And what is the exceeding greatness ( megathos ) of his power ( dynamis ) to us-ward who believe, according to the working ( energeia ) of his mighty ( ischys ) power ( kratos )." Look at the language Paul uses. He piles up words: exceeding greatness... power... working... mighty power. It's like he can't say it big enough. Remember the dynamis  we talked about at the beginning? That full tank of gas? That million bucks? Now Paul shows us what happens when we put it to use. Let me break down the Greek words that Paul uses in this letter with a simple picture of a truck. “greatness” Megathos  – that's an F-350 crew cab truck. The magnitude of that truck is big.  “power” Dynamis  — the full tank of gas. Inherent, potential power. It's parked there, but it's not being used yet. Is gassed up and ready to go.  “working” Energeia  — turning the key and putting the pedal to the metal. Power in action. God energizes it as we believe and act. “mighty” Ischys  — the big 7.4 liter diesel engine under the hood. Mighty raw force, strength. “power” Kratos  — actually driving down the road. Manifested power with impact. Paul is saying: You've got all of this! A magnificent, full tank, key, engine—everything. The exceeding greatness of God's power is already in you - in us - who believe. And notice, in verse 19, it says: "to us-ward who believe." Not just the apostles. It’s not just for special-Christians. Not just for pastors, reverends, or popes. This is to us. Who believe. Verses 20-23 (the rest of the prayer) “(20) Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (21) far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: (22) And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (23) Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Now, here, Paul tells us what power he's talking about. It's the same power that (a) raised Christ from the dead (verse 20), (b) seated him at God's right hand (verse 20), and (c) put him above every principality and power (verse 21). And here's what changes everything—Ephesians 2:6 says we were raised up and seated  with him (Jesus Christ). And Colossians 2:10 says we're complete  in him. We are, right now, in a position of power and completeness . We lack nothing. Right now. Because of this position of being complete and powerful , that’s why Jesus says in John 14:12 that we can do the works he did—and greater works than these, we can do also. How? Because we have holy spirit, power, in us, when we’re born again. The Book of Acts is filled with stories of born-again believers walking with great power, speaking boldly, walking with confidence, giving love, there are signs, wonders, healings, raising people, casting out spirits, and miracles. We have access to that same power as the Apostles—when we know who we are, what we have, and what we can do. Part 3: What This Means for Us So what does all of this mean to us? Think about the Ephesians way back then. The Ephesians, who first read this letter, had seen Paul heal the sick. They saw miracles and wonders. They knew what power looked like. But Paul wasn't writing to tell them about his  power. He was telling them about theirs . The same power that worked through Paul was also available to work in them who believe. And it's available for us today who believe . Paul prayed that their eyes would be enlightened . And that same prayer is also for you and me. Why?  Because, just like Paul knew, that when we know who we are, and what we have, we can live a powerful life.  If people don't know the power that's available, they can't believe for healing. They can't expect miracles to happen. They can’t effectively pray for other people. They can’t expect power and abundance in their lives. They'll live without everything… that God has made available. BUT when our eyes are opened —when we see what's already ours in Christ—and we believe, that's how we walk powerfully. Not by striving and working long hours. Not by earning a lot of money. Not by suffering or following or carrying a cross. But… by knowing and believing. We're All in This Together And here's the beautiful thing—we're not alone. Look at and read Ephesians 4:4-6.  (4) There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (5) One Lord, one faith, one baptism, (6) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. One body. One Spirit. One Lord. One faith. One God and Father. It doesn't matter what denomination someone grew up in. When we get born again, we become part of one body. The power that's toward us who believe is available to all the saints. Every faithful believer. Everywhere. Every fellowship. Every church.  Two thousand years later, we're still that same body. Connected to the same head. Walking with the same power. Closing Paul wrote a letter from a prison cell, but he wasn't writing as a defeated man. He knew who he was. He knew what he had. And he wanted us to know it too. When we believe who we are in Christ, and when we live according to our new human nature as God's children, when we live with the unconditional love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation, we are demonstrating in the physical world that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. And we have that power.  So let's walk out of here tonight with our eyes open just a little bit more. Knowing the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe. We can walk with confidence because that’s what we know. You are the best. Amen?

Holiday Party at the Gromicko home bible fellowship in Raleigh, NC, on December 20, 2025. Open house at 3:00 - 6:00 PM. Text Alicia at (303)884-8488. Merry Christmas!

