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Discussion Forum : Devotional Thoughts : The Desperate Need for Power

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ChrisMo
Member



Joined: 2007/12/31
Posts: 33


 Re: The Desperate Need for Power

I started to get stirred up about 2 1/2 years ago about the Holy Spirit, having been baptised in the Holy Spirit about 32 years ago. I started to think why aren't we different from other people, I have been on a journey trying to work things through.
I was reading Acts 4:30-31
"Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly".
If that was the norm back then, what about now. It is Jesus who stretches out His hand to heal & perform miraculous signs, is it because we don't really believe that Jesus is the same yesterday, today & forever.
I have just come from visiting a friend in the mental ward at the local hospital & I think how many of those people are in there becuase of demon possession?? I know that in my own strength I can do nothing, it can only be as the Holy Spirit works through me.
In the bible the preaching of the Word was always accompanied by signs & wonders.
My question is what has happened???


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Christine

 2010/4/19 6:19Profile
MJones
Member



Joined: 2008/10/31
Posts: 320
Missouri

 Re: The Desperate Need for Power

"My question is what has happened???"

Mine too.


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Mike Jones

 2010/4/19 7:56Profile
Lysa
Member



Joined: 2008/10/25
Posts: 3699
East TN for now!

 Re: What has happened?



~ What has happened? ~

A lack of compassion even in the Christian circles is my humble opinion of what has happened. My friends and I have a jail ministry and we have been privileged to see the Lord work a few “wonder working” signs in the women’s lives and in their bodies! I will humbly share what happened to us for us to start praying, at the beginning we would take prayer requests and we noticed a common denominator... they didn’t get their medicine as they were supposed to and come to find out that one 200 mg Tylenol costs an inmate $5.00, just one!

Well, another Holy Spirit filled woman and I began talking about praying for the sick. So we would end 15-30 minutes early and tell them, “we will lay hands on and pray for anyone but if there is any sick among you, we pray for those first.” At first, they didn’t know what we wanted to do to them! LOL But slowly, one by one they would come up and now a year and a half later, it is awesome what God has done in those women’s lives! I am humbled to walk in there and be able to minister to them in anyway the Lord allows me to.

But I digress, the point I wanted to make was... Christians can lay hands on anyone the Bible says to “lay hands on the sick” but the one thing that I read in the Scriptures that “motivates” healing is: compassion. We don’t see much compassion anymore.

But when he saw the multitudes, he was MOVED WITH COMPASSION on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Matt 9.36, Matt 14.14

And Jesus, MOVED WITH COMPASSION, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. Mark 1.41, 6.34

So Jesus HAD COMPASSION on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him. Matt 20.34


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Lisa

 2010/4/19 9:01Profile
Theophila
Member



Joined: 2007/1/15
Posts: 365


 Re:

Prior to all the incidents Lysa diligently listed, our Lord was filled with the Holy Ghost power[sorry, i'm kinda old-school].

When the Lord ascended, He instructed the disciples to wait until they were endued with power from on high....then they would be His witness.

My humble opinion is that we have not been endued with power from on high [at least, i haven't] and we're trying to be His witnesses.



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Tolu

 2010/4/19 16:12Profile
MJones
Member



Joined: 2008/10/31
Posts: 320
Missouri

 Re: The Need for Power

There is definitely a need for both - power and compassion - and definitely room for more of both in me.

Somebody mentioned the aspect of the kingdom and I believe there is something to that. I hope someone does not hang me on a technicality if don't have this exactly right, but I think Jesus came to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. And if you think about it, that is what He did. Sickness is not a part of the Kingdom of God. He expelled it when He was presented with it. Satan is not part of the Kingdom of God. He expelled him when he was present. I could go on, but you get the idea.

I am convinced there is a power available. I catch glimpses of it at times to indicate there is more. I was struck in Luke 10 the other day by a statement, which was Jesus' response when the 72 commented that the demons submitted to them. Jesus, as if to say, 'that's really nothing', "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven". Satan was expelled from God's Kingdom. He has no place in it. Jesus was there to see him fall. He knows he has no power or place in God's Kingdom.

And since Jesus came to establish it, He simply and effortlessly reminds Satan that he is not permitted to stay. He doesn't huff and puff. It was settled a long time ago. He was there. He saw him fall. I believe there is power in that if we can truly get our head around it. We too need to see Satan fall, to be convinced as Jesus was that he really has no power. I think we have made the mistake of approaching it more as beggers when maybe we should be approaching more as commanders.

Anyway, those are my thoughts.


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Mike Jones

 2010/4/19 20:57Profile
Know-Him
Member



Joined: 2009/1/7
Posts: 76


 Re:

Is it possible that we have lost sight of this concept of the Kingdom of God and replaced it with the kingdom of church/denomination/man and this is why we have so little power? Why would God give us power to promote ourselves or our denomination? Maybe when we get a clear glimpse that it is God's Kingdom that we are working for, then we will experience more power! Thank you for this encouraging thread.

 2010/4/20 3:18Profile









 Re: two brief conversations with God

Ps. 42:1-2

H. onestly
O. penly
T. ransparently


The very first time God told me to lay a hand on another (towards their healing), He and i began to 'negotiate', hart to heart.

