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Romans 12:6 – Benevolent or Malignant

Posted on September 28, 2018 by Will

But having different gifts according to the grace that is given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;

Truth to Learn

Each Christian is gifted for the benefit of the body of Christ.

Behind the Words

Paul begins the verse with a coordinating conjunction de, which can be translated as “and” or as “but” or several other English words. In each case, however, the purpose is to show the direct connection between the previous phrase and the following one.

The word translated as “gifts” is the Greek word charismata, which refers to “that which has been bestowed gratuitously.” In other words, it wasn’t earned and isn’t deserved; it was simply imparted out of benevolence.

“Prophecy” is translated from the Greek word prophēteia, which is the noun form of prophēteuō. According to The Word Study Dictionary, this word means “to foretell things to come; to declare truths through the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit whether by prediction or otherwise.” In other words, it includes both the “foretelling” of events before they happen and the “forth-telling” of the truths of God’s Word. The primary gift of the prophet in the early church involved both of these.

This list of spiritual gifts is clearly punctuated as a coordinated list as can be seen by the Greek grammatical construction. Each of the gifts in this and the two following verses is preceded with the Greek word eite, which is another kind of coordinating conjunction. It is as if these had been listed as “bullet points” with each occurrence of eite being a bullet. There is no apparent order of importance or hierarchy in this list, it is simply a list.

Meaning Explained

Now that Paul has explained to us that the church is like a body made up of many differing parts, he begins to describe some of the functions that these various parts perform and the special enabling that we have to perform these functions. We, the members of the body of Christ, have gifts. These gifts were given to us according to, or with respect to, or as part of, the grace that was given to us. Paul is telling us that these gifts were given to us at the point in time that the grace of God was bestowed upon us, when we were given the righteousness of Christ. In other words, these gifts were given to us when we were saved. They are not part of a “second blessing” nor are they gifts that we earn as we become mature Christians. They were given to us once, for all time, just as our salvation was given to us once, for all time and eternity.

Remember, as you read through this list of gifts, they were given to us as members of a body and they are to be used to make the body healthy. They are not given for personal profit (not even to the prophet J), but for the good of the body.

Application

Do you know what spiritual gift(s) God has blessed you with? Are you using it (them) for the good of the body?

Keep in mind that there is a kind of cell within the human body that has no regard for the cells around it. Its only purpose is to feed itself so it can grow. It’s called cancer!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 11:13 – Service Honors

Posted on August 14, 2018 by Will

But I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am indeed an apostle of the Gentiles, I honor my ministry,

Truth to Learn

Service to God is a great privilege and an honor, which should humble us now and forever.

Behind the Words

Many translations of this verse start off with the word “For” which is translated from the Greek word gar. However, there is significant evidence in favor of the Greek word de, meaning “and” or “but” rather than gar.

The word translated “honor” is the Greek word doxadzō, (from which we get our word doxology) which means, “to consider glorious or full of honor.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous two verses Paul said that the gospel message has gone out to the Gentiles because of the stumbling of the Jews. He has been speaking about the Jews and he knows that those who hear his message will become more focused on the problems of the Jews than on their own relationship with God and responsibility to serve Him.

So, he is about to tell the Gentiles that he is sharing this with them for a couple of purposes. The first is to provoke his fellow Jews to jealousy as he will point out in the next verse. The other purpose is to warn the Gentile Christians not to be too complacent and proud, because their salvation is a gift just as the salvation of the Jews is a gift, which he will point out later in this chapter.

But he now explains why he is making such statements directly to the Gentile believers. It is because Paul was called specifically to be an Apostle to the Gentiles. This is evident by what God said to Ananias in Acts 9:15 when God sent him to place his hands on Paul (then called Saul) to restore his sight. When Ananias resisted God’s call, claiming Saul to be a persecutor of the church, God said:

Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

In the current verse Paul then says, “I honor my ministry.” This is a much misunderstood statement. Paul is not bragging about his ministry, but is saying that he considers his calling as the Apostle of the Gentiles both a great honor and a great responsibility. He says that he believes that the calling which he has received is one of great importance and as such he will not rest until he has fulfilled it completely. Paul is not claiming to be proud of his ministry. He is humbled by the high calling to serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Application

Is that how you feel about the ministry that God has called you to? Do you know what ministry God has called you to? As part of the body of Christ, we each have a responsibility (a calling). You have not been saved just to spend eternity in Heaven. You have been saved to serve, and you should be serving in the responsibility to which you have been called. If you are serving in the body of Christ simply because you have been asked to do something, perhaps you should pray and ask God if you are serving where He wants you to serve.

