It is with great delight and joy that I welcome you to this new month, the month of June, our month of Walking in the Power of Holy Spirit. There is no doubt that there are many things in life described as 'power,' but as they do say 'power pass power.' The power under consideration is the ultimate power, the Power of Holy Spirit Heb. 6:4. Anyone who has tasted this power is on top! (Paraphrased). We are talking about the personality of the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Ghost. The power of Holy Ghost was critical in the formation of the earth, running the universe, the church and will be a major factor in the end of the world. The power of God makes the difference in the life of individuals, family, church and corporate bodies. It will be in the interest of anyone that wants to succeed on earth to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. This month The Holy Spirit will want us to develop a better life style, the life of walking in the power of Holy Ghost. I pray the power of God will make a difference in your life this month and beyond in the name of Jesus.
Who is the Holy Spirit?
For the majority of Christian denominations, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person (hypostasis) of the Trinity: the Triune God manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit; each person himself being God. In the New Testament He is identified with the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Truth, the Paraclete and the Holy Spirit. The bible never referred to Holy Spirit as it but He/Him.
The Holy Spirit was instrumental in the conception of Jesus Christ though Mary, also descended on Jesus like a dove during his baptism, and in his Farewell Discourse after the Last Supper Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to his disciples after his departure and he did as reported in Acts Chapter Two.
The peculiarities and purposes of the Holy Spirit.
I will never forget, way back in 1977 I was just three months old as a born again Christian at Ile-Ife in my days at University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University. I left the campus for the town to visit a cousin from our town. She told me about her junior sister who was critically sick for the past two weeks. I told her that I gave my life to Christ three months earlier and that I have the power of the Holy Ghost and that I could pray for her and she will be well. She laughed. I ignored her mockery, read some psalms into water and prayed. The lady drank the water and instantly she got well after drinking the water. I knew the miracle had nothing to do with me, but the power of the Holy Ghost working through me. The power of the Holy Ghost is synonymous with miracles. Hundreds of miracles were performed by Jesus Christ, the apostles, and many Christians around the globe. The Holy Spirit is to primarily empower Christians that is His peculiarities and his purpose.
What does it mean to walk in the power of the Holy Ghost?
Let me give you 12 ways from Romans 8.
1. It is not to walk in condemnation, but in the spirit of God. Rom 8:1-2.
2. It is not to walk in the flesh. Gal 5:16-17
3. It is to run away from a thing synonymous with sin and the law of sin. Rom 8:3
4. It is not to be carnally minded but spiritually minded. Rom 8:5-6
5. It is to possess the power of Holy Ghost to enable you please God .Rom 8:8
6. It is to have the Holy Spirit, for without the Holy Spirit it is impossible to walk in the Spirit. Rom 8:9
7. It is to be led by the Holy Spirit. Rom 8:14
8. It is to receive the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father instead of fear.
9. It is to be an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. Rom 8:17
10. It is to manifest God's power in a peculiar way with signs and miracles following the individual. Rom. 8:18-19
11. It is to get to a stage in Christian life when you realize all things work for your good irrespective of the situation or circumstance you have found yourself. Rom 8:28
12. It is to get to a stage where nothing can separate you from the love of God. Rom 8:37-39, Heb 4-5
Why must you walk in the power of the Holy Spirit?
1. You need the Power. "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8. The primary purpose for which The Holy Ghost was promised and released to you and the church is to have power. Power to walk in the supernatural. Power to do ministry. Power to perform miracles. Power to heal, preach, cast out demons, tread on scorpions, lay hands on the sick, take your ministry from local to global. Without the power of the Holy Ghost we are powerless. We can have determination and desires, but to execute we need power. The Holy Ghost is the source of genuine power for living.
2. It is to your advantage. "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more, 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. John 16:7-11. The second reason is to make us to profit. The Holy Spirit is to teach us, help us, enable us, give us boldness, to give us advantage over the matters of life.
How do you access, harness and possess this incredible power of the Holy Ghost to enable you walk in Him?
1. Repent of your sins. "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:38, 3:19. Repentance means change of mind. Change your mind about how you live, if you are living in sin, walk out of it and walk in righteousness, redemption, holy living, honesty and integrity.
2. Cultivate God’s presence in your life. The more you can cultivate an environment that is conducive to the Holy Spirit, the more of God’s presence you will carry. The more of His presence you carry, the more power you will have. The more power you have the more ability to walk in the power of Holy Ghost.
