How to Demonstrate the Power as Jesus Did
John 17:3-3
1. CONSISTENCY - Jesus practiced what He preached. He said, Love your enemies
and do good to those who despitefully use you. Jesus forgave His persecutors
because He knew that this example would overcome all problems.
2. COURAGE - Jesus showed courage without being arrogant. In the midst of
terrible threats he said, "I could have called 10,000 angels to set me free, but
nevertheless not as I will, but let My Father's will be done."
3. PRIORITY DRIVEN - Jesus set His sights on the most important goals of His
heavenly Father. He said, "It is not those who are healthy that need a physician
but the sick. The Son of Man has come to seek and to save those which are lost."
At the end of Jesus life He was able to say, "I have accomplished what God sent
Me to do." (John 17:4)
4. MOTIVATED BY
LOVE - Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you that you love one another as
I have loved you. By this will all men know that you are my disciples because
you have love for one another."
5. VISION INSPIRED - Jesus said, "Who do people say the son of man is? Simon
Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the son of the living god." Jesus said
"Blessed are you Simon for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father
in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter and on this rock (the confession of
your faith) I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail
against it. (Matt 16:18)
6. GOAL ORIENTED - Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are
few. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth workers into His fields." Jesus
would never allow His men to be content with just doing maintenance work.
7. INVOLVED KEY DISCIPLES - Jesus said, "Follow Me and I will make you fishers
of men. Jesus knew that by disciplining a small band of faithful, available, and
obedient followers who would multiply His life and purposes, God's purposes
would be accomplished.
8. EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT - Jesus said to the disciples, "But you shall receive
power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
9. YIELDED TO GOD'S WILL - Jesus bore the pain, suffering and shame of the cross
because he said, "Lord, let this bitter cup pass from Me. Yet, nevertheless not
as I will, but let your will be done."
10. RESISTED TEMPTATIONS - Jesus overcame all the temptations for power, pride and lust by relying on God's promises.
11. NOT DISTRACTED BY MERELY GOOD PROJECTS - Jesus could have spent all of His
time healing people and doing miracles. Instead, he chose to focus on His
primary mission as expressed in His great commission. "Go and make disciples of
all nation. (Matt. 28:19,20)
12. ALLOWED FOR DIVERSITY - One day John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw a
man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not
one of us. Jesus said, "Do not stop him. No one who does a miracle in my name
can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us
is for us."
13. HOLISTIC IN HIS TEACHING - Jesus said, "A student is not above His teacher,
but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. Jesus helped people
mature in all aspects of life.
14. AUTHORITATIVE - Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and earth has been
given to me." We have strength for all things through Christ who empowers us.
We are ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner
strength into us.
15. ENRICHED BY WORSHIP - Early in the morning Jesus got up and went out to a
lonely place and there He prayed. (Mark 1:35) He gained strength, perspective
and power in worship.
16. SHOWED NO PREJUDICE - Jesus' mother and brothers once sent someone to
call Him. However, Jesus said, "Here are my mother and brothers! Whoever does
God's will is my brother and sister and mother."
17. UNDAUNTED BY PHARISAICAL OPPOSITION - The Pharisees said to Jesus, "Why are
you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" Jesus said, "the Sabbath
was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. The Son of Man is Lord even of the
Sabbath. Jesus did not allow His critics to discouraged, frustrate or cause Him
to become bitter or resentful.
18. NOT TIED DOWN BY RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES - One day the Pharisees noticed Jesus
eating with the sinners and tax collectors. The Pharisees asked, "Why does He
eat with tax collectors and sinners? Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need
a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance."
19. COMMITTED ALL OF HIS RESOURCES TO GOD - A rich young ruler once asked Jesus,
"What must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus said, "Sell all that you have,
give it to the poor and come follow Me."
20. SHOWED WISDOM WITH HIS INVESTMENTS - Jesus said, the best example was the
seed sown on good soil. These are the people who hear the word, accept it and
produce a crop - thirty, sixty and even a hundred times what was sown.
Jesus demonstrated wisdom in sowing His seed in the hearts of people who were
ripe for the harvest.
21. STOOD THE CHALLENGE OF THE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES - One day when Jesus
entered the temple, the chief priests asked Jesus, "By what authority are
you doing these things, and who gave you this authority? Jesus said, I will ask
you a question: and if you tell me the answer, then I will tell tell you by what
authority I do these things. The baptism of John, where did it come from -
heaven or from men? They said, "We do not know!" Jesus said, Neither will I tell
you by what authority I do these things.
Paul Fritz
Trinity College, Answers2Prayer subscriber