God is All Powerful

 

God is omnipresent (he is everywhere), he is omniscient (he is all knowing) and he is omnipotent (he is all powerful). He cares about our daily lives and loves us more than can be imagined by man. It is difficult to understand how one can deny God. He is seen in all things everyday. Science cannot figure out what keeps humans breathing. They have it within their power to preserve life. Nevertheless, it is not within their power to breathe life into a corpse. Neither is it within their power to create life. Creation is left for All-Powerful God himself.

I know a man who one day decided he was going to be an atheist. He no longer believed in God. He said he no longer believed in an all powerful God who was in control of the universe. However, one day he had an encounter with his mortality. There was a catastrophe in his life. At that moment he decided that there is a God. Even though he was not willing to recognize his god as Jesus, he did recognize that there is a power that he cannot control. At that point he decided he was now an agnostic. He proclaims there is a God, but not one who cares about him in a personal way.

What one places value on in a life quickly fades as one sees a loved one lying in a casket or in one who learns of their own terminal disease. Nevertheless, the power of God lasts beyond the grave and takes us to eternity. The power that is offered to those who will accept it will open up their life to a new love that cannot be explained, nor duplicated. Even so, the power of God cannot be experienced by merely believing in a “higher power” or “force of the universe.” The power of God can only be experienced through the Son, Jesus Christ.

This power is the power of the Holy Spirit who was given by God through the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus said that he must go so he can send a comforter. That comforter is the Holy Spirit. Many religions recognize a power greater than their own. However, they fail to understand the significance of the power for which they are searching. Earthly man is seeking temporary powers that will fill the void in his or her life for but a fleeting moment. In America, the most common god sought after is materialism and/or money. One seeks for the creature comforts that are sure to ease the pain of their suffering and fill the void in one’s life. If one could talk to Marilyn, Elvis, or Michael Jackson one would find out that material possessions will fill nothing. In fact, in each of the three examples, it created a larger chasm in their soul rather than filling it. When what they were seeking came to them, the void soon returned stronger than ever. That is because the power they were seeking was only temporary and did not completely fill their heart nor confirm what the meaning of life was.

Once one finds out that the meaning of one’s life is to live for God and give him glory, one finds that nothing else is important. We are created to glorify God. Granted, to an unbelieving world which thinks that their existence is all about them, this seems like a boring life. However, when one experiences the life that God has for them, one begins to understand the rapture of the Christian life. Nevertheless, one cannot experience the fullness of Christ without the power of Holy Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit is what makes a Christian able to live the over-coming life of the Christian faith. Jesus says in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus overcame the world through the power of the Holy Spirit who now resides in us. How can I make such a claim? All theologians know that the Holy Spirit is subordinate to Jesus. However, one cannot forget that the three are one. In fact, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. Paul said in Romans 8:9-11:

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 

In this passage Paul uses the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus and the Holy Spirit synonymously.   Quite possibly one might say they do not understand the Holy Spirit. I submit, he is not to be understood but embraced. His power cannot be harnessed or limited by the understanding or the power of man. However, he may choose to limit his power to any individual who denies his power. God seeks to work through man, but he will not force himself. He is a patient God who wants all to come to him of their own accord.   

So why is America sinking deeper in sin and degradation? It is multifaceted, but simplistic in nature. America has embraced every religion that has been purported to it. As we have accepted the huddled masses, we have accepted their apostasy as well. God warned Israel not to intermarry. It had nothing to do with the race of the people interjected into the nation. It had nothing to do with being a pure race. It had everything to do with the probability that Israel would accept every god that was introduced to it through such a union. There are many examples of said apostasy in the Bible. Apostasy is merely an abandoning of the faith. Israel forsook God and turned to worthless idols. Israel’s biggest sin was the turning away from God to other gods. Solomon is an excellent example. He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. 1 Kings 11:9 says, “The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD’S command.”  

As we go through this book together you must pray to understand what God is trying to tell you. Of course, the assumption of prayer is that you are a believer. If, however, you are simply trying to come to a conclusion about the truth about God, it is my prayer that you will have a better understanding of the power that is given to those who believe in Christ. 

