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When you consistently share the love of
Jesus with people around you and work to lead them to the Saviour, God
will work with you to confirm His Word with the same signs and wonders
He performed in the Bible!
1. Jesus said people with faith in Him would do the works He did
- and even greater works!
2. Jesus said signs would follow people who believed
3. Jesus said you would receive power after the Holy Spirit comes
on you - to be His witnesses.
4. Preaching should be with the demonstration of the power of God
not just arguing over words.
5. We are to be filled with the Spirit!
1. Jesus said people with faith in Him would do
the works He did - and even greater works!
John 14:10-21
“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. "If you
love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he
will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of truth.
The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.
But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not
leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not
see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me,
and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one
who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will
love him and show myself to him."
Jesus’ works were based on His relationship to God the Father.
Q: What were the works Jesus did?
A: Reconciling people to God! (The miracles were incidental)
The ability to do the works Jesus did and greater is based on our
relationship with Jesus.
The motive and the end result of our doing the works Jesus did and
greater must always be the glory of God the Father.
The ability to do the works Jesus did comes only as a result of the
Holy Spirit living within us.
God is glorified when people come into a loving
relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ.
2. Jesus said signs would follow people who believe.
Mark 16:15-20
“Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they
were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn
refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to
them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe
will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In
my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they
will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison,
it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people,
and they will get well." After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was
taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples
went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed
his word by the signs that accompanied it.”
Jesus dealt with the problem of unbelief in the greatest “sign” of
all in His disciples!
Jesus sent the disciples into the world to confront unbelief by preaching
the good news.
Jesus said certain signs would follow those who believed:
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Drive out demons
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Speak in new tongues
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Pick up snakes without being harmed
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Drink deadly poison without harm
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Heal the sick
Jesus went to heaven and was seated at the right hand of God
The disciples went out and preached everywhere
The Lord confirmed His Word with signs that accompanied it
Signs accompanying those who believe is based on the believers’ relationship
with Jesus!
Signs accompanying those who believe is always in the context of
bringing the good news to those who are lost and dying without hope and
without God.
God will work through YOU too!
3. Jesus said you would receive power after the Holy
Spirit comes on you - to be His witnesses.
Luke 24:46-49
“He told them, "This is what is written:
The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance
and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning
at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you
what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed
with power from on high."
Jesus spoke to His disciples about the message of repentance and
forgiveness of sins being preached to all nations beginning at Jerusalem.
Jesus repeated the promise of the Holy Spirit being sent to them
after telling them they were His witnesses.
Jesus commanded the disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they were
“clothed” with power.
Acts 1:4-5
“On one occasion, while he was eating with
them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for
the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John
baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy
Spirit."
Jesus refers to the impartation of the Holy Spirit as being “baptized
with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 1:8
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Jesus again connects the reception of the Holy Spirit with power
Jesus also makes the connection to their being His witnesses
4. Preaching should be with the demonstration
of the power of God not just arguing over words.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
“When I came to you, brothers, I did not
come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony
about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus
Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with
much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive
words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith
might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.”
Preaching is not to be simply a lot of fancy words and wise ideas
Preaching should be with the demonstration of the Spirit’s power
A believer’s faith is to be based on God’s power not on man’s “wisdom”
As you tell people about Jesus situations will
arise that require Divine power. God will work through you at those times!
1 Cor 12:31
“But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And now I will show you the most excellent way.”
Q: Which gift is the greatest gift?
A: Those that are needed at that precise moment! True power is the
changing of people’s lives and hearts from within by the Holy Spirit!
5. We are to be filled with the Spirit!
Ephesians 5:17-18
"Therefore do not be foolish, but understand
what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.
Instead, be filled with the Spirit."
It is God’s will for ALL believers to be filled with the Holy Spirit
Luke 24:49
“I am going to send you what my Father has
promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from
on high.”
How did the disciples know when they were “clothed with power?”
Being “clothed with power from on high”, “baptized with the Holy
Spirit”, and being “filled with the Spirit” are synonymous terms for the
same event in a believer’s life.
Three examples in the book of Acts where believers
were initially filled with the Holy Spirit describe the events that occurred
and present a clear “pattern” for believers of all ages to expect when
they are filled with the Spirit.
Acts 2:1-4
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all
together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind
came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They
saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on
each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to
speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Acts 10:43-46
“All the prophets testify about him that everyone
who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." While
Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard
the message.The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished
that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.”
Acts 19:1-6
“...Paul took the road through the interior
and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did
you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we
have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” ... He [John the Baptist]
told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus."
On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When
Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke
in tongues and prophesied.”
The disciples KNEW they had been “clothed with
power from on high” because they heard them speak with other tongues!
There were other things that occurred when the disciples were filled
with the Spirit including: hearing a sound like a mighty rushing wind,
seeing flames of fire resting on the heads of each individual in the room,
praising God, and prophesying.
The occurrence that was common in each of these three incidents
was the speaking in tongues.
How can I know if this promise is for me too?
Acts 2:37-39
"Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied,
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are
far off- for all whom the Lord our God will call."
The gift is the Holy Spirit NOT tongues!
Who was the promise for?
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1. Those who were listening to Peter.
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2. Their children (the next generation).
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3. All who were far off (later generations).
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4. All whom the Lord would call!
The promise of being filled with the Holy Spirit
is for YOU too!
How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
Ask God to fill you!
Luke 11:11-13
"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for
a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give
him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good
gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the
Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
But don’t ask just ONE time!! Keep on asking until you receive! |
