Are you Experiencing the Full Power of the Gospel?

I recently spent several months studying the book of Romans. One incredible truth that hit me over and over is that the gospel isn’t just effective for our moment of salvation. The power of the gospel provides believers with everything we need to live victorious, productive lives for Jesus every day until we see Him face-to-face. Unfortunately, many of us don’t live spiritually powerful lives.

My husband and I love to cheer on the Houston Astros. A few weeks ago, the Astros were in our area playing the Texas Rangers so we bought tickets last minute. We thought they were a little pricey, but they were really good seats. We arrived at the stadium with plenty of time before the game to get some dinner. Since it was a Tuesday, it was dollar dog night. So we bought hot dogs and a huge basket of very garlicky garlic fries. The fries were pretty good, but the hot dogs tasted like you’d expect a $1 hot dog to taste. But that was dinner so we ate it. All of it.

When we asked a stadium employee for directions to our seats she said “Oh, you have VIP tickets. That gives you access to the Lexus Club. You have to take the elevator to get there and to your seats.”

We had settled for less

We had to show our VIP tickets to get on the elevator. Then we showed them again to enter the Lexus Club where they also put a pretty little blue paper bracelet on our wrists. The friendly lady at the club door told us that bracelet meant we could eat and drink all we wanted inside the club for the entire game.

The multiple food stations offered a huge variety of tempting delicacies. Nacho bar. Pizza bar. Shrimp, prime rib, jalapeño poppers. Assorted appetizers, meats, and veggies. A dessert buffet with cobblers, cookies, brownies, pies, and cakes. AND, in case those sweets weren’t enough, you could visit the ice cream bar. After selecting vanilla or chocolate soft serve you could top it off with fruit, candies, nuts, and whipped cream.

And to think we almost missed out on that bounty! Yes, initially we settle for less. We squandered some of our time and bellies on cheap fare. But we still indulge in some of the benefits of the Lexus Club. And I hit the ice cream bar during the 6th inning!

The power of the Gospel for your everyday life

Sadly, Christians sometimes live this way. We settle for far less than God wants to give us. We don’t access His power. We struggle with the same sins over and over. We battle fear, anxiety, and discouragement. We live in our own weakness instead of the strength of the Spirit.

In the book of Romans, Paul not only gave a beautiful exposition of our glorious salvation, he also described how we can live victorious lives today through the power of the gospel. Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross broke the power of sin and death. We have been set free from the power of sin and death. The Holy Spirit dwells within believers. The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us (Romans 8:11)! Through Him, we have the power to say “no” to sin and “yes” to righteousness. Praise God, we are “more than conquerers through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).

The good news of Jesus not only guarantees our eternal salvation, it gives us purpose, joy, and encouragement for our daily lives. Jesus wants to live His life through us to carry out His kingdom agenda. If we submit to His leadership our lives will have eternal significance.

This is just a sampling of the incredible truths that pack the book of Romans. I can’t wait for my new devotional, “Deep Rooted: Growing through the Book of Romans” to be released next month! But I need help getting the word out.

Want to help launch Deep Rooted Romans?

Want to find out more? Check out this blog post to find out about the launch team’s expectations, benefits, and all the fun you’ll have! Or, if you’re ready to apply to the team, here’s a link to the application. I’d love for you to be a part of the team, but there are only a few spots left!!