Spiritual Power = Personal Preparation x Time x Force Multiplier x Presence
Spiritual Power = (Faith + Gifts + Authority + Anointing + Consecration + God’s Word + Sacrifice) x Time x Force Multiplier (Prayer of Agreement) x Presence
Synopsis
Here is a quick summary to see if you want to dig deeper.
• Definition of spiritual power
• Is spiritual power measurable?
• The source of spiritual power.
• How power works.
• Accumulation of power.
• Impact on daily life
• Power Boosters:
Faith
God’s Word
Gifting
Authority
Anointing
Consecration
Sacrifice
• Force Multipliers
Prayer of agreement
Time
God’s Manifest Presence
• Applying the equation
• Conclusion
Being an engineer and theology professor, I love it when I can put a spiritual principle into an equation! I first heard about this equation from Jordan Seng, the Bluewater Mission pastor in Hawaii. He also talks about this in his book Miracle Work. As I have studied and thought about this equation, I have expanded it to capture a more complete picture of the place God’s power plays in His Kingdom. This is what I would call a Kingdom Principal that shows us how things work in His Kingdom.
Spiritual Power
First, we must define spiritual power and its role in the Kingdom of God. Spiritual power is a vital commodity in God’s Kingdom, necessary to accomplish specific activities. An example of this is found in Mark 5, where a woman who had been suffering from bleeding for 12 years believed that touching Jesus’ clothes would heal her. When she touched Him, Jesus immediately turned around and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” because He had realized that power had gone out from Him.
Another instance is seen in Mark 9:14-29, where power was required to cast out a demon from a boy. The disciples were unable to do so, but when Jesus arrived, He cast it out immediately. When the disciples asked why they couldn’t drive it out, Jesus explained that “this kind only comes out through prayer and fasting.” Prayer and fasting, therefore, are critical practices for obtaining spiritual power.
Spiritual power is also essential for performing miracles. For instance, in one town, everyone was healed, and many miracles were performed. Luke 5:17 tells us, “the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing.” In contrast, when Jesus was in Nazareth (Mark 6), it is written that “He could not do any miracles there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.” This was because their unbelief hindered the flow of spiritual power. Throughout the Bible, many instances demonstrate the importance of spiritual power in various aspects of the Kingdom of God.
Measurable Power
Another important concept to understand about spiritual power is that it is measurable. Dutch Sheets discusses this idea in his prayer blog, Give Him 15. For instance, when the woman touched Jesus’ garment, He noticed that power had left Him. Additionally, scripture indicates varying levels of power in different situations, such as towns where healing and miracles occurred.
Other Kingdom commodities, such as love, grace, and faith, are also described in the Bible as being measurable. This is significant because if something is measurable, it means it can increase or decrease. Therefore, it is possible to grow in spiritual power and become more effective in the Kingdom. By understanding this principle, we can identify ways to cultivate and increase the spiritual power needed to fulfill God’s purposes.
Source of Spiritual Power
One aspect of spiritual power is that it operates as a commodity, similar to how electricity powers lights and electronics. In the Bible, we see that both good and evil forces wield power for their purposes. For believers, the primary source of power is God, specifically through the Holy Spirit. However, we also see angels using spiritual power to accomplish God’s will. Acts 1:8 declares, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” Since the Holy Spirit fills believers, we become vessels and conduits of spiritual power.
The power of the Holy Spirit within us enables God to work through us to accomplish His will in the world. An example of this is seen in Acts 19:12, where people took handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul’s body, and through these objects, the sick were healed, and demons were cast out from the afflicted.
How Does Spiritual Power Work?
Spiritual power is used for healing, miracles, and other Kingdom works. But how does it work? Ephesians 3:20-21 provides insight:
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”
God chooses to work through us “according to the power that works within us.” The power residing in us allows Him to accomplish works far beyond what we could imagine.
Accumulation of Power
It appears that spiritual power often requires an accumulation over time, combined with other factors, to accomplish God’s purposes. For example, in 1 Kings 18-19, Elijah prayed seven times before the rain finally came. Similarly, in Daniel 10, Daniel prayed for 21 days before receiving his answer. In Mark 8, Jesus prayed twice for a blind man before his sight was fully restored. Additionally, Elijah prayed three times to raise a boy from the dead in 1 Kings 17.
