I have a confession to make! I am very very eager to see the Followers of Jesus operating in power, to where "signs and wonders" and the "miraculous" are very evident in our ministries! There, I've said it! Yes, I am hungry to see the power of God operating in and through His Body to reach this world by validating what we preach with the miraculous. As a person who believes in and practices the charasmata (the gifts of the Spirit), I wonder if we, His Church in America, have ever really seen the full potential of what God can do through a Spirit-empowered people? Now, this is not a "Pentecostal" or "Charismatic" thing, this is a Body of Christ thing. Let me explain.
A few years ago, my wife and I had the wonderful experience to go to the country of Belize. Now for those of you who no nothing about Belize, it is Central America below Mexico, and used to be known as British Honduras. The country is tropical, with a mix of jungle and coastal areas,... mostly jungle. The economy of most that live there is very poor. Just living and feeding your family is a full time job for the majority of the people of Belize. While there, we had the privilege of going to about 9 churches for the purpose of holding services to strengthen and encourage both the churches and their Pastors. While ministering in Belize, we experienced varied and incredible displays of God's power! It was as natural as breathing. Now while this was an incredible blessing to be used by God in such displays of His power, it also had another unexpected effect on me and the team that was with me. That effect can be summed up in the following question: "Why don't we see these kinds of power displays in the United States?" This question continued to play over and over in various ways in my mind. And the sad thing is, I had no answer! I was plagued by the question: "Where is the power of God in the Church in America?" My answer to this perplexing question that vexed my soul was simple........... "I don't know!" But "I don't know" did not suffice!
I began to earnestly seek God for the answer. And one day, God spoke! What He told me can be summed up like this: "I will reveal to you the answer to your question, but you will have to understand that your question requires multiple answers that I will only reveal to you one at a time." The very first thing I believed needed to be established was the answer to a "sister question" to the question "where is the power" and that question was: "Should we as Christ-Followers EXPECT there to be powerful displays of the miraculous to accompany our preaching and testimony of Christ?" To say "YES" from a Pentecostal suppositional postition would have been easy. But I wanted to answer that question from the only source I would trust....... THE BIBLE!
Two Scriptures came to mind as I contemplated the above question. The first one was found in John 14:10-14 in the NIV it says this: "Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." Philip had asked Jesus to reveal to them God the Father. In response, Jesus mildly rebukes Philip for not seeing the Father in the Son. He said that His words were the Fathers words. And His work were the Fathers work. Then Jesus says two very foundational things: First, He says believe that I am the Son of God, and that when you see me, you see My Father, or at least believe on the miracles that I have done which "VALIDATE" the words that I have spoken! Then He says something very incredible: "Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father!" In other words, Christ was telling His Disciples and all of His followers, that we would be doing the miraculous works that Jesus had been doing, and oh by the way, because I am going to My Father and sending the Holy Spirit as another Comforter, you will do even GREATER things than these miracles you have seen me doing! WOW!!!
The second Scripture that was immediately brought to my attention was found in Acts 2:42-47 which says in the NIV: "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Another WOW moment! Power from Jesus was promised in Acts 1:8! Power was delivered in Acts 2:4! And power was demonstrated to validate the veracity of the Believers preaching of Christ in Acts 2:42-47! The "hidden" pattern of normalcy for EVERY Christian Believer was beginning to take shape in my mind! And even though I have spent most of my life as a Pentecostal Believer, the normalcy of the miraculous following the proclamation of the gospel, was beginning to become new and alive in my heart.
Now that the validity of the miraculous accompanying the preaching of the gospel had been established by Scripture, the question "nagged" at me even greater....... "Where is the Power Christ promised for the Church in America?" In contrast to this overwhelming promise and display of power for the Church, we Followers of Christ in America had some really great dinners! Some wonderful "Christian Concerts!" Uh,...... Well, we also had some really VERY spiritual Campmeetings! Well ok, it was just a rally for those who were already Followers of Jesus, but WOW was it great! Great music and great preaching that made all of us Christians feel better, and hold on for just a little longer! I can't help but wonder about all of the things we the Church in America is doing and expending all of its energy on, if that might not be the answer to why we are not seeing the power Jesus promised displayed through the miraculous? I mean, it doesn't take a LOT of power to have a Fellowship Dinner! Maybe, just maybe, we don't have the power the Lord promised because we are NOT doing ANYTHING that would require the power of the Lord? Just saying!!!
Well anyway, over the next several weeks I will post on my blog the answers the Lord gave me, one by one, to the question "Where is the power?" I hope that these posts will be a blessing to you, but most importantly, I hope they will convict your heart to seek Christ in all of His glory and power for the purpose of advancing His kingdom into all of the world!..... ENJOY!
A few years ago, my wife and I had the wonderful experience to go to the country of Belize. Now for those of you who no nothing about Belize, it is Central America below Mexico, and used to be known as British Honduras. The country is tropical, with a mix of jungle and coastal areas,... mostly jungle. The economy of most that live there is very poor. Just living and feeding your family is a full time job for the majority of the people of Belize. While there, we had the privilege of going to about 9 churches for the purpose of holding services to strengthen and encourage both the churches and their Pastors. While ministering in Belize, we experienced varied and incredible displays of God's power! It was as natural as breathing. Now while this was an incredible blessing to be used by God in such displays of His power, it also had another unexpected effect on me and the team that was with me. That effect can be summed up in the following question: "Why don't we see these kinds of power displays in the United States?" This question continued to play over and over in various ways in my mind. And the sad thing is, I had no answer! I was plagued by the question: "Where is the power of God in the Church in America?" My answer to this perplexing question that vexed my soul was simple........... "I don't know!" But "I don't know" did not suffice!
