Gospel By Power
God’s Power 6
Because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 1 Thessalonians 1:5
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him– the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD–
Isaiah 11:2 NIV
The Spirit of the LORD will rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and power, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD. Isaiah 11:2 ISV
Isaiah 11:2 clearly separates power from understanding and wisdom. Jesus himself separated knowing the Scriptures from knowing the power of God.
Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. Matthew 22:29
Power is the manifest presence of God that causes a change. When the power of God is present, lives are transformed. It was power that left Jesus and healed the woman with the issue of blood. Also there was a time that the Bible said that the power of God was present for Jesus to heal the sick.
Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. Luke 5:17
Jesus preached with power and Paul preached with power not just words. We should not be discouraged if we are not yet preaching with power but we should desire and pray for it. We should not make excuses and tell people to rely on their own faith.
Besides, people should rely on the power of God not on their own faith. The Bible said that the sick should go to the elders of the Church for prayer to be healed and Jesus told the apostles that they could not cast out a stubborn demon because of their lack of faith that was caused by not enough fasting and waiting upon the Lord.
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Mathew 17:21
“But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” Mathew 17:21
Remember that Jesus Himself, constantly went to lonely places to pray, and spent whole nights in prayer, to have the power of God upon Him for ministry,
Ultimately, it is good for everybody to get to Christian maturity, and manifest great faith but those who are coming to Christianity for the first time, need help and healing.
Jesus and the Apostles were both winning souls and healing them at the same time. A new believer can never have that giant faith that will manifest the power of God. We need to be very practical and stop deceiving ourselves.
As ministers, we should seek more and not be complacent. The gospel should be preached not just with words but also with power.
May great grace be upon us in Jesus name.
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