3. Become an Eagle Believer. There are five habitual live styles that will help you to become a power carrying Christian. A. Reading, studying and meditating in the word of God. B. Praying and praying in tongues. Cover yourself with the blood of Jesus. C. Fellowship with the brethren, the correct people not with wrong people. D. Practice witnessing E. Learn to share your substance in giving.
4. Intentionally act in faith. You will not see power of God demonstrated in your life where you are hiding. You cannot walk in power when you are walking in unbelief. The power and anointing for healing and miracles will manifest only if you’re praying for sick people to be healed. You must be intentional in looking for opportunities in which this anointing will be needed. The Bible tells us, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). The power anointing is given to help other people in a supernatural way and in the process reveal God’s heart and nature to them. Power manifestation is a product of faith activated.
I see God move in our ministry when we are on the field, especially through the International Gathering of Eagles ministry. In 2010, a young man organized a crusade for us in Uganda. Peculiar healing and miracles took place in an unimaginable proportions. God glorified himself. I describe it by saying God showed up and showed off. Similar things occur in Asia continent, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. To God be all the glory. And you don't have to go far from your base but you must be willing to see God move in his power and majesty. Don’t allow yourself to get discouraged. Stay focused and tenacious. No matter what you see, set your vision higher, know and understand God’s will and truth, and allow His faith to move you to action. This action will release the power of God and produce the miraculous.
5. Pray and fast consistently. The late Prophet Timothy Obadare, a great evangelist, an one of those whom God used to perform many miracles and demonstrate what it means to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit said "when you see miracles happening during crusade, know that it happened yesternight in the place of prayer.” This man of God had a crusade in the 80s in Sango area of Ibadan in Nigeria. I had watched the man on television and heard him on radio but never met him physically. I found myself doing IT in University of Ibadan and decided to attend the crusade just to see the man of God. The scheduled time was 6.pm and I was there by 4pm. I sat on one of the benches in front and in a corner, just to ensure I see the man. One of the ways to tap anointing is to be in the presence of the anointed. Their anointing will drop on you. As a person I rarely perceive odour, I don't have the gift of smelling. Suddenly on this crucial day, God opened my nose and I was choking in a terrible odour. In a reflex reaction I turned to the woman beside me: "Excuse me ma, who are the people sitting around this place?” I asked. She replied in Yoruba, 'ki ni isoro re'. What problem or challenge brought you to this crusade ground? I said none: I just wanted to know the man of God. Then she ordered me “Dide, arin awon to ti jewo wipe aje ati oso ni o joko si.” Meaning get up quickly you are seated among those who have confessed to witchcraft and similar evil powers in previous meetings!
Also Matthew 17:14-21 gives an account of the healing of an epileptic boy by Jesus, a feat the disciples couldn’t perform. When Jesus was asked why the disciples had no success, He said it was because of their unbelief and their need for prayer and fasting. "this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (v. 21). Pastor Ken Malone writing for Charisma magazine said "Prayer and fasting help to release God’s faith within us. It’s the faith that produces the miracle, not the fasting. Fasting and prayer in this instance serve as the passageway into the fullness of faith that exists in God’s heart. Again, it isn’t by our works, but by His faith and grace extended toward us."
6. Add other ingredients. To make a soup you need a lot of ingredients. Therefore, it is difficult to limit you to steps and formulas that are needed to get you to walk in the power of Holy Ghost. So it is safe for me to encourage you to seek within the parameters of the bible whatever it will take to possess God's power. In John 7:37-39, Jesus cried, whoever needs this supernatural experience, must thirst for Holy Ghost and come to him. Peter said: “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1 4-8. Whatever you need to add biblically to your life to enable you walk in the Holy Spirit add them. Better soup as they say is a function of money!
Conclusion: You are called to work in miracles and the power of God. The bible says: "These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages.[e] 18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” Mark 16:16-18. Every Christian is expected to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit to enable him/her fulfill life mission and vision. Anyone not walking in the Holy Spirit will become a victim of the devil and many things. Without walking in the power of the Holy Spirit the devil will walk over you. Anyone not walking in the power of the Holy Spirit will walk in a lesser power that may lead to hell. My prayer is that from this month you will do everything within your power to walk in the power of Holy Spirit.
