Walking in The Power of the Holy Spirit

“ As you go, announce this: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, drive out demons. You have received free of charge; give free of charge.” Matthew 10:7-8

Nothing is Impossible with God

Verse 7: “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’”

Do not reduce your message to salvation; we are to proclaim the message of the Kingdom. Salvation is a vital part of the message of the kingdom, but not the whole message.

Verse 8: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”

Jesus didn't say pray for the sick; He didn't say pray for the dead to be raised; Jesus did not say do your best to cleanse leprosy or try to cast out demons. He was not saying, “Give it your best shot.”

He said, heal the sick, raise the dead, cast demons out. In other words, go and act out the Kingdom! Do it! DO NOT just try!

This is really an intimidating commission because it is something we cannot do. 

However, the real problem is we think we can “do” the rest of the Christian life.

We have been called into a lifestyle that is absolutely impossible! It is impossible apart from the empowering Spirit of the living God.

The command is placed to put us into a place of dependency. Christ requires us to do something we cannot do. not because He is cruel, or vindictive, but because when He spoke it He made it possible.

Luke 1:37,  ``...nothing will be impossible with God``

The word “nothing” is actually two words: the word ‘no’ and the word ‘thing’ which in the Greek is the word “Rama”, meaning, “freshly spoken word of God”. So, no freshly spoken word of God will be impossible.

The word “impossible”, means, “without ability ``. This passage can actually be translated as, “no freshly spoken word of God will ever come to you, that does not contain its own ability to perform itself.”

When the Lord gives a command He enables what He commands. Jesus spoke something that was completely impossible a moment before, but became possible, because He spoke it.

The Release of the Holy Spirit

In the command of God there is the release of the presence of the Holy Spirit. With the release of the Holy Spirit comes action, power and transformation. The Holy Spirit is the presence of God which indwells, acts and moves in and among us. When God speaks, the Holy Spirit acts!

We see this at the very beginning of Genesis at creation:

Genesis 1:1-3

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”

The Holy Spirit was hovering over the waters. The Spirit of God held the flood water of the creative elements back, ready to be released.

The Holy Spirit holds the very essence of God's creative power in check.

I picture a runner waiting for the gun to go off so he can break forth with all the speed and vigor he can muster. This was The Holy Spirit's position at creation! The Holy Spirit longs to burst forth in power and glory! But God had to speak, “Let there be light”. And there was light. (verse 3) The presence of God was released and creation began!

The Spirit Within Us

This is why words spoken have great power. The power of the spoken word is part of what makes us image bearers of God. Each man and woman is created with a spirit, and as we grow our spirits partner with other spirits. We must make a choice, even if many do not realize it. We choose either the Spirit of God, or the spirits of the world. There is no middle ground.

The spirits of the world have limited power, but they still extend a measure of power. That is why negative or manipulative words can influence and shape certain situations.

The Spirit of God has ultimate power, for the Holy Spirit is God himself. This is why the spirits of the world cannot influence or shape one who is rooted and formed in the Holy Spirit. I say rooted and formed because it is possible to have a confession of Jesus Christ and still be demonized. To be rooted and formed in the Holy Spirit we must surrender every area of our lives to Christ. Body, mind, soul and spirit.

When we come to Christ, the Holy Spirit makes His home in us. The very Spirit of God is within us!!

Harmony with the Spirit

God is triune: God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, living in perfect harmony with one another.

In this same way God desires to come into perfect harmony with us.

In John 14:17-20 Jesus spoke regarding the Holy Spirit who was to come:

“...The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

Because Jesus Christ who was one with the Father died sinless and perfect as the Son of God, because He in earthly form rose from the dead, He broke the power of sin and death that separated us from God.

Sin kept us from unity and relationship with the Father. By the grace and mercy of Jesus, The Holy Spirit was released. By His death and resurrection Christ released the very Holy Spirit who created us in the first place, who longed to do His work of creation and restoration throughout all of history.

2 Corinthians 5:17 call us, speaking of this action of the Holy Spirit, “New Creations”.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: The old has gone, the new is here!”

When we allow the Spirit of Christ to live within us, the Holy Spirit partners with our spirit to come into perfect harmony with us and we then come into perfect harmony with God.

