Think about how much of our cultural conversation revolves around the subject of power. We hear power discussed in political circles, of course, but in recent years the dominant discussion has been around the source of energy power. The world economy runs on petroleum-derived power, which has come under criticism in ecological terms. The question has become, what alternative sources of power are there? Wind, solar, battery, geothermal, nuclear—these and other types of energy sources are being explored to provide the power that we need.

Imagine what our world would be like without power! Everything would stop. Without the power of the sun there would be no food, for example. It doesn’t take a lot of explaining to consider what would happen to our world without food.

The second law of thermodynamics is a physical law that says, in general terms, without constant infusions of energy, systems shut down. Entropy is the word that describes the disorder that comes when power stops flowing. Consider what would happen to your home without constant infusions of energy in the form of maintenance. In a matter of years your house would fall apart and be overgrown by nature, rendering it useless. We’ve all seen pictures of deserted buildings, facilities, even entire villages and towns, which have decayed due to the absence of energy and power from an outside source.

The Bible says that God is the “outside” source of power that holds the world together and is the source of all other power that we know of. Hebrews 1:3 says that Christ is “upholding all things by the word of His power.” And Colossians 1:17 says that “in [Christ] all things hold together” (NIV).

It is not just the physical world that requires power to hold itself together. The same is true for our spiritual life. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible talks about power; it is mentioned more than 230 times, nearly evenly divided between the Old and the New Testaments. When Jesus was preparing to leave earth and return to heaven, He told His disciples, “Tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). The obvious conclusion is that they, and we, would need continual infusions of power in order to follow Jesus in His absence.

The need for personal power hits closest to home. It is one thing for the world to need renewable and sustainable sources of power, but we do as well. The “empowerment industry” is alive and well in our world. Books, seminars, retreats, strategies, podcasts, documentaries—there is a never-ending supply of information on how to best create and maintain personal power in our life. But the one thing that is missing from most of these resources is any reference to the ultimate power that sustains everything—that being the power of God. In order for us to have the power we need to sustain our life, we must rely on the power of God.

Let’s consider three ways the power of God renews, sustains, and empowers us to be able to live for Christ without “spiritual entropy” setting in.

God’s Power Empowers Us

A historic criticism of the biblical notion of a loving, all-powerful God is this: Since there is suffering in the world, either God is not powerful enough to eliminate suffering or not loving enough to care. Therefore, God is not loving and all-powerful; He can only be one or the other.

A situation requiring both love and power occurred when two blind men approached Jesus, asking Him to restore their sight. Jesus asked the two men, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:27-31) In other words, “Do you believe I have the power to restore your sight?” The men replied that they believed He had the power, so Jesus demonstrated both power and love by restoring their sight. And He demonstrated both power and love on countless other occasions.

The amazing testimony of Scripture is that not only did Jesus have power but He also gave power to His followers to continue His work in His absence. Just moments before ascending into heaven from the Mount of Olives, Jesus promised His disciples that they would receive power themselves: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Throughout the apostles’ ministries in the book of Acts, we see them demonstrating the same power that Jesus demonstrated: “And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people” (Acts 5:12). But it was not only power to perform miracles that they possessed. They also had the power of conviction and faith to withstand persecution for being followers of Jesus. The same men who as disciples were fearful and timid had now become fearless proclaimers of the Gospel to the world. That happened because of the power of the Holy Spirit that had been given to them.

We have been given the same Holy Spirit that was given to them and so possess the same power and enablement that they possessed.

God’s Power Provides for Us

We may not be called to the same kind of evangelism to which the apostles were called, but we can display God’s power in countless other ways. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Paul was referring to the power to help others materially who are in need. But we can apply the principle to every area of life. God’s grace gives us power that we would not naturally have to do what He has called us to do.

In a situation we can easily identify with, Paul found himself in a moment of weakness when he was being afflicted by Satan. He asked God to remove the source of affliction, but instead God replied, “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I [Paul] will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). The irony here is that we realize God’s power most clearly in moments of human weakness.

The boasting of which Paul speaks means we should be looking for God’s power to be at work when we are at our weakest. Our weakness is a perfect opportunity to glorify God’s grace and power in our life. It is just as much a demonstration of God’s power to show strength in a time of weakness as it is to heal the sick or cast out a demon as the apostles did.

God’s power is sufficient for our every need. In any moment of weakness we must ask Him for enabling grace to see us through.

God’s Power Keeps Us

Suppose someone makes a promise to you that is to be fulfilled fifty years in the future. How confident would you be that the promise would be kept? Depending on the person and the situation, you might have complete confidence. But given the variables involved—health, location, ages, ability—you might have your doubts.

God has made a promise to you that you will have eternal life forever if you have put your faith in Jesus Christ. That eternal life begins the moment you believe, but you might be thinking more of the moment you die. On your deathbed, will you wonder if God’s promise will be kept? Let me assure you on the testimony of Scripture: God will keep His promise.

Second Timothy 1:12 says, “For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” And Philippians 1:6 says, “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” In the first verse, the word “able” can be translated “power.” It is the Greek word dunamis from which we get our word dynamite. God has the power to keep you as His child for all eternity.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your power is the key to your life. It is God who empowers us, provides for us, and keeps us until we see Him face-to-face.