I have always wondered about the supernatural outcomes of Christians in the New Testament, and the words of Jesus that His followers would do even greater works than He did (John 14:12) and why we do not see such supernatural evidences in our day. In fact, as evil has exponentially increased, I have grown frustrated with this reality. Jesus told us evil would increase in this world yet we are to take heart because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). He told us we have all His power and authority over all the works of evil (Luke 10:19). So why do Christians appear to be powerless against evil in our day?
I believe it has been the active resistance of the Holy Spirit that has prevented us from seeing His supernatural intervention in our behalf, worldwide. I believe this resistance is influenced by the enemy of God seeking to keep Christians from operating in the fullness of power and authority Jesus has given us. Let’s examine this prospect together.
As the Bible reveals, the God Christians worship is three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Each is a unique expression of the same Creator and only God of all that exists. This means the three persons of the God-head are distinguished by their eternal and relational properties rather than by essence. The Father eternally begets [causes, produces, creates, brings, effects] the Son, the Son is eternally begotten of the Father and, the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from both the Father and Son.
The Father initiates: and is the unoriginated source of divinity and ultimate initiation-cause of creation and salvation.
God the Son accomplishes: and is the Father’s origination of the work of creation and redemption who is also referred to as the Word or Logos meaning He is the embodiment of the Father’s promises revealing the reason and thoughts of God.
God the Holy Spirit appropriates: and applies the work of redemption and victory to believers fully expressing the love of the Father and Son which exists between them and for all humanity.
As a Triune Godhead, the three Persons are one by essence, substance, power and glory. The three Persons are distinct meaning one is not the other. The three share attributes meaning what one does the others also do. The three distinctions then are about relationship and their role in God’s works which are eternal.
It seems, in the overall analysis, many Christians embrace the Father and the Son,
but resist the Holy Spirit.
The reasons why are not the focus of his exposé. However, the result of such resistance is.
Consider when any human being seeks to know God (that is to have personal relationship with God as opposed to simply knowing about God), through God’s offer of Redemption unto Salvation, he must approach and receive God on God’s terms. This means he must know God’s terms.
First God reveals, since the original sin or rejection of God committed by the first man Adam and first woman Eve, every person born ever since as offspring of Adam and Eve, is born enemies of God because their eternal spirit within them is dead to God. All human beings are born spiritually dead in sin, completely estranged and at enmity with God. (Genesis 3)
Second, God reveals His unconditional love for all humanity as demonstrated in everything He does for humanity, supremely demonstrated by Him personally satisfying the debt of sin for any and all human beings who want to be restored into a right relationship with God—God who is inclusive and indivisibly God the Father, God the Son and, God the Holy Spirit. (Redemption promised in Genesis 3 and fulfilled with the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus by the power of Holy Spirit as recorded in the New Testament and countless historical documents.)
Third, God’s offer of redemption requires each human being to exercise their own will in rejection of the demonstrated will of Adam and Eve, and desiring to be restored unto God by believing in Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice of temporarily giving up His divinity and taking on human form, to live the complete human existence, to die in our place—to pay the debt for sin we owe but cannot pay. This is to believe Jesus is who God reveals Him to be without deviation.
Fourth, God offers Salvation from our eternal dead spiritual condition (as a result of our coming to believe in Jesus) through our receiving an entirely new pure eternal spirit as a benefit of belief. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Fifth, God offers victory over all evil for all His children on earth, who seek to be transformed into the image of Jesus—to live on earth in the same Holy Spirit victory power Christ demonstrated.
From the fourth point of Salvation, every person who believes and receives is celebrated by all the Heavenly Hosts as a redeemed child of God (Luke 15:7, 10), who is now in position to have relationship, and grow in the knowledge and ways of God. Believers become God’s precious children and joint heirs with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:16-17) who will live eternally with Him in heaven. As such, Believers are called Christians—or spiritually born-again children of God and followers of Jesus Christ whose life provided us the example of how to live holy lives, even in this fallen world.
This means Christians must learn how to live their new lives in Christ which is entirely antithetical to the natural world. Being a Christian is to personally know God and be in a right relationship with Him which is accomplished by seeking Him with a whole heart (belief in Jesus) and desiring to live according to His ways (through obedience) which is Sanctification.
Sanctification, which means beautification, consecration, elevation, blessing, is accomplished by embracing God’s revealed ways for His children to live. As our Creator, God knows what will provide us the best possible life filled with joy, promise and hope that cannot be attained any other way.