Indwelling Spirit

This is different from the relationship that God had with the prophets of the Old Testament. They spoke as the mouthpiece of God. The Holy Spirit rested upon them but never dwelt in them. Their spirit never joined together with the Spirit of God.

If I held a bullhorn to my lips and spoke through it, my voice would be magnified by it, but the bullhorn would never be a part of me. I still have my own distinct voice apart from it. This was the same with the prophets of old. They projected and shared the words spoken by God, but never were joined with Him in the message.

We, as the Church, are in a unique and wonderful position. The powerful words of God, which have always brought life and moved in powerful and tangible ways, now reside in us and are a part of us. We are co-heirs with Christ!

Our Position

This is why Christ gave the disciples the commission in Matthew 10 in the manner that He did:

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”

This is why Jesus said in John 14:12: “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Jesus Christ was in perfect harmony with the Spirit and His earthly ministry was the result of this relationship.

Because Jesus went to the Father, the Holy Spirit was sent to indwell those who make Jesus Christ Lord of their lives. This means we should be in perfect harmony with the Spirit. This means our lives should perfectly mirror Christ’s earthly ministry. Jesus’ words and action are to be our words and actions. His words of power are to be our words of power.

The words of The Holy Spirit spoken through us bear the same power as they did when Jesus spoke them.

Let me make this clear, the words of the Holy Spirit must line up with Scripture. The Holy Spirit is not our personal trump-card in every discussion or argument; He is not our personal valet who does our bidding. He is God and is Holy and righteous, magnificent and wonderful. Any abuse of the Holy Spirit is a serious mistake and those who make a lifestyle of acting in that manner do so at a great cost.

Acting out in Power

When our spirits are aligned and are in unity with the Spirit of God, we will manifest the power of Christ. This is displayed throughout the book of Acts. I know for years I have read the Acts of the Apostles in wonder of the Spirit-filled lives they lived. Their life styles were Spirit led at all times and in every situation, for they took the mandate of Christ seriously and had the power of the Holy Spirit living in them. 
 

This is the life that is to be ours, to be experienced through Christ as well!

As we see in the Life of Christ He spoke out the words of the Holy Spirit which brought life, renewal and power into every situation. He commanded the wind and waves to die down, and they did. He commanded death to leave, and it did, He commanded withered hands to be restored, and they were healed!

This is a lesson I have been learning the last number of years. I once would not even think to pray out loud for someone, let alone pray for healing. Now I feel the Holy Spirit leading me to do it more and more.

I had a revelation last month about all the prophecies, visions and words of knowledge the Holy Spirit has imparted to me the last number of years. I held them close and never would say them out loud. The Lord impressed on me the power of His words being spoken. What Christ tells us should be trusted. It is our duty to step out in faith.

Do I believe the call that the Lord has put upon my life and in my family's lives? Do I believe what He has said will come to pass? I believe that I have a large part to play in the working of God's will.

We must prophesy to the winds and to men the words God has given us. Just as the prophets' words given by God came to pass, and the words of Jesus never returned void, so will the words we speak, for they are spoken through the Holy Spirit who lives in and through us.

Jesus told us to “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)

We have freely received the Holy Spirit and with Him the power to bring the healing of Christ to all. We must speak healing with that authority, and men and women will be healed. We need to call out death and life will return. We need to speak against false spirits and they will have no place in the lives of those we interact with.

Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12)

This is the mandate for all believers, not simply for those who have a special gifting. We must continue on in the supernatural ministry that Jesus began and the apostles continued. We are bought by the blood of Christ and must flow with the power of the Holy Spirit.

May the Holy Spirit bring conviction, where we have doubted His power and position, when we doubt His Spirit living in us. I know I have just began to open my heart to what He has for me.

May we speak with the Holy Spirit's voice and display the power that pours forth.

May we listen to the wind words that are blowing through the Church leading us to where Christ would have us go, how He would have us act, and what He would have us speak. May we proclaim the name of Jesus wherever we go!

Blessings in the name of Jesus Christ! 

(Note: the first point (nothing is impossible for God)  of this blog is from the teaching of pastor Bill Johnson from Bethel church in Redding California. I can not recall what is a direct quote and what was my personal insight. So I give him complete credit for that portion)