The spiritual person is powerful in the spirit, not in bodily strength. Power is also different from violence.
The spiritual person is powerful because he/she is the image and likeness of God the Almighty. As God’s child the spiritual person is supposed to be powerful in the spirit.
The spiritual person is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit dwells in him (1 Cor 6 : 19; 3 : 16 ). He receives power from the Spirit who works mightily in him, and in him the words of the Lord are realized:
“You shall receive power when the Holy spirit has come upon you.” (Acts 1:8)
The Lord described this power as “power from on high” (Lk 24:49). This power appeared in the ministry of the father apostles, for we read in (Acts 4:33) that : “With great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.” Thus the saying of the Lord was fulfilled, “That there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power”.(Mk 9:1)
The power of the spiritual person is from God.
David the Prophet therefore said, “The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.” (Ps 118:14) St. Paul the Apostle likewise said, “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” (Eph 6:10) And also, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13) The words “I can do all things” reveal the extent of power. So, the Lord says.
“All things are possible to him who believes.”(Mk 9:23)
Since all things are possible, a spiritual person might not fall in despair, downfall, or mean spiritedness, because through faith he becomes powerful within. He never gets weak, anxious, confused, or incapable. He is powerful in God who works in him.
Such power applies to individuals as well as to groups; to the spiritual person as a believer, and to the church as a congregation.
In the Song, the church is likened to Solomon’s couch “with sixty valiant men around it of the valiant of Israel. They all hold swords, being expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh because of fear in the night.” (Song 3:7,8) The Song further speaks about the power of the church and the human soul, saying :
”I have compared you, my love, to my filly among Pharaoh’s chariots.” (Song 1:9)
The horses and the horsemen are a symbol of power (Isa 31:1), and the horse in the chariots of Pharaoh are horses prepared for the day of battle (Prov 21:31). Pharaoh used to choose for his chariots the strongest horses, so the lord compares His church to those horses.
This shows that the Song of Songs has its spiritual symbols and is not mere songs exchanged between a lover and his beloved as some accuse it !!
It is unreasonable that a young woman agrees to be described by her lover as being a horse in Pharaoh’s chariots. The same applies to the words of the Lord describing His beloved church that she is :
”awesome as an army with banners.” (Song 6:4,10)
It is clear then that the description is symbolic, referring to the church as to the human soul.
It is the description of the soul that lives with God and receives from Him power for life.
A spiritual person receives power from the Holy Spirit, who dwells in him. A spiritual person is a member of those who overcome and conquer, who fight the battles of the Lord powerfully. They are called in the Scripture “mighty men of valor”, as the angel of the Lord addressed Gideon (Jud 6:13), and as David the Prophet was described “skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech… and the Lord is with him.” (1 Sam 16:18) The good children also are described as “arrows in the hand of a warrior” (Ps 127:4). The people with whom Joshua entered the Promised Land were described as “men of valor” (Jos 8:3). It is a symbolic description of those who fight against “spiritual hosts of wickedness”, those who are powerful in the spirit, putting on the whole armor of God : the shield of faith, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit (Eph 6:11-17).
The Scripture gives many examples of such powerful people, like:
Elijah the Prophet who cleansed the country from all the prophets of Baal and of Asherah ( 1 Kgs 18:19,40).
John the Baptist who went before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord
Lk 1:17).
Stephen the deacon who was full of the Spirit and faith, who disputed with three Synagogues and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke (Acts 6:9,10)
St. Paul, having recorded the names of those powerful people, concluded saying:
“What more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of … who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens … affected, tormented – of whom the world was not worthy.” (Heb. 11:32-38)
The church history also gives many examples of such powerful people.
Among those are the martyrs who were strong in faith and in endurance, and were strong in the wonders and signs worked by God through them. There are also the heroes of faith who resisted with all strength the heresies and heterodoxies, defending faith with power in understanding, conviction, and steadfastness. An example of those is St. Athanasius the Apostolic who resisted the Arian heresy, enduring banishment, exile, conspiracies, and accusations to the extent that they called him “Athanasius contra mondum”, i.e. Athanasius against the world.
