Many believers love the idea of power, but few understand its journey. We quote scriptures about being strong in the Lord or doing exploits, yet the reality of power is often far from our daily experience. But there is a divine order in the way the power of God is formed in a person, and it’s not about outward show or religious performance — it’s a journey of surrender, revelation, and faithfulness.
The Lord does not give power lightly. Power is a trust. It is the divine ability to represent heaven accurately on earth. It is God’s answer to human limitation and satanic resistance. And this is why Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they were “endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). He did not send them with passion alone, or even with truth alone — He sent them with power.
When the scripture tells us in Acts 10:38 that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him,” it gives us a model for our own lives. Jesus, though sinless and divine, did not begin His public ministry without that anointing of power. He waited. He prayed. He fasted. And when the heavens opened, power came — not just for show, but for service. And in that verse lies a secret: “doing good” was not just moral behaviour; it was divine intervention. It was power used to liberate, restore, heal, and confront darkness.
But the journey of power in the life of a believer is progressive. We do not leap into dominion overnight. There are dimensions of power, and each builds upon the other. The apostle Paul teaches us in Ephesians 6:10 to “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” That strength, called ischus in the Greek, refers to inner fortitude — the kind that stands when temptation roars, when delays press, when fear whispers. It is not visible power, but foundational power. This is where power begins — not in the pulpit or in public acts, but in the private victories of character, prayer, and obedience.
As this inner strength is developed, it leads to dunamis, the miracle-working power referenced in Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses…” This is where many stop. They pray, they fast, and power begins to flow — healings, breakthroughs, signs. But dunamis, while glorious, is still only a dimension. It is not the end of God’s intention for power in your life. It’s the fruit of prayer, yes, but it still needs to be governed by light — by knowledge.
That’s where exousia comes in. John 1:12 declares that “as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God…” That word exousia is about legal right, spiritual authority. It’s not merely force; it’s jurisdiction. And it works by revelation. When a believer begins to walk in exousia, they speak not just emotionally but authoritatively. Their words are backed by heaven because they are rooted in truth. It is at this stage that your words begin to shape reality — not because you shout louder, but because you speak from a place of understanding. At this level, decrees are not guesswork — they are verdicts passed down from the courtroom of heaven. You begin to operate as a priest, speaking over atmospheres, rebuking storms, commanding destinies to open.
But God doesn’t stop there. There is yet a fourth dimension — kratos. Paul uses this word in Ephesians 1:19 when describing the power that raised Jesus from the dead, and again we see it demonstrated in Acts 10:44 when “the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.” Kratos is dominion power. It is power that not only acts, but governs. It doesn’t just interrupt — it establishes. Kratos manifests when the speaking of a believer, drenched in revelation, shifts entire atmospheres. It is territorial. It is governmental. It is the power through which kingdoms clash and Christ’s Lordship is made visible.
This is why Paul said in Galatians 2:2, “I went up by revelation…” Revelation sponsors this level. At this stage, your words are not suggestions or requests — they are spiritual legislation. God honours them because they are aligned with His heart and His will.
So when we pray for the anointing of power, we are not merely asking to feel strong or to be impressive. We are asking to be conformed to the image of Christ — who moved in all four dimensions. He had inner strength to endure the cross, dunamis to heal the sick, exousia to cast out demons with a word, and kratos to rise from the dead and take His place as Lord.
Do not fear to ask God for power. He invites you into it. But ask with understanding. Ask not just to move crowds but to move heaven’s will on earth. Ask, and stay long enough in His presence to be transformed into someone who can carry what you’re asking for. Power is not a shortcut — it is a stewardship. It is God saying, “This one can now represent Me.”
So let your cry not just be for more anointing, but for more surrender. Let your pursuit not just be for impact, but for intimacy. And as you grow, expect the Lord to take you through each of these dimensions — from strength, to miracles, to revelation, and finally to dominion.
May your life be a vessel through which God’s power is not just seen, but trusted.
Amen.
Author
kay.alli@legalview.co.uk