These stories illustrate what occurs in the physical realm, but they also prompt us to consider what might be happening in the spiritual realm.
The Bowls in Heaven.
Revelation 5:8 offers a clue about the spiritual realm’s handling of our prayers:
“And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.”
This imagery suggests that our prayers are collected in golden bowls in heaven. Revelation 8:3-5 further describes what happens to these bowls:
“Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense ascended from the angel’s hand with the prayers of the saints before God. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with the fire of the altar, and hurled it to the earth; and there were peals of thunder, sounds, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.”
Here we see that our prayers, when mixed with the fire of God, are sent back to earth with significant impact. This process suggests that prayers must accumulate in heaven until their “bowl” is filled. At that point, God’s fire is added, and the prayers return to earth with power. For instance, Elijah may have prayed seven times to fill his bowl of prayer before the rain cloud appeared. This perspective aligns with many biblical stories and helps explain why we sometimes wait to see answers to our prayers. Of course, factors such as God’s timing, spiritual warfare, and other hindrances also play a role.
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The Impact on Daily Life
T he Bible doesn’t give us extensive details about what happens to our prayers in the spiritual realm, but the passages in Revelation provide critical clues. By examining examples from both the Old and New Testaments, we can draw insights to guide our lives.
This understanding motivates me to persist in prayer and not give up. It reminds me of the parable of the persistent widow, who continuously petitioned the judge for justice until he granted her request (Luke 18:1-8). Unlike the unjust judge in the parable, God is a righteous judge who desires to answer our petitions.
I have many personal stories of waiting on God in prayer. For example, my friend’s son was recently blinded in an explosion. We prayed for several months, and yesterday, he regained 100% of his sight. This experience reinforces the importance of persistence and faith in prayer, trusting that God is working even when we don’t see immediate results.
Increasing our Spiritual Power
How Does the Power Equation Work?
How do we increase our spiritual power to see God move in healing, financial provision, miracles, or someone’s salvation? The power equation comprises seven power boosters that can increase individual spiritual power, along with two multipliers that amplify total power. Let’s explore each of these power boosters to understand how we can grow in them and increase our spiritual effectiveness.
Faith
Faith is the most crucial of the seven power boosters. The Bible emphasizes the importance of faith in unlocking spiritual power. It also illustrates the consequences of a lack of faith. For instance, in Mark 9, the disciples failed to cast out a demon, and Jesus explained it was “because you have so little faith.” Similarly, in Mark 6, Jesus was unable to perform miracles in His hometown because of the people’s unbelief: “He was amazed at their unbelief.”
But what is faith? Hebrews 11:1 defines it as, “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith bridges the gap between asking and receiving, and its foundation lies in trusting someone or something that will bring the action to pass.
A simple analogy is the faith we have in a chair to hold us when we sit. Spiritually, our faith is in God—that He will do what He says He will do. Jesus elaborates on faith in Matthew 21:21: “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.”
The key here is to not doubt. But how do we reach the point where doubt no longer hinders us?
Increasing Faith
Romans 10:17 explains, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” The term word here is the Greek rhematos (or rhema), meaning a specific, spoken word from God for a particular situation. This differs from logos, which refers to the general or written Word of God, like the Bible.
Faith grows when we hear God speak directly to us, whether through Scripture, prophecy, or personal revelation. For instance, while reading the Bible, a verse might suddenly apply directly to a situation you’re facing. That’s rhema, God speaking directly to you. A word from God can also come in the form of a prophesy where someone comes up to you and says that God was talking to them about you and something that was going on in your life that they did not have any knowledge of, and it was exactly what you needed to hear. That builds your faith.
Another way to build your faith is by reading the Bible God said 2 Peter 1:4, “Through these, he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature.” The Bible is full of promises, and God is always faithful to His promises, and seeing how he worked in the Bible, we can be encouraged that He will work that way with us.
There are many other ways to build your faith, but I want to leave you with this last one. Faith is like a muscle. If you exercise the muscle, then it will get stronger. How do we exercise our faith muscle? We do that by daily walking with God and seeing him faithful in the small things over the years. We are then able to see Him faithful in the bigger things. My wife and I had ten months of massive attack from the enemy. We had a family member die, and several other members of our family come close to death, and my wife and I almost died but for God’s intervention. How did we survive that? It was the 30 plus years of seeing God’s faithfulness that got us through the storm.
