"Overcoming Power Failure"

Dear Beloved:

     Whenever we find ourselves in a season or pocket of power failure we must always remember that failure is not final.   One of the tricks and works of the enemy is to make us feel as though we are trapped, bound, stuck and there is no way out of that place that we are in.  He makes us feel closed in, surrounded, hopeless, visionless and in a state of despair.  Satan blinds us from seeing beyond our circumstances, which causes us to operate in fear, panic, anxiety, discouragement and frustration.  The enemy always brings darkness and defeat in every situation to add pressure, stress, worry and defensiveness to our mindsets.

     In Phil. 4:12-13 (amp), Apostle Paul said, “I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance.  I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want.  I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me.” (I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me; I am self sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency).  What a powerful revelation of truth revealed to Apostle Paul for him to share with us.  This revelation came to him from the Lord through many trials, tribulations, seasons of lack, loneliness, torture, pain, rejection and failure.  In his obedience to Christ he experienced a journey of rough roads, pit falls, traps, afflictions, persecutions and hardships.  He said something that can be very useful for us to grab a hold of.  Paul said, “I have learned.”

      What does he mean “I have learned”, and how do we learn?  To learn means to acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, instruction, practice, or experience.  To come to know or be aware of.  It also means to ascertain by use and practice, to acquire the habit of, be accustomed to.  To increase one’s knowledge or be increased in knowledge, frequently to learn by observation or inquiry.  When Apostle Paul used the word learned he was not talking about classroom study time or sitting in a pleasant environment.

     Apostle Paul gives us some first hand experiences of what he means when he said, “I know how to be abased and to abound.”

     In II Cor. 11:23 he gives us a real insight of his learning and who he learned from.  He says, “Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool- I am more: In labors more abundant, in strips above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.”  From the Jews five times I received forty strips minus one.  Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers; in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness besides the other things, what came upon me daily; my deep concern for all the churches.”  In verso 30 he says, “If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.”

     Apostle Paul truly understood far better than we do what means to experience power failure.  He served the Lord passionately, faithfully, obediently and effectively while in constant danger.  His life was always threatened and in danger the entire journey of his life with Christ.  He was always reminded of his own weaknesses, frailties, infirmities and shortcomings.  So he learned to live a Christ dependent lifestyle and found the strength and power of Christ in every situation.

     We too can learn and gain the power of Christ in our seasons of power failure.  So we can rise up, be free in our infirmities and powerlessness, and draw on the strength and power of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Our own weaknesses are Christ’s opportunities to empower us for service to advance His kingdom.

Sharing Christ’s Love
Dr. James and Prophetess Sharon Randolph