A God of Power Today?
TOPICS
Suggested Reading: Mark 16; 1Corinthians 12; 1Corinthians 14; Luke 4: Matt. 28 end, Acts 1 & Acts 2, and Others listed in the paragraphs following:
TOPICS:
Two Words for Power
God Baptized Jesus With Supernatural Ability, Power and Might
Becoming a New Creation
Power of God Then, What About Now?
Receiving "the Promise of the Father "
Speaking in other Tongues [Spiritual Languages)
Tongues and Holy Spirit Ministry Intercession, a Spiritual Ministry

Among the many persons who have attended church for most of their lives, I believe there are very few who have actually experienced God's manifestated power and presence in any real and dramatic way. The believing Christian, once born of the spirit is set apart for the Glory of God. This believer should not be relegated to becoming merely a casual listener, whose spiritual life consists of coming to a place once or twice a week to hear messages about God, and in some cases related by a person who may not even know God. It is a shame to relinquish our own spiritual growth and the potential of being "children of the Most High" with messages framed in unbelief.

A God of Power Today?
God almighty created the Heavens and the Earth. We are told of miraculous deeds done in time past by the power of God, the stopping of the sun's movement which allowed time to give Joshua a military victory; Miracles and signs done by Moses and Aaron in Egypt; the opening of the Red Sea; the power of God which came down to consume Elijah's sacrifice before the priests of Baal. We know that Jesus performed miracles outside of realm of natural law, healings, raising from the dead, walking on the water, changing water into wine; as well as mental miracles, knowing the thoughts of men and knowing the events of the future. We also know that the disciples of Christ duplicated Jesus' miracles when they ministered, according to the accounts written in the book of The Acts of the Apostles. How do we look upon these accounts? Shall we say they did not occur? Shall we say that God has changed? Or shall we say that God has not changed and that He does work the same way in the present as He did in times past?

This writer grew up attending churches which had no manifestation of God's presence. Neither was there teaching that God was to be an intimate part of church fellowship. Sadly, there was no reality of God being a good God who brought benefits from day to day.
Hymns were sung without conviction or zeal. How can anyone give heart felt praise when they do not know the God they praise? (John 4) "- -You worship what you do not know - -" It is amazing to me that people continue to support traditions in which there are no manifestations which attest the truth in the words which are preached. For all practical purposes one could easily preach that "God is dead." One might say that faith was equated to believing in the God of Glory without any way to test that assertion.
No person, no disciple or believer in Jesus the Messiah can understand or experience the fullness of this truth nor act as a manifested child of the Most High without supernatural enablement.
"- -No man knows the things of God except for the Spirit of God - - (1Corinthians 1:11,12)

Thank God for His excellent Grace, He has provided that which is necessary to walk as a child of God, walking in Jesus' footsteps. It is dunamis power which Jesus promised to all his true disciples. This power is the God-Power of the Holy Spirit. This manifestation is God in us, which God has provided to fulfill his word and provide us with a first hand witness of the promises and provisions stated in the Bible. This power is scripturally promised for Disciples of Jesus Christ to use to perform the outreaches of the Gospel of the Kingdom, also called the work of ministry.

If we are not taught about this provision in the Word enunciated to us, we can not believe it nor appropriate it. If we have only heard a contrary Gospel, then we are encumbered to have to unlearn that wrong doctrine. There is a spirit of unbelief , a spirit of slumber, the leaven of Pharisees, which masquerades as scripturally correct doctrine. This religious tradition is not unlike the spirit which the Pharisees manifested to withstand Jesus in the time of his earthly ministry. Bible training centers are training practitioners of a form of godliness without power, presenting many arguments which contradict the promises of God, namely that the Power of the Spirit and His ministry gifts are no longer being manifested today. Jesus said, If you believe you will see the glory of God.

Paul stated that he did not bring words of spell-binding oratory or philosophy (intellectual reasoning) but rather, the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and his Power. Today institutional Christianity abounds as a religion without power and if by chance power it is manifested, we look upon it as something questionable. We might on the other hand, have the tendency to exalt the man by whose hand these miracles occurred, placing him on a pedestal. Note in the Book of Acts disciples Paul and Barnabus had to constrain people from deifying them when powers from God were displayed.