I began to earnestly seek God for the answer. And one day, God spoke! What He told me can be summed up like this: "I will reveal to you the answer to your question, but you will have to understand that your question requires multiple answers that I will only reveal to you one at a time." The very first thing I believed needed to be established was the answer to a "sister question" to the question "where is the power" and that question was: "Should we as Christ-Followers EXPECT there to be powerful displays of the miraculous to accompany our preaching and testimony of Christ?" To say "YES" from a Pentecostal suppositional postition would have been easy. But I wanted to answer that question from the only source I would trust....... THE BIBLE!
Two Scriptures came to mind as I contemplated the above question. The first one was found in John 14:10-14 in the NIV it says this: "Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." Philip had asked Jesus to reveal to them God the Father. In response, Jesus mildly rebukes Philip for not seeing the Father in the Son. He said that His words were the Fathers words. And His work were the Fathers work. Then Jesus says two very foundational things: First, He says believe that I am the Son of God, and that when you see me, you see My Father, or at least believe on the miracles that I have done which "VALIDATE" the words that I have spoken! Then He says something very incredible: "Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father!" In other words, Christ was telling His Disciples and all of His followers, that we would be doing the miraculous works that Jesus had been doing, and oh by the way, because I am going to My Father and sending the Holy Spirit as another Comforter, you will do even GREATER things than these miracles you have seen me doing! WOW!!!
The second Scripture that was immediately brought to my attention was found in Acts 2:42-47 which says in the NIV: "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Another WOW moment! Power from Jesus was promised in Acts 1:8! Power was delivered in Acts 2:4! And power was demonstrated to validate the veracity of the Believers preaching of Christ in Acts 2:42-47! The "hidden" pattern of normalcy for EVERY Christian Believer was beginning to take shape in my mind! And even though I have spent most of my life as a Pentecostal Believer, the normalcy of the miraculous following the proclamation of the gospel, was beginning to become new and alive in my heart.
Now that the validity of the miraculous accompanying the preaching of the gospel had been established by Scripture, the question "nagged" at me even greater....... "Where is the Power Christ promised for the Church in America?" In contrast to this overwhelming promise and display of power for the Church, we Followers of Christ in America had some really great dinners! Some wonderful "Christian Concerts!" Uh,...... Well, we also had some really VERY spiritual Campmeetings! Well ok, it was just a rally for those who were already Followers of Jesus, but WOW was it great! Great music and great preaching that made all of us Christians feel better, and hold on for just a little longer! I can't help but wonder about all of the things we the Church in America is doing and expending all of its energy on, if that might not be the answer to why we are not seeing the power Jesus promised displayed through the miraculous? I mean, it doesn't take a LOT of power to have a Fellowship Dinner! Maybe, just maybe, we don't have the power the Lord promised because we are NOT doing ANYTHING that would require the power of the Lord? Just saying!!!
Well anyway, over the next several weeks I will post on my blog the answers the Lord gave me, one by one, to the question "Where is the power?" I hope that these posts will be a blessing to you, but most importantly, I hope they will convict your heart to seek Christ in all of His glory and power for the purpose of advancing His kingdom into all of the world!..... ENJOY!
Thanks for posting this Steve. Personally, I am rediscovering intimate friendship with God--the indispensable prerequisite to power with God. We have been blessed to witness a number of signs and wonders around here lately, but in the midst of it all, I hear Him calling--calling me closer to His heart.
ReplyDeleteI hear Him too Randy, ....... And I'm ready!!!
ReplyDeleteSteve, I think you've already turned one of the keys to this issue by referencing Acts 2:42-47. Intimacy with Christ is only half of the equation, deep, loving, secure intimacy in a fellowship of unified believers is where the power of God resides. So much of the modern Gospel places our faith-walk responsibility on the individual believer placing them in isolation rather than experiencing life together and the responsibility we have to function as a true Body. Look at part of this verse again.
ReplyDeleteAll the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Does this describe the church and fellowship we live in today? Are we engaging in close fellowship daily? Do we as a Body of believers meet each others needs? Does the foundation of love, true Christ rooted love, acceptance and forgiveness even exists in our churches today to create a safe and secure environment for a fellowship to practice such close intimacy with one another and HIM?
John 13:34-35, A new command I give you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By THIS...ALL MEN...will KNOW that YOU are MY DISCIPLES, if you have LOVE for ONE ANOTHER! (emphasis added)
How are we doing at building that kind of church fellowship? Maybe, just maybe, the answer has a bearing on where the power of God has gone?
Steve I appreciate your post and I believe you were right on the money! There is something dreadfully missing from are fellowships. It is not a matter of whether or not change is coming to the body of christ, But rather who will Embrace the change the holy spirit is bringing? The bride is getting close to her wedding day and it is time For her to have an extreme makeover!
ReplyDelete