In most great cities in our world, we have countless buildings that once housed active, vibrant Churches. Today there is no activity in those Church buildings; some are almost empty, with few members in the pews on Sundays. The neighborhoods are changing as sins are abounding. We have emerging Churches who sing and dance but no power. We have pulpits that have active and great sermons but no power. Behind many of these pulpits, we have comedians’ preachers who come to crack jokes, make funs and preach entertainment messages, what the people want to hear but of course there is no power. In these denominations, we have people who are endowed with great knowledge of Church doctrines and the stories in the bible yet they lack power. In search for power some even preachers have sorted and obtained mundane powers from demonic spirits and cults. “….having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away” (2 Tim 3:2). As one runs around these men and women of God one should better be careful whose anointing one sits under and who lay hands on you.
Today, we have witnessed a decline in Church worship due to theological liberation or false doctrine. Unfortunately many bath and dance in these falsehoods in the name of “churchanity” on their way to hell. They still conduct baptism, Holy Communion and marriages; receive tithes and offerings and preach prosperity messages as well as conducting weekly deliverances yet no power and no healings. If you remove salvation and healing from Jesus’ message, tell me what’s left? They are quick to tell you that if you’re not healed it is due to your unbelief and sin; disobediences in giving to God. Yet what attracts and stirs the hearts of unbelievers are preaching the gospel in power of the Holy Ghost. In “Fresh wind, Fresh fire” by Jim Cymbala with Dean Merrill say, “It takes more than academic rigor to win the world for Christ. Correct doctrine alone isn’t enough. Proclamation and teaching aren’t enough. God must be invited to “Confirm the word with signs following” (Heb. 2:4). In other words, the gospel must be preached with the involvement of the Holy Spirit send down from heaven.” The gospel must be preached in the name of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit (not power of marine spirit or witchcraft or cult spirit). All power (authority to rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus (Matthew 28:18); has authority over all things i.e. put everything in subjection His feet (Heb 2:8) and those that believes shall have powers to do miracles (Mark 16:17). ….but first have to wait ..until.. endued with power from on high (Lk24:49).
Jesus taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes (Matt. 7:29). The authority is demonstrated by Jesus’ threefold ministry: teaching the word /preaching repentance, the blessings of God’s kingdom and healing every kind of sickness, disease and infirmity among the people (Matt 4:23-24; 9:35; 10:7-8; Acts 8:6-7, 12). Jesus said to His disciples, “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto Me ….unto the uttermost part of all the earth” (Acts 1:8). Power here means more than human strength or ability; designates power in operation and in action and includes authority to drive out evil spirit and anointing to heal the sick. In Acts 4, the Apostles prayed to God to do uncommon things. They wanted the people to know their beliefs are more than positional or head knowledge. There was power in their faith. Faith based on the cross and empty tomb – Resurrection power!!! If the early disciples initiated the Church without power, their meetings would be like today’s Church. The power of God through the working of the Holy Spirit was the essential ingredient of the early Church – Andy Zoppelt.
Too many Churches argue on theological issues and dwell on money theology. They preach fine messages and the people make confession but they do not hold to their confession before they break it. They behave like dogs going back to their vomit, just as fools repeat their foolishness (Proverbs 26:11). Some just respond to Altar calls without conviction; could be because others are doing it or so as not to look like a demon. Little wonder many get born again so many times; indeed in every meeting they feel excited with the message. They do not depend on God’s Spirit to revolutionize them in a supernatural way. In the midst of all these mess, Jesus is saying today as to the Church in Sardis, “You have a reputation of being alive but you’re dead (Rev 3:1). People had to repent of their personal sins and be forgiven by God, then they would receive the Holy Spirit the same way the Apostle and believers did.
We should never seek the Holy Spirit until we search our hearts and ask God to cleanse us from all our sins. Just asking the Lord to forgive us is not enough… if we don’t turn away from sin first, the Holy Spirit will not enter. When King David sinned, he cried out to God, “And do not take the Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11) because he knew that sin and the Holy Spirit don’t live in the same person. The Holy Spirit will convict sin and produce holiness. The evil spirit counterfeits the baptism of the Holy Spirit will permit and excuse sin. The devil will produce a sinful life. Except we call on God on total submission like the Apostles in Acts 4:30,”…to stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonder,” you are simply working up emotions. People doze off while the pastor preaches his emotion out but stay awake when a new believer stand to testify how God has saved him/her and changed his/her life. When one is liberated from satanic bondages, the people note and appreciate. We do not see evident power of the Holy Spirit in our Churches today because we tend to focus more on programs and action items than seeking God’s power – Paul Chappell. All the Spirit-filled Churches today should have the same evidences as in early Church.
Each time Christians reach out to touch someone, including the rejects and unlovely of our society, God touch them too and revolutionizes their lives. Otherwise we would stay in our tall fence building, busying ourselves with bible studies and high sounding sermons with the same group of people – membership instead of discipleship. The greatest miracles seem to be coming from Mission fields because there Christians demonstrate the love of Christ to those God called us to reach out to. We are busy and engrossed with the book knowledge and lose the revelational knowledge that brings open doors and miracles. We are impressed with doctrine orderliness and cultural theology that we confuse and play down God’s truth, such that what we preach and teach differ from what the bible ask of us. “We can affirm that we love Jesus and He’s redeeming power, all we want except He comes alive in our lives in a way that even the prostitute, drug pushers and the rejects of our society can see it.
We may go on week after week busy polishing our oratory with fine religious lectures and doctrinal teachings but no move of God is experienced. E. M. Bounds was quoted to once said, “Among the things that hinder spiritual result, fine preaching must have place among the first. Fine preaching is that kind of preaching where the force of preaching is expended to make the sermon great in thought, tasteful as a work of art, perfect as a scholarly production, complete in rhetorical finish and fine in its pleasing and popular force.” It went further to say that “fine preaching separates between the man and the sermon.” It could be impressive and influential but not Holy Spirit filled and driven; does not reach the heart and conscience. Until we yearn and cry expectantly for God to stretch out His hand and do the uncommon, unusual, and supernatural, it is nothing but noise. “God is not nearly as enamored with the performance of pulpiteering as He is with the humble words that manifest His presence to the soul.”
This is really good. Reading from Dallas Tx at 4am. I desperately need God to save me for real and my family. I need the real , genuine holy spirit with power and evidence. My family needs to be saved. I will read this over and over until I get it and understand what it means to my own life. Thanks Pastors Godswill.