The Two Words for Power
The Bible mentions two kinds of power, power (dunamis) and power (exousia). Both words have a place in understanding the power which is granted to every believer. Exousia power is the authority to act granted by God. Jesus declares after his resurrection, All power (exousia authority) in heaven and on earth have been given to me -- you go therefore -- and the commission to his disciples is given to take the Gospel into every nation. Jesus states in his prayer to the Father in John Chapter 17, "the glory you have given me, I have given to them- The glory of God is, I believe, a physical manifestation of God's presence, therefore it must be equated with Power. I will share a phrase with you, that I believe has been spiritually revealed, the phrase is this, "The glory of God is the manifested presence of God.

Jesus speaks of "the promise of the Father" power from God when he tells the disciples, "to wait in Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." God Baptized Jesus with the Same Dunamis Power of the Spirit. The anointing of Holy Spirit power came upon Jesus after John baptized him in the Jordan river, it was thereafter that Jesus performed mighty works and began His ministry. " - -God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power who went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil." (Acts10:38)

Supernatural Ability
The ministry of Jesus was a four-fold ministry; teaching, preaching the kingdom, healing, and deliverance to demonstrate the Kingdom. It was a ministry of power directed against the forces of Satan. As described in Luke Chapter 4:18, there is an emphasis on power in order to fulfill the commission of the Gospel of the Kingdom:
Power ministry is heart of the Gospel of the Kingdom. It can be summarized as freeing people and restoring them from conditions (Luke Chapter 4:18 - body, soul and spirit) which Satan had placed upon mankind in general and upon ourselves and our families individually. Lack of wholeness through the bondage of Satan in sickness; Lack of wholeness through the bondage of Satan through mental oppression; Lack of wholeness through the bondage of Satan which are demonic in nature; Lack of: wholeness through the bondage of Satan through various kinds of curses; Lack of wholeness through the bondage of Satan in lacks and limitation, and in fears; Lack of wholeness through the bondage of Satan in connections to unclean, destructive and dehumanizing forces. Where the ministry of the Gospel is taught the adversary, (the enemy of God) must never be omitted for he remains the enemy and has oppressed the race of man since the beginning. Satan has not retired in Florida since the victory of Christ Jesus was proclaimed in the heavens and in the earth!

A Gospel without power is a false Gospel. Likewise any Gospel which does not introduce us to the spiritual powers of the enemy which are against us is a false Gospel. The faith life is to a large degree spent in enforcing God's authority in the earth with respect to our own lives, our families and other who we care for. Satan's team is positioned to take advantage of our ignorance. They will take an offensive action against us unless we are poised to stand our ground. Satan comes to steal, kill, destroy & deceive, and to perpetuate false Gospels. The Promise of the Father Help from the Spirit of God for Every Disciple The book of acts introduces the promise of the Father, What is this promise of the Father? It is Power from on high!. The Holy Spirit came to ordinary men and gave them supernatural knowledge, ability and might. They were clothed with the Glory of God's fire. Under the power of the Spirit, they manifested total loss of normal mental self control, they began to utter language which was not their own. They became witnesses. After being touched by Power (dunamis) we also bear witnesses that our lives are being remade, renewed, blessed in wholeness, through an agency which is totally beyond man's natural enablements. but that is something of the heavens.

A Matter of Moments to Become a New Creation
The disciples of Jesus, men and women, waited in an upper room of the temple that day of Pentecost. They were all believers in Jesus. They all knew him. They all walked with him and knew his voice and his sayings but they were not yet able to minister as God desired them to minister. It was not enough to have known Jesus personally, face to face. They and ourselves can not minister from knowledge and experience and natural ability alone! dunamis holy spirit baptism.wpd The kind of ministry that the Jesus through God had prepared for his disciples was to replicate Christ within each of them! Suddenly at the appointed moment each man and woman experienced what the prophets had written: The prophet Joel writing states: "It shall come to pass in the latter days that I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh --' The prophet Ezekiel writes: "-- a new heart will I give you, and put a new spirit in you; I will remove the heart of stone and put in a heart of flesh-"(Ezekiel Chapter 36:26) I will write my laws upon your heart " and David the psalmist prophet writes: "- Let this be written for a future generation, a people not yet created shall Praise the Lord" --(Psalm 102,18)