When we are serving where God wants us, as Paul did, we will see our service as a great honor and we will glorify God in it!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 8:10 – A Spirit of Righteousness

Posted on March 26, 2018 by Will

And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Truth to Learn

Because we have been declared righteous, we are alive with a life that will last eternally.

Behind the Words

In order to fully understand the current verse we have to look at a Greek grammatical construction known as “Correlative (or paired) Conjunctions.” That is, a pair of conjunctions that have a correlation between each other. The conjunctions are men and de. They are used in the following manner, “men (followed by the first phrase) … de (followed by the second phrase).” The effect of this construction is to say, “on the one hand (first phrase), but on the other hand (second phrase).” In today’s verse men is used before the phrase “the body is dead because of sin” and de is used before the phrase ”the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

The word translated “because of” is dia, which means “through.” As in English, this word has two meanings. The first is a preposition of motion; it implies motion through a place. The other is a preposition of instrumentality; it implies the instrument or cause of something In this situation it can be translated as “by reason of” or “because of.” In today’s verse dia is used instrumentally.

As we have mentioned before, in Biblical Greek there are three types of conditional clauses. The first class condition assumes the condition to be true and can sometimes be translated as “since,” although not always. In today’s verse Paul is speaking to Christians and is assuming “Christ is in you.”

Meaning Explained

What Paul says in this verse is “And if Christ is in you, (assumed to be true) on the one hand the body is dead because of sin, but on the other hand the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” In other words, if Christ is in you, that is, if you are saved, then your body is technically dead because of your sinfulness, but because you have accepted Christ as Savior, through the grace of God (who has declared you to be righteousness), your spirit is alive and you will spend eternity in the presence of God because of that righteousness.

In the next verse Paul will explain further what he means when he days that our Spirit is alive.

What he doesn’t say, but clearly implies, is that if you aren’t saved (if you don’t have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in you) then your body is still dead because of sin. But, because you are a sinner and have not been declared righteous, you have no hope of spiritual life. You will have to pay the penalty for your own sins and you will enter the presence of the Almighty as an unrighteous sinner; you are spiritually dead (now and forever).

Application

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then praise be to God that your entrance into His presence will not be just as a cleansed former sinner, but as an adopted son (or daughter) whom God has declared “righteous.”

This salvation that we hold so dear is not just our “get out of Hell free” card. It’s not just our “ticket into Heaven.” It is the undeserved privilege and honor of standing before our Holy God as one who has fulfilled all righteousness and one who possesses His life giving Spirit for all eternity.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 2:7 – Continual Good Works

Posted on August 8, 2017 by Will

eternal life to those who with patience in doing good seeking glory, honor, and immortality;

Truth to Learn

We are to be continually doing good works for God.

Behind the Words

There are two Greek words, men and de, which are not often translated. They are used together to indicate a comparative contrast between two things. When used in this manner they can be roughly translated as men = “on the one hand” and de = “on the other hand.” The word men appears in this verse and the word de appears in the next verse. Hence, Paul is contrasting these two groups of people.

The word translated “patience” is hupomonē, which is made up of hupo, meaning “under” and a form of menō, meaning “to remain.” Hence, it literally means “to remain under.” It is a picture of a beast of burden which chooses to remain under a heavy load rather than rebelling and shaking off the heavy load.