Let's look at three scriptures that answer one question: Who are you? Because the world will tell you that you are your grades, your job, your performance. But God says something different. And here's what I want you to remember: Your GPA tells you what you did, but God's Word tells you who you are. You are not your GPA. The Label God Gives – Romans 10:9-10 Let's start with Romans 10:9-10: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Look at what it says: "Thou shalt be saved." Not "thou shalt be an A student." Not "thou shalt be successful." Not "thou shalt have it all together." Saved. That's your status. That's your identity. You didn't earn it by being smart enough or good enough. You believed, you confessed, and God made it so. Your GPA tells you what you did. God's Word tells you who you are —and you are saved. Your Value to God – Luke 12:6-7 Jesus taught this same thing. In Luke 12:6-7 he said: "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." God isn't counting your test scores. He's counting the hairs on your head. Your value to Him has nothing to do with your performance. It has everything to do with the fact that you're His. Your GPA tells you what you did. God's Word tells you who you are. Rest from Striving – Matthew 11:28-30 And then Jesus says this in Matthew 11:28-30: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Who's he talking to? People who are laboring. People carrying a heavy load. That's exactly what performance-based identity feels like—you're always working, always striving, always trying to prove you're enough. Jesus says, "Come to me. I'll give you rest. " Why? Because your worth isn't something you have to earn. It's already settled. Closing Summary So here's what we covered: Romans 10 says you are saved —that's your status. Luke 12 says you are valued —and it's not based on performance. Matthew 11 says you can rest —because you don't have to earn your worth. The world will always try to define you by what you do. God already defined you by what you believed. Your GPA tells you what you did. God's Word tells you who you are. Do the Word – Putting It Into Practice So this week, here's how you can apply this: First , catch yourself when you start thinking your worth depends on a grade, a score, or a result. When that thought comes, say out loud: "That's what I did. That's not who I am. I am saved." Second , pick one of these three verses—Romans 10:9, Luke 12:7, or Matthew 11:28—and read it every morning this week. Let it remind you where your real identity comes from. Third , if you see someone else stressed about grades or performance, encourage them. Tell them their worth isn't tied to a number. Sometimes the best way to believe the truth is to speak it to someone else. You are saved. You are valued. You can rest. Now go live like it. One point to remember: Your GPA tells you what you did. God's Word tells you who you are—and you are saved.

The law of believing is the greatest law in the Word of God.  It works every time, for everyone.  In this article, we will learn.  1. What believing IS  2. How believing WORKS  3. What believing LOOKS LIKE  And by the end, you'll know how to believe. What Believing IS  Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Believing is substance — that means it's real. It's solid. You can stand on it.  Believing is evidence — in a courtroom, evidence is proof. Believing is your proof before you ever see the answer with your eyes.  "Hope" in the Bible means "I expect it to happen."  Believing IS the evidence. Believing IS the substance. When you believe, you already have something real — even before it shows up.  Hebrews 11:1 AMPC: Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality—faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses. Title deed of your car = ownership You have what you are believing for already Believing equals receiving.  How Believing WORKS Mark 11:24 (KJV)  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Jesus said: Believe that ye receive them — right now, present tense. And then, Ye shall  have them.  The word "believe" is a verb. Verbs require action. Believing is acting on the Word we know. Philippians 4:6 (KJV)  Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication (ea rnest, heartfelt asking) with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. "Be careful for nothing" means don't worry about anything. Instead, pray WITH THANKSGIVING.  Why thanksgiving? Because when you believe you've received, you thank God for it — even before you see it.  Our prayer could sound like “God, thank you for __________ in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.” Believing equals receiving.  What Believing LOOKS LIKE  Please turn to Mark 5:25-34  Here in Mark 5, the record is about a woman who had been sick for twelve years — an issue of blood. She spent all her money on doctors. Nothing worked. She only got worse.  But then she heard about Jesus. And here's what she did:  Mark 5:27-28 (KJV)  When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may but touch his clothes, I shall be whole. “For she said” — in the Greek, means she said it over and over again. Before she touched him, she believed it in her heart and spoke it with her mouth: "I SHALL be whole." She said, "I SHALL BE WHOLE."  She believed it. She said it. She acted on it.  Mark 5:29 (KJV)  And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. Immediately — straightway — she was healed. Why? Because she believed before she received, and she took action on her believing.  