Power

By Pastor E.A. Deckard
Special to the NNPA from the Houston Forward Times

“Every man builds his world in his own image. He has the power to choose, but no power to escape the necessity of choice.” – Ayn Rand

“The only way to predict the future is to have power to shape the future.” – Eric Hoffer

Forward Thinkers, every year Forbes magazine releases a list of the world’s most powerful people. This year Barack Obama, President of United States, dropped to 2^nd to Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, and Pope Francis finishing 4^th, with Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft also appearing in the top 10.

Forward Thinkers, I believe some of the most powerful people in the world are the people who are called Christians and not just called Christian but those operating in the image of Christ.

We were given power at the creation and God restored our power after the resurrection but unfortunately, many of us have become distracted and allowed the enemy to rob us of our power. Forward Thinkers, this month through the series “POWER” I’m going to coach and encourage you to take your power back.

Power Statement I:

I have strength for all things in him that gives me power. Philippians 4:13

Forward Thinkers, somewhere the church has forgotten where our power comes from. I remember growing up in the Baptist church where they used to sing this song that said ‘this joy I have the world didn’t give it to me and the world can’t take it away” and they would keep repeating that stanza with different phases and there was this one sweet old saint that would cry out ‘this power that I have the world didn’t give it to me and the world can’t take it away.’

Forward Thinkers, Paul boldly states that he has strength and he is not bragging but rather encouraging all believers that they too have strength. In Paul’s teachings, you can often see he spent lots of time studying the Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 40:29. “The Lord gives strength to the weary and increases power of the weak”.

Forward Thinkers, my spirit instantly leaped over this prophecy because Isaiah didn’t declare the Lord would give us power but increase our power. In order to receive increase in power you must already have possession of power. Yes, you already have power and it’s time to tap into the things of God and receive a power surge.

Forward Thinkers, we are wired to win, prosper, conquer, rule, and dominate but we must turn on the power switch. Your house is wired with electricity but the power switch must be flipped on in order for the power to come on.

Genesis 1:27-28 The Message (MSG)

26-28 God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them

reflecting our nature So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle,

And, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”God created human beings; he created them godlike,

Reflecting God’s nature.

He created them male and female.

God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,

for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.”

Forward Thinkers, when God created us, he intended for us to rule this earth with power and authority; have you ever meditated over how God describes us in the creation? God himself says we are created in His image, he says we have His nature; He even says we are godlike with a little “g”. Then he commands us to take charge of the earth. God created us to praise Him and our reward for praising Him is that he grants us the position of Power Agents on planet earth.

Forward Thinkers, it’s time to regain our power. God says we should be like him inside and out; being in the image of God means we should look like God when people see us and having God’s nature means we should be thinking and acting like God. God walked with power and God spoke with power. God said and it became. Forward Thinkers, what are our words producing?

Forward Thinkers, God created us with the power to represent him in every area of life. There is not a place on planet earth we should not have power over. The problem is not with the Supreme Court; the real problem is we are not operating in a position of power outside the four walls of the church.

Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Forward Thinkers, the government is supposed to be sitting on the shoulders of Jesus receiving wise counsel but we get so distracted trying to fit in and being politically correct we put masking tape over the mouth of Jesus.

In 1963 90% of Americans called themselves Christians yet 7 Supreme Court judges (2 did not vote) were able to vote prayer out of public schools and this year 83% of Americans (318.9 million) call themselves Christians yet to a vote of 5-4 the Supreme Court voted to change God’s definition of marriage. Forward Thinkers, there has to be a major power shift in America because “in God we trust” is now a joke.

Satan is so excited this season because he used to be an angel and was very close to God until he started tripping and wanting to be God with a big G and lost his position. Forward Thinkers, ever since Satan lost his spot he has been determined to jack us from our spot of power. Adam and Eve were in a position of power and authority but they became distracted by Satan and made a set of decisions (destiny is decision driven) costing them their position of power.

There is good news Forward Thinkers. Jesus came to restore our power. A man once called the church and said his power had been disconnected and he didn’t have enough to restore his power. We contacted the power company and made the payment for him but before restoring his power the power company asked me to verify that we were giving authorization for this payment to be credited to his account. Forward Thinkers, the man was not there with me at time of payment or authorization of payment but he soon called me and said thank you my power has been restored.

Forward Thinkers, it’s time we start thanking Jesus for restoring our power because there is power in the name of Jesus. He paid the cost long before we showed up to restore our power.

Forward Thinkers, I’m close with Jeremiah 10:6; No one is like you, LORD, you are great, and your name is mighty in power. Today we must decide to turn to Jesus and praise Him for restoring our power and understand that’s the greatest freedom known to man.

Pastor E. A. Deckard is the Senior Pastor/Founder of the Green House International Church now located, in both Houston, Texas, and the Woodlands, Texas. To contact Pastor Deckard for speaking engagements contact him at pr.ghic@gmail.com or the church website http://www.ghic.net.