Man is created powerful and endowed with dominion (Gen 1:26:28), but man lost his natural power when he sinned, and he began to feet afraid. However, God restored to man his power by the work of His grace in him and by the power of the Holy Spirit, and by promises.
The spiritual man reminds us of the spirits, that is, the angels.
David the Prophet says about them, “Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength.” (Ps 103:20) Daniel the Prophet says that one of them shut the lions’ mouth (Da 6:22), and we read in (2Kgs 19:35,36) that the angel of the Lord went out and killed one hundred and withty five thousand from the army of Sannacherib.
The power of the angels lies in their being spirits close to the Spirit of God. Whoever walks in the spirit and in communion with the Holy Spirit is compared to the angels.
A spiritual person in whom God’s Spirit works will certainly be powerful.
David the Prophet upon whom the Spirit of the Lord came was more powerful than King Saul and he even refreshed him by playing the sharp. God’s Spirit in David made the distressing spirit depart from King Saul (1 Sam 16:13,23). David was more powerful than the whole army who were afraid of Goliath. David drew near to fight Goliath and said to him, “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand… that all the earth may know that there is a God…” (1 Sam. 17:46).
A spiritual person does not fear, because God is with him.
Thus David said to the Lord his Shepherd, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” (Ps 23:4) And the chanted his beautiful song. “Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; through was may rise against me, in this I will be confident.” (Ps 27:3) And also , “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright.” (Ps 20:7).
It is the power of the spiritual person’s heart, derived from God.
He does not near because God is with Him as He said to Joshua (Jos 1 : 9,5). God also was with Paul the Apostle and said the same to him (Acts 18: 9,10). He likewise was with Jeremiah the Prophet
(Jen 1:18,19).
I therefore wonder how good sometimes weakens and evil prevails!!
I wonder how the worldly people become strong, confident, declare their views, attain their goals, and do not shake before storms, while God’s people stand weak and shaking! It seems as if evil is more powerful than good, and prevail. Why is that? Why do good not be firm, proclaiming righteousness and calling for it as the apostles used to preach and teach with all confidence. (Acts 28:31).
Spiritual power is not against meekness and humbleness.
Many people love meekness but understand it wrongly. Meekness is characterized by calmness and goodness, but does not prevent a person from being of strong personality. It is perfection of virtues, not contradiction.
The Lord Christ was perfect in all virtues. He said, “Learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly of heart.” (Mt 11:29). But, at the same time, He was powerful in personality and in speech against His opposes the scribes, the Pharisees, the elders, and the Sadducees.
He silenced them and spread His message with all power. It is said about Him, “The Lord reigns, is clothed with majesty… Has girded Himself with strength.” “Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One…” (Ps 93:1; 45:3) He has power and glory.
But what is the concept of power? What is the difference between false power and real power?
Power is the power of the spirit within, expressing itself in a spiritual way.
Power is not violence, for Christianity is against violence. Nor is it love of dominion and subduing others, nor rashness and boldness in the face of the seniors, like a pupil defying his teacher, or a child defying his father. Power is not physical strength like that of Samson, nor self-confidence in a wrong way, boasting in conquering others, or using power out of place, or talking without really meaning what is said, as Peter said , “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Mt 26:33,35)
Power should be permanent and continual.
It is easy for anybody to appear powerful in a certain situation, and the opposite in another, as Samson was in many situations, but became weak before Delilah (Jud 16).
Many are the reasons that make man lose his power and became weak.
A person may become weak before the request or tears of his beloved persons, the persistence of some, the emotional or financial pressures, or before temptation as happened to David.
A spiritual person stands firm before such reasons. Even if he falls, he immediately rises up and says with Micah the Prophet: “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, when I fall, I will arise.” (Hic 7:3)
For such spiritual power there are various reason.
What are those reasons that are the source of power? What are the elements of power in him? What are its fruits in his life and ministry and virtues? All this will be explained in the coming article.