This hope is being fulfilled by the surpassingly great power of God. Fundamental Christianity has little power. Neither does Pentecostal Christianity have the proper power. But Ephesians 1 speaks of the power that is toward us who believe. As those who believe in the Lord Jesus and in the Bible, we can all proclaim, “Hallelujah, I believe! I believe in the Lord Jesus and I believe in the Word of God.” We do not need to fast and pray in order to receive the divine power, for this power is toward us who believe. By believing we are positioned and qualified to receive the power of God. Hallelujah, this power is toward us who believe!
Electricity is an excellent illustration of this. When we built our meeting hall in Anaheim, electricity was installed. Now electrical power is toward the building. It is up to us whether or not we use this power, and we use it by turning on the switch. Likewise, the heavenly electricity has been installed in us, and the heavenly power is toward us. The way to receive this power is not to fast and pray for several days; it is simply to use the switch. One way to practice using the switch is to speak Ephesians 1:19-23 again and again. If we speak these verses ten times, we shall be empowered. However, if you repeatedly say that you are weak, you will in fact be weak. But by speaking positively in faith, we exercise our whole being to receive the divine power. When we speak in faith and receive the power, all negative things flee away. Satan is not afraid of our pitiful, begging prayers, but he is afraid of our speaking in faith. We need to say, “I believe, I speak, I have the power, I am strong.” This is not superstition; it is our Christian faith.
Regarding faith, there must first be the fact. God comes in to tell us about the fact, and then we believe what God says. Our Christian believing is exactly like this. Although we cannot see it, it is a fact that Christ has resurrected from among the dead and has been seated in the heavens far above all. Furthermore, it is a fact that all things have been subjected under His feet and that He is the Head over all things to the church. These are accomplished facts in the universe. Through His holy Word God comes in to tell us of these facts. Then we believe what God has spoken and speak whatever God speaks. This is faith. We should not only read and study the Bible, but also speak the Bible. Some condemn us for repeating the verses of the Bible, but we would only repeat them more.
In this universe a transmission is taking place from the Lord in the heavens to the church. Ephesians 1:19 says that this transmission is “toward us who believe.” Furthermore, 1:22 says, “And He subjected all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church.” The little word “to” indicates a transmission. The power that is toward us is the Triune God. This power is not only the creating power, but the power that has passed through incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. After all these steps, the Triune God comes to us as such a power. Within this power, therefore, there is the power of creation, incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. Hence, it is an all-inclusive power. The power toward us who believe is the Triune God, the Creator of the universe, who became incarnated, passed through crucifixion, entered into resurrection and ascension, and has come down to us. This power has been installed in us, just as electricity is installed in a building.
We need to believe that this power is now right within us. Many of us, however, are too natural and too logical and say, “How could such a power be in me? I realize that I have repented, that I have confessed my sins to God, and that I believe in Him and trust Him. I can understand that God has saved me, forgiven me, and cleansed me with the precious blood of Christ. But at the moment I believed I did not feel that divine power was installed in me. Do you mean to say that an all-inclusive power, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit with the creation, incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, has been wrought into me? I simply don’t feel that I have such a power. It is not logical to say that I have it.” Logic is always opposed to faith, and faith is opposed to logic. In this matter of the transmission of divine power, do not try to be so logical. Instead, exercise faith.
Let us consider the matter this way. We have been reborn, regenerated. To be reborn is to have God born in us. Do you believe that God has been born into you? The very God who has been born into you is the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. By the time this God was born into you, He had already passed through creation, incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. Did you feel all this when you were regenerated? Whether you had any feeling regarding it or not means nothing. What is important is that you believe whatever the Bible says. When the Bible tells you that you are sinful, you need to say, “Amen.” When the Bible says to repent, you need to repent. At the time you believed, something happened to you and in you, although you might not have understood what it was. What happened was that the power, the Triune God Himself, was installed in you.