And what did Jesus tell her?  Mark 5:34 (KJV)  Daughter, thy faith (believing) hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. Jesus didn't say, "My power healed you." He said, "YOUR Believing made you whole."  Believing equals receiving.  HOW DO WE BELIEVE? (4 Simple Steps)  1. FIND IT — Find God's promise for your situation. There are over 900 promises in God's Word that pertain to all of life and godliness, there is nothing new under the sun.  2. SAY IT — Speak that promise over and over again. Every time you think of your situation, say your promise. If something negative comes into your mind, replace it with God's promise. Just like the woman with the issue of blood — she continually said, "I shall be whole."  3. THANK GOD FOR IT — Pray with thanksgiving. Thank God that you have the answer — before you see it.  4. ACT ON IT — Take believing action. What action do you need to take?  Here's how believing worked in my own life.  When I was 21, right out of college, I had my first job as a special education teacher in an emotional support classroom. These kids had major emotional and mental problems and couldn't be in a regular classroom. I had 7 very difficult, sometimes violent students. My job was so bad that I became physically sick from worry and fear.  My mom gave me this verse:  2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Step 1: FIND IT — That was God's promise for me — no fear, only power, love, and a sound mind.  I said, "Ma — that Bible verse is not going to stop Louis from throwing chairs at me."  She said, "Alicia, write that verse down, and every time you think of your class, say that verse."  Step 2: SAY IT — So I did. I replaced my fearful thoughts with God's promise and said it over and over again.  Step 3: THANK GOD FOR IT — I prayed and thanked God for a new job.  Step 4: ACT ON IT — I started filling out applications.  The Result: God gave me a new job and delivered me from my terrible one.  During the job search, I still had to go to my difficult job. But God protected me and gave me power, love, and a sound mind to get through until my new job was available.  God’s word works for everything and anything in our lives, from believing for a parking spot to major life opportunities/challenges. Malachi 3:10 says we can prove God now that He will open the window of heaven and pour out a blessing more than there is room enough to receive them. Believing equals receiving.  This week, apply the law of believing to one thing you're worried about or need deliverance from. And do these four things:  1. Find it — Find God's promise that covers your situation.  2. Say it — Say that verse over and over every time you think or talk about your situation.  3. Thank God for it — Pray with thanksgiving before you see the answer. God, thank you for…… 4. Act on it — Take believing action on God’s promise. Because believing equals receiving. You are God’s BEST! God Bless You!

God bless you. How do we walk powerfully?  We do this by maintaining rich fellowship with our heavenly Father. Mark 12:28-30   And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. Maintaining rich fellowship with God is how we walk powerfully. Psalm 23:1-6 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. – Maintaining rich fellowship with God is how we walk powerfully. Does anyone remember the story in Greek mythology about the giant Antaeus and Hercules?  Antaeus was a giant. His job was to guard a particular piece of land.  Anyone who wanted to go into this land had to wrestle Antaeus to the death. Anteaeus was undefeated. When Hercules wrestled Antaeus, he found that every time he threw him down on the ground, Antaeus rose up stronger than before. But when Hercules found out that Gaea, the Earth, was the mother of the giant, and that every time her son fell to the ground, he rose stronger, Hercules changed his tactics.  Hercules lifted Antaeus high in the air from the source of his strength, and he held him there until he died.  Antaeus lost his ability to walk powerfully when he lost connection with his source of strength. The lesson we can learn from this story is that fellowship with our Father is the key to our strength.  Every time we go to God, we get invigorated, encouraged, edified, and strengthened.  We don’t want to let anything our enemy puts in our path keep us from fellowship with our heavenly Father.  Psalm 18:1,2 I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Maintaining rich fellowship with God is how we walk powerfully. I love this verse. Jeremiah 9:24   But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. God wants us to glory in our relationship with Him.  He wants us to know Him personally and intimately.  He wants us to be able to recognize and appreciate His character.  Maintaining rich fellowship with God is how we walk powerfully. Two ways to maintain rich fellowship with God.  1. Reading His Word and  2. Praying. Reading God’s Word Psalm 138:2   I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. God magnified His Word above His name ( Psalm 138:2) . This is where we learn about Him, who He is, and what He does, how much He loves us and cares for us, and all of the promises in His Word that he wants to bless us with, from prosperity and health to peace and wisdom.  