[I was questioning Him, in hesitation simply because this was not the kind of thing i had been raised to believe. It was the words of those who taught me that were doubted primarily, first when told that God does not speak to people anymore - Rev. 3:20, Jn.14:23,10:16,26-27, Jer. 33:3 - much less, "greater works" we shall do (<---this is often pulled out of the context from what Jesus was revealing. Now i think cessationist is just a nice word for deist.)

He told me just to lay a hand on this person, and i was thinking that i had never done that before.

So i carried on in silent conversation with God :

..."i don't feel any power, like in your baptism."

"I AM ONE who gives what is neccessary to accomplish what is told."

The one just prayed for was noticed staring at me. He probably noted surprise on my face, as God had never before spoken so loud and clear to me.

"...but what if they are not healed?"

"You are the channel. I AM THE SOURCE."

Immediately, i realized that it was not my job to heal this child. i was a outlet told to lay my hand. The river would flow through after that. My hand was laid on his shoulder, and i told the boy that Jesus is healing him.

That was all.

Two days later, on his way home, his mother called excited telling that the doctor's baffled about that 'incurable' cancer looking like it's just going away, only a small trace was then visible in his body.
(The previous appointment he had been given a report that seemed to be his death knell: "...you have between 1 and 3 months".)

We praised and glorified God over the phone, talking up astorm about His promises and how He is faithful and true.

Today, this boy follows after God like none i have ever seen. He says that God told him he is going to be a preacher.


Within me now, it's understood so clearly: all that matters is doing what he says directly to us and/or in the scriptures, no matter how we feel about his command, no matter what our (deceitful wicked) heart might try to tell us.



Again:

About a year and a half ago, on an early Sunday morning, my daughter was standing on the toilet to reach for something on the high shelf in the bathroom.

The toilet seat ended up breaking completely. I rushed to Walmart to get another one.

There was delay after delay, and in the long checkout line, i asked, "why now Lord? Why am i being made late for church?"

He answered, "There is a lady putting items in her car that you will see after checkout and you are walking towards your car. Tell her about My salvation."

Leaving the store, there she was, at a car parked close to the entrance, doing just as said.

Then God said, "go talk to her."

Being parked only two cars down from her,i thought, well, i'll just put this toilet seat in the car and go back to talk with her.

No sooner had i began walking back towards her, a 2 ton pickup stopped right behind her car. A man got out, walked right up to her, and began telling her the gospel.

He saw me. He was not recognized from recollection, but grining he waved.

Waving back and praising God, i went to my car to back up this fellow in prayer.

Before i ever got there, God asked me, "Why didn't you do as told?"

i answered, "i was going to."

"Next time, don't hesitate. You missed the place i made for you to recieve My blessing. Just do what i say so you don't miss out. We have got work to do."

In the car, beginning to pray, i was interrupted.

"You heard what I said."

"Yes Lord."

"Do not hesitate."

i answered not another word.

God's presence began welling up in me, and i began crying.

i was ashamed and could not stop the tears though a flood of joy was overtaking me.

I could not drive home for the tears blurring my vision.

When joy subdued the shame, we headed home.

Finally getting home, from the kitchen, my wife asked what took so long.

i did not answer. She was finishing fixing breakfast, and it was hoped that if i just went and fixed the seat on the stool, she would not ask again.

That is what happened; but, now when the Lord says "do", even though there is still something in me that wants to
hesitate, the memory of these incidents pop up.

It is our human tendency, the flesh, that balks and says, "i can't", "i don't know if", "gimme'just a minute" ,"i don't feel any power", etc.

Today, almost a year and a half after an early Sunday morning at Walmart, through that moment revealing just how i operate, though recognized, it is still an ongoing struggle against the flesh.

To myself as to all of you, do not let rationalizations get to you and steal God's best from you.

This is the difference between idolatry and godliness.
"Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."
Whose voice will we 'listen-to-and-talk-about'?
(this is saying, Whose voice will we 'glorify'?)
"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Whose voice will we serve?
"No man can serve two masters."
Who do we really bow down to?
"...as one thinks in their heart, so they are."


The spirit is willing,
but the flesh is unable:
walking in the Spirit
we do not do what our weak flesh considers.



CIAO!
g

p.s. Soon and very soon, this struggle against our selfs will be over. Continue to grow in Him no matter what other voices may seem to say.
I Jn. 5:21






 2010/4/20 7:10
Theophila
Member



Joined: 2007/1/15
Posts: 365


 Re:

Wow Phanetheus, Blessed be the name of the Lord!
We [all of us, the body of Christ] need to unlearn some things and [re]learn some.


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Tolu

 2010/4/20 10:53Profile
wind_blows
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Joined: 2009/1/4
Posts: 353


 Re:

Edited: After praying more I took down my post I feel unsettled with what I had written so need more time to pray and reflect on this...

 2010/4/20 12:04Profile
MJones
Member



Joined: 2008/10/31
Posts: 320
Missouri

 Re: The Desperate Need for Power

In the spirit of my original post, I add these additional thoughts that come as I read through the gospel of Luke.

Luke 9:1,2 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Power and authority were given for four things. One was preaching and the other three involved some form of healing.

The question I am wrestling through is this: Has He taken back that authority or does He wait on us to take hold of it? Are we missing something by not taking hold of it?


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Mike Jones

 2010/4/29 8:26Profile





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