Pastor's Ponderings, October 21, 2019

Ordinary People Can Perform Extraordinary Work

Many of us have grown up enjoying superheroes such as the X-men, Superman, the Flash, and Green Lantern.  Whenever crises broke forth, these ordinary looking people could suddenly change into super human heroes, correctly assess the problem, defeat the bad guys, and assure any victims that they were safe.  Personally, I was partial to the Green Lantern, but that is another story.

Unlike these fictional characters, in the Bible, God called forth ordinary people and gave them power to do extraordinary things. Samson defeated thousands of Philistines with his divine strength. Gideon defeated thousands of the enemy with just three hundred soldiers.  The Children of Israel were able to defeat the most powerful army in the known world when God destroyed their army in the Red Sea.

The Bible tells us that we ordinary people are God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10) and we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).  It does not matter the force that comes against those who love God, if God is for us no one can stand against us (Romans 8:31).  Even if our enemies have atomic bombs, laser beams, or biological weapons, the Bible says that no weapon that forms against us shall succeed (Isaiah 54:17).

We don’t battle against evil cartoon villains twirling their mustaches with designs on world domination, but we have a much more powerful adversary, the devil, who goes about seeking any and everyone to destroy.  However, God has given us mighty weapons to defeat him (2 Corinthians 10:4) and He assures us that He lives in us and is much more powerful that the evil one (1 John 4:4).

While the devil and demonic forces are trying to destroy God’s work in our lives, He promised that He has given us everything that we need to accomplish His will (2 Peter 1:3). As He works with us, let those of us who love God allow Him to perform His extraordinary work through us ordinary people.

Ephesians 2:10
New International Version (NIV)

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Philippians 4:13
King James Version (KJV)

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Romans 8:31
New International Version (NIV)

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Isaiah 54:17
New International Version (NIV)

17 no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,”declares the Lord.

2 Corinthians 10:4
New International Version (NIV)

4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds

1 John 4:4
New International Version (NIV)

4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

2 Peter 1:3
New International Version (NIV)
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.