They did what your power and plan had already determined would happen. Now, Lord, take note of their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with complete confidence. Stretch out your hand to bring healing and enable signs and wonders to be performed through the name of Jesus, your holy servant. After they prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking God’s word with confidence. Acts 4:28–31 (CEB)
Last week three words came to my mind: Presence, Power, and Purpose. Sets of words beginning with the same letter resonate with me (i.e., E4). As I pondered what this meant, I realized these three words represent what we need in our lives and our churches or ministries.
We will delve further into each word in the coming weeks, but we have a brief overview for now.
In Acts, the early church gives us a picture of the presence of God, the power of God, and the purpose of God coming together. The early church was filled with praise. Praise for the great works of God, but also praise when they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ’s sake. God’s presence, combined with his power, enabled his purposes to be accomplished.
The Presence of God
Yet I know that you are most holy; it’s indisputable. You are God-Enthroned, surrounded with songs, living among the shouts of praise of your princely people. Psalm 22:3 (TPT)
The Passion Translation amplifies the traditional version: But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Psalm 22:3 (KJV 1900). This verse conveys the thought that we can invite God’s presence into our midst through our praises. The Psalmist expressed it this way: Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord. Psalm 89:15 (NLT).
But God is not pleased with empty praise. Jesus quoted the prophet Isaiah: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Matthew 15:8 (NLT). The right words are not enough. Our hearts (and our minds) must be inclined toward God to invite his presence among us. In the same way that “His mercies are new every morning,” we must never allow our praise to become like yesterday’s manna.
Nor must our praise be like the glory that shined on Moses’s face but has long since faded. It is dangerous to become comfortable with the memory of God’s presence as a substitute for a present heartfelt desire to be enveloped by God’s presence. Moses did not view God’s presence as optional: Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. Exodus 33:15 (NIV).
The Power of God
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. 1 Corinthians 2:4–5 (NIV).
The power of God makes many people uncomfortable and with good reason: Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28–29 (NIV). At Sinai, the people were terrified of the presence and power of God.
It is, however, the power of God that confirms and validates the message of God. Paul was saying that God’s power was necessary so their faith would not rest on human wisdom. Man’s wisdom is not a solid foundation for building our faith.
Paul emphasized the value of a demonstration of God’s power to the Thessalonians: For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NLT). Do you see the connection between the power of the Holy Spirit and the confirmation of the Gospel? Praise invites the presence of God, and faith releases the power of God.
The Purpose of God for Us
But you are a ‘chosen race; a royal priesthood’; a holy nation; a people for God’s possession. Your purpose is to announce the virtuous deeds of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light. 1 Peter 2:9 (BFE)
When we understand the purpose of God for us, it should be obvious why we need his presence and power. In Acts, we saw a church enveloped in the presence and power of God. They rejoiced when they were opposed, not asking God to remove obstacles (people) but to give them the power to speak boldly the message of salvation.
God’s purposes for us are far greater than merely saving us from hell and going to heaven. God wants to transform us into his likeness while we are being transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.
When we see transformation as the purpose of God for us, we cannot help but recognize the value of his presence and power. We cannot accomplish what he has commissioned us to do (his purpose for us) without constantly bathing in his presence and using our faith to release his power.
Moses was afraid to move forward without God’s presence. Paul viewed the power of God as a sure foundation for our faith. The purposes of God are too great for us to accomplish in our own strength or wisdom, we would be foolish to move ahead without his presence, and without his power, we will fail.
Steve Ekeroth