We crave the power of God. We look for more power in our prayers, more power in our words, more power displayed in the lives of those we touch. We want clear evidence that God is active among us. And we’ll see that he is—if we understand what draws him near.
People who focus on fruitful ministry as an end in itself are often frustrated. They’ve taken a worldly model of productivity and applied it to the realm of the spirit. But those who are moved by love—who minister because their heart is genuinely motivated by compassion and need—see more power. When pure love is the motive, prayers are answered more often, people are healed more readily, and lives are changed more noticeably. When power is the motive . . . well, not so much.
Your desire for the power of the Spirit is a good one. But you’re far more likely to experience it if your greater desire is love. To pray for the sake of effective ministry is okay. To pray from a heart of compassion is better. Like Jesus, let compassion move you (Mark 6:34). Then, like Jesus, your words and works will be filled with the Spirit’s power.
