When God created the oceans He filled them with beauty and power – man has even harvested that power in the form of hydro-electricity. But God assigned a boundary to the oceans when He said “you may come this far...your powerful and majestic waves must stop here” (Job 38:10). We’ve seen the natural results when waters overstep their boundaries: the effects can be disastrous. God’s assigned border for waters is the shore, regardless of the fact that they have an immense power to reach outside of their God-given limitations.
Power, beauty, strength, ability and even money, when allowed to run
rampant, can lead us outside of God’s boundaries for our lives and onto
the shores of another person’s God-given turf. Having the mindset that
God has given us these things and we are limitless can be damaging to
both us and those whose assignments we have the ability to usurp. Even
the oceans, when they so easily flow outside of their natural
boundaries, come back to their own shores carrying debris and filth. A
clean-up process follows in which a multitude of people and much
equipment is needed to cleanse and restore them.
God has given us each power and purpose, but He has also set boundaries for the use of that power and the proper fulfillment of our purpose. Consider Paul, whom God assigned to minister to the Gentiles. Not only did Paul go specifically to the Gentiles, but he was careful to go in God’s timing, never pushing the door open, but waiting for God to lead him in (1 Cor. 16:9). Paul had the power and freedom to go wherever he chose, but he confined himself to his own assignment, telling the Corinthians “…we do not extend ourselves beyond proper limits, but will confine our activity to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you” (paraphrased 2 Cor. 10:13).
What if Jesus had gone outside of the boundaries of His assignment? What if He had used His power to rule over the Roman Empire, stepping into an earthly authority which would give Him the right to release the Israelites from Roman rule? While a temporary, earthly victory might have been gained, Heaven’s purposes and Roman authority would have been usurped and disastrous results would have followed.
The Bible is full of instructions about what to and not to do, indicating that we have the power to make a choice and follow through. But containing that power in a God-given manner is what brings God’s results: power given must be contained within God’s boundaries, or it is power abused.
Do you know your God-given power and the sphere of influence where you’re to use that power? God is no respecter of persons – if He showed Paul where and how to use His power, He will show each of us!
God has given us each power and purpose, but He has also set boundaries for the use of that power and the proper fulfillment of our purpose. Consider Paul, whom God assigned to minister to the Gentiles. Not only did Paul go specifically to the Gentiles, but he was careful to go in God’s timing, never pushing the door open, but waiting for God to lead him in (1 Cor. 16:9). Paul had the power and freedom to go wherever he chose, but he confined himself to his own assignment, telling the Corinthians “…we do not extend ourselves beyond proper limits, but will confine our activity to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you” (paraphrased 2 Cor. 10:13).
What if Jesus had gone outside of the boundaries of His assignment? What if He had used His power to rule over the Roman Empire, stepping into an earthly authority which would give Him the right to release the Israelites from Roman rule? While a temporary, earthly victory might have been gained, Heaven’s purposes and Roman authority would have been usurped and disastrous results would have followed.
The Bible is full of instructions about what to and not to do, indicating that we have the power to make a choice and follow through. But containing that power in a God-given manner is what brings God’s results: power given must be contained within God’s boundaries, or it is power abused.
Do you know your God-given power and the sphere of influence where you’re to use that power? God is no respecter of persons – if He showed Paul where and how to use His power, He will show each of us!
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