The Power of the Gospel

Here within lies all our hope. Here is where the true saving, deliverance power of God lies. The truth of the Gospel!

Neither you nor I could set ourselves free. We could not claw and scratch our way into heaven. Worst of all, we could not close the gap between us and God. Without Jesus, we would be forever separated from the author of joy, peace, love, mercy, and grace. Our God, in the most holy act imaginable, told every inhabitant of the world, “I love you!”

Yet he did not stop there. Through his words and following actions, Jesus who received everything from the Father, then willingly handed it over to us(John 13:3, Luke 22:29, Matthew 28:18-20). In exchange for what? Money? Good behavior? Special talents? No. Just believe. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God, an atonement for our sins, and resurrected King of the Universe. That’s it, nothing more.

“But wait,” many will argue, “Aren’t we called to live different lives?” Of course. However, did you make the changes before you received the gift Jesus offered or did the change begin to occur after?

You see, the true gospel is life changing because it comes with no strings attached. There is nothing offered anywhere else in the world that can compare. Every other relationship, job, or transaction requires us to give something in return before we receive. Not with our Lord. You get everything first!

You need love? Done. The Father has poured out his love to us through his Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5)

You need family? Done. You have a Father and a brother (Hebrews 2:11). You are now a son or a daughter.

You need peace? Done. Jesus said, “My peace I give to you.” (John 14:27, John 16:33).

You need hope? Security? Health? Provision? They are all part of the packaged gift that is yours and mine. The big question for most people at this point, “Why don’t I see these in my life?”

The answer lies within the initial verse. The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who BELIEVES. Salvation in Hebrew means- salvation, deliverance, health, prosperity, and victory. God provided everything you and I need through Jesus. Yet, we must believe that he actually provided it ALL. If you dig further in Romans you will see over and over that Paul is telling the people how much their lives should be changed. We can be reigning in life (Romans 5:17) and receiving all that we need and more (Romans 8:32)!

It is not the Lord that is withholding anything from us. The good news is that Jesus made certain that the Kingdom of Heaven was near, and it is! The reality is that all you need is actually in Jesus, whom is in you, in the spiritual realm. For some strange reason there is a misconception that Jesus and the disciples were always sick, feeble, poor and weak. The truth is that they were overcomers, blasting Satan away even at his best attempts to stop the spread of the gospel. The Word is proof!!

As the Holy Spirit began to start revealing this to me through the word I began asking, “How can this truth be a part of my life?” He showed me in Colossians 2:6-7, we receive all of this the same way we received Jesus-through faith and belief. I am going to heaven some day because of Jesus, not myself, and it is no different to receive peace, hope, healing, provision and so on.

I was trying to get God to act in my life based on my goodness, my righteousness. I was serving in the church running the homeless ministry, giving to the poor, discipling youth, constantly reading my Bible, and so I was sure that the Lord would do something powerful in my life or in the life of someone I prayed for. All of these acts were done in my power and my strength. They were all good things, but I was expecting God to move miraculously in my life based on me and my works, not on Jesus. That is NOT the Gospel.

I remember one time when my son was little I awoke in the middle of the night to him coughing furiously. I waited and waited in bed, but he didn’t stop. I decided to go check on him. I opened the door as he hacked continuously in his little toddler bed. I didn’t know what to do except pray. I laid my hands on him and commanded the cough to stop in the Name of Jesus. Instantly he sighed a full breath and his body calmed. My entire body tingled with joy and amazement! What happened?? I hadn’t fasted, read my Bible, or spent hours in prayer and worship? In fact, I was exhausted, disoriented, and half asleep.

You see?! It wasn’t me. At that moment, I was hoping and trusting that the power of Jesus’ Name was enough. I had put my faith in his righteousness, not mine. The Lord had revealed to me through the word and now through experience how to allow his power to flow. The Power of the Gospel!