Week One - Introduction
Today we begin a five-week series on the supernatural power of God given to every Born-again Christian at the moment of salvation.
When a person chooses to give their life to Jesus Christ, and receive Him as their personal Lord and Savior, they become alive to another realm. They physically live in the natural world yet are also alive in the spiritual or supernatural realm of the Kingdom of God. This gives them the limitless ability to transcend natural talents and personal limitations. The supernatural is one of the central concepts of Christianity.
Modern Western cultures find it difficult to think in terms of the supernatural because it is perceived as being antithetical to science and logical reasoning. Although there is a growing number of people within Christianity who question biblical fundamentals, there is still a majority within the modern church that have little difficulty with the supernatural dynamic of Scripture when it comes to the conception, birth, and resurrection of Jesus, the miracle of salvation, and an occasional physical healing that exceeds human ability. For most, that is the closest experience with the supernatural they will ever know.
Anointed with Power
Living the Christian life is impossible without the daily anointing of God for power to serve. The idea of living a life full of the miraculous is preposterous to some and frightening to others. For many, the fact that the Bible has numerous stories of supernatural Signs and Wonders is acceptable as long as they remain in the past. The last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before He ascended into Heaven were;
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NIV)
Christianity, without the supernatural, has no legitimate power, yet those who actively believe in the miraculous are often held with contempt, and their beliefs ridiculed and even condemned. You will most often find more skeptics in the church than outside of it.
I believe that ALL Christians are called to live supernatural lives every day that has the touch and power of God upon them to affect change in those they come in contact with. Living a supernatural life is the most powerful yet practical way for a Christian to live.
The biblical truth is that the supernatural is the natural environment of God. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit lives in, and empowers, every Christian (1 Cor. 6:19). It would be logical to posit that the natural environment of God exists within them as well. Taking that thought a little farther, it would also seem reasonable to surmise that God wants every Christian living naturally in the supernatural, with the miraculous accompanying them as they live normal lives. That is purely an ambitious objective because it is a lived reality for only a minimal number of Christians who are often scoffed at for their so-called experiences.
Knowledge with Experience
Most Bible teachers and preachers would agree that the Church is a charismatic community in which the Holy Spirit liberally gives gifts for the edification of every Christian. However, the cord of Christian harmony often gets frayed and broken when the subject of the supernatural manifestation gifts moves from speaking of their use in past-tense generalities to their active use today in precise ways and experiences.
There are too many Christians who know about God without truly knowing and personally experiencing Him. Reading the Book of Acts is not the same as living the Book of Acts daily. To believe that God heals today is acceptable to most, but to some, believing that the gifts of healing should be active daily and available to every Christian, is not acceptable – and that seems, at the very least, illogical.
God lives outside human imposed restrictions. People of faith must begin to walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:16) and live in the reality that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Heb 13:8)
The Bible says that people are to worship God in “spirit” and “truth.” (Jn 4:24) Since Jesus never changes, and He lives in, and empowers, EVERY Christian, they can learn to live naturally in the supernatural and see God touch the lives of people each day through the supernatural gifts.
Within Jesus, all of the fullness of God dwells (Col 2:9), and He dwells within every Christian who have been given the power and anointing of God to live a supernatural life because they have the touch of God upon them and His power within them.
Sadly, there are those who are intimidated by God’s ways, and the mystery of the methods He uses, to affect the world. Thankfully, God prefers to work outside of human restrictions. The supernatural manifestation gifts were designed by God to be used for daily living by average non-professional Christians, yet they seem to frighten many people, even though they should be used as naturally as breathing air.
Spiritual Things
“Pursue love. However, keep on eagerly seeking the things of the Spirit.” (1 Cor 14:1 CJB)
Salvation makes the Christian complete in Christ. (Col 2:10) As stated previously, ALL that the Father is, Jesus is. “All the fullness of the Godhead bodily” dwells in Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit dwells within the Christian. (Col 2:9-10 NKJV)
Because Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, all of His promises and spiritual gifts have never changed, nor will they ever change. Every Christian was “given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Cor 12:13) and is positioned “in” Jesus, and He is “in” every Christian. There are over 100 verses in the Bible that describe the Christian as “in” Jesus.
During the Last Supper Jesus gave farewell instruction to the Apostles. He declared to them:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (Jn 14:12 NIV)
Because the Christian has Jesus living in them, they possess and have access to, all of His promises and to the spiritual things of God because He is the giver of the gift of Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who helps the Christian to do “greater works” than Jesus.
The “greater works” are far more than just evangelism. Jesus was anointed by the Father with power to do good works and to bring healing. (Acts 10:38) It goes hand in hand with His first public declaration to:
“…bring Good News to the poor.”…“to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.” (Luke 4:18-19 NLT)
The term “Spiritual Gifts” is used by most translations in place of the words “the things of the Spirit.” It comes from the Greek word Spneumatikos, which means spiritualities or spiritual things – not actually “gifts.” It is a word used in the Bible only AFTER Pentecost and about spiritual manifestations that have their origin with God, as well as working in harmony with His nature and character. (Rom 7:14)
In actuality, manifestations are not gifts because the gift is the Holy Spirit! They are the sensory and tangible evidence of His active work. However, from this point on, they will be referred to as manifestation gifts.