All things that pertain to life and godliness are in the Word.  2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. God has given us all things for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him. SO anything in your earthly life or spiritual life - God has the answer. life  (daily living, decisions, relationships, work, family), and E. W. Bullinger’s lexicon and concordance “godliness” = “our real, true, vital, and spiritual relation with God….”  This is the kind of relationship we want to have with our heavenly Father, and we can build that relationship as we maintain rich fellowship with Him. Ephesians 3:4   Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ. God wants us to read His Word and understand  His Word.  This is available – Power For Abundant Living Class , where you can learn how to read the Bible and understand what you read. Pray Mark 1:35  – The most spiritually powerful man who has ever walked the Earth Jesus Christ recognized the value of time in prayer with God. Jesus Christ started his day with prayer and continued in prayer throughout the day.  He had an abundant prayer life, seeking God, opening his heart to the Father, and keeping God involved in his daily life.  Like Jesus Christ, we can start each day with prayer, and we can pray throughout the day.  We run to God first in all situations.  We never want to run away from God, give Him the silent treatment, or turn to Him as a last resort.  God always wants us near Him. He is first, and we fully share our thoughts and lives with Him. We go to God in prayer , and we keep Him involved in our lives. I Corinthians 14:15  – Pray in the spirit – Speak in tongues and pray with our understanding. Pray in the spirit Romans 8:26 (KJV) Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26 (AMPC) “So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words.” Speak in tongues in your own private prayer life is perfect communication with God. Have you ever been in a situation in life where you needed help but didn’t even know what to pray for?  When you SIT that’s your holy spirit communicating a perfect prayer to God. Wow! Pray with our understanding: Praying with our understanding Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. We can pray, “God, thank you for …” How do we walk powerfully? By maintaining rich fellowship with our heavenly Father. What are two ways to maintain rich fellowship with God? Reading His Word and praying. This week I encourage you to walk powerfully by maintaining rich fellowship with our heavenly Father!

Hey, everyone! For those of you who are here for the first time, welcome! We're so glad you're here. We meet in homes just like believers did in the book of Acts, and we love studying God's Word together in a relaxed, family atmosphere. Tonight, let’s study some Word. Living Powerfully. Yes? I want to share something with you that can change how you see yourself and how you walk each day. Here's the main point I want you to remember: When you know who you are, what you have, and what you can do according to God's Word, you can walk powerfully in your relationship with Him. That's it. Simple. But so powerful when we really believe it.  We're going to look at three things tonight:  who you ARE ,  what you HAVE , and  what you CAN DO .  And then we're going to look at a couple of Greek words from the original text that will show you just how much God wants to bless you. If you have a Bible, feel free to turn to the verses as we go. If not, no worries - just listen and enjoy. We’re going to start at 1 John 3.  So, we’re going to learn 3 parts: who you are, what you have, and what you can do.  PART 1: WHO YOU ARE Let's start with who you are. How does God see you? Turn with me to 1 John chapter 3, verse 2: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God…" Did you catch that word? NOW . Not someday when you're older. Not someday when you’re more spiritual, or when you've cleaned up your life. NOW you are a daughter or son of God. How did this happen? How did I NOW become a child of God?  Romans 10:9 tells us: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." It's that simple. When you confess Jesus as lord and believe God raised him from the dead, you become God's child. And when that happens, everything changes. You become complete in Christ - nothing missing (Colossians 2:9-10). You are complete. Nothing is missing. You lack nothing.  You become loved by God  - and nothing can separate you from that love (Romans 8:38-39). And that’s agape love, unconditional love.  You become blessed  with ALL spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3).  You are what God's Word says you are. Complete, loved, and blessed. You’re NOT what you feel on a bad day. You’re NOT what others might say about you. You ARE what God says, God says, you are. Please turn to 2 Corinthians 9. So, that’s Part 1 “who you are.”  PART 2: WHAT YOU HAVE What do you have because you're God's child? Who can read for us 2 Corinthians 9:8?  It says you have all sufficiency in all things. That means God has given you what you need. You have everything  you need in life. That’s what you have.  Who can read for us Romans 5:1?  It says you have peace with God. You're not at odds with Him. You're not in trouble with God. This isn’t a battle. You have peace . That’s what you have, because of who you are. Who can read for us Psalm 107:20?  