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Misuse of Power
by
Rev. V.V. McCoy, President
World Vision Enterprise
 
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Part I - The Misunderstanding of Power
 
How is the true Church to know the difference in the demonstration or operation of power?
 
LET'S STUDY A FEW EXAMPLES FOUND IN THE BIBLE
   Go to Exodus and look at Moses' encounter with the burning bush:
 
   Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. Exodus 3:1-4.
   This is already more than most of us do: Moses answered, "Here am I." We ask and ask and ask; we want from God; what about what God wants from us?
   And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Exodus 3:5. Are we willing to put off the old to make room for the new?
   Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. Exodus 3:6.
   We should never be afraid to answer God's call to us, for the true power always makes Himself known to man. In these few scripture verses we see God not only identifying Himself to Moses, but He also warns Moses of the power He has. God will always clearly identify Himself to us.
   We do not need to doubt Him: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9.
   Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. John 15:14-15. The true God always makes Himself known unto the true believer!
   Not only will God clearly identify Himself to us so that we can recognize His power and authority, but He will reward those of us who follow through in our obedience to Him. When we doubt, we fail by default. That's right: when we allow ourselves to be overcome with doubt/fear, we lose out on what God has for us.
 
THE TRUE POWER ALWAYS MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN TO MAN
 
   And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. Exodus 3:12-15.
   Please note: not one time in all these scriptures did God give Moses any guarantees that the people would either believe or follow him. He called Moses and gave him an assignment, a commission, but did not, at any time, issue any guarantees that there would be anyone in the audience. God just clearly identified Himself to His chosen servant and gave His chosen servant instructions to be followed. Nor did God instruct Moses to get man's opinion of whether or not he should lead them!
Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. Exodus 3:12-19.
   See, God even warned Moses that this was not going to be an easy accomplishment, but He did so to let Moses know that He was going to be with the Hebrews through it all. God does not leave us in the dark-it is our own doubt and fear that dims our view.
   So we see here in these scriptures that God not only clearly identified Himself and His authority to Moses, but He stated the power that was behind the authority. Further, He gave the details of what He was willing to do for His people, if they would believe and obey. Please, let us not give up after we have believed.
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Luke 18:1-8.
   This was Jesus, Himself, speaking, once again reassuring His children that God takes care of His own: And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him...I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.
   Let us look again at Moses: And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. Exodus 7:1. Please note the lowercase "god". Do you understand the significance of this scripture? God was talking to Moses; Moses was God's prophet. God had caused Pharaoh to fear Moses as a "god", and Aaron, Moses' brother, was to be Moses' prophet.
   And Moses was fourscore years old (eighty), and Aaron fourscore and three years old (eighty-three), when they spake unto Pharaoh. Exodus 7:7. (Seems God has a different retirement plan than man does.) They went and stood before Pharaoh; God had already warned Moses what to expect from this ungodly ruler-that he would insist upon a "sign". (The unbelievers always want a sign: unfortunately today, too many believers also insist on signs and wonders. Too many times we are driven by sight instead of faith.)
   True to God's words to Moses, Pharaoh asked for a sign: And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Exodus 7:10.
   Please back up to verse 9 for a moment: When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. Notice that God did not mention picking the rod (or serpent it had become) back up. No-it just laid there, close by, for further proof of the real thing: The greater God Power in action.
   Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. Exodus 7:11-13.
   Please understand, God had nothing to prove to Pharaoh. He wanted to prove Himself to his own people, to show them the power they had at their disposal through Him.
 
CHRIST IS OUR EXAMPLE
     And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Luke 4:1.
   And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written. Luke 4:16-18.
   But he passing through the midst of them went his way, And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power. And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. Luke 4:30-36.
   And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee. Luke 4:43-44. This was God's power in action through Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son. We must go and do likewise: accept our commission to witness and preach and teach into all the world, bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all mankind.
 
End Part I, "Misuse of Power" Continued...
 
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