of the Spirit and of power

Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.  And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe. John 11:14-15

Lazarus was dead and four days later Jesus visited the grieving home. Not to weep, not to comfort, but to resurrect. He said unto Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life” John 11:25. Jesus stood at the entrance of the cave where Lazarus was laid and He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” And he that was dead came forth, alive. Oh, the glorious act of God! What was in Jesus that gave Him such an authority that at His command, the dead rise? Here’s the blessed answer.

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power... Acts 10:38

Jesus once prayed to the Father saying, “as Thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.” John 17:18. True to His words, before He left the world to His Father, Jesus blessed His disciples with the same Spirit and power which was in Him. John 10:1 says, “And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” And John 10:7-8 says, “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.” Until Jesus was with His disciples, He had blessed them with the power over all these things. But after His death and resurrection, when He knew that His time has come to leave His friends, the disciples, He blessed them again to fulfill His words.

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose so ever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose so ever sins ye retain, they are retained. John 20:21-23

History witnesses what happened after that in the disciples’ life. Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples raised a dead woman named Tabitha. The word of God witnesses this in Acts: 9:36-42, “this woman was full of good works and alms deeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber ….. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.”

Is it only for the twelve disciples who were with Jesus? No! It is promised for all that are called in His name and according to His purpose for the Kingdom of God. Paul, one of the Apostles, who was not one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, but was called by Him for the purpose of the Kingdom of God, had the same grace and blessing in his life. He raised a certain man called Eutychus from the dead. Acts 20:9-12 records this, “And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.” Concerning such acts of God in his life, Paul writes to Corinthians, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God ….. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” 1 Corinthians 2: 1 & 4.

Has the Lord Jesus been partial in giving the blessing of His Spirit and power to only those who lived in the time of Jesus living in this world? As your heart says “NO” to this question, deep in your heart you know the blessed truth that YOU ARE CALLED IN HIS NAME WITH THE PURPOSE OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD. You still remember the very day when the Lord Himself had blessed you with His Spirit and power. Yet there is one thing you need to confess boldly as Paul did to Corinthians. The prayer that Jesus prayed to His Father before He raised Lazarus from the grave opened my eyes to know the one thing that we need.

And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which standby I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. John 11:41-42

The key for all the gifts of the Spirit and the power of God in you to be manifested for the glory of God is, “if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God” John 11:40. Here I leave you with a question that Jesus asked many and now is asking to you, “Do you believe?”

Bro. Wesley Porpatham R

God’s Love Missions Family