Authentic Power | John Avant

John Avant. Authentic Power: How to Unleash It in Your Life. Multnomah, 2006. 240 pp.

Scripture reveals that God’s normal method of operation is to show His power to His people. It’s just that we’re rarely ready to see it. But when we are, when we have set our hearts on living in the resurrection realm, where power is the norm, we can expect to see God faithfully demonstrate His power. When He does this in memorable, faith-building ways, I call these SIPs: Sacred, Intimate, Places. These are holy moments when God is more real than the air we breathe.

He is the air we breathe. That moment, that physical or spiritual place becomes sacred and intimate because God brought you there to love you, to build your faith, to shower you, His child, with Himself. Sacred, intimate places of power. Faith-boosters that guard you from ever turning from the resurrection realm to lesser plains. Why would anyone want to, when they can wake up every day and know that God will be at work in all they do and that the next SIP of power is just around the corner?

SIPs often come when we make decisions to follow Jesus by faith into new territories, forgetting the past. One of my favorite personal SIPs happened about six years ago. I had been deeply involved in mission work in Belarus for many years. I had seen so many wonderful things and made lifetime friends, even learning a little Russian along the way.

Through a series of events I began to sense God’s call to a new area – a country where it was illegal to become a follower of Christ. I knew God was calling me, but it was so hard for me to change – to give up my visits with my Belarusian friends and branch out into a difficult place. But it was so exciting. I had been asked to come and secretly meet one of the most wanted men in this country – a church-planter and evangelist whom God was using to spark revival everywhere he went. He had never had any biblical training, and I was going to be his mentor. I arrive after almost 24 hours of travel and was immediately told by our undercover missionaries that it was too dangerous for him to meet me. The whole meeting was off.

Being the spiritual man that I am, I immediately began to silently gripe at God. “Why did You bring me here anyway? I could be in Belarus, where I’d actually do some good.”

I arrived at the hotel, exhausted and grumpy, and the first person I met was the hotel manager. I’ll call him Chan. Chan surprised me by speaking perfect English. When I told him my name was John, he smiled and quietly said, “That’s a Bible name, isn’t it?”

Well, now my spiritual antennae were up, and I began to wonder who this man was. Later, missionaries told me that there were rumors that he was a believer, but that he might also be a government spy. They suggested that perhaps God had brought me there to find out which one. After several conversations with Chan, I decided to take a chance, and I told him I was an American pastor. I thought he was going to pass out. He ushered me into a private office and poured out his story. Not only was he a believer; he was the coordinator for training for all of the young pastors in half of the country! He would bring them into the hotel as cover and train them there. Chan said, “John, I have been praying for an American pastor who would come and help me. And here you are!”

I had come to train one man, and God gave me many – more than I could handle!

If you want the Authentic Power that raised Jesus from the dead – and you’re not satisfied with business-as-usual church life or the wild claims from ego-centered leaders, get ready for a resurrection realm adventure.

Paul said, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and fellowship of sharing in his sufferings. . . .” And God has promised us power. It does not come from a Harvard MBA, top notch corporate experience, or titles. The kind of power God promises comes only from Him. It is a gift.

The problem is we don’t know we have it. Paul said, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know . . . his incomparably great power for us who believe.” To know it by experience. To live in God’s invisible dimension of power while we walk in this visible world. . . . And when we do, we will find God’s authentic power there – and some wonderful gifts to go with it:

The Gift of Purpose – even in suffering. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness,” Paul wrote. “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

The Gift of Strength and Significance – even through suffering. “God . . . after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

The Gift of Joy – for those in suffering. “Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials…”

Suffering in and of itself does not bring power or joy. It is how we approach and journey through suffering that can make it strategic, powerful, and even a path to joy. And that journey is not one you can take alone.

Excerpted from Authentic Power: How to Unleash It In Your Life by John Avant. Copyright © 2006 by John Avant. Used by permission of Multnomah Publishers, Inc. Excerpt may not be reproduced without prior written consent of Multnomah Publishers.

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