Needforpower

The Need for Power

Intro

Next week talk about the Pathway to Power.

Then Purpose for the Power

On Sunday evenings I will be talking about the spiritual gifts for the next several weeks…except this Sun.  No service due to Labor Day.

My call.

has been from the start to preach the Word and see the sick healed. 

2Tim 4:2 (NKJV) Preach the word! Be ready in season [and] out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Luke 10:9 (NKJV) "And heal the sick there, and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.'

The Lord has since shown me that the most important and lasting kind of healing is the healing of the heart.  Physical healing is temporary though still valuable.  I want to see lives changed, I want to see teens saved and discipled…I want to stand between the living and the dead.

My Job description:

Ephesians 4:11 (NKJV) And He Himself gave some [to] [be] apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

*Some would say that teens can’t do anything for Christ, so I should just try to entertain you and play a little Bible baseball or pin the beard on Moses with you.  But I believe that there is a generation of which you are a part that is ready to cast off the filth in this world that is racing towards destruction, and take up the mantle of power that is in Christ Jesus.

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!!! Evidence

Without the power of God backing up the message it is just more words. 

1Cor 2:1 (NKJV) And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.

2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preaching [were] not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

If you are telling people that God can change lives then you had better have something to back that up.  You need to be evidence, but you also need to be able to bring that power to them in a tangible way.

There  are a million “experts” out there with a million different opinions.  And a lot of them sound believable. 

The church is becoming impotent, it needs some spiritual viagra.  Not because God is losing His power or is drawing back, but His children are not seeking Him. 

The only ones who are seeming to flow in any sort of power are always the ones who are cornflakes.  You can flow in the power of God without being hokey!

!!! Deliverance

I look around and I see a lot of changed lives.  I also see those who are still in bondage to the enemy.  There is still a need for God’s power. 

1Cor 6:9 (NKJV) Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,

10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

*Those that have been sexually abused can be cleansed and set free from the effects of such things.

*Those who are addicted to drugs and alcohol can be delivered and find fulfillment in Christ.

*Those that are overwhelmed with a desire for passion can find their needs fulfilled in Jesus Christ and living for Him.

If we do not have access to power in the name of Jesus, then God is a liar!  Not only that but cruel.  Everything we are commanded to do, requires power greater than what we inherently have.  It is impossible to walk in obedience to what God has commanded without power. 

* “Go and make disciples of all nations…” –power was needed.

* “heal the sick…” –power

* “follow me…” – power

*God’s mantle of power has been passed down through the ages.  You can follow it through the Bible.

Moses-Joshua-the judges- David-Elijah-Elisha- until the NT where God places it on the Forerunner John the Baptist, then God places it on Jesus at his Baptism, then finally on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, the mantle finds it’s last resting place where it remains today…on the followers of Jesus Christ.

Mark 16:15 (NKJV) And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

17 "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;

18 "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Mark 16:20 (NKJV) And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with [them] and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

There is more for those who wish to seek it. 

We talk about being real and authentic a lot.  The Christian life is a faith-filled supernatural thing….or should be.