If Jesus dwells within me, why do I feel so powerless? Have you ever asked that question? I have.

I read about a lady who had a small house on the seashore of Ireland at the turn of the century. She was quite wealthy but also quite frugal. The people were surprised, then, when she decided to be among the first to have electricity in her home.

Several weeks after the installation, a meter reader appeared at her door. He asked if her electricity was working well, and she assured him it was. “I’m wondering if you can explain something to me,” he said. “Your meter shows scarcely any usage. Are you using your power?”

“Certainly,” she answered. “Each evening when the sun sets, I turn on my lights just long enough to light my candles; then I turn them off.”

She was tapped into the power but doesn’t use it. Her house was connected but not altered. Don’t we make the same mistake?

We, too—with our souls saved but our hearts unchanged—are connected but not altered. We trust Christ for salvation but do not release the Holy Spirit for transformation. We occasionally flip the switch, but most of the time we settle for shadows.

What would happen if we flipped the switch? What would happen if we released God’s Spirit in our lives? What would happen if we stopped living in the shadows of anticipation and began to live in the light of transformation? What would happen if we went from being full of the Holy Spirit to being useful for the Holy Spirit?

Don’t you want to get connected to the power of the Holy Spirit?

Whenever I call computer support, the first question they always ask is: “Is your computer plugged in?” If we want to see the power of God work in our lives, we must be plugged in.

Here’s how—
Pray for his power. We do not have because we do not ask.
Obey his instructions. The power of God’s Spirit comes in direct proportion to our obedience.
Worship his majesty. Worship is the pathway of connecting with God. Remember the early disciples were recognized as having been with Jesus.
Expect his blessings. We must believe that God will do what he has promised.
Rejoice in his service. Rejoicing in God in spite of our circumstances is a sure indication that we know that God is in control.

Plug into God to see him work in your life.