It says you have God's healing Word. His Word brings healing  to your life. The more we know about what we have, the more we can give to others. You can't give what you don't know you have! Let’s turn to Ephesians 6. So, that’s Part 1 “who you are (complete, loved, blessed). And Part 2 “what you have” (everything, peace, and healing). PART 3: WHAT YOU CAN DO Here's where it gets exciting. When you “know who you are” (complete, loved, blessed), and you know “what you have” (everything, peace, and healing), you're equipped for action. Who can read for us Ephesians 6:10-11?  It says you can be strong in the Lord. You can walk with the power of God and reach out to help others. You can put God's love in action wherever you are - at work, at home, in your neighborhood. Who can read for us Philippians 2:16?  It says you can "hold forth the word of life." That just means you can share what you know. You can help others discover what you're learning. So, that’s Part 1 “who you are. Part 2 “what you have.” And Part 3 “what you can do.”  GREEK WORD STUDY Now let's look at something that will really encourage you. And don't worry if you've never studied Greek before - I'll make this simple and fun. Turn with me to Ephesians 3:20. This is one of my favorite verses in the whole Bible. "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly  above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." I want to show you two Greek words in this verse. The New Testament was originally written in Greek (Old Testament in Hebrew). Sometimes when we look at the original language, we discover things that are just amazing. The first phrase is " exceeding abundantly ." In the original Greek text, this is one word: huper-ek-perissos. It’s a translation of a single, compound Greek word.  Now, I know that sounds complicated, but watch what happens when I break it down using the blueletterbible app at https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/eph/3/20/ss1/s_1100020 . This rare adverb (huper-ek-perissos) is formed by combining the Greek words huper (above, beyond), ek (out of, from), and perissou (abundantly, exceedingly) to create an intensified superlative of "superabundantly".  So, what does all that REALLY mean?  God literally stacked three words together to describe how much He wants to bless you!  It's like He's saying, "I want to do SUPER-OUT OF-ABUNDANT things for you!" God isn't holding back. He's not giving you just barely enough to get by. He's going over the top, beyond what you can even imagine. That's how much God loves you! Now look at the second part of the verse. "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us ." That word "power" in Greek is dunamis . You might recognize it - it's where we get our word "dynamite." This is explosive power . This is real, active, working power. And where is this power? Look at the verse: "IN US."  It's NOT out there somewhere in the sky.  It's NO T something you have to go searching for.  It’s NOT from a stone wall Jerusalem or a big building in Rome.  If you've believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, this power is already in you right now. God isn't asking you to do things with your own strength. He's already given you His power to do what He's called you to do. So, that’s some cool research we do here in this ministry. Please turn to John 14.  CONNECTING IT TO YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD So how do we live this out? How do we walk in this power every day? Jesus Christ showed us the way. He had an amazing relationship with his heavenly Father, and John 14:12 tells us what? Alicia taught us this verse a couple fellowships ago. Let’s read John 14:12, and it says, “ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”   We can do the same works Jesus did . And even greater works, we can do also. How?  Let's follow Jesus as an example. First, Jesus studied God's Word.  In Luke 2:46-47 (you don’t have to turn there), we see that even at twelve years old, Jesus was in the temple listening to the teachers and asking questions. He took time to know his Father through the Scriptures. We can do the same thing. Set aside time to read our Bible. That's how we get to know God personally. Second, Jesus kept his heart open and willing to obey.  We’re in John. Let’s turn to John 8:29 where it says, "I do always those things that please him." Jesus chose to please God. Not out of fear or obligation, but out of love. We can do that too. We don’t fear God, our Heavenly Father. We love God. When situations come up during our day, just ask ourselves, "What does God's Word say about this situation?" Then do it. Third, Jesus spent time talking with his Father in prayer.  Let’s turn to and read Mark 1:35, where it says, “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”  He talked to God throughout the day. He went to God first with everything, not as a last resort. We can do the same. Just talk to God like you'd talk to a loving father. Pour your heart out to Him. Keep Him involved in everything. CONCLUSION Let me leave you with the main point one more time: When you know who you ARE , what you HAVE , and what you can DO according to God's Word, you can walk powerfully in your relationship with Him. You ARE  a child of God. You HAVE  all spiritual blessings. You CAN  do what the Word says you can do, because the power of God is working IN  you - that super-out of-abundant power we talked about. So this week, remember who you are.  Remember what you have.  And walk in what you can do.  Read God's Word.  Keep your heart open and willing to obey.  Talk to God throughout your day. God loves you, and He wants you to walk powerfully. Thanks for being here tonight. You are the best. Amen?