Power

[B-A-C]

In Luke 9:1; Jesus gives the 12 disciples "power".

Luke 9:1; And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases.
Luke 9:2; And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing.

Power "and authority" over demons.. and to heal diseases.. and to perform healing.

and of course... they did heal people.

Luke 9:6; Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Jesus Himself had a certain "power" to heal people.

Luke 6:19; And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all.

In the story of the woman with hemorrhage, Jesus says.. "I felt POWER go out of me" (emphasis mine).

Luke 8:46; But Jesus said, "Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me."

** Side note about Luke 8:46; controversial context -- "the power had gone out of me"
It seems some think that Jesus batteries ran out here... He had no more power.

One chapter after Jesus gives the 12 disciples this power. He give it to seventy (or 72) more disciples.

Luke 10:1; Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come.

He gives them power also. It seems some of them are astonished they have this power.

Luke 10:17; The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."

Luke 10:19; "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.
Luke 10:20; "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven."

.. it seems their names are recorded in heaven here... at least temporarily.

But John 6:66; says...

John 6:66; As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.

Maybe they gave this power up?

... to be continued ...

 

[B-A-C]

In Acts 1, after Jesus was crucified and risen. He walks around the area for 40 days. He tells the 12 apostles...

Acts 1:8; but 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."

But later on we find out there are about 120 people in this room.

Acts 1:15; At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said,

Of course in the next chapter we see the first day of Pentecost. I say the "first" because at least a couple other days of Pentecost are spoken of later.

But it says "each one" received the power of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2. "Each one" would seem to indicate it wasn't just the 12 disciples, but all 120
people in the room who received the Holy Spirit ... and POWER (as Jesus says in the previous chapter - Acts 1:8; )

In John Jesus says...
John 14:12; "Truly, truly, 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 the Father.

"he who believes in Me" ... will do greater miracles than I did. -- that's a pretty powerful statement. Jesus doesn't say just the disciples will do these things.
He says "he who believes" will do these things.

In John Mark's version of the great commission we see this also.

Mark 16:17; "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
Mark 16:18; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

"those who have believed" .. again, not just the disciples. But ALL those who have believed. They have this power. - they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover
for example.

In 1 Cor 12 we see the "gifts of the Spirit" (they are called gifts in verse 4 here)

1 Cor 12:6; There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.
1 Cor 12:7; But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
1 Cor 12:8; For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;
1 Cor 12:9; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
1 Cor 12:10; and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.
1 Cor 12:11; But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

It says here.. God works "all things" in "all people". So apparently, these gifts weren't meant for just some people. But ALL believers.
Some say these gifts have ceased in the church today. But I know of no scripture that says that. Many of these same people will tell you that
"gifts of God" are irrevocable. ( Rom 11:29; ) but to them.. at least these gifts are revocable.

... to be continued ....

 

[B-A-C]

Some people take this verse to mean some the gifts don't apply anymore.

1 Cor 13:8; Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
1 Cor 13:10; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

So there is no more prophecy? No more tongues? .. and no more knowledge. None of us know anything? Has the perfect already come?
Yes Jesus was perfect, but He had already come and gone before Paul wrote Corinthians.

But Stephen (who is never called a disciple or apostle anywhere in the Bible) ...
Acts 6:8; And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

Was doing great signs and wonders. Now the problem here is... some people start to seek the signs and wonders. They start worshipping this "power"
rather than the one who the power comes from. Many people state that Peter and Paul had this power.... but we don't.
But no.. that's incorrect.. Peter and Paul never had the power. The power always comes from God. Peter and Paul may be dead now, but God isn't.
The same power that rose Jesus from the grave.... the same God... is alive today.

So some people say... well why don't we see these things in my church? I ask them if their church believes in divine healing and they say no.
Hmmmmmmm......... (light bulb moment here) Matt 13:58; comes to mind here. Obviously if you don't believe you can do it... You can't.

Hebrews 11:6; says without faith it's impossible to please God.

But I believe in Jesus... hmmm.. do you? Really? Even the verses where He says you can do greater things than Him? Even the verses where he says
you can lay hands on the sick and they will recover (just like Peter and Paul made them recover)

The Bible says there are certain people...

2 Tim 3:5; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

Who hold onto "a form of godliness" but yet they deny it's power. I think I have met some of these "Christians".

 

[B-A-C]

There have been people in modern times... Kathryn Kuhlman, John G. Lake and others who have healed thousands or people miraculously.
I myself have seen people that I personally have known for years get up out of wheel chairs and walk.

Why do we think God would quit doing these things? Has God lost His power? (His batteries ran out?)
Some say... well God still heals. Over time... not really in a divine miraculous way anymore.... Really?
Even the un-saved and unbelievers get healed over time in non-miraculous ways. Do we really have no more power than the rest of the world?

 

[Br. Bear]

Greetings

Do we really have no more power than the rest of the world?

good question.

Perhaps an understanding or definition of this word 'power' might help ?

Bless you ....><>

 

[Curtis]

Luke 10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

Authority on it's own can do nothing, unless there is a power to back up that authority.


Act 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

The Holy Spirit (God) is the power that backs up our authority.

Gal 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

The Holy Spirit is the one who works "miracles" among us, not because we keep the works of the law, but by Holy Spirit hearing our faith.

Maybe we are not speaking out of our mouths faith so that the Holy Spirit would work miracles among us!