12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you [a]ask anything in My name, I will do it.
How is it possible that we would not only do the same thing Christ has done but greater things?
This promise was not only for the apostles or for the first century church
It was for all those who believe
It is faith that unlocks the power of God
Hebrews 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
But how is this possible?
The only way it is possible is through the power of The Holy Spirit
Jesus didn’t begin to work and do miracles until the Holy Spirit came upon Him
Luke 3:21-22
21 When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
John the Baptist said this concerning Jesus
Luke 3:15-16
15 Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, 16 John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
It is Jesus who baptizes in the Holy Spirit
But it is only through the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit that we can minister as Jesus did
Acts 1:4-8
4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be [a]witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Jesus told them to wait for the promise of The Father
It is the baptism of the Holy Spirit
The word baptism is the Greek word baptizo
It means to immerse
As people are immersed in water they would be immersed in The Holy Spirit
The disciples inquire of when Jesus would restore the kingdom
They fail to understand that the church age must take place first
The Father has all times and seasons determined according to His sovereign will
But the key is verse eight
Jesus says you shall receive power when The Holy Spirit has come upon you
That word power is the Greek word dunamis and it means power, deed of power. Literally, it describes the ability to perform an activity; by extension, it refers to someone in a position of power or the force of a person’s action.
It is where we get our word dynamite
It is resurrection power
It is power to be a witness for Jesus Christ
The word witness is the Greek word Martis which means witness, martyr. A person who witnesses and, perhaps, has been killed as a result.
Many who were witness for Christ in the first century and now have died being a witness for Christ
God has called us to be witnesses throughout the world
Jesus says In Jerusalem and in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth
It speaks of a progessive spreading of the gospel
The message of the kingdom
To be effective witness for Jesus Christ we must be baptized in The Holy Spirit
Acts 2:1-4
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all [a]with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them [b]divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
On The day of Pentecost The promise of The Father came
They were in all one accord
They had spent the last ten days in worship and prayer continually
As they waited their hearts were prepared
The coming of The Holy Spirit was marked by a mighty rushing wind
Tongues of fire came to rest upon the 120 witnesses
It was an outward picture of an inward reality
As the Holy Spirit fills them they begin to speak with other tongues
Tongues was an outward sign of an inward reality
We know that they spoke known languages at the time because those who were outside from all different regions heard them praising God in their own tongue
We also know it was the Holy Spirit who gave them utterance
This was not produced in themselves
The question is does the Holy Spirit still come upon believers today?
When we look at John 20:21-23
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Some of the disciples had already received The Holy Spirit before the day of Pentecost
But what they received at Pentecost was different
They were baptized in The Holy Spirit
They were immersed in The Holy Spirit
They were empowered to be witnesses
This is essential for the church to accomplish all God has planned and destined for us
His desire is for the gospel to go to the end of the world
Jesus said this in Matthew 24:14
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Jesus says when the gospel is preached in all the world the end will come
We live on the doorstep of the return of Jesus Christ for His bride
He has called us to fulfill the will of the Father
He has called His bride to be conquering bride that no devil in hell and no Satanic opposition can stand before
But this is only possible through the baptism and the power of The Holy Spirit
I believe The Holy Spirit desires to come on believers today
I experienced as a teenager and it forever changed and impacted my relationship with Jesus Christ
He has not called us to do this in our own wisdom, power, or might
He has simply called us to partner with The Holy Spirit
John 14:16-18
16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another [e]Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
It is the Holy Spirit who enables us
There is an entire generation who needs an encounter with the Living God and in the last hour the Father will do this through His children through the work and person of The Holy Spirit
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