Meaning Explained

Abraham, though not righteous in himself, was declared righteous when he believed God (see Genesis 15:6). Paul will talk more about Abraham’s faith in the coming chapters of Romans. The important thing to note is that Abraham did not earn his righteousness, it was declared so by God when Abraham believed. It is the same with us. When we believed the message that we are sinners deserving of death and that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins, God declared us righteous. The second chapter of Ephesians declares that as a result of this salvation by grace, through faith, we will produce good works which God before ordained for us to do.

This is all necessary background to understanding today’s verse. You see, today’s verse does not refer to the same judgment event as the previous verse (or the following verse). This verse is referring to the Bema Seat Judgment at which all believers will appear. It is a judgment where we will receive rewards for the righteous works we have done since salvation. These works did not earn us our salvation, they are the evidence of our salvation.

In the previous verse Paul told us that the Great Judge "will render to each one according to his deeds." Now he tells us what will be handed out to these two contrasting groups of people. In today’s verse he talks about those who patiently continue to do good, who are seeking glory, honor and immortality. That pretty much describes a committed Christian, and today’s verse tells us what they will get – eternal life. In the next verse he will tell us what the other group of people will get.

Remember that Paul is contrasting the wicked and the righteous. He is not giving a treatise on faith verses works (he will get into that later in the letter.) The point he is making is that the saved will get eternal life, while the wicked unrighteous ones will get something entirely different.

Application

As born-again Christians, God expects us to be doing good works that will build up the body of Christ. At the end of this life He will reward us for these faithful works. Will your works for the body of Christ be worthy of reward?

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 4:6 – Dead, But Alive

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Will

For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Truth to Learn

The ultimate price to pay for our faith (giving of our life) may be what pleases God the most.

Behind the Words

There is a word that is left out of most translations, though is in the original Greek text, which lends meaning to the latter half of this verse. It is the particle men. When coupled with de, it produces what is called a correlative conjunction. The meaning is “on the one hand” (men), “but on the other hand” (de). Thus, the second half of this verse reads:

that on the one hand they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but on the other hand they might live according to God in the spirit.

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse is another tricky one so let’s look at it carefully. Peter starts out with the expression, “For this reason.” Peter is not referring to the thing just said, rather to the thing about to be said (the latter part of this verse).

The phrase, “was preached also to those who are dead …” is a somewhat debated expression that some believe refers to Christ going into Hell to preach to the dead spirits in prison (see notes on 1Peter 3:19,20). What this means instead is that the gospel was previously preached to those who are now physically dead (though spiritually alive). I believe that this interpretation is also borne out by the remainder of the verse.

Peter is saying that the gospel was preached in the past to some who are now physically dead; although, because they believed the gospel, they are spiritually alive. Therefore, they may have been judged by men and put to death for their faith and actions, but they continue to live spiritually (eternally) according to the judgment of God (they are declared righteous). This interpretation also fits in with what Peter has been talking about in the past few verses and seems to sum-up what he has been saying. And because it is summed-up, Peter goes on to another thought in the following verse.

There are many Christians who have been judged as heretics or as evil doers because they followed God’s teaching instead of what the church leaders claimed as truth. The Reformation is filled with such examples, and even in the early church many were put to death for holding forth the truth instead of the party line of the religious rulers. The Apostle Paul, himself, was responsible for such condemnation and martyrdom of believers before he was confronted by the truth on the road to Damascus.

Peter has been telling us that though we may go through suffering at times, even at the hands of those who think they are doing God’s work, we should take such suffering patiently just as Christ did when He suffered for us. And even if we are to lose our lives because of our faithful witness, God will be glorified and will be pleased with us for being faithful unto death.

Application

Let us be faithful and suffer patiently. And, if we do suffer for being faithful, let it be because we are faithful to God rather than to ourselves or others around us.

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Thessalonians 2:1 – Look Up

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Will

Now, we ask you, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,

Truth to Learn

In the midst of your suffering, look up! He is coming soon!

Behind the Words

The word translated “now” is de. This particle serves to introduce a new topic. It is most often translated as “and” or “but.”

“Concerning” is translated from the Greek preposition huper (hyper). This word generally means “over” or “above.” But, it can also mean “about,” “concerning,” or “with respect to.”