God’s Word
Since we have already somewhat discussed this, let’s dig a little deeper into God’s Word. We have the perfect example of using the word of God in releasing power. When Jesus was tempted by satan, how did Jesus respond? He quoted the word of God, and each temptation came his way, and Jesus defeated satan. Ephesians 6:17 tells us that “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” That word for word is rhema God’s word for that situation also in Hebrews 4:12 it tells us that “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” This verse it is talking about the Logos of God’s general word. The Holy Spirit takes God’s word and applies it to a situation and releases power to accomplish what it was meant to accomplish. Isaiah 55:11 drives this home where it says, “so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” God’s word under the unction of the Holy Spirit is powerful and will accomplish for the purpose that it was sent.
When we encounter a challenge, it’s essential to turn to Scripture and align our prayers with God’s will. As 1 John 5:14-15 assures us:
This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”
A Story of Power Through God’s Word
Dutch Sheets, in his Give Him 15 blog, shares a story about a Guatemalan farmer whose crops were being destroyed by flies:
“This farmer, already in financial trouble, faced losing thousands of acres of maize to these flies. He was about to spend $25,000 on crop-dusting, unsure if it would work. We explained the biblical principle of tithing and God’s promise to ‘rebuke the devourer’ (Malachi 3:10-11) for those who obey Him. We prayed and declared these verses over his crops. The flies and their larvae died, and the crops were saved without spending the $25,000.”
This testimony shows the power of speaking God’s Word under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Whether it’s through Scripture, prophecy, or direct revelation, God’s Word releases spiritual power and is a critical element of the power equation.
Gifting
Another component of the power equation is gifting. When I refer to gifting, I am referring to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are listed in 4 different places in the Bible. For example, someone gifted in the gift of miracles will add more power to the power equation than someone that is not, or if you are praying for healing, you want someone gifted in praying for someone’s healing. When I go out to minister to a person, I try to knab someone gifted in the area that we will minister. If I am praying for someone who has a bad back, I try to find someone who has had good success in praying for backs, or even better, I will grab someone who recently had their back healed. God seems to use people who have been healed from a particular condition to have a gifting to minister to those who suffer from the same condition. If you do not have the gifting for a specific area you are engaging in, you will have to increase your power in some other areas.
Authority
In the Kingdom of God, there is an authority structure. For example, a pastor has spiritual authority over their congregation or a small group leader over the group, or a father over his family. Hebrews 13:17 describes this authority, “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.” In the Bible, we see governmental authorities, institutional authorities, church authorities, and familial authorities. We all fit somewhere in these authority structures, and the higher you are on the food chain you have more power and authority.
Let me illustrate how authority impacts the power equation. I was co-teaching theology at a Christian University, and one particular semester, God showed up in our classroom in a powerful way. One week one of the students brought a friend who was severely crippled due to a brain aneurism, and God healed him of both his deformities and the brain damage. It caused quite a stir on campus, and we got called into the office and asked what we were doing in our class. We told them, and they made us change some of our curricula, but they really could not tell us not to heal the lame. At that point, God’s moving in our class stopped. This continued for the following year. During that time, our department chair became sick and passed away. We prayed and asked the Lord what to do, and He said to get the blessing from the new department chair, so we met with him and shared our vision and asked for his blessing. He then walked over and laid hands on us, and gave us his blessing. It was like someone flipped a switch. God began to move again in class, and many students were ministered to, and their lives were changed.
How does this factor into the power equation? You may be facing a situation that is above your paygrade, and you need someone who has authority in that area. Over the years, I get an opportunity to minister to pastors, and they sometimes have church-related issues. Me being a layman, I do not have authority over these areas, so in that case, I would get another pastor to come and pray for him because he has pastoral authority in that area.
Anointing
What is anointing? Anointing is a special empowering of the Holy Spirit for the moment or a season usually accompanying God’s call on that person. For example, God called Peter to the gentiles, and he had a special anointing to minister to the gentiles. Another example is when Jesus sent out the disciples to the villages with special instructions, and they had the anointing to heal the sick and cast out demons. The anointing also ties into gifting. It may be one and the same. Someone may have a specific gifting and the anointing to go with it. I have seen people gifted in evangelism but had a special anointing to evangelize a particular people group. I also know people that have anointings for healing specific types of conditions.
