I have always had strong willpower. If I set my mind to do something, you better believe I can do it. For the most part this is a true statement, I do have strong will power. But even the strongest willpower is not sufficient without God’s power. He is our True Power Source!
There is nothing wrong with being confident in yourself. There’s nothing wrong with believing in yourself. However, we do need other people. Romans 12:4-5 states, “For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” In other words we need each other. And most of all we need God who is our Power Source! The truth is that on our own, we can do nothing at all, not even breathe!
“Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29)
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
Developing a relationship with God and putting our trust in Him and not in our willpower is the best decision we can make! Our willpower can only take us so far without the power of Jesus. We must begin and end with Him who has the real power to change whatever we desire to change. His power within us allows us to accomplish more than we can ever imagine. No door can close that He can’t open. He is greater than any problem or circumstance we may face. When we realize that our God is all powerful and we give Him complete control of our life, we can be confident and not sweat the big or small stuff. We really can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!
“Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” (Job 26:14)
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20)
We often hear the mantra “You can do anything you set your mind to.” and it seems we can, until we can’t. Willpower is not enough! Even the strongest willpower is not enough without the power of God. Even though we may have strong willpower, we still need the Holy Spirit who has the real power to change us from within, His power will then flow through us giving us the power to change, conquer, and achieve our goals and desires when they are aligned with His will and purpose for our life. Apostle Paul said in Romans chapter 7, verses 15-19, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do. For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do.” What Paul was saying is that as strong as our desire or our willpower may be, it is not enough to overcome all temptations or keep our lives honoring the Lord. God offers us something stronger than willpower; He offers “Spirit Power.” No matter how strong our willpower may be, it is useless without the power of the Spirit.
Before we surrendered to Christ, our passions, habits, opinions, impulses, and lusts are fed by our flesh which feeds our will. But when we submit to Jesus, we switch from willpower to leaning on the power of the Spirit who lives within us. The Holy Spirit replaces self. It is His power that changes us from within. It is His power that enables us to do what is pleasing to God. Our will on its own lacks the ability to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
We cannot, by sheer force of will, love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength as scripture tells us in Mark 12:30. Willpower cannot change our desires. But the Spirit-empowered person has a change of heart. Once in residence in our hearts, the Holy Spirit begins fueling our will with His thoughts, perspective, wisdom, and love. Our lives begin to move in His direction, led by our Spirit-fueled will. The more we surrender to Him, the more power we have to follow the Lord’s leading.
“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6)
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20)
God knows our willpower is not enough to keep us on the right path. None of us, strong or weak willpower can live the way God wants us to live by willpower alone. So God sacrificed His son Jesus to die for us that we may live our life through Him, the Holy Spirit. We do not have to stress ourselves trying to change in our own selves, we need help and it starts from within. The Holy Spirit works from the inside out. The real power is God that flows through us in the Holy Spirit who lives within us. Love and Blessings…
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
“for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Phillipians 2:13)
EMMANUEL 