That was Then, What About Now?
Religious tradition has relegated the book of Acts to "stories" or fables about unique and favored saints and apostles. Some imagine God no longer wishes to make disciples and to use them, as he once did; nor any longer empower them with power from on high as at the time of Peter, James and John. Remember God does not lie, if he made any promise he will certainly fulfill that promise. The "promise of the Father" was specifically that of receiving divine, enabling power. It is the prophetic bottom line enabling the Ministry of Jesus Christ to continue in the church age. The Gospel of the Kingdom has not changed in its objectives or methods. However, hundreds of years of religious myths and baggage has to examined and if it is necessary, trashed. Unbelief keeps us from entering the upper room and emerging a vibrant 'New Testament church' ALIVE with the first-hand witness of God's power and blessing.

How You May Receive the Promise of the Father
Only believers can receive the Holy Spirit. This may require some personal self-evaluation. Do you believe? What do you believe? Do you believe that you are a sinner alienated from the life and promises of God? Do you believe that you have until this time either knowing or unknowingly followed a life which was ruled by Satan's nature, pride and rebellion and self-service and uncleanness? Do you believe you need a Savior? Do you believe that Jesus was the lamb of God who carried the sins and offenses of the whole world as well as your own? Do you believe that his blood has the power to wash all of your sins away and restore you in perfect accord with God the Father? Do you believe that God loves you and wishes to forgive you? Do you believe that He has the power to make your life entire over again and to make you a new creation?
If so, Hallelujah! An ordinary person like you and me, called outcasts, or sinners in the Bible, may begin a spiritual life by talking to God and asking Him to do something in our life. I can assure you of the truth in this. You need to do two things, the first is to believe. Kindly note and consider the things discussed above, for these are the essential elements of believing in the Gospel of Christ. The second is a spoken confession or petition to God. The psalmist states, "I spoke unto the Lord with my voice and He heard me out of His holy hill." (Psalm 3:4 and Psalm 77:1) You confess (say with your own words) what you know about the promises that the cross the Lord Jesus in any way that is personal and honest to you.
It is not a ritual but simply your getting honest with God and telling Him that you need Him and dunamis holy spirit baptism.wpd that you accept the sacrifice of his Son for your sins. The words which provide a change in our lives begins with a confession of our need. It follows with a statement of believing that Jesus has met that need. God honors this confession. He will change you in an instant and take you into His family. However, you must act in sincerity and faith , believing that you will most assuredly receive this new birth and this new status of righteousness in Christ Jesus.

This is the first step of receiving the Promise of the Father, the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you are already a believer and have a sure witness of the fact that God has restored your spirit, you are eligible to become a disciple filled with power. The experience of being born of the Spirit and made new is a good example of how God (Through Christ Jesus) works on our behalf. All transactions of faith operate through a similar sequence of action to that demonstrated above (Romans Chapter 10, verses 9 and 10.) Belief is followed by action. We believe in our hearts and express the belief vocally, that the Father is anxious to give you out of His Kingdom. (Luke 12,32) . We know and confess that Jesus died for this cause, to make you a completed disciple. We know and confess that God has not changed nor will He ever change. We know and confess BELIEVING that God empowered all of his first disciples and that you believe He wishes to give you a good gift and empower you. Expect Jesus to do that greater work. Receiving the "Baptism of the Holy Spirit" is God's desire for you. As he commanded the first disciples he likewise commands us so that we can function as a child of God. In the process of being filled with the Spirit the disciples in the second chapter of Acts came together to seek the promise of the Father. They sought it prayerfully. After the Holy Spirit was poured out there were manifestations for each disciples. They did not proceed to go out and minister without the experience. Then when the moment of fulfillment came - - - They began to praise God and to prophecy and to speak in other languages that the Holy Spirit gave to them.
Speaking in other Tongues = unknown actual languages and Spiritual languages.
Understanding and receiving these spiritual languages are a problem for many believers. Not thinking too much, is a weird kind of thing for people to do. Releasing the language utterance is a little confusing. Do you try or try not to try? It is hard to release words you do not know by not thinking. But the wisdom of God has made it possible to bypass the normal function of mental processes. Your thought processes are mostly by-passed in the tongues of God. These are not words you "learn" such as learning vocabulary words. The language of tongues are real languages a form of speech. They are not usually identified as any human dialect.

