“Stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” ( Luke 24:49 49 And behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city, until ye be clothed with power from on high. )

I take it as beyond dispute that all Christians should live and minister in the power of God.

• “Stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” ( Luke 24:49 49 And behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city, until ye be clothed with power from on high. ).
• “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” ( Acts 1:8 8 But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. ).
• “The kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power” ( 1 Corinthians 4:20 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. ).
• “I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” ( 2 Corinthians 12:9 9 And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for `my' power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ).
• “Consider what is the exceeding greatness of his power at work in us who believe” ( Ephesians 1:19 19 and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might ).
• “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” ( Ephesians 3:20 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, ).
• “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might” ( Ephesians 6:10 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. ).
• “Some hold the form of religion but deny the power of it” ( 2 Timothy 3:5 5 holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power therefore. From these also turn away. ).

Consider one possibility from the life of John Wesley six months after his new birth:

Monday, January 1, 1739. Mr. Hall, Kinchin, Ingham, Whitefield, Hutchins, and my brother Charles were present at our love-feast in Fetter-lane, with about sixty of our brethren. About three in the morning as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground. As soon as we were recovered a little from that awe and amazement at the presence of His majesty, we broke out with one voice, “We praise thee, O God, we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.”

This experience was a turning point in Wesley’s ministry. From then on there was a new power and anointing.

For example on April 25, 1739, as he was preaching, immediately one and another and another sunk to the earth; they dropped on every side, as if thunderstruck.

People were gripped with an awesome revelation of God and of the sinfulness of their sin. Critics standing by were suddenly gripped by similar conviction and converted on the spot.

I encourage you to take the Scriptures cited above and spend some time praying through them, asking God to clothe your church with power. Let it not be said of us, “You have not because you ask not.”