WE WANT TO SEE THE POWER OF GOD MOVE IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE WORLD
By W. G. Guy
Jesus promised that His true believers would receive power to be His witnesses. This power appears to be lacking in the church today, thus the world is being denied what God has freely given by His grace and mercy. (Note: grace and mercy are attributes of love; as is forgiveness.) This power is the promise that came at Pentecost!
Acts 1:8 – But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
This power that came at Pentecost has continued since, though many deny it. But just what is this power and how does it operate? Most Christians fail to recognize this power and how to operate in it. The manifestation of this supernatural power comes from the Holy Spirit in the form of divine Gifts.
1 Corinthians 12:8-11– For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
Though many professing Christians deny that this power is operational today because they do not believe what is written in the Bible. The apostle Paul wrote his first letter to the church at Corinth to address certain needed situations.
1 Corinthians 1:7 – so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Also what is not understood is the means by which this divine power operates is LOVE or Charity! Love is the power that allows the Holy Spirit’s gifts to work. As you offer the Lord’s healing or ministering touch to others in need, and if you have the right motive to do so, you become the means through whom the Holy Spirit can operate His divine power to touch the one you are ministering to. Love motivates the Holy Spirit as you seek to do the Lord’s bidding on behalf of others.
1 Corinthians 12:31-13:3 – But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Note: charity is love in that it is a loving care and provision for others as you invest yourself in their lives. Jesus defined this kind of love as He exemplified it.
John 15:13-17 – Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.
What is the fruit that our Heavenly Father is looking for in us?
John 15:1-7 – I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
It is the Fruit of the Spirit that is listed in Galatians. This Fruit is the character and nature of God that also fully manifested in Jesus.
Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Note that the very first fruit listed is LOVE – which is the character and nature of God that was revealed in Jesus, and is the foundation of His Kingdom.
(Many Christians wonder way they have not received answers to their prayers. Could it be that they are lacking in the fruit that comes from allowing the life of Christ, the vine, to live through them. Could it be that they are not obedient to keep what the Lord has commanded?
1 John 3:22-23 – And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
As I have written in the past, Love is the greatest power in the universe, and it is foundation of the Kingdom of God since it represents the divine character of our Heavenly Father; and love is that which brought Jesus to us as our means of redemption.
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Notice that when Jesus manifested divine power to heal that He announced that the Kingdom of God or Heaven’s love was come near to the one being ministered to.
Matthew 4:23 – And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
This also applied when Jesus cast out demons which was referred to as the working of a miracle.
Matthew 12:28 – But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Jesus even sent His disciple out to do the same, declaring God’s Kingdom love to heal and do the miraculous.
Matthew 10:7-8 – And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Such healing or deliverance is an act of God’s LOVE. What did Jesus say was the first and second great commandment?
Matthew 22:36-40 – Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Note: that love is the basis of the Law, and the message of the prophets: basically a revelation of the Kingdom and Will of God. The Law refers to the Ten Commandments; and the first four are about loving God, and the remaining six are about loving others.
Thus love is the power of God that changes the world and provided for total redemption of mankind. Therefore LOVE is the power that the church and true Christians need to demonstrate to the world to reveal God’s plan of redemption to mankind. The love of God changes things that man can’t change or overcome!
As we who have received the power of the Holy Spirit minister to others with the loving care of the Lord, we will see His power operate to change lives. Remember what Jesus said:
John 14:12-13 – 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. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Yes this is possible, but we must be motivated the same as Jesus was motivated to minister to others – by LOVE for the other; and to glorify God, (not self). Jesus would not have made such a declaration if it was true, yesterday as well as today.
1 Corinthians 13:13 – And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Love is the power that is lacking in churches today and must be restored! Not the worldly or fleshly kind of love, but the God kind of Love that was manifesting in Jesus Christ, and is available to us today by the Holy Spirit!
Romans 5:5 – …..because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
By W. G. Guy
Jesus promised that His true believers would receive power to be His witnesses. This power appears to be lacking in the church today, thus the world is being denied what God has freely given by His grace and mercy. (Note: grace and mercy are attributes of love; as is forgiveness.) This power is the promise that came at Pentecost!
Acts 1:8 – But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
This power that came at Pentecost has continued since, though many deny it. But just what is this power and how does it operate? Most Christians fail to recognize this power and how to operate in it. The manifestation of this supernatural power comes from the Holy Spirit in the form of divine Gifts.
1 Corinthians 12:8-11– For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
Though many professing Christians deny that this power is operational today because they do not believe what is written in the Bible. The apostle Paul wrote his first letter to the church at Corinth to address certain needed situations.
1 Corinthians 1:7 – so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Also what is not understood is the means by which this divine power operates is LOVE or Charity! Love is the power that allows the Holy Spirit’s gifts to work. As you offer the Lord’s healing or ministering touch to others in need, and if you have the right motive to do so, you become the means through whom the Holy Spirit can operate His divine power to touch the one you are ministering to. Love motivates the Holy Spirit as you seek to do the Lord’s bidding on behalf of others.
1 Corinthians 12:31-13:3 – But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Note: charity is love in that it is a loving care and provision for others as you invest yourself in their lives. Jesus defined this kind of love as He exemplified it.
John 15:13-17 – Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.
What is the fruit that our Heavenly Father is looking for in us?
John 15:1-7 – I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
It is the Fruit of the Spirit that is listed in Galatians. This Fruit is the character and nature of God that also fully manifested in Jesus.
Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Note that the very first fruit listed is LOVE – which is the character and nature of God that was revealed in Jesus, and is the foundation of His Kingdom.
(Many Christians wonder way they have not received answers to their prayers. Could it be that they are lacking in the fruit that comes from allowing the life of Christ, the vine, to live through them. Could it be that they are not obedient to keep what the Lord has commanded?
1 John 3:22-23 – And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
As I have written in the past, Love is the greatest power in the universe, and it is foundation of the Kingdom of God since it represents the divine character of our Heavenly Father; and love is that which brought Jesus to us as our means of redemption.
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Notice that when Jesus manifested divine power to heal that He announced that the Kingdom of God or Heaven’s love was come near to the one being ministered to.
Matthew 4:23 – And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
This also applied when Jesus cast out demons which was referred to as the working of a miracle.
Matthew 12:28 – But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Jesus even sent His disciple out to do the same, declaring God’s Kingdom love to heal and do the miraculous.
Matthew 10:7-8 – And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Such healing or deliverance is an act of God’s LOVE. What did Jesus say was the first and second great commandment?
Matthew 22:36-40 – Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Note: that love is the basis of the Law, and the message of the prophets: basically a revelation of the Kingdom and Will of God. The Law refers to the Ten Commandments; and the first four are about loving God, and the remaining six are about loving others.
Thus love is the power of God that changes the world and provided for total redemption of mankind. Therefore LOVE is the power that the church and true Christians need to demonstrate to the world to reveal God’s plan of redemption to mankind. The love of God changes things that man can’t change or overcome!
As we who have received the power of the Holy Spirit minister to others with the loving care of the Lord, we will see His power operate to change lives. Remember what Jesus said:
John 14:12-13 – 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. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Yes this is possible, but we must be motivated the same as Jesus was motivated to minister to others – by LOVE for the other; and to glorify God, (not self). Jesus would not have made such a declaration if it was true, yesterday as well as today.
1 Corinthians 13:13 – And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Love is the power that is lacking in churches today and must be restored! Not the worldly or fleshly kind of love, but the God kind of Love that was manifesting in Jesus Christ, and is available to us today by the Holy Spirit!
Romans 5:5 – …..because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