Every Christian should, “seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.” (1 Cor 14:12 KJV) The manifestation gifts are to edify, restore, exhort, and buildup the Body of Christ as God determines and deems necessary what is needed (or lacking) in a specific church, congregation or ministry setting at a given moment in time so that there would be no division.
These gifts are manifested by individuals for the common good because every member is part of the Body of Christ and should have equal concern for each other. (1 Cor 12 4-7, 11:19-20, 24-25) The gifts are not individually possessed as an indisputable mark of a very spiritual person. They should be given away from a heart filled with love.
If a church had only certain gifts being manifested in its midst, it would be imbalanced. That is why the Bible asks,
“Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?” (1 Cor 12: 29-30 NIV)
A healthy person does not need the “Gift of Healing’. It is the person who is sick that needs to receive this gift. As an example, if a person needs direction in their life, they need a “Word of Wisdom.” All nine of the supernatural manifestation gifts are available to every Christian and can be appropriated as necessary through the direction of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor 12)
Empowered to Serve
The apostle Paul declared:
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me”. (2 Cor 12:9 KJV)
In the New Testament, the Greek word Endunamoo means to empower and is often used. It is a compound word that comes from the Greek word En meaning within and the Greek word Dunamis meaning power. Words, such as dynamite, dynamo, and dynamic, come from Dunamis. The understanding of this word in the Greek is to receive power within. Christians are to depend upon God’s power because they are weak without Him.
God desires that His children move naturally in power He has given to all Christians beginning on the Day of Pentecost. Jesus offered the rebirth by the Holy Spirit on the day of His resurrection. (Jn 20:21-22) The apostle Paul prayed that the Church would come to know:
“the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.” (Eph 1:19 NIV)
Paul counted everything of this world to be a pile of manure compared to the knowledge of God. He said,
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” (Phil 3:10 KJV)
Paul also declared that this power was the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Rom 8:11 KJV)
Active Authentication
Many people declare that the manifestation sign gifts were for the original Apostles to authenticate their ministry and authority, and they have now ceased. The manifestation gifts, along with Signs and Wonders, prove the authenticity of Jesus and the apostolic message about Him.
If that is the correct interpretation, then ALL gifts ceased, including healing, miracles, wisdom, prophecy, and that still small voice of God’s calling. There is no middle ground or a convenient compromise.
As an example, the spiritual gift of Prophecy is both forth-telling and fore-telling. If it has ceased, then no one could preach or teach God’s Word with the Holy Spirit, making it alive and real to the hearer of the Word. Using that same reasoning, it would be fruitless to pray for someone to be healed. The adamant denial of the miraculous is “having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Tim 3:5 NIV)
The Holy Spirit has not stopped operating in the life of the Christian because the canon of Scripture is now complete - and neither have the spiritual gifts. The active use of the supernatural gifts does not undermine the finality and sufficiency of God’s Word – instead, they validate and complement the Scriptures. On the day of Pentecost Peter quotes the prophet, Joel:
“In the last days God is going to pour His spirit on all flesh; and your sons and daughters will prophecy, your old men will dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.” (Joel 2:28 NIV)
The Church has been living in the end times since the day of Pentecost. God has yet to fully pour out His spirit on all flesh. There is no absence of miraculous gifts in church history after the first century. Walking naturally in the supernatural should be the normal spiritual state of the Christian. Sadly, far too many never experience it, and many never maintain it, primarily due to immaturity and pride, but mostly to a lack of knowledge.
“Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly — mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?” (1 Cor 3:1-4 NIV)
Indeed, the gifts will ultimately cease - along with prophecy, knowledge, imperfection, human reasoning, as well as the distorted image fallen humanity has of the beautiful God.
Christians will one day finally understand with full knowledge, as well as how they are truly seen and known by Jesus - who is perfect love incarnate - and they will see the lover of their soul as He is, face to face, and become like Him. (1 Jn 3:2) However, until that day, they are to worship the Lord in spirit and truth. Jesus truly is all the Christian needs now, and all they will need forever. (1 Cor 13:8-13)
God is a great God. When a Christian asks for one of the nine supernatural manifestation gifts, it is not something to be afraid of. As I have said previously, the heavenly Father will not give a stone to the one who asks for a loaf of bread - or a snake when He is asked for a fish to eat - or a scorpion when He is asked for an egg. He promises that when a person asks for something in His name, according to His will - He will give it. (Luke 1:9-13)
The world is calling out for a demonstration of God’s power through lives that are wholly surrendered to Jesus because they are the evidence of His existence. The only way the world can know God is love is through His people because it is through their lives that He has chosen to reveal Himself.
