Lessons from 70 years of ministry: ‘What I have received I passed on to you as of first importance.’ (Part 3) Available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube.
“…though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” (John 10:38, NKJV)
Today it is time that we began to rise up and recognise the power and authority that we have in Jesus’ Name. Power to preach a life-changing Gospel, power to bring healing miracles in order that He might receive the glory, and so that we as ‘ordinary’ people might have something dynamic to demonstrate in our lives. When Jesus healed the paralytic man (Matthew 9:6) He said, ‘So that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth… rise up and walk!’ Today we must become men and women of action to continue the demonstration begun by Jesus, so that non-believers will desire to have what we have.
The real challenge today is for believers to demonstrate who the real Jesus is. It’s a responsibility we cannot refuse or delegate, because the people in the world are confused by religion.
The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:26-27, NKJV)
Many believers are seeking a new anointing, a new power, something extra to what they already have. I went to Jerusalem almost 60 years ago seeking a new experience. But I didn’t receive anything. Why? What I am seeking is already within me! I have it now! What you desire is within you! I am not waiting for a new anointing. I have all the power I need in my spirit now!
Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. (2 Timothy 1:6, NKJV)
Over 70 years ago I was seeking to be filled, baptised in the Holy Spirit. When I received, it was a manifestation of fire, of power, speaking in tongues like they did on the Day of Pentecost - and miracles soon began to follow. What a baptism of power and of fire I received that day! I received the Holy Spirit, all the mighty power of God, everything! Now, that mighty anointing which before had been outside of me - that third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit - was now IN ME! There is only one Holy Spirit and He is in me! Not outside. I am not waiting for another Holy Spirit. He, the Spirit who raised up Jesus from the dead, who was in the Apostles Paul and Peter, that mighty, miracle-working power of the great God I am boasting about, is in me now, and He has been in me for over 70 years! I cannot receive any greater power than that I already have, in me now!
That is why I do not seek a new experience and that is why the fire has not gone out! Yes, I am different now to what I was 70 years ago! But notice He is not different; I am! During the last 70 years He has cleaned out a lot of my self and pride, my own works, and because I am not perfect, He will continue to do so until I am raptured into glory. However, He does not change. I do! Jesus said, “He that believeth on Me, out of His inner being shall flow rivers of living water.” The Holy Spirit is the source, but the Word of God says that when we have received the Holy Spirit, the source is in us. External experiences are of the world, the flesh or the devil. The inner experience is the fresh river, the sweet blessing, the mighty power of God, the Holy Spirit within you!
The Scripture teaches, ‘Christ in you, the hope of Glory.’ - That is the secret of 70 years of ministry. I have Christ in me, and I have the Holy Spirit in me. I don’t want any new doctrine. I want the Bible-believing, miracle-working, powerful Gospel according to God’s Word!
[Why is this man blind?] “…This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.” (John 9:3, NLT)
You can pray for an easy life, ask God to prevent the problems, ask for a quiet time… but where there are no problems, there are no miracles!
We must go by faith, in obedience to what God is telling us to do. And God always makes a way! I have learnt that everything God does is a miracle. If it’s not a miracle, then you or I could do it! In my life I know that it is God working when the totally impossible happens. Whatever the problem, God never fails - it’s impossible! The day God fails, He is no longer God. It’s in God’s Word, it’s His character. He’s the God of miracles! Yes, I have problems and these mean I spend much time in prayer and fasting. Why? Because you cannot have miracles without first having problems. Every problem drives me to prayer, which brings another miracle! But people aren’t prepared to pay the price. And because they don’t want the problems, they don’t see the miracles. The Bible says that the things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:19, NKJV)
If you sit in comfort with no problems in your life, you won’t need any miracles! Do you want to see miracles? Do you want to live on the edge, in the danger zone, and see the God of power in action? Then God is going to use your problem to work the miracle!
‘On Christ the Solid Rock’ used by kind permission www.vinesong.com