The Church Filled with Power

No Power???

In a world where evil appears to be prevailing and the church appears to be growing in a powerless direction a space where human effort is sought more than the manifestation of divine power, We no longer see the power of the Lord moving as it did in that day

We long and yearn to see the power of God and are left at times feeling dissatisfied in our faith walk.

What is worse is that we begin to question as follows;

1. Maybe I am not good enough to see the power

2. Maybe they are right the stories we read in scripture are metaphorical or allegorical… so we minimize the power of God.

3. Maybe that time has come and gone and we are not going to see the power

or ;

4. Jesus lied we aren't called to do all the things he did and more

worse yet;

5. The word of God is not real and so we cannot trust in it.

Whichever way we splice it what is true today, is that the church is a shell of what it is supposed to be.

We cannot negate that the manifest power of God has been present even in the slightest glimpses. We need to understand that as it relates to the 2 witnesses we are going to receive power that will impact the world around us.

The church will be dressed in power so all will know Jesus is the Lord-The Great I Am.

Revelation 11:3–6 ESV

And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.

The witnesses are given (not earned not bought not traded for)

Authority and Power

Didomai- given because of Love… to be used because of love

Not passive but active in their engagement

They are going to places and situations no longer saying you be you…

Joel Great and terrible Day of the Lord: Joel 2:1-3

Joel 2:1–3 ESV

Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming; it is near, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been before, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations. Fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but behind them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them.

Joel 2:11 ESV

The Lord utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can endure it?

This army is comprised of children of God (paternal kin)

careful attention to what comes from their mouth as this affirms the two witnesses.

Their like has never before and will never again be seen

What they depart from is left in desolation but what stays ahead of them is as the Garden of Eden (Bountiful)

They walk in power because they can execute the His word.

Granted Authority

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Jesus walks in power and gives a command to go and make disciples.

What they are to speak Matt 24:14 the gospel of the Kingdom which will be their marturion

Make disciples by teaching them all the things He taught

prophecy = as received from an oracular power HS

The witness comes then the power (not the other way around.)

Mark 16:15-18 as we confess or prophecy

Cast out demons, speak in new tongues, pick up serpents, drink poison and not be hurt; they will heal the sick.

Acts 1:8 they are instructed to wait until filled w power… as they waited they were doing the work of speaking of Jesus… they had the authority to…

as they prophesied they were filled with power....

Understand the power will not come upon you until you commit to execute His word.

Fire From Their Mouth

In Joel that comes from them and devours; here fire pours from their Mouth

Elijah facing a threat from the king of the land for speaking against idolatry says it this way; 2 Kings 1:10

2 Kings 1:10 ESV

But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

3 times this occured the first two resulted in the death of the Captain and their 50 the last the Angel caused him to stay his hand

When one is speaking for the Lord understand that fire is coming from your mouth.

Jer 5 the Lord declares His words become a fire in your mouth… and the people a wood to be burned

This is why this kind of power is given only to those who receive in Love and act out of love not for selfish gain.

Tremendous Power

Power is to bring Glory to God to build His Kingdom

not what I can get for myself

Elijah shuts the skys for 3.5 years 1 Kings 17:1

1 Kings 17:1 ESV

Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”

The power to withhold provision and to leave the land desolate

Rev 16 gives insight to turning water to blood as it is seen as retribution for what the atrocities the people of God have endured

They will strike the earth with plagues

like the enemy has exhibited the church will do the same

After all of this display of power there will be those will live it… see it… and still harden their hearts

Exodus 7:1-2 God says to Moses… I have made you like God to Pharaoh

Speak my command… the power is for you to speak His word

v. 4 the power is given so that the world (egypt) will know “I am God”

The two witnesses for 3.5 years will walk in the same manner… Something to note is that Jesus’ earthly ministry lasted about 3.5 years… He exemplifies what it means to have such power and how we are to conduct ourselves.

The church will not stay dormant for much longer as we approach the end, there is an awakening… not for what I want but to build the kingdom of God. In that time we will function with great power that we have received because of Love and will execute because of love for the people of God.

In this outpouring of power one thing will be made evident to the world Jesus Christ is Lord; Jesus Christ is the Great I Am.