Two Kinds of Tongues
Paul refers to 2 kinds of tongues; of men; and of angels (1Cor 13). Nevertheless, tongues are messages from God, to allow us to give God perfect praise back to him. At times tongues along with a spiritual interpretation is a message to edify others. dunamis holy spirit baptism.wpd Tongues work to edify and instruct ourselves on a spiritual level. Tongues bring revelatory wisdom. Tongues open the door to Spiritual experiences of all kinds. Tongues build our faith and open understanding of the Scripture. Prayer language and Holy Spirit Ministry The gift of Tongues as listed in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 12 is the ability to speak a language having never learned it. An example is described in Acts Chapter two. Where Galileans spoke the languages known to many nations who were present. Experience has taught me that languages can be a part of messages given publicly in meetings although this is not seen too often. As we pray in the Spirit our minds are rendered quiescent. the language of the Spirit has no predictability or conscious control. We find in it many kinds of expressions both in word and in tones of expression.

Uses of Tongues and Praying in the Spirit
Praying in the Spirit is exercised passively and expresses in a Spiritual language, god's perfect will about matters. When we do not know how to pray in particular the Holy Spirit provides the necessary words. Romans, 8: 26, describes groanings or expressions beyond words. This is also called praying in the Spirit. Intercessors will lapse into prayers even without words where sounds come forth that are very strange to listen to and may not sound at all like language. We can also receive the understanding of prayers that we pray or that are prayed by others.
Sometimes understanding come into our minds spontaneously after we have spoken in tongues or after someone else has been heard to utter something in a spiritual language. You may seek and ask the Lord to reveal these that you pray about so that you mind may also be fruitful. (1Cor 14) Interpreted tongues equal prophecy. Intercession, a Spiritual Ministry The ministry of divine intercession is empowered through the language of the Spirit.

Intercession a Spiritual Ministry
God calls forth true intercession into manifestation. Some are given this ministry gift in a unique and powerful way. The Holy Spirit causes such individuals to yield to the Spirit and bring out the words necessary to enforce the perfect will of God for many things. It has been testified how people awaken in the night to bring forth prayers for people they know or for those in ministry undergoing trials and crisis.

The power of praying God's will for people, circumstances or nations, need not depend upon the leading of the rational mind. Sometimes visions and revelations can accompany intercession where God allows his servant to see the nature of the circumstances for which he or she is praying. Praying in the Spirit and the ministry of intercession is not learned through natural means, although it may be seen demonstrated by men or women with the gift. God is willing and happy to train any person who wishes to explore and learn Spiritual things.
It is continued practice which brings ability and fruitfulness in the learning and application of Spiritual things. Practice ministering through prayer, according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Ask the Lord to train you and lead you in the Spirit. Surely it His will and pleasure to develop his children to become mature "sons or daughters of God."

"Knowledge makes arrogant, love edifies."

 

 

Introduction to Mysteries of God

Index to Bible Mysteries

The Rapture of Believers, Part 1

The bride and the Bridegroom typology and the rapture
 

Mystery of Accessing God

Mystery of the Body of Christ 

Mystery of the Cross, Crucified with Him

Mystery of Faith Believing God's Word

Mystery of Grace, God's Hand Stretched Forth
 

Mystery of Power and Divine Enablement

Mystery of Spoken Words of Covenant 
 

Mystery of Righteousness in the Beloved

Mystery of the Word -.Bible is a Living Force

Mystery of Spirit and Spirits