Monday 31 October 2016

The Power of God

One Sunday in a church service, when I was a young teenager, our Pastor approached a man in the congregation to lay hands on him or to say something to him - as he did so, the man was thrown by the power of God backwards through a couple of rows of chairs.
In another meeting an evangelist received a 'word of knowledge' that someone had a problem with his knees. A man in the congregation indicated that it was him, so the evangelist began to pray for him.
Suddenly an evil spirit in the man started roaring with a loud voice. It looked like he wanted to choke the evangelist! The whole congregation was on their feet interceding. But the evangelist just calmly repeated, "The blood of Jesus". The man slumped to the floor, all was calm.
Next I noticed the man was on the stage, leaping and dancing. Then he knelt, raised his face and his hands to heaven, with a look of freedom, love and gratitude on his face.
"...ye shall receive dynamite, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me..."
Dynamite. How does that sound! The Greek word is dunamis, translated 'power'. The word 'dynamite' derives from the same word.
The power of the Spirit of God.
The power that created the world.
The power that anointed Jesus to do so many signs and wonders and heal all who were oppressed by the devil.
The power that raised Him from the dead.
They were eyewitnesses of these things.
Many graves of the saints were opened after Jesus' resurrection, and they came out of their graves and walked into the city and were seen by many.
These things might have made them wonder whether the future Kingdom was about to come any moment!
When all the dead shall be raised.
When every eye shall see Him.
The elements shall melt with fervent heat.
There shall be new heavens and a new earth.
But then Jesus was taken up into heaven, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. The heavens have to receive Him until the time appointed by the Father.
Jesus had told them in the meantime:
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."
They were to carry-on Jesus' works.
Their message was that the power and salvation and life of the future Kingdom, had come among them already in some new and real way, through the Person of Jesus Christ, and through His resurrection from the dead.
It was brought forward into the present, through faith in the Name of Jesus.
God had made Jesus who was crucified, both Lord and Messiah! Already! In heaven.
They were promised dynamite, or power, after the Holy Spirit came upon them.
For what purpose?
"...and ye shall be witnesses unto me..."
To demonstrate that dynamite - the power that raised Jesus from the dead - the power of the coming Kingdom - resurrection power - to use that dynamite, as exhibits in their witness or testimony about Jesus.
That's the power you're packing - after you've received the Holy Spirit.
It's a message of the future power manifested in the present.
Does that raise your expectation, next time you lay hands on the sick?
All that's needed, is for this message to be received with faith.
Only believe.

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