Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
I Corinthians 6:12 - All things are lawful unto me;

• For example, in Romans 7:14-19, Paul says "...how to perform that which is good I find not." 
• He tells the Galatians that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." Galatians 5:17.
  

• We know that there is a strong effort to stay away from Paul's doctrine (I Tim. 1:3, 2 Tim. 3:10). 
• His teachings from the Risen Christ appear to be in competition to some supernatural, imaginary power received by the touch of the minister's hand...
• ...by the suggestion that if one's faith is strong enough, this power can be obtained.

False Faith vs True Faith

• Faith, however, no matter how strong, faith has no power to bring anything into existence, in spite of what today's Christian leaders say! 
• The faith that pleases God (as faith is defined in Hebrews 11:6) simply says "Amen" to what God has already DONE by the Risen Christ, said through Paul and written in our King James Bible and worked on in our lives by the Spirit of God!
• That is the faith that is to be our shield!  Ephesians 6:17 ... the word of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

• When some fancy-schmancy preacher/self-proclaimed prophet convinces the public that they have the handle on some secret formula for the great power of God
• They make a fortune selling it to churches and families all across the country whose lives are near the rocks or already shipwrecked!. 
• The public seems to break down their door to get to them because power is what people are seeking.
• They stay up nights reading and thinking about it. 
• They head out for an expensive education to find how to get that power. 
• They design some fancy and expensive program, "complete with CD's; DVD's and workbooks" and sell them to pastors and youth pastors all over the country.
• These scholars/pastors convince people of their imaginary 'magic' god.
• Romans 1:23 - And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. who by faith and confession to him will give them power; and boy, do they will "fall for it!" 
• Men would sell their souls ( Matt. 16:26) for a fleeting moment of power.
• Just about any and everything is being taught by religious leader to show that they have power over others and can 'sell' you that same power!  (Acts 26:18 - turn from... power of Satan unto God - not unto the power of God!)
  
• ... power to heal
• ... power to keep the law
• ... power to live above sin and above sinning, etc.
• See Acts 26:18 - turn from... power of Satan unto God - not unto the power of God!
• See Acts 8:18-21 - Simon wanting to buy the gift of God.
  

• Romans 7:15 - For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

• Remember, we are to follow Paul...
• see vs. 9, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do..."
•  and I Corinthians 11:1, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ),
• then if you do what he said, you must learn to be content in any circumstance 
•  ...I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content", Philippians 4:11.
  

Are we suppose to have that kind of power?

• How about you? Can you suffer affliction graciously (vs. 14)?
• Paul is obviously not speaking of mighty and heroic deeds done in the sight of men whereby he gains applause and wealth.
  

No imitating, either!

• And we are not talking about imitating Paul, as the modern bible say to do!

1. KEEP THE LAW

• Romans 3:12 - ...there is none that doeth good, not not one.
• Romans 3:19 - Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
• Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
• Romans 7:14 - ...I am carnal, sold under sin.
• Romans 7:15-16 - ...for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

• So if Paul could not keep the law, why was the law given, and what is the answer to the problem of his failure and inability to keep it?
• The answers are: 
• the law taught Paul that he needed a Savior because he learned that he could not keep it!  
• Galatians 3:22-24 - ...the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ....
• Sin dwelleth in him!
• Romans 7:17-20 - Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
• 3)  He also learned that there was no law to keep! (see the next point)
  

After Paul was saved - no law to keep...

• He saw that he was dead to the law and that the law was taken out of the way --
• Romans 7:4 - ...ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ...
• Romans 10:4 - For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
  
• Colossians 2:14 - Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.
• Galatians 3:25 - But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
• Think about Galatians 3:19, Wherefore then serveth the law? -- why would God ask such a question if he commanded them to keep the law?

• Romans 7:19-20 -For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
• After salvation he saw that he was dead to sin --
• Romans 6:3 - ... so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death...
• Romans 6:7 - For he that is dead is freed from sin.
• Romans 6:11 - ...reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin...
• Galatians 2:20 - I am crucified with Christ...
• So, he claimed the truth of passages such as --
• Colossian 2:13 - And you...hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses
• Romans 4:7-8 - ...Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

3. PAUL COULD NOT SAVE HIMSELF

• Romans 5:6 - For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
• He was not given that overcoming power" given to tribulation saints --
• Matthew 24:13 - But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
• John 1:12 - ...to them gave he power to become the sons of God...
• Acts 1:8 - ...ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses (martyrs) unto me...
• Revelation 2:26 - And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end...
• Revelation 2:10-11 - ...be thou faithful unto death...
• Revelation 12:11 - And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
• Revelation 3:5 - He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment...
• Revelation 3:21 -To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame...
• Bunny Trail question - do we need an advocate today?
• I John 2:1: My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
• a.  No - It is only mentioned in I John for the time of Tribulation.
• b.  If that answer doesn't suffice for folks, then here is the explanation.
• We have no law for the need of an advocate.
• We do not need an attorney, for there can be no charge made against us.  
• All of our sins past, present and future have been brought up for judgment, were found guilty ,and Christ was put to death for them!
• When Christ died, the law (the prosecuting attorney) was taken out of the way (Colossians 2:13-14) and put to death (Colossians 2:14; Romans 7:1-3), therefore there is no one to charge us, and even if there were, he would be charging a dead person.  (Romans 6:6-8,11). 
• We that are saved are dead, and being dead, are free from sin (Romans 6:22), and that's the end of it!
  

• Since Paul was not given this overcoming power (nor could he be, compare Matthew 12:31-32 and I Timothy 1:12-14), he had to put his faith in and trust the one who overcame by dying the death of the cross in his place --
• Philippians 2:8 -  ...he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross
• Romans 4:25 - Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification
• Romans 5:19 - ...so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous

IV. PAUL COULD NOT "BIND SATAN" (a favorite of many religious con-artists)--

• Ephesian 6:10-12 - ...be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the whiles of the devil.
• II Corinthians 12:8-10 - But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not...

• I Timothy 5:23 - Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for they stomach's sake and thin often infirmities.
  II Timothy 4:20 - ...Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.
• Paul himself could not be healed --
• II Corinthians 12:8-10 - For this thing I besought the Lord thrice...he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee...Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities...
• In fact, from the time of Acts 16:10, God provided Luke, a physician, to travel with him wherever he went Col. 4:14, 2 Tim. 4:11.

Even Paul's followers couldn't do it!

• Doesn't it seem strange that none of Paul's followers could lay hands on him and heal him?
• Think of the numerous men of God in all those churches that he established, and yet there is no record of any of them having "a healing ministry"!
• It seems that all of the "great power of God" to perform miracles just leaped clear over the saved of several centuries and landed on the Oral Robertses and Benny Hinns of this world.
• Paul had a doctor with him for several years, but instead of complaining he said, Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me, and again he said, ...I take pleasure in infirmities...for when I am weak, then am I strong (2 Cor. 12:9-10).

• We can easily see that Paul's attitude was quite different from that of the modern day "miracle-working healers" who deceive the sick and crippled instead of teaching them to give glory to God.