“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. ² For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. ³ And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴ And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: ⁵ That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. 

Religion will direct our faith to the wisdom of man.  Man’s wisdom seeks the power of God and even claims the power of God but results in the power of self – self efforts and self will.  What I’m trying to say, albeit poorly, is the modern church exalts the power of God without ever standing in the power of God because they have left the power of God for wisdom of man.

“For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.

The modern church has left the Cross of Christ, which is the power of God, for their spiritual growth.  They no longer seek the Lord for spiritual wisdom and knowledge, they seek man’s wisdom on the Lord.  The new Believer starts out believing in the power of God, looking to the power of God but sadly, their faith is often destroyed because they don’t see the power of God in their lives.  They don’t have the victory we “Christians” speak of and begin to believe God must not love them, they are not good enough or even this whole God thing is a farce.  All of this is a result of religion, not a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.  The sincere and well intentioned Believers are pointing new Believers to shemitahs, harbingers, blood moons, feasts, festivals, 40 days of purpose and every other wind of doctrine in order to “keep them interested”.  Understand this, no amount of religious activity can fill that void in our heart that is meant for the Lord.  It is merely a distraction until the next scheme of man comes down the pike.

I want you to know, the power of God is real.  If religion has stunted your spiritual growth it is not too late to turn back to the power of God for restoration.  The Lord Jesus Christ will give back everything the devil has taken.  Even if your growth has been stunted for 30 years wrapped up in religion, the Lord will loose the chains that bind.  Faith in the wisdom of religious men does not set the captives free.

The power of God is the Lord Jesus Christ.  Wisdom of man will give Jesus a nod and then motivate the Believer to believe in themselves for deliverance, to forgive themselves and forgive God…the wisdom of man is about man and appeals to our flesh.  The power of God is about Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross for all of humanity.  Why would we ever seek routines and rituals over Jesus Christ?  Because they are deceiving and appeal to our flesh.

“Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” 1 John 5:21.

We don’t need a substitute to deliver us, we need the Lord Jesus Christ.  If it pulls us away from Jesus and His finished work, it is pulling us away from the power of God.  Place your faith squarely and solely in the power of God – Jesus Christ and Him crucified…He is knocking.

-Donna Clark Warren