The reason why God brought us to this earth is because He has a special assignment for us. God has prepared in advance good works He wants us to do (Ephesians 2:10). What this means is that even before we were born, God had in mind a work, an assignment, a ministry, a role for every one of us. To fit into the place God has prepared for us, to carry out the assignment God has for each of us, God has put something on the inside of us.
God cannot give us an assignment and not equip us with what we need to carry out that assignment effectively. It’s like a farmer going out to farm without his farming tools. Such a farmer can’t do any useful or effective farming. We have been divinely equipped and empowered by God with the right tool needed to fulfill our purpose.
2 Corinthians 4:7 tells us that God has given us a treasure in earthen vessels. Treasures are things of great value. Isaiah 61:1-2 tells us of a treasure; something of great value that God has put in us. What is this treasure? It is the power and anointing of God. The anointing of God empowers us to preach the good news to the poor, bind up the broken hearted, proclaim freedom for the captives, and release prisoners from darkness. We have been anointed and empowered to comfort those that mourn and provide for those who grieve.
There’s dynamic power in us that can make a big difference to those who are broken hearted, oppressed, in darkness, sad, sorrowful, mourning and going through all kinds of problems. We are carrying a treasure that can give hope to the hopeless.
In 2 Kings 4:1-7, the wife of one of the prophets was in a serious financial crisis. The prophet Elisha advised her to get empty vessels. For what God wanted to do in that woman’s life, He needed two things. He needed vessels and He needed those vessels to be empty. For what God wants to use you and I to do in our world today, He needs us to be available and empty of self and flesh. God may want to use you and I for a great work, but if we aren’t available, He can’t use us. The more available we are, the more we get filled with the Holy Spirit and power. In 2 Kings 4:6, it was when there were no more empty vessels, that the oil stopped flowing. The oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. For the oil of the Holy Spirit, for the anointing and power of God to keep filling us and flowing through us, our vessel must be empty. We must empty our lives of sin; of immoral and ungodly thoughts, pride, anger, bitterness and unforgiveness. These are things that can keep us from being filled to overflowing with the power of God.
The power of God has been put in every believer. We have been chosen to be carriers of God’s power and anointing. This power needs to be activated on a daily basis. How do we activate the power of God, so it’s not left lying dormant, unused and untapped? By daily yielding our lives to God and allowing Christ, not flesh, live and work through us (Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 3:20).
The power of God is activated in a consecrated, surrendered and yielded life. When we pray and wait on the Lord, we gain new strength and the power of God is renewed in us (Isaiah 40:31). The power of God is also activated on the altar of prayer and fasting. When we are not ashamed of the gospel and can boldly and publicly declare the gospel, we will see the supernatural power of God at work (Romans 1:16, 2 Timothy 1:8, 1 Thessalonians 1:5). The power of God is activated as we read, meditate, believe, hold on to the Word, and preach and teach it to others.
Great power is released in the place of obedience. When Naaman obeyed the instruction from Elisha to dip in the River Jordan seven times, the power of God was activated and the miraculous took place. When the servants obeyed the instruction Jesus gave them to fill the water jars with water and draw some out, the power of God came down, and water turned to wine at the wedding at Cana. Living a life of obedience is a major key to activating the power of God.
There’s a beautiful, priceless treasure residing inside us. This treasure is not to be locked up in a safe. It must be brought out and used daily. When you need to make a decision, when you are faced with challenges of life, when powers of darkness resist you and come against you, when someone needs your help or you are with someone who needs God’s salvation, when opportunities arise for you to serve, rely and depend on the Holy Spirit. Don’t go a day without the help and presence of the Holy Spirit. This is how to put the power of God to work, to exercise spiritual authority over situations of life and forces of darkness, and to live a life of purpose.
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