Before we continue talking about the power of the Holy Spirit we need to be working from a solid foundation and not from a faulty premise (a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn). That foundation is the word of God and not based on man’s ideas. When we Matthew 7:24 “hear these words of mine and put them into practice we are like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” This is the foundation we are building on. Ephesians 2:19 “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Many Christians have built on a faulty premise and are “like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Many Christians say they live by the word of God but yet deny his power. The right foundation to build on is to take the word of God and believe what it says. This is where the power is. Matthew 9:21 “She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed. 22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.” Mark 6:56 “And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.” We approach Jesus because we believe he can heal us. James 5:4 “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Luke 18:8 “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Believing is the key to this power that is available but there is much unbelief in the church. Matthew 13:54 “Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home. 58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.”
We are far from this right foundation in the church as many have chosen the empty way of life handed down from our fathers. (1 Peter 1:18) Also many do not even realize that there is more available but they are accountable because they have the word of God. We need to be asking and praying; where are all the wonders? False teachers have been trying to get you content in your apathy. These lies have been handed down from generation to generation and have now become synonymous to the word of God. Most do not even question these teachings anymore and assume they are from the word of God. They end up staking their lives on a faulty premise. Like during the time of King Josiah we need to find and follow the word of God once again. Josiah’s response to hearing the word of God was 2 Kings 22:13 “Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.” 2 Kings 23:25 “Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.” We must do the same. We need to stop basing our belief on what we can see and place it back on the word of God. Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
For generations the church has not acted in accordance with the word of God. That is why the church does not look like the book of Acts. That is also why there is no power. The whole Old Testament shows us what happens when we disobey and follow other gods or gospels as in our case today. So instead obeying the word of God and repenting, most just carry on with their empty ways. 2 Chronicles 7:3 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Do we not want to be healed or freed from the demonic?
What most do not realize is this disobedience to the word of God has lead to famine of hearing the word of God so most are not hearing it. Amos 8:11 “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.” Those days are here. Jesus said, Matthew 13:11 “He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “you will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” Paul also said, “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet: 26 “‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” 27 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. 28 “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”
But now the church today is not listening. Acts 7:51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!” We must believe and obey the word of God. We can no longer follow or acknowledge these false gospels that teach a powerless Holy Spirit. To be the church it must look like Jesus. This is what he taught so this is what we should look like. He did not just send the Holy Spirit to the disciples. Acts 2:39 “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Deuteronomy 4:40 “Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.” To believe the Holy Spirit to be different for us is a lie. We are under the same Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.” Do you really want to stand before Jesus some day and be accountable for leading the church astray because you did not believe his word because you had not seen it in your lifetime? I will talk more about these last verses later. Make sure you are standing firm on the right foundation. If you have staked your life on a faulty premise get rid of it and return to the word of God. Mark 1:15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
