Super Bowl XLVII was one of the most memorable games ever! Facing off on the field were the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers – a marquee matchup between brothers, Jim and John Harbaugh.

But what took place in the third quarter to make that night so unforgettable couldn’t have been predicted by either of these seasoned head coaches.

The Ravens were winning 28-6 when almost all of the lights in the New Orleans Superdome went out. The most important football game of the year was stopped for 34 minutes because of a crazy power outage.

The reality is, a Super Bowl can’t effectively operate unless it has the needed power. There can be players, coaches, TV cameras and fans, but without power and light, they are just left in the dark.

When the power returned, the game’s momentum changed, and the Ravens barely held off the 49ers’ comeback with an epic 34-31 win.

This unusual situation can serve to remind us how important it is to have God’s power in our lives. When we surrender our lives to Jesus and pursue His will, God’s power is readily available to us.

If we try to operate in our own strength with limited power, we end up finding ourselves in the dark. But if we want to walk in the light and accomplish amazing work for the Lord, we must rely on His power to enable and strengthen us.

Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

Many saw the difference between a Super Bowl with power and a Super Bowl without power. Keeping that in mind, let’s choose to live with God’s full power working in us and through us.

Reflect:

1. What is something you try to do in your own strength but realize you need to rely on God’s power instead?
2. What is an example of God’s power working through you to accomplish something more than you ever thought possible?

A prayer to consider: Heavenly Father, You are powerful and wonderful. I pray that I wouldn’t try to live life in my own strength, but instead submit fully to Your power that’s within me and available to help accomplish much more than I could ever imagine. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

Bryce Johnson is the president and founder of UNPACKIN’ it Ministries whose mission is to challenge, encourage, and inspire sports fans to follow Jesus and become more like Him. For more info visit: www.unpackinit.com, or email Bryce@unpackinit.com.