A well-known Prophet named Paul Cain had an amazing gift in the prophetic, but his natural gift for teaching was limited until the “anointing” came on him, and then he was quite a good teacher. The reason I share this story is to illustrate anointing in a pure sense. You can have no gifting in a specific area like healing, teaching, or any other gift out there, but you have the Holy Spirit, who is the author of all the gifts. He can provide the anointing at any time to accomplish God’s will in a situation.
Most times, when I go into a ministry situation, I will pray for God’s anointing so that I might be fully equipped to do the ministry that God had called me. In terms of the power equation, you can pray for the special anointing you need or invite someone who is anointed in the specific area of ministry, increasing your power factor.
Consecration
Consecration is an action taken to make yourself more holy. What does that look like? Probably one of the biggest hindrances to effective ministry is unconfessed sin in your life, so consecrating yourself is making yourself right with God and asking the Holy Spirit to “search me” and “see if there is any offensive way in me.” That is the start of consecration. James 5:16 tells us, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” The goal is to be in tune with the Holy Spirit so that He can lead you in your ministry time. We see this when the disciples could not cast out the demon in the man’s boy, and Jesus said that this only comes out by prayer and fasting. Fasting releases power and tunes down your flesh so that you can more clearly hear God’s voice.
I have performed experiments where one week before our small group, I would spend time praying and fasting, and the following week I wouldn’t. There was a substantial difference on the days that I fasted, being a noticeable presence of the Lord on those days, and there was more power for ministry amongst the group. When I know that I will be going into a situation where I will be dealing with the demonic, I spend time getting right with the Lord and often fasting to be more in tune with God and increase power.
Sacrifice
The final component of the main equation is sacrifice. Sacrificial power is a key principle in the kingdom of God: where there is sacrifice, there is a release of spiritual power. For example, in the Old Testament, when Israel needed victory in Judges 20:26, the entire nation fasted, and the Lord gave them triumph over their enemies. A similar principle is seen on the enemy’s side. In one instance, the king of Moab, down to 700 men against the combined armies of Israel and Judah (30,000 strong), sacrificed his firstborn son on the wall, causing Israel to retreat. Historically, whenever there were martyrs for God, spiritual power was released in significant ways.
One famous example occurred in Romania during the oppressive rule of the communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Christians faced severe persecution under his regime. When troops were sent to arrest a beloved pastor, men, women, and children surrounded the church in an act of defiance. The troops opened fire on the crowd, killing many. However, within days, the communist regime fell, and hundreds of thousands of people filled the streets, shouting, “This is a miracle! God is real! Praise God!”
Jesus also emphasized the connection between spiritual power and sacrifice. He told His disciples that certain demons could only be cast out through prayer and fasting, indicating that greater spiritual power is needed to overcome such challenges. For those seeking an increase in spiritual power, prayer and fasting provide an excellent means to achieve it. Additionally, other forms of sacrifice, such as giving financially, dedicating time, and offering heartfelt prayer, can also release spiritual power.
This concludes the discussion on the foundational aspects of the equation. However, there are multiplication factors that can significantly boost the power level. Two such factors are time and the prayer of agreement.
Time
Understanding the power of time in prayer greatly encouraged me to persevere. I often picture our prayers as filling a bowl in heaven, and when the bowl is full, God mixes it with His fire and sends it back down to earth. Accomplishing certain spiritual tasks often requires multiple sessions of prayer over an extended period.
I recall an example from our church’s healing rooms, which operated every Monday night. People came from all over seeking healing. One night, a woman brought in a young girl in a wheelchair who was severely disabled; doctors had given up hope. During the first prayer session, someone prophesied that the girl would eventually walk out of the church dancing. Each week, they returned for prayer, and the girl showed small improvements. After 12 weeks, she danced out of the room, down the hallway, and out the door. It was a miraculous transformation, but it required persistence, faith, and consistent prayer.
Time, combined with prayer and fasting, is a powerful combination that unleashes tremendous spiritual power.
Prayer of Agreement
I call the prayer of agreement a force multiplier—when multiple people pray for the same thing, the results are amplified. The more people praying, the faster the “bowl” fills, accumulating spiritual power at an accelerated pace.
