God does not give power
for what he is not doing,
but he will give power and
authority and everything
else that is needed to do
what he is doing.
Saying “The God whose I am” describes your
identity and “The God whom I serve” defines your
purpose. Everybody with a strong belief system will
tell you who they are and what they believe even
before you can open your mouth. They are very
proud and bold to be who they are.
We also should be proud and bold about who
we are! Nobody has the right to tell you to be quiet
while they tell you who they are without also hearing
who you are. Jesus paid a very high price that you
might belong to him (1 Corinthians 16 19-20), but
sometimes we understand loyalty to a brand or a
football club more than to the things that really
matter in life – loyalty to the living God.
Firstly: The God whose I am. That’s your
identity. Secondly: The God whom I serve. That’s
your purpose, especially in terms of ministry. And
these principles are so simple, not complicated. God
does not give power for what he is not doing – that’s
a double negative! I need to put it that way, because
often we try to do what God is not giving us to do.
That is because we often think, deluded, that there
is some formulae, where we can go and do
anything we want and God will back us up.
I’ve seen many different kinds of miracles, but every
single one of them has happened almost by itself as
if I had nothing to do with it.
When your words are addressed to blind eyes,
and they open before you, human logic goes out
of the window. A supernatural power begins to
operate, and it is God doing something through you
that you could never do without him. The result is
a manifestation and demonstration of the power of
God – and everybody present sees that God is real!
That’s what happened when Elijah called down
fire from Heaven.
Not only did Elijah follow God’s word to the last detail,
but he went out of his way to show that it had to be
God or nothing. Before he prayed, he asked f or the
sacrifice to be drenched in water, and there were to
be no matches, kerosene or firelighter. The fire had to
come from God or there would be no fire at all. But
when God is in something, it may look a bit like we
are doing a lot, but those with discerning eyes will
see that it’s not manufactured by a human being. It all
comes from God. That’s how it is with our nation right
now – we need God to do what only he can do! ❖
But God does not give power for what He is not
doing. So when Elijah declared himself a servant of
God, he was saying that he only did what God told
him to do, not taking his own initiative. Jesus said,
“As the Father sent me so I send you.” This is the key
to walking in the miraculous. We find out what God
is doing, what he is saying and where he is leading,
and go with it. Follow the direction of the Holy Spirit,
not your own thinking, or what you would like to see
happen! God does not give power for what he is
not doing, but he will give power and authority and
everything else that is needed to do what he is doing.
Revival Times November 2017 9