Saturday, December 10, 2016

The Key to Unlocking True Spiritual Power in Your Life

Spiritual Potency in Spiritual Disciplines

Each follower of Christ is called into His discipleship. In other words, being Christian means that we are the disciples of Christ:

"Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples," John 15:8

The word "disciple" is the root word of "discipline". This connection makes it clear that being a true disciple requires discipline. 

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have such a close connection with God? For these "special" people, their prayers are answered with such regularity that many seek them out, asking to be remembered in their prayers. Just why is it that there are "special" people, who have more spiritual potency? Does God have favorites? Or could it be that these prayer warriors have discovered the key to unlocking true spiritual power in their lives?

Actually, there is a key. And God doesn't have favorites. Every child of God - every believer - is intended by God to be a person with spiritual potency. 

"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My Name shall they cast out devils... They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover," Mark 16:17-18. 

The reason only some Christians have true spiritual power - as opposed to every believer demonstrating spiritual potency - is that many believers haven't discovered the key to true discipleship. That key is spiritual discipline. When we prayerfully practice the ten spiritual disciplines, we will live a life with true spiritual power. God has promised to bless us with this, and many other blessings as well, if we practice the spiritual disciplines. So, what are they and what does the Bible tell us will be the fruit of practicing each spiritual discipline?

 The Ten Spiritual Disciplines

1.  Reading the Bible Daily    

Daily Bible reading produces SPIRITUAL GROWTH    

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby,”1 Peter 2:2

2. Memorizing Scripture    

Memorizing Scripture increases our STRENGTH to RESIST TEMPTATION    

“Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not (have strength not to) sin against Thee,” Psalm 119:11

3. Meditating upon His Word   

Meditating upon the Word of God yields TRUE SUCCESS     

“But his delight is in the Law of the LORD; and in His Law doth he meditate day and night... Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper,” Psalm 1:1-3

4. Obeying God’s Word    

Applying the principles of God’s Word to your life, through obedience, is the key to ANSWERED PRAYER   
“If ye abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you,” John 15:7
5. Have set times of Fasting    

Fasting gives your prayers GREATER POTENCY. When we do it, God promises DISCERNMENT and HEALING
“Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness... Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily...” Isaiah 58:6-8
6. Praying fervently for that which is God's Will.   

Praying fervently and effectively gives us PRAYERS THAT AVAIL MUCH 
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much,” James 5:16
7. Giving tithes and offerings back to God.   

Returning our tithes to God yields the blessing that He will  OPEN UP A WINDOW OF HEAVEN AND POUR OUT A BLESSING SO GREAT THERE WILL NOT BE ROOM ENOUGH TO RECEIVE IT
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine House, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it," Malachi 3:10 
8. Rising Early to start your day with God.   

Like the manna which fell in the early morning, providing food for the Children of Israel in the Wilderness, the Heavenly "Bread" of the Word is to be gathered early in the morning. The blessing of early morning worship is  SPIRITUAL STRENGTH and PRODUCTIVITY
“Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early," Psalm 57:8

"O God, thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is," Psalm 63:1

9. Reading Revelation  

Reading in the Book of Revelation comes with special  BLESSINGS ON YOUR LIFE
"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the Words of this Prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand," Revelation 1:3
10. Witnessing 

Laboring to reach souls with the blessing of Salvation produces ETERNAL FRUIT
"The fruit of the righteous is a Tree of Life; and he that winneth souls is wise," Proverbs 11:30
 So, if you have ever admired someone who lived with spiritual power in his/her life, I encourage you to put these spiritual disciplines into your life. Practicing the ten spiritual disciplines will change your life! It will make you the spiritually potent, true disciple of Christ, which God intends for you to be (in Him).