Talk is Nothing Power is Everything!

1 Corinthians 4:20
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

If you must choose between talk and power, choose power. If you must choose between great oratory skills and possessing power, choose power. If you must choose between a great ability to present philosophies and power, choose power. Talk is nothing power is everything!

This is Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth. In this part of the letter, he warns the church about arrogant people who want to mislead the church, 1 Corinthians 4:18. They are arrogant in speech and brag about their knowledge. Talk is nothing power is everything!

Apostle Paul promises the Corinthians that he will come back soon. He will come back to visit them. His other objective would be to find out more about these people who are misleading the church. Apostle Paul says he wants to know what they say, how they say it, and most importantly by what power they do these things, 1 Corinthians 4:19.

Then the Apostle makes the statement in our main text today. He tells the church that the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. The kingdom of God is not about academic understanding but about power. The kingdom of God is not about who has a deep understanding of history but about power. The kingdom of God is not about who is most persuasive but about power. Talk is nothing power is everything!

What power do we rely on? What power influences us? What power do we subscribe to? What power do we believe in? The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. Talk is nothing power is everything!

It is either the power of God or the power of Satan that influences us. Our great talk and understanding that mesmerizes people could be driven by satanic forces. This is why Paul tells the church that talk is nothing power is everything!

Matthew 7:21-23
(21)“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ (23) Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Calling the name of God is all talk, but what power influences you? Prophesying is preaching, speaking the word of God, and even predicting the future accurately, but by what power? Driving out demons and performing miracles is all talk, most critical is to answer the question of which power is behind this. Talk is nothing power is everything!

Acts 16:16-18
(16) Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. (17) She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” (18) She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

The girl was speaking the truth but by demonic powers. What she was saying didn’t matter because the power behind her was wrong. Her truth-speaking was interfering with and affecting the work of Apostle Paul and others. When your truth is disruptive of God’s work, your power may not be God’s power. Speaking the truth is not as important as first knowing what power drives that truth. Talk is nothing power is everything!

There can be the truth but driven by evil forces to ultimately mislead and confuse people. Evil forces can present truth and lies. The power of God cannot be associated with lies. The intention and end of God’s power do not have confusion and lead to salvation. Talk is nothing power is everything!

We thank God for the truth we know from the Bible, but now we pray that we will be controlled and driven by God’s power, in Jesus’s name, Amen!

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