If we’re fully surrendered, earnestly seeking, and looking up in expectation, then God is going to use His church mightily in these days
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Firstly, in Luke 1:26-32 I noticed that when the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she was going to conceive of the Holy Spirit and have a Son and she was to give Him the Name Jesus, how significant this was as He was being given the Father’s Name. (See John 17:11-12). You can’t get a more powerful Name than that.
Then in Luke 4:14 after Jesus had been led by the Spirit into the wilderness and had been tempted by the devil it says, ‘Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit’. (NIV).
And in Luke 5:17 it says, ‘And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.’ (NIV).
In Acts 10:37-38 Peter says ‘You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.’ (NIV).
Therefore, although Jesus was God the Son, and had the anointing of the Holy Spirit, in His earthly state He still needed the power of the Lord to do miracles.
How much more then, do we?
Now we who are Born Again are the same as Jesus was when He walked on earth, in as much as He was fully God and fully human, as His Spirit was in His natural body, so He was connected to the Father through His Spirit. We in the same way are connected to the Father as we now have the Spirit of Jesus in our mortal bodies as one with our human spirit.
You could be forgiven then for thinking we should be able to do what Jesus did, and of course you’d be right in thinking this. So why aren’t we?
Well, here are some possible clues as to the lack of power in the church at the moment.
Jesus says of Himself in John 5:19 ‘Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do what He sees the Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.’ (NIV).
And in John12:49-50 He says ‘For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that His command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.'
So, are we completely surrendered to Jesus as He was to the Father, and do we obey His commands, thereby doing what we see Jesus doing and saying what Jesus tells us to say? Doing this can lead others to eternal life.
In Acts 1:4-5 we have an example of this ‘’On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (NIV).
So, His disciples were followers of Jesus as we are, but had not yet gone out in the power of the Lord (Holy Spirit).
Then in Acts 2:1-4 it says, ‘When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.’ (NIV).
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The power of the Lord wasn’t just for that one day as we read in the next chapter and throughout the book of Acts and the rest of the New Testament; One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. (Acts 3:1-8 NIV).
Then Peter gave the Glory to Jesus in Acts 4:8-10. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. (NIV) (Underline added).
So, the next question is are we earnestly seeking God for His empowerment or even having the faith to pray for people to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and expecting it to happen? I believe that both have somehow lost their importance in many sectors of the church and yet without them we simply limp along picking up the few breadcrumbs that our lack of faith and God’s grace enables us to have.
I also think that not only have they lost their importance, but the church has lost its expectation of these manifestations of the Spirit and is willing to continue struggling under its own feeble strength, which is fine with the enemy, because he can run riot whilst the church remains in its stupor.
Well, I believe it’s time to get ready for another Prophet Joel experience like the one in Acts just after Peter proclaimed:
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Acts 2:17:21) (NIV).
We will never be perfect or indeed fully ready, whatever that may look like, but I believe that if we’re fully surrendered, earnestly seeking, and looking up in expectation, then God is going to use His church mightily in these days. It won’t be easy, and it will come with persecution. But then it seems to me that anything worth having never has come easily.
But if we’re willing to follow Jesus wherever He may take us then our testimony can be like that of Pauls in his letter to the Romans. Wherever our Jerusalem and Illyricum may be.
Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. (Romans 15:17-19 NIV).
Let me finish with this final scripture and a challenge.
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 NIV).
Can we say the same thing and are we ready and willing to higher our expectations, look only to Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith and surrender all to Him? Brothers and sisters, we’re running out of time.
He sees us and He knows our hearts.
May God bless you child of God and give the heart of the Lion of Judah.
Author: Kevin Hunt
May God bless and enrich your life
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