Greetings,
I pray all is going well for you all across the country. I had computer issues and I just got up and running again.
We have a bible study every 2nd and 4th Friday and part of our study involves healing as well. We conduct individual healing on the off Fridays, as we follow Isiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those (souls) who are bound; and the Great Commission Mark 16:15-18.
This message was prepared 2 weeks ago for our last study, but the Holy Spirit had different plans. We were led to pray for those in our group who had emotional, spiritual, and physical things that needed prayer. With that, we seen several miracles and continue to see healing miracles at every bible study. Praise God.
Power from the Holy Spirit
Mark 3:14-15 (NKJV) Then He appointed
twelve that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and
to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons
Appointed: The Greek verb
means “to make someone into something.” Jesus selects the twelve from the
larger group to form His closet following. The purpose of this “Divine
Appointment” is that they may be with Him in order to learn from Him, then go
out in divine power to extend his work. He wanted them to imitate
Him (1 Peter 2:21 For to this you were called, because Christ also
suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps)
and He wants us to do the same. Jesus give us divine power (But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has
come upon you; Acts 1:8)
and authority (Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents
and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any
means hurt you Luke 10:19) to do this as instructed in the Great
Commission (Mark 16:15-18 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is
baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And
these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out
demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up
serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them;
they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”). The
Great Commission is not option if we are imitators of Jesus Christ.
Power, exousia; Strong’s #1849:
One of four power words (dunamis, exousia, ischus, and Kratos), exousia means
the authority or right to act, ability, privilege, capacity, or delegated
authority. Jesus had the exousia to forgive sin, heal sicknesses, and
cast out devils. Exousia is the right to use dunamis (“might”).
Jesus gave His followers exousia to preach, teach, heal, and deliver and that
authority has never been rescinded (John 14:12-13 “Most assuredly, I say
to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater
works than these he will do, because I go to My Father And whatever you
ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son,
John 14:12-1). The promise is not that disciples of Jesus will
perform works that are greater in value or significance than His. Rather,
they are greater in scope and number in these respects. Powerless people,
home groups, churches, and ministries become powerful upon discovering the
exousia residing within in the name of Jesus, by the blood of Jesus, by the
exousia of the Holy Spirit, and by Almighty God.
Because He was crucified, Jesus’
earthly ministry was limited to only a few years, but after the Resurrection
and Pentecost, His ministry was and continues to be multiplied through Holy
Spirit empowered believers. Our works include the preaching of the gospel
which is included in the Great Commission (Mark 16:15-18),
resulting in the blessings of justification, reconciliation, and the gift of
the Holy Spirit coming to humankind – all post Resurrection manifestations of
Christ’s reign (John 5 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all
things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these,
that you may marvel).
A vital key to walking in the
pathway of God’s miracles is to stay available to the implications of Jesus’
words here. When blessing comes in your work, service, or ministry, it is
tempting to accept that this is “all” God has for you. Many find it easy to
stop and rest, rather than keeping your hand to the plow (Luke 9:62 But
Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back,
is fit for the kingdom of God”). Instead, refuse to allow the
blessings of God’s grace on your work to lead you to think that He may not be
ready to do even more in your life (God is there to take you to a higher level
with Him). He does not call you to attempt to produce more, but to ask
and believe Him for more–for greater works He has in store for us to receive
and, by His grace, achieve for His kingdom’s purpose and glory. Keep your
heart set and ready for the next level of our walk for His kingdom.
Tony Sanchez (Bible Study
1/13/2017) www.obeygodsword.blogspot.com