Only those who are not properly restored into a right relationship with God see His ways for living as a list of “dos and don’ts” that are undesirable. Those who have genuinely realized their eternal separation from God and all that is good—those who willingly repent from their natural born sin-state, recognize God’s ways as the best ways for life possible.
To the Fifth point, to help Believers in every way, God promises to also give each one, the indwelling of His Holy Spirit as Counselor to guide us into all truth, helping us to live the Christian experience in every way. This however, is accomplished according to the measure we yield ourselves—we yield our will—to Him. Christ’s example of how to live yielded to God is essential as part of our effort of working out our salvation. Salvation is a gift of redemption by God assuring our eternal life in heaven, and a process by which we cooperate with the Holy Spirit for our personal transformation to best live life on earth.
So, according to the Bible, the terms of knowing God include both restoration of relationship and ongoing transformation. That is, to believe in Jesus as our eternal Savior and to receive Him as Lord of our everyday life. Many people want the benefit of eternal salvation without the commitment of transformation. However, with a proper understanding of the whole of Scriptures, we cannot effectively have one without the other. Anyone who tries to have Jesus as their Savior but refuses Him as Lord to be transformed in this life, is simply not meeting God on His terms, resulting in extremely limited benefits in this life.
By learning to yield to the Holy Spirit, we are transformed from our natural ways to God’s supernatural ways. As we read in the New Testament and accounted in history, as Christians yield, the supernatural power of Holy Spirit is demonstrated. This power is expressed through love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Additionally, it is expressed through overcoming harmful laws of nature and evil in this world. The New Testament example of Jesus, who is our model, reveals how we can seek God to provide in times of lack, to heal the sick and to command nature. It is the same Holy Spirit Jesus relied upon that we are given, so the same outcomes are possible according to the measure we yield to Him.
I began my podcast in July 2020 during the height of “management” of COVID-19. I saw how evil imposed on the Church, ordering us not to hold church gatherings, not to sing and worship with additional restrictions not required of other institutions or organizations. And worse, I saw the Church comply. I was incensed! The only conclusion I could make was that the majority of Christians had failed to embrace God on His terms.
Since 2020 the whole world has been subjected to all manner of evil which I believe God is exposing so that His people can wake up to the life—the abundant life—He intends His children to live; not just for our own benefit, but to attract the world of unbelievers to Himself. I believe we have been subjected to all we have because we have failed to be the Church—the Ekklesia—Christ meant us to be. When Jesus said, “On this Rock I will build My Church” (Matthew 16:18) He was saying to Peter, ‘On this rock of revelation that I am the Promised Redeemer the Christ, I will build My Ekklesia’—a Greek word that was understood by the Jews of Christ’s day to mean the called-out ones intended to be the primary influence on others.
I believe God has allowed us to see this increase of evil to cause more of us to be incensed to the point of calling on God’s supernatural intervention to overcome evil. In other words, to finally see the need of the power of Holy Spirit to be at work in our behalf, in and through us. I believe in the days ahead, we will see the Church—the Ekklesia—rise up to take her rightful place in this world to resist and rout the enemy back. I believe this is God’s plan for His Church—Christ’s Bride—to make herself ready, demonstrating faith without spot or wrinkle, preparing the way for Christ’s return. Christ is not going to return to rescue a whimpering cowering Bride; but is returning to reward His Bride for her trust and obedience in the face of tribulation.
To my brothers and sisters in Christ who have resisted the Holy Spirit, to those who are espousing doctrine of simply holding out and hiding expecting Jesus to rapture us out of this evil world, I ask you to please prayerfully reconsider your doctrine.
Jesus asked, “When I return will I find faith?” Cowering and hiding waiting to be raptured does not demonstrate faith, instead it demonstrates fear which only gives power to the enemy. If ever there was a time when God’s people need to be unified in faith, the days we are living is one. I ask every reader to seriously consider your life before God, to understand the terms He offers us Redemption unto Salvation and Victory over Evil—in this life. I ask you to consider the words of King David who wrote, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.’ (Psalms 27:13) along with the promises of Jesus that we will overcome evil by His power—the power of Holy Spirit.
I welcome your comments and seek God’s best for us all. May you experience notable evidence of Holy Spirit working in your behalf during these days of Thanksgiving and Christmas leading to our New Year.
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