I experienced this firsthand during a medical emergency. After minor surgery, I began to bleed out at home, losing at least a quart of blood. Thankfully, a friend from church was visiting at the time. My wife rushed me to the hospital, and they activated our church’s prayer chain. Within an hour, hundreds of people were praying for me. I lost consciousness but remained aware of my surroundings—I could see and hear what was happening, though I couldn’t respond.
At the hospital, as they moved me from a chair to a gurney, the doctor immediately shouted, “Put an IV in each arm and prep him for a transfusion!” However, when they checked my blood, my blood count was higher than normal. The doctors had no explanation and decided a transfusion wasn’t necessary. Later, when I got home, I measured the blood in the container—it was over a quart, not including what I lost en route to the hospital. The sheer amount of prayer in such a short time resulted in a miraculous outcome.
We see this principle reflected both in nature and in the Bible. For example, a single Belgian draft horse can pull 8,000 pounds, but two together can pull 24,000 pounds. If trained together for just six weeks, they can pull up to 32,000 pounds. Similarly, in Leviticus 26:8, it says, “Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you.” When a group of gifted intercessors focuses their prayers on one task, the power is multiplied, and extraordinary things can happen.
Throughout history, revivals have often been preceded by widespread prayer movements crying out for God’s intervention. I recall a friend of mine who started a ministry involving travel, teaching, and ministering. Every time he went on a trip, his family faced spiritual attacks. I asked him if he had a prayer team to support him and his family during these trips, and he admitted he did not. I encouraged him to build a team that could intercede on their behalf. Once he did, the attacks stopped, and his family experienced peace during his ministry work.
The prayer of agreement is a powerful tool that not only unites believers but also magnifies spiritual power, enabling miracles and breakthroughs to occur.
Presence
Another multiplication factor in releasing spiritual power is the manifest presence of God. In Luke 17, we see an example where God’s presence was tangibly there “to heal them.” Over the years, I have observed, both personally and through countless biographies of historical revivals, that when God’s presence shows up, there is extraordinary power. One striking story involves Charles Finney walking into a factory building. God’s presence was so overwhelming that the entire factory shut down as people spontaneously began repenting.
So, how do we facilitate God’s presence? Psalm 22:3 offers a clue: God “inhabits the praises of His people.” History also teaches us that revivals are consistently preceded by prayer, fasting, and worship. When believers come together to pray, fast, and worship in unity, it brings pleasure to the Lord. Often, this unity and devotion result in Him blessing us with His tangible presence.
Applying the Equation
Now that we understand the individual components of the equation, how do we combine them to see God move more effectively in different situations? The key to applying this equation is that it has to be done in context of relationship with God. Jesus said, “I only do what I see the Father doing.” This equation works best when we act under God’s leading because He provides the resources we need.
When a situation arises that requires supernatural intervention, consider the equation’s components to boost the power level. Ask yourself:
- How is my faith level?
- Am I spiritually prepared, or do I need to seek forgiveness and renewal?
- Will this situation require prayer and fasting?
- Should I involve others in this task?
- Is there someone with a specific gifting or anointing for this area?
- Will this require sustained effort over time?
These questions help assess how to proceed with the power and resources God has made available.
I recall a personal experience from my college years when I was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ. We organized a significant outreach event featuring Andre Cole, a renowned magician. After months of preparation and promotion, we expected thousands to attend. However, just days before the event, we received reports of a massive storm, one of the largest of the decade, predicted to hit on the event day.
Determined not to let this derail our plans, we gathered at a student house and fasted and prayed all night. The next morning, I turned on the radio and heard the weatherman say, “I suppose you’re wondering where the storm is? So are we!” The skies were clear, and the outreach was a great success. Remarkably, the moment I closed the door on the last truck loading up after the event, it started to rain.
By applying the equation, we identified an immediate need for significant spiritual power to hold off the storm. We united as many people as possible, fasted, prayed, and took advantage of time and force factors. The result was victory over the storm and a successful outreach event.
I hope you find this as helpful and encouraging as I did. It reveals a little more of how the economy of the Kingdom works. How the currency of the Kingdom works and how our prayers and sacrifices can increase that currency so that we can be more effective in impacting the Kingdom for Christ.