The Strongest Power
The sermon emphasizes the power of the Holy Spirit within believers to overcome weakness and evil through faith and action.
Mary Wilder Tileston emphasizes the power and authority given to believers by Jesus to overcome the enemy's attacks without harm. She challenges listeners to tap into the unseen spiritual forces available to them, particularly the Spirit of power and the life of Jesus within each believer, urging them to actively engage with these resources through faith and meditation. Tileston highlights the need to stir up the gift within, drawing upon the strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit to experience the transformative truth that Christ lives within us.
Text
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on ser.pents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
--LUKE 10:19
SHED down on me Thy mighty power,
To strengthen for each coming hour;
And then, through flood, through fire and sword,
I'll follow Thee, my Lord, my Lord!
--JOHANN RAMBACH
WHY do we grow so little in grace? It is because we do not use our intellect to meditate upon the forces of the unseen world amidst which we live, or our will to draw upon them. We know that we are weak, and sin and Satan are strong, and we know the truth. But there is a third power stronger than either our weakness or the forces of evil, which we com.monly forget, and which will never disclose itself except in our using of it. We must stir up the gift within us. Within us we have the Spirit of power, the Spirit of Jesus, the life of Jesus. It remains to us to appeal to it; in constant acts of faith to draw upon it and to use it. Thus it will become to each of us as much a truth of experience as it was to St. Paul, and no vague language of metaphor, that "it is no longer merely I that live, but Christ that liveth in me."
--CHARLES GORE
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Understanding the power given to us - Recognizing the forces of evil - The importance of faith in accessing power
- II points: - The role of the Holy Spirit in our lives - Stirring up the gift within us - Experiencing Christ living in us
- III points: - The necessity of meditation on spiritual truths - Overcoming weakness through divine strength - Practical applications of this power in daily life
- IV points: - The call to action for believers - Living out our faith in the face of adversity - Encouragement to rely on God's strength
Key Quotes
“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
“We must stir up the gift within us.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
“It is no longer merely I that live, but Christ that liveth in me.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
Application Points
- Meditate regularly on the truths of Scripture to strengthen your faith.
- Actively seek to stir up the Holy Spirit's gift within you through prayer and worship.
- Embrace challenges as opportunities to experience and demonstrate God's power in your life.