During the local elections held earlier this year an acquaintance of mine (enthusiastic about politics) gave me a copy of a book he had been reading.  The book authored by Anthony Sampson titled “Who runs this place?” explores the political and financial institutions of Great Britain to discover who it is that really hold the influence and power within our country.

Described by the Times as “a compelling analysis of power” the author of “Who runs this place?” perhaps sees institutions like the free press as having a greater influence on the attitudes and behaviour of people than the elected government has.  The directors of huge companies who make substantial donations to party funds hold considerable sway over government policy – maybe it is that limited group of 100 or so big company directors who really run the country!  Sometimes huge government subsidies are given to companies in order to attract or sustain their business – so who holds the upper hand there?

We might be forgiven, and I hope this is not too cynical a view of the world, but we might be forgiven if we believed that our world is based upon power.

Those in top jobs earn enormous salaries while those at the bottom of the pile earn very little.  Those in top jobs can decide how many people to employ, who to employ and how much those employees will be paid.  They can decide when redundancies are necessary, and who should be made redundant.  If their company fails, they may find themselves out of a job, but many of them seem to find that they have a generous golden handshake written into their contacts.  It’s always other people who are affected by their mis-management.  Succeed or fail in their business venture, some of these Big Bosses always come out on the right side of things. 

We see that those with power are welcome at top social functions and are mostly revered by the rest of society.  So top social events are peopled by the rich, the beautiful and the famous.  We can gaze at the lovely pictures in “Hello” magazine and only wonder what it might be like to have such a comfortable lifestyle. Power seems to be intimately tied in with wealth in our society, and so those who are poor are powerless while those who are rich are powerful.

Jesus turned conventional ideas of power on their head.  When he said the first shall be last and the last shall be first, he really meant it exactly as it sounds.  Jesus knew that God's power is very different to earthly power, for Jesus discovered that he was most powerful at his moment of greatest weakness.  When he was hanging helpless on the cross, then he was at his most powerful.  Of course, that power wasn't immediately seen or recognised by most people, although the centurion in charge of the crucifixion was convinced that he had seen the Son of God die.  But for most it took a while to become apparent, and was made apparent through the resurrection.  The power was manifest after the event.

Paul too picked up on this idea that God's strength is made perfect in our weakness, and in today's reading from the letter to the Ephesians he says quite a bit about power.  He prays that the Ephesians may be strengthened in their inner being with power through God's Spirit and that they might have the power to comprehend the full extent of Christ's love for them.  And he prays for all this to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than we can ask or imagine. 

So what sort of power does God offer us today?

He offers us the power to take control of our own lives.  As Christians we need not feel powerless any longer, for if we allow the God living within us to fill us with his love, we will grow very strong.  Perfect love casts out all fear and God's love within us enables us to face anything we have to face and will eliminate any fear we might have.

God also offers us the power to effect change within our lives.  We need no longer be ruled by habits and patterns of behaviour, which we feel unable to break. 

Every so often I realise that I’m eating far too much chocolate.  It’s just too easy to buy a wee sweetie when I’m standing at the checkout at the Spar.  Only the wee sweetie gets to be a bigger one each time.  Trying to break bad habits is not easy.

Ask anyone who has tried to give up smoking.  Most find it a difficult habit to break.  Some people find their habits and behaviour patterns rule their lives and destroy their lives.  For some its habits with alcohol or drugs or solvents.

We have other patterns in our lives which may be more subtle but which are no easier to change.  But God's power within us can enable us to change any of these patterns.  We would not normally think on asking God to help us on the Slim Fast Plan.  Somehow we don’t bring our faith to bear on these mundane things in life.  But I ask you – Why don’t we?  If we really believe that God knows our every thought, cares for us in every detail, has counted the hairs on our heads, why wouldn’t he want to help us lead a better, healthier and more fulfilling life.  Why wouldn’t he want to help us break free from the bondage of destructive habits?

God's power also contains healing.  The key to healing is love and those who are full of love have a very healing presence.  Jesus was renowned as a healer because his whole life was full of love and the only place where he wasn't able to heal was his home-town where his love was not accepted because all they could see was the Carpenter’s son.  Those who love don't judge other people but accept them and listen to them just as they are.  Those who are accepted and listened too usually begin to heal quite quickly, especially if the injury is emotional. 

This sort of power has nothing to do with material wealth or positions of authority, although it does bring with it a gradually increasing inner authority which other people sometimes find threatening.  This power is a free gift from God so is available to everybody.  But not everybody wishes to receive it, for it can be demanding and it certainly changes life.  It requires great courage to take hold of God's power and not be afraid to use it.

If you think this power is for you, all you have to do is to ask for it and then open yourself to God.  You need to allow him right in to your innermost being and you need to begin to face your own personal gremlins knowing that God is there to help you.

It isn't easy, but once you begin to experience God's power, you'll never look back.  Jesus knew this, Paul knew this, all the apostles knew this, and all the faithful servants of Jesus Christ in ages past have known this.  The power is available to you too.