As we continue on our study of the Holy Spirit we are reminded that the mission of the Holy Spirit is to give power for ministry. When believers in the first century were filled fully with the Holy Spirit they were all filled with BOLDNESS and shared the Gospel witness fearlessly, effectively and often. Their lives were solely to be witnesses for what Christ had done in and through them! Power for ministry we have been studying the past 2 weeks include1) Power for Witness
2) Power for Healing
3) Power for Deliverance (of demonic possession)
In the past week our focus was on the healing power of God through the vessel of the human submitted to the will of God....
Scripture states, "and these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover." Mark 16:17-18
Now that word came for Jesus Himself! And the double truth? It is for us today. Many in the church (me included) have not experience the FULLNESS of God's movement. I am sure that is for many reasons, such as lack of desire, pressing into God, prayer and even faith. Many proclaim that the gifts and miracles are not for today, that they were for a sign for the first century church. I beg to differ, I will take Christ at His word thank you. So what about me? When I read Mark 16 does it condemn me? NO, it motivates me. Everything that God commands, He fulfills. So my question is not, "why not more Lord?" My question is "Move out the way Stu!" That is exactly what I am pressing into more and more, moving and allowing the Spirit of God to have His way. I am expecting God to perform His word in my life and in our church!
J. Rodman Williams writes in Renewal Theology on p 257, "Since Jesus performed many healings and promised that His disciples would do even 'greater works' (John 14:12) than He, and since he has sent the Spirit to carry forward His ministry, works of healing are to be EXPECTED. If they do not occur, therefore, it may be a negative sign, namely that the gift of the Holy Spirit has not been received, or possibly that the Spirit has come, but people are failing to move out in faith and expectancy. However, the fact that healings of every kind are occurring so widely in the renewal of today is one of the clearest evidences of the presence and power of the Lord in the Holy Spirit." Bring it Holy Spirit...."we're the ones God wants to use" GET READY! -Stu
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