Mensa Otabil - We Need God's Power
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Welcome, my friends, to day number seven of our 40 days of power. It’s getting exciting! We are beginning to have the flow and starting to see the power of God manifest as we pray and engage the supernatural. Today, we are looking at the power of God; we need God’s power. John chapter 15, verse 5: «I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing.»
Jesus uses the relationship between the vine and its branches as an analogy to depict the connection he has with us, with Christ and his disciples. The three parts that I want you to pay attention to are: the vine, the branch, and the fruit. Jesus says that he is the vine and that those of us who believe in Him are the branches. The fruit represents what we do, the results, the outcomes of our lives. However, these three are not independent. The basis of the relationship between the vine, the branches, and the fruit is one word: abide.
To abide means to remain, to stay, or to reside. It refers to a vital connection that must exist between the vine, the branch, and the fruit. The branch is in the vine, and the fruit must be in the branch. If any part is disconnected, nothing happens. It all starts with the vine supplying strength to the branch, and as a branch, being able to supply strength for fruit to be produced. It is a connection that God wants us to have with Him. Christ Jesus tells us that we are connected to him in such a way that, with Him connected to us, we can do all things. But with Him disconnected from us, He says, «You can do nothing.» Without me, you can do nothing.
Now, this relationship of abiding in Christ goes beyond our salvation. It extends into our day-to-day relationship with Him—His word staying in us. We hear His word, we trust in Him, we believe in Him, we pray, and we walk daily in obedience with Him. That is how we abide in Christ. When we abide in the vine, He says we will bear fruit; our lives will begin to produce spiritual results as well as physical results. Things will happen in your life without any effort because of whom you are connected to. For us to see the power of God, we must know that we, the branches, need the vine. We need Jesus. We need His power; we need the strength that He allows to flow into us. That’s what we are doing during these 40 days of power: we are deeply connecting to the vine so that His power will flow through us. May His power flow through you throughout today as you go out.
Why don’t we share a word of prayer together before we leave? Say with me, «Heavenly Father, I depend on you for power. Help me to stay deeply connected to you. You are the vine; I am the branch, and with you, I can do all things.» Do you believe it? God has answered you. Well, I’ll catch you again. I, Pastor Mensa Otabil, say shalom—peace and life to you.