"God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God."  Psalm 62:11

To recognize that God is all-powerful and is the source of all power is an important step in our drawing near to Him and accepting His will in our lives.

When Jesus was preaching and beginning to call out His church, His followers were given authority to do miraculous signs to convince the people that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.  These powers continued for a while after Jesus' death and resurrection.  After the Holy Spirit was poured out, the believers were given the power to speak in other tongues (languages) to spread the Gospel.  (Acts 2:4-11)  "Many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles."  (Acts 2:43 NASB, italics added)  Subsequently other followers received these powers through the "laying on of hands."  (Acts 6:6,8; I Timothy 4:14)  But as the church became established, and the New Testament was written for believers, these miraculous gifts were no longer needed.

However, the power of God has not become weaker, nor has the influence of that power on believers.  Through God’s Holy Spirit, God draws His people to open their eyes to His saving grace and to transform them into the likeness of His Son.  "For the word of the cross… to us who are being saved it is the power of God."  Paul calls Christ "the power of God and the wisdom of God."  (I Cor. 1:18 and 24 NASB)

Since power belongs to God (again Palm 62:11), our role is not to be concerned with having power, but to surrender our entire being to God and to allow Him to use His power to accomplish His will in us.  When we realize we are powerless, we spend our time in fervent prayer, searching the scriptures to learn how to please Him.  Paul tells us to "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."  (Ephesians 6:10,11 KJV, italics added)  We need to completely rely on the Lord, not ourselves, to protect us from evil and to keep us faithful in adversity.  In II Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV) we read how Paul learned to accept our Lord's words, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Paul's conclusion is, "For when I am weak, then I am strong."   

May we be "strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light."  (Colossians 1:11, 12  NASB)