Under the InfluenceSample

Day 6: What Is Spiritual Power?:

Welcome to day 6! Today, we’re discussing spiritual power.

When we exercise spiritual power, we partner with the Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin, draw people to Christ, and expose the enemy’s presence and plans. In John 16:8-11, Jesus said: “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”

The power of Christ brings everything to light—the motives of men and women, the work of the enemy, and the righteousness of God. When things are exposed, we can properly assess them. The Bible calls this judging or judgment.

Notice that the work of the Holy Spirit is to convict, which is to convince someone of the truth. He’s not out to destroy or harm us but to rescue us by bringing darkness to the surface and banishing it from our lives. If you ever feel condemned and hopeless, remember this is always the enemy of your soul and not your friend, the Holy Spirit. Conviction will always lead us to God and to hope, not away from God into hopelessness. Condemnation isolates a person. Conviction always draws people closer to the light of God and fellowship with Him and other believers. Condemnation makes you feel guilty and full of shame. Conviction brings about the peace and love of God.

When we apply spiritual power and bring things into the light, we can see what is righteous and what is not. The Holy Spirit might convict people of living together before marriage, taking illegal or unhelpful substances, cheating at work, or whatever else originates in darkness. But he also exposes that which is praiseworthy and good. This gives us the confidence to continue living rightly and to exercise the power given through our authority in Christ. When you know that you’re behaving righteously and that God celebrates this, you want to do it more boldly!

How can you more fully operate in the spiritual power that the Holy Spirit provides?