The following essay resulted from a Conference for Urantia Book readers held at Belton, Texas July 21-23, 2006. I thought you would enjoy considering the matters it discuses.

Love, Bill Cooper

Spiritual Power
Belton, Texas Spiritual Living Conference July 21-23, 2006


Spiritual power is the attractive lure of loving behavior – goodness. It exists and works because our minds are designed that way. It is inherent and instinctive that goodness begets goodness. Goodness is extremely powerful and transformative for both the person portraying this Godlike behavior and the persons witnessing and benefiting. It is so powerful that it will change those in its presence even if they resist, deny or fight it. But it will change them more quickly and more thoroughly if they cooperate with it.

Spiritual power is available to us as a gift from God. It derives from certain attitudes and the behavior we exhibit as a result of those attitudes. Because spiritual power is nonviolent and nonresistive to evil and even proactive in doing good in all circumstances, it takes considerable courage and faith to live a life of spiritual power. Even so, everyone is capable of claiming the gift of spiritual power if they will only choose the behavior of loving goodness, especially in the difficult and frightening times of life.

Spiritual power is the power over self to live a life of love, forgiveness, justice, mercy and gentleness. Spiritual power is the secret of real achievement in life. The attitudes which bring spiritual power color everything else going on in your mind and every action you take. They also influence other people’s attitudes and behavior through verbal and nonverbal communication and through spirit as well as intellect. These attitudes and behaviors communicate soul to soul. If persisted in, they will transform lives, society and eventually our entire planet. These attitudes are simple enough for everyone to participate. But they are unnatural enough to seem impractical, unrealistic and even foolish unless you know their origin and their powerful consequences.

These are common religious attitudes and modes of behavior but too few people have persisted in them sufficiently to experience the reliable manifestation of spiritual power. Far too often when we reach the trying and threatening circumstances of life, we abandon our high concepts and resort to social, political, economic, physical or intellectual power if we have it. Among persons of good will, we may believe in these attitudes but among our enemies or those who would abuse or misuse us, we do not trust them – we lack faith in them. But if great things are to be achieved with spiritual power, it must be applied in circumstances where great and surprising consequences are possible. Spiritual power must be challenged so that it can prove itself. Apparent risks must be taken, at least until spiritual power shows itself so unmistakably that we realize how reliable it is.

It is ironic that we consider such attitudes and behavior to be impractical and yet they are the foundation of highly successful human life when success is measured by spiritual standards. Our culture may be more focused on success in the form of wealth, power and fame but when you leave here, spiritual success is the only success you take with you. So which is more real and worth the effort?

These unnatural but highly successful and powerful attitudes and behaviors are part of the new spiritual gifts brought by the spirit of the resurrected Jesus when he returned at Pentecost to reside permanently among us. All of these gift abilities relate to the awesome truth revealed by Jesus that goodness has the power to overcome evil, and nothing else does.

So here are the attitudes and behaviors which bring spiritual power. Study them, meditate on them and pray earnestly about them and for them. Then, when you are ready, go out and live consistent with them and watch the awesome spiritual power destroy all the evils of this world.

Spiritual Power from Unfailing Forgiveness

The unqualified, inexhaustible, ever willing ability to forgive -- to release hurt feelings, resentment and anger. Forgiveness is a generosity of spirit which extends the opportunity for a fresh start to the forgiven and frees the forgiver from having to judge, punish or discipline. It is liberating. It is Godlike and it is powerful.

Relax and focus your attention on feeling the calm and liberation of forgiveness. Feel forgiveness flow into you and over you, washing away all resentment, anger and fear. Accept the feeling of letting go, forgive. The experience of forgiving enables you to experience being forgiven. Think deeply about how you would feel to be forgiven of every hurt you had ever caused anyone. Not forgiven if…but…provisionally…or conditionally, but forgiven fully and finally, forever. It is yours in fact and in experience when you learn to forgive.

And how do you learn to forgive? Want to forgive sincerely. Discuss it with God and God will teach you how to forgive. Accept God’s lessons with gratitude. They will of necessity involve some hurts which you must practice your forgiveness skills on. The talent of forgiveness is far too valuable to reject because of the pains of learning.

Spiritual Power from Matchless Goodwill

Cheerful, open, helpful, tolerant, patient, faith-filled, optimism toward all people and the problems and shortcomings in their lives. Be of good cheer. God has a plan for every person and for our world. It is in progress. It will not fail.

