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We had just left touring the Pena Palace in Sintra, Portugal, on April 28 when we entered the darkened lobby of a hotel. Immediately someone told us the power was out in all of Portugal and Spain. I thought there must be a translation issue since I’d never heard of an entire country without power let alone two countries.
But it was true – there was no power anywhere in Portugal. I thought it best to get back to our hotel and find out more information. We took an Uber and the driver told us more about what was happening.
Tens of thousands of train passengers in Spain and Portugal were left stranded, unable to continue their journeys as rail services came to a halt. The outage also knocked out telecommunications, leaving people without access to cellphones, the internet and online banking.
People walk down the street with large lit candles during the power outage in Granada, Spain, on April 28, 2025. (Fermin Rodriguez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
As we drove, traffic lights were off and the gas pumps were not working. Businesses were closed and people joined queues to get cash as card payments did not work. People were coming out of their offices and walking home because they did not know when the buses were coming. The Lisbon airport was shut down.
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Millions were unable to seek assistance or even communicate about their predicament. The disruption was compounded by panic buying, as locals and tourists rushed to purchase food, supplies and gas, leading to long lines and empty shelves. Many worried about food, water, gas and cash in case the power outage went on for days.
It was quite chaotic; with cellphones not working no one had any information. Rumors were flying; it was the Russians, a cyberattack, a plane had flown into a power station. No one knew anything.
Our hotel had generators so there was some power. When we went to get something to eat our menu was limited to salad or a Charcutier board of meats and cheeses. I tried for some ice cream, but it had already melted. We were blessed to have something to eat, most restaurants had closed.
A car drives down an unlit street in Lisbon, Portugal, during a nationwide power outage on April 28. (AP/Armando Franca)
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Initial reports were that Spain would have power back in 10-12 hours, but it could be up to a week in Portugal. Fortunately, power was restored in both countries in 10-14 hours. By the next morning, life for over 59 million people was pretty much back to normal.
The whole experience caused me to reflect on God’s power. Ephesians 3:21 tells us, “His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine.” The power of God is real. It is available to anyone, anytime. And there is never an outage with God’s power.
Too often we try to provide for our needs instead of relying on God’s power. We struggle, we worry, we labor – all within our own power. We try to solve our problems without God’s help.
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God wants us to rest in His unlimited power instead of in our limited strength. We have God’s power available to us and when we ask for God’s strength, we will receive it. So much of what we struggle with could be taken care of by God. All we must do is stop striving and scheming – and trust that God is able to do it.
A woman in Lisbon, Portugal, is seen holding a candle for light as Spain, Portugal and other parts of Europe are hit with widespread power blackouts that lasted 10 hours on April 28, 2025. (Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images)
There are times when God orchestrates events and circumstances to do something miraculous. We may not see how the situation can be worked out, we think there is no way for things to get better, we are certain there is simply no solution.
And then God does something rare, uncommon, unusual. He brings together events in the perfect way so that what was impossible becomes possible. His power is at work in our lives.
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I’ve seen it many times. My father-in-law was an alcoholic. His wife and seven children were suffering from his harmful behavior. He cried out to God and asked for the strength to quit drinking. God gave him the power and for over 40 years he never took a drink again.
A woman had a tumor and asked for God’s healing power. We prayed and she came back to church with two medical images, one showing the tumor and the other showing no tumor. The doctors were stunned; her surgery was canceled. God’s power had removed the tumor and she was perfectly healthy.
Passengers line up at Madrid airport during a major power outage on April 28. (AP/Manu Fernandez)
The same power of God is available today to anyone who needs it. When we open ourselves up to God, the Spirit works in us with power and we witness the amazing things God will do.
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God’s power can open doors, demolish obstacles and break bondages. We can experience miraculous help that can only be understood as from God.
Ask God for the power you need. His power is always on.
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