po box 272136
fort collins, colorado 80527
toll-free (888) 600-7855
Todd Bailey
Dormant ability,
reserved power, untapped strength, unused success, hidden talents
and capability.
Several months ago, a friend sent me this
definition of the word potential, “Dormant ability, reserved power,
untapped strength, unused success, hidden talents and capability.”
When I received it, I became intrigued by this word. As I
began to mediate on its definition, I became more aware of how we
all have potential in us. No matter what a person's gender, skin
color, level of education, age or financial status may be we all
have potential.
The word “potential” in the dictionary is
defined as:
(1)
Possible
but not yet realized; capable of being but not yet in existence.
(2)
Denoting
possibility, capability, or power.
(3)
The
inherent ability or capacity for growth, development, or coming into
being."
I would like to take the individual
descriptions of potential that I received from my friend, and see
what God's Word says in relation to each of these descriptions.
DORMANT ABILITY
The dictionary meaning of
ability is: “The quality
of being able to do something; physical, mental, financial, or legal
power to perform. A natural or acquired skill or talent.”
Thomas Edison had the quality of being a
genius. We know he
invented the light bulb, but did you know it took him thousands of
tries until he got it right?
The ability to do it was on the inside of him, but he was so
determined to get it on the outside of him. He once said, “Genius is
1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.”
In the Book of Numbers
we can see where Caleb could see the potential (dormant ability)
that the people had in them to take the
Numbers
30
And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us
go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
David, a young Shepherd boy, one day who would
become a King increased his potential by awaking his dormant ability
by starting out watching sheep, because one day he would entrusted
to watch over a kingdom.
He killed a lion and then a bear, but he would have never
killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17)
if he had allowed his ability (potential) stay dormant.
RESERVED POWER
We have power in us that is from God to do
things we never thought could be possible.
Brian Tracy said this, “Learn something new.
Try something different. Convince yourself that you have no limits.”
William Morrow stated, “What lies behind us and
what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within
us.”
Just recently, I heard an amazing story.
Three young boys were fishing along a stream when one of the
boys fell in and got caught in the under current. One of the boys
stayed by the bank where his friend fell in and the other boy ran to
the bridge crossing the stream. The one boy on the bridge waved down
a car passing by and the man in the car pulled over and jumped in
the stream looking for the young man who was no where to be found.
Another man was on the stream fishing in his boat, seeing where the
boy fell in, began to direct the man in the water where to dive in
the water. Finally, the man pulled the unconscious boy out of the
water and took him up to the road next to the bridge where another
car had just to pull over to offer help (which was the only other
car to do so). When the boy was placed on the ground. Someone asked,
“Does anyone know CPR!?”
Well, the lady who happen to pull over was a nurse and knew
CPR. After successfully reviving the young boy, that young man today
is back living a normal life. Shortly after the incident, the family
of the boy had everyone involved in the saving of their son’s life
come to their home for a cookout.
Sometimes, we think “what do I have to offer or
help” do you know that everyone of these individuals in this story
had a lot to offer!
You have the “The
ability or capacity to act or perform effectively.”
Just release that
reserved power inside of you……the bible tells us in
1 John 4:4, “…
because greater
is he that
is in you,
than he that
is in the
world.”
2
Corinthians 4:7
7
But we have this treasure in
earthen
vessels, that the
excellency of the power
may be of God, and not of us.
2
Samuel 22:33-36
33
God is my strength and
power: and he maketh my way perfect.
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,
UNTAPPED STRENGTH
The dictionary meaning of
strength is: “The state,
quality, or property of being strong; physical power; muscularity.
The power of resisting force, attack, strain, or stress; durability;
solidity; impregnability. Power in general, such as that deriving
from the intellect, the law, or the possession of resources.
A source of power or force; that which makes strong.”
One of the best examples in the bible of
someone with “untapped strength” is Gideon.
Here is a man…
Judges 6:11, 12
11
And there came an angel
of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that
pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed
wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
12
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said
unto him, The LORD is with thee,
thou mighty man of valour.
Ps
29:11
11
The LORD
will give strength unto
his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.
Prov 24:5
5
A wise man
is strong; yea, a man of
knowledge increaseth strength.