Parousia is the Greek noun translated “coming.” This word is derived from pareimi, meaning “to be present.” Parousia can refer either to the presence of something or it can refer to the coming of someone into one’s presence.

“Gathering together” is from the verb episunagōgē. This is a double compound word made up of epi, meaning “upon,” sun, meaning “with” or “together with,” and agō, meaning “to lead.” Putting these all together we see that episunagōgē literally means “to lead or bring together upon a place.” In other words, it means “a gathering together into one place.”

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul spent most of the first chapter of this letter talking about God’s righteous judgment: grace for believers and tortuous, blazing fire for unbelievers. This was necessary to reassure the Christians in Thessalonica that God is always righteous. Now he builds on that concept and proceeds to explain to them that God has not deserted them. The reason they needed this reassurance is that there were some false teachers in the church who were teaching that the rapture had already come and they had been left behind. Not only that, they were teaching that the Day of the Lord (the time of God’s judgment of mankind) had begun.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Therefore, Paul now will explain to them (and to us) some of the truths that he had previously taught them. We need to keep in mind that there is a difference between the Day of Christ (the rapture) and the Day of the Lord (the time of God’s judgment). By maintaining this critical distinction, we will be able to clearly see through some of the confusion that various teachers have taught concerning this second chapter of 2 Thessalonians.

Paul starts off this chapter talking about the rapture. He describes it as “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him.” This “coming of our Lord” is not a reference to the time of God’s judgment, but to the event that is the culmination of God’s grace. This is clear because he couples it with the “gathering together to Him.” The only future event spoken of in these terms is the rapture, when all Christians (those living as well as those who have previously died physically) “will be caught up together … to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Application

Throughout history, Christians have been persecuted and have suffered at the hands of non-believers. More Christians are suffering today than at any time in the past. But, don’t despair, my friends, God is coming soon. When He does, He will take us out of the world. Then, He will judge our persecutors while we enjoy fellowship with our Savior.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Thessalonians 5:4 – Spiritual Darkness?

Posted on June 13, 2016 by Will

But you, brothers, are not in darkness, so that this Day should seize you as a thief.

Truth to Learn

Christians do not live in darkness.

Behind the Words

The word “but” is translated from the Greek particle de, which we looked at in verse one. It indicates transition or conversion, serving to introduce a new topic.

Humeis is the word translated “you.” It is the second person plural pronoun (“you,” plural).

“Darkness” is from skotos, which is from the same root as skia, meaning “shade or a shadow.” It means “obscurity or darkness.” It can refer to either literal darkness of spiritual darkness as it does here.

The Greek word translated “sieze” is katalambanō. This word is made up of kata, meaning “down,” but used here as an intensifier and the verb lambanō, meaning “to take.” Katalambanō means “to lay hold of or seize with eagerness or suddenness.” It is expressed here in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood, indicating a single act that has the possibility or probability of happening.

The word translated “thief” is the noun kleptēs, which is derived from the verb kleptō, meaning “to steal.” Thus, kleptēs refers to someone who steals things, a thief.

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul has just talked about how the Tribulation will arrive as a “thief in the night,” taking by surprise those who are living on the earth at that time; however, he starts off the current verse with “but.” This shows that what he is about to talk about is contrasted with what was just said. He says, “but you … are not in darkness,” meaning that we won’t be surprised by the Day of the Lord. The ones who will experience the Day of the Lord are in darkness, they are spiritually blind. He will tell us in the next verse that we are sons (children) of light; we have been enlightened by the gospel message. Because we are children of light, we will be removed from the earth before that day comes.

People who believe in a mid-tribulation or post-tribulation rapture have to do some fancy footwork in order to explain away what this verse is really saying. Since they confuse the rapture with the Day of the Lord (the tribulation), they try to say that we will be aware of the coming of the tribulation and God will preserve or protect us in it. This doesn’t explain, however, what Paul said at the end of the previous verse, “they shall in no way escape sudden destruction.” Somehow, these people completely miss the message that is given to “the overcomers” (Christians) in Revelation chapter three:

Because you kept the word of my perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. (Revelation 3:10)

The word translated “from” in this verse is ek, which literally means “out of.” We, the overcomers, will be kept “out of” the hour, the time of the tribulation. We will not be preserved “in” it; we will be kept “out of” it. This is clear evidence that we Christians will be taken out of the world before the tribulation.

