Control or Power

John 9:25

He (man healed of blindness by Jesus) answered, “Whether or not He’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!”

The man that was healed of blindness could not answer the Pharisees’ accusation that Jesus was a sinner. That did not matter to him. All he knew was that he was once blind, but now he could see. He didn’t know anything about Jesus’s past; he just knew Jesus had healed him.

The Pharisees could not accept the miracle. For Jesus to perform such a miracle meant that He had power they did not, and they had to discredit Him somehow. If they could not deny His power, they would attribute it to an evil source. Their teachings carried no power to change anyone; they only sought to control everyone for their own benefit.

We often mistake control for power. Control means you have an authority as long as someone is willing to submit. Power, however, has the ability to change and influence. Many people do not have positions of control, but they have great power to influence because of the way they conduct their lives and the anointing God has placed upon them. Others have great positions of authority, but their lives have no power to influence due. Those who relish control often desire a power they do not possess, and they despise others who do have the ability to influence others. Do you want to be popular or powerful? They don’t always come in the same package.

God grants His power to hearts that are fully submitted to Him. He gives no power to those who seek to glorify themselves or lord it over others. His power is nothing we can harness for our own agendas. He works miracles through ordinary, humble people who will give Him all the glory.

Surrender control for real power. Seek to be a woman of integrity who is influenced by the Holy Spirit and can, thereby, influence others. You cannot gain real power by discrediting what is real; you can only stifle the work of the Holy Spirit in your own life. Refuse to live a stagnant, stale, and ineffective life. Give God complete control, submit to His perfect will, and allow His power to work through you. Your life will be changed, and so will those around you.

Have a blessed day!