“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock”
Matthew 7:24
THE CONTEXT OF THE POWERHOUSE THEME
We will study what it takes to become a POWERHOUSE. Jesus describes two houses in Matthew 7:23-24. It is essential to recognize that Jesus is not comparing good people to bad people here. He’s comparing religious people to true disciples. Both look like Christians on the outside, but one has internalized the teaching of Christ from the inside out so that their actions conform to the character of the Kingdom. They carry the power of God. The other has tried to “appear Godly” from the outside in, but their heart is far from God because although they have heard the teachings of Christ, they have not obeyed by the power of the Holy Spirit. These people are not empowered to be witnesses for Christ, according to Acts 1:8. The purpose of the powerhouse is to be a witness. We will focus on the kingdom's principles that will enable us to become POWERHOUSES.
part 2: What Are You Built On?
Luke 6:46-49:
“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well-built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”
THE SOLID ROCK
The revelation of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is the solid rock on which every believer should build their life. It is not enough to just receive the revelation. The way you respond to it matters. In Luke 6, we find another telling of the parable of the wise and foolish builder in the face of a storm. One house collapses while the other’s house remains unshaken. The only difference between the two homes is the foundation each was built on!
THE WORD
Both the wise man and the foolish man built a house. This shows us that true power is not revealed in the house's construction but in the house's ability to stand when faced with challenges. There are many ways to build a house, but there is only one way to build a POWERHOUSE that will stand! Real Power is found in the foundation, not what is built upon it! Therefore, Jesus calls us to dig deep so we can build up. When our lives are built on obedience to the word of God, we can walk in the divine assignments God has called us to as his the building blocks of God's Kingdom, where Christ is the Cornerstone. Building the Kingdom requires power because the Kingdom suffers violence but, the violent take it by force. Therefore, to build for God, we must be built up on the word and grow strong.
Next steps
Read Matthew 16:18 with this question in mind: What would my life look like if it was built on the rock? How does that compare to the way my life looks now?
Read Matthew 13:20-21 and pray: Lord, prepare my heart for power. Dig up every false foundation I’ve been building on, and help me completely surrender to you.