Application

The world is in darkness because it rejects the gospel message. Because they are in darkness, the Day of the Lord will come like a thief and they will in no way escape. However, that day will not overtake us Christians because we are not in darkness and we will be taken out to eternally live in the light.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Thessalonians 5:1 – Ignorance Versus Knowledge

Posted on June 8, 2016 by Will

But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need of anything to be written to you.

Truth to Learn

There is a distinct difference between the rapture (the day of Jesus Christ) and the tribulation (the Day of the Lord).

Behind the Words

The word “but” is translated from the Greek particle de. It indicates transition or conversion, serving to introduce a new topic.

“Concerning” is translated from the preposition peri, which can mean “around” or “with regard to” depending on the form of the word it is referencing. In the current verse, its meaning is “with regard to” or “concerning.”

Chronos is the Greek word translated “times” in this verse. Chronos is used in reference to “a quantity of time” or “the passage of time.” Thus, this word generally refers to a measurable amount of time, or a specific moment in time.

“Seasons” is translated from another “time” word. This word is kairos which implies “a quality or character of a time period.” In other words, it expresses a period of time in a more abstract sense. It is often translated as “a season” or “an hour (not a literal hour, but a general timeframe).”

Chreia is the Greek word translated “need.” It is derived from chreos, meaning “a debt.” Thus, creia literally refers to one who owes a debt. In New Testament Greek it often refers to “a need.”

Meaning Explained

In the last six verses of the previous chapter, Paul taught the Thessalonians (and us) about the rapture, referred to elsewhere as “the Day of Jesus Christ.” He now starts off this chapter with “but,” indicating that he is going to make a distinction between the rapture and what he is about to talk about. He refers to it here as “the times and the seasons.” Then in the following verse he will refer to it as “the Day of the Lord.”

So, what does Paul mean by “the times and the seasons?” It is a reference to specific events and a general time period. This phrase only occurs in two other places in the Bible, Daniel 2:21 and Acts 1:7. In both cases it is used in reference to God’s dealing with Israel, and there is no reason to believe otherwise in this case. Therefore, Paul is making a distinction between how God will deal with the church and how he will deal with Israel.

Another reason for seeing the rapture and the Day of the Lord as separate events is given to us in the second half of today’s verse. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13, Paul said “I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers,” meaning that they were ignorant of the facts surrounding the rapture. In today’s verse he now says, “you have no need that I should write to you,” following in the next verse with, “you yourselves know perfectly,” regarding the Day of the Lord. We will provide more information regarding this distinction of these two in the following verses.

Application

The rapture is an event in which God completes salvation for Christians. The Day of the Lord (the tribulation) is a time in which God will judge the world and provide complete salvation for the believing remnant of Israel.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Thessalonians 3:11 – Our Constant Guide

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Will

Now may our God and Father Himself, and Jesus our Lord, direct our way unto you.

Truth to Learn

God is involved in the details of the life of every Christian.

Behind the Words

The word “now” is from the particle de, which can be used to indicate a continuance of a thought (and, also, namely, now) or a contrasting of, or a transition between, two thoughts (but, on the other hand). In today’s verse it is continuing a thought.

“Himself” is translated from autos, which is used for emphasis to set the subject apart from everyone else.

The word translated “direct” is from the Greek verb kateuthunō. This is a compound word made up of kata, meaning “down” but used here as an intensifier and euthunō, which means “to straighten or flatten,” and by implication “to guide or direct.” Thus, kateuthunō means “to guide someone directly toward a specific goal.” The verb is expressed here in the singular, not the plural.

Hodos is the word translated “way.” It refers to “a pathway, a road, or a street.” Metaphorically, it refers to a journey or a course toward something.