Matchless goodwill derives from optimistic expectation of the high possibilities inherent in people as a consequence of their spiritual endowment. It incorporates a generous tolerance and cheerful patience for people (including yourself) to grow at their own pace and at their own choosing. It applies a trusting faith that, in due time, God’s plan will result in truth, beauty, goodness, peace and gentleness beyond our capacity to imagine. Goodwill is friendliness. It is the willingness to encourage everyone in achieving their worthy goals and to assist and support them. It is the willingness to do more for others than duty requires. It is helping even those who misuse or abuse you. It is even returning good for evil because the power to cause change is in acting with good will. Failing to actively display goodwill at every opportunity either gives the victory of the moment to evil…or at least fails to confront it with spiritual power. And someday spiritual power
will defeat and vanquish all evil and ugliness.

Relax and ask to feel goodwill flow into you. Feel cheerfulness and wellbeing flow into you. Continue to feel this inflow until you are energized with optimism, buoyancy and enthusiasm. Draw on this power to renew your goodwill as often as you need it, and go forth expending goodwill lavishly on our Father’s other children.

Spiritual Power from Abounding Love

Love abundantly, joyously, and fearlessly.

Love is the desire to do good to others. It is friendship. It is eagerness to help others achieve their worthy goals in life. It is giving of self generously and freely. It is protecting the victim. It is restraining the aggressor without judging or punishing. It is counseling, befriending, comforting and sharing. Love is unselfish, giving of oneself for the benefit of others.

Imagine God’s love or Jesus’ love growing and expanding in your heart. Feel God’s serving friendliness toward you and all God’s children growing stronger within you and expanding until it fills you completely. Let it expand beyond your body so everyone who comes close is engulfed in God’s love.

When you are feeling God’s love, imagine the face of hate before you but you are not afraid. Reach out your hand. Ask and expect that the Father’s love will flow through you, through your hand and transform the face of hate. Now with this love empowered hand gently smooth away the hate from this face and transform it to smiles and joy. See it change from hate to amazed disbelief to hope and finally to relief. See the power of love transform hate to love. This power is real and effective to transform lives if we will sincerely love others without conditions.

Spiritual Power from Persistent Goodness

Proactive Goodness in all situations. Goodness responding to goodness. Goodness in the face of evil. Goodness when you are misused. Goodness when you are unfairly and treacherously attacked. Goodness in all situations because there is spiritual power in goodness to transform evil. Goodness is the only effective response to evil. And it is the only possible response which augments the goal of behaving as God would have the sons and daughters of God to behave. Responding with goodness in the face of meanness and unfairness, violence and brutishness is unnatural, but it is God’s way and it is loaded with spiritual power to transform those who witness it. It must be always sincere and never suggest sarcastic confrontation or any other bad attitude.

The best demonstration and proof of the power of goodness I can think of is Jesus’ behavior on the day of his crucifixion. He remained gentle and good throughout this horrible ordeal of unjust trial, scourging, taunting, mockery, being nailed on a cross and exposed publicly as a criminal. And yet, he acted with such goodness that one of his executioners and one of the thieves were both converted by the experience of observing him. There is great spiritual power even in less extreme tests of one’s ability to demonstrate goodness.

Spiritual Power from Living Faith

Faith is trust. It is confidence and reliance. Faith is a gift of the indwelling spirit of God. Faith can grow and becomes one of the pillars of our lives. Faith pushed, tested and prayed for earnestly is sure to grow. Faith is the antidote for fear, so faith is a valuable attribute both now and in eternity. There are, after all, so many unknown and frightening things. A robust faith is needed to eliminate our fears.

Faith in the watch care of God’s spiritual protection. Faith that God has a plan which is in progress. Faith that God’s plan cannot fail, but will see to the spiritual welfare of each and every person. Faith liberates us from our fear of God and from our fear of falling victim to the Evil One. Armed with mature and reasoned faith in God, we can live courageously. By calling on the spiritual power resident in faith, we have the ability even to remain unmoved in the face of appalling danger. You have the right to claim the courage God offers through the gift of faith. Ask sincerely, and it is yours.

Spiritual Power from Positive Action

Never passive. Never negative. Always positive, affirmative and actively doing good as you pass by. Positive action showcases goodness and enhances the power of goodness to changes lives. Goodness can and will transform lives and cultures if it is actively lived so that others come in contact with it. The active, happy, positive behavior of those who love God and live lives of spiritual power attract attention to the right way of living…and then spiritual power flows freely.

The spiritual power of goodness in all circumstances has the strength to destroy evil and solve this planet’s problems and nothing else does.

Love, Bill Cooper