Marvel and DC have provided quite a resurgence in superhero movies in the last few
years. Superheroes are abundant in Hollywood because people feel powerless to withstand injustice or contribute to necessary change. Do you feel powerless as a Christian to influence an immoral and agnostic culture, or to produce a change in yourself?
A Christian has the power to overcome. You may not be recognized as a superhero by others, but Christians have great power given to them.
A Christian has the power of prayer, the power of purity, the power of purpose, and the power of proclamation:
Paul prays the Ephesians will understand God’s power toward us who believe (Eph. 1:18-19). God can do “far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us” (Eph. 3:20). Our greatest power is an invitation to tap into God’s power through prayer.
God has also given Christians the power to be pure and resist temptation. James said, “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (Ja. 4:7). 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that all temptation is common and that God has provided the way of escape. God empowers Christians to be moral agents, to put on the new self, and put to death impure things (Col. 3:1-8). Verse 1 says, “To set our mind on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” This is an image of the power we have in pure thought just as Christ sitting atGod’s right hand is an image of power.
We also have power in knowing our purpose. People’s lives can resemble that of sheep continually straying away without purpose (1 Pet. 2:24-25). What gives us purpose? Jesus bore our sins; He took our place…by His wounds, we are healed. There is great power in understanding that this world is not our home and that Jesus died for our sins. However, what do we do with that purpose?
We have the power of proclamation. We’ve not only been commissioned to make disciples (Matt. 28:19), but we have been given the power to communicate the Good News of Jesus to others. The promise Jesus makes in empowering us to make disciples is that He will be with us (Matt. 28:20). Are you using the powers you’ve been given? Mark Engel
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