Meaning Explained

In this chapter of his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul has been explaining why he sent Timothy to minister personally to the Christians in Thessalonica. He has previously expressed his own strong affection for them and his desire to personally be with them. Not having heard from them in a while, he was concerned that their faith may have waivered in the face of the opposition and tribulation that not only the Thessalonians, but also Paul and his companions had been experiencing.

However, having received a report from Timothy that the Thessalonian believers had remained strong in their faith and love, he repeats his desire to personally return to them. In the previous two verses we learned of Paul’s strong and persistent prayer life. We even noted that to Paul prayer had become something that he didn’t have to consciously remind himself to do. To him, praying was just as natural and automatic as breathing. In today’s verse we see an example of this. In the midst of his telling about his incessant prayers for the Thessalonians, Paul expresses his own prayer to God.

For this Apostle to the Gentiles, teaching and prayer were so intertwined that we can even learn about his doctrinal beliefs from the content of this prayer. He expresses this prayer to “our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus.” Even though he expresses his prayer to two of the three persons of the Godhead (plural subject), he uses the singular form of the verb kateuthunō (to direct or guide). In this we see that Paul considers these two persons of the Godhead as one being. We also see here that Paul believed that God was intimately involved in his everyday life.

Application

Some Christians today do not believe, or do not realize, that God is involved in the details of their everyday lives. They may believe that He is involved in the affairs of mankind as a whole, but not in their own personal lives. Throughout the Bible we see God’s direct involvement in individuals who recognize His sovereignty. Let Him in, my friend, and He will guide your footsteps each and every day.

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:20 – Mighty Prayer Power

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Will

Now to Him being able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power working in us,

Truth to Learn

God is able to answer the prayers of our greatest and most overpowering needs.

Behind the Words

“Now” is translated from the connective particle de, which usually serves to introduce a new thought or idea. It is variously translated as “and, but, now, or moreover.”

“Being able” is translated from the Greek verb dunamai, meaning “to have the ability or power to do something.”

The words “exceedingly abundantly” are translated from the Greek word huperekperissou. This is a double compound word made up of huper (hyper) meaning “above” or “beyond,” ek, used as an intensifier, and a form of perissoteros, meaning “abundantly more.” Thus, you can see that this word expresses the idea of “more than a huge amount.”

“Ask” is from aiteō, which we saw back in verse thirteen, meaning “to ask” or “to beg.” It is expressed here in the middle voice, so it could be interpreted as “ask for ourselves.”

The word “working” is from the verb energeō, which means “to be actively at work.” It is expressed as a participle.

Meaning Explained

Before we get to today’s verse, let’s look at something we left out of yesterday’s verse. The second half of that verse contained the fourth in a series of petitions in Paul’s prayer to God the Father. He prayed that we might be filled with all the fullness of God. But, what does he mean by “the fullness of God?” The best way to answer this question is by Scripture itself. In Colossians 2:9 Paul said, “For in Him [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” So, when Paul prayed that we might be filled with all the fullness of God he was asking that we be completely filled with Christ.

Paul now closes his prayer with a doxology. Translating this doxology is a little tricky, let’s see why. The words “above all” are part of an independent clause associated with the verb translated “do.” The next clause in the Greek text begins with “exceedingly above” and is associated with “all that we ask or think.” Therefore, the first part of this verse should probably be translated as, “Now to Him who has the power to do beyond all, exceedingly above all that we ask for ourselves or think …”

This doxology proclaims the power that the Father has to answer our prayers. Since the word translated “working” is a participle, it indicates a continual working, not an off- and-on thing. Also, God’s power (His ability) is greater than that possessed by any created thing. It is so great, according to Paul, that it exceeds that which is necessary to satisfy anything we could ask for and above all that we could even think of asking.

Paul’s expression “the power working in us” is probably a reference to the Holy Spirit of God, for it is the Holy Spirit that manifests God’s power to mankind.

Application

When we pray to God the Father, we should not pray selfishly. Neither should we pray sheepishly; that is, we should not be afraid to ask God to do great and marvelous things. Rather, we should pray boldly, so that when our prayers are answered the credit can go to no one other than our great and powerful God. Answered prayers bring praise to God alone!

In God's service, for His glory,