Do not Fear the Holy Spirit

Why would one fear gifts that God would give him to enable him or her to do his ministry? Why would he or she discount what God says one can have if he or she asks for it? It would seem evangelicals fear charismatics. Possibly they are thinking, what if one “buys into” the charismatic philosophy and God requires them to jump over a pew or fall down in exhilaration of the Spirit.

First of all, God never makes anyone do anything. He only works through those who are willing to accept his power and allow him to move in their life. He did not force me to become a preacher. Quite the contrary, I began in the ministry when I was about twenty years old. After about eleven years I got a little disillusioned and ran. I was in absolute disobedience. He did not require that I stay in the ministry, nor did he make it impossible to leave. However, the call is strong if we will listen to God. Approximately sixteen years later, I succumbed to his call and now he is blessing my ministry.

God in his grace even blessed me in my disobedience to a certain degree. Nevertheless, had I decided to be obedient from the start there is no telling what he would have done. It would seem that many hide behind the guise of God’s completed work to deny the miraculous powers of the Spirit today. I have no doubt that the previous statement will be challenged by all who are certain that God cannot (or will not) work his miraculous works in the twenty-first century. What was the date that God stopped using his disciples to show his glory through miraculous signs? Why would he stop? 1 Corinthians 14:24 says that tongues is a sign for the unbeliever. Later in this book we will discuss the gifts. Therefore, it would not serve a purpose to state it in this chapter. Nevertheless, it is important for one to understand the possibility remains that God might use his miraculous powers as a sign to the unbeliever today as well as in the first century.

Jesus is the Only Way

 

There is only one way and that way is Jesus Christ. Many say he is not “The” Christ, but only “A” Christ. There are others who will bring one to the throne room of grace as well. However, how can one accept a religion that is a lie? For example, the Qur’an states that Jesus is a prophet. It says, “Then she (Mary) pointed to him. They said: ‘How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?' He (Jesus) said: ‘Verily! I am a slave of God, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet . . . (19.29-30).”¹ The Qur’an further states, “O Prophet! Strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination (9.73).”² The Muslims do not believe that there is such a thing as the Trinity. The Qur’an says:

People of the Book (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, and attribute to God nothing except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a Messenger of God, and His command that He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in God and in His Messengers, and do not say: ‘God is a Trinity.' Give up this assertion; it would be better for you. God is indeed just One God. Far be it from His glory that He should have a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth. God is sufficient for a guardian. (Qur’an 4.171).³

Jesus is called, by the Muslims, a prophet. However, I submit by the previous admissions that he was a liar. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him (John 14:6-7).” He has stated in this passage that he and the Father are one. Yet the Muslims call him a prophet. By there own admission, if he has claimed anything other than being a prophet he is a liar. He claimed he was one with the Father. Why would one believe a book, like the Qur’an, that has so blatantly contradicted itself?

            Hindus and Buddhist believe you can pray to an object made with hands and their prayers will be answered. Why not pray to your television or kitchen table. It will produce the same effect: nothing!

            The power of the Holy Spirit reveals these truths to those who are seeking in the midst of lies that are purported by the powers of darkness. Satan’s sole aim is to divert the Children of God and those seeking God away from the truth that is in his Word. Jesus said, “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible (Matthew 24:24).” So why is it not possible for the elect of God to be deceived by these false prophets: because of the power of the Holy Spirit. He gives believers the comfort of the truth of salvation in Christ. When Jesus went away he told the disciples he would send a comforter or counselor. John 15:26 says, “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.” The Holy Spirit testifies to Christ and helps the believer to discern between truth and lie.  

            It is quite possible at this point I have not stated anything other than what is obvious to the average Christian. Christians know that they have the power of the Spirit in them if they are in Christ. Paul wrote in Romans 8:9-11:

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

Therefore, if the Spirit of Christ dwells in you, why do you walk in defeat? Why do you succumb to the temptations of the world and of the flesh? Quite possibly it is because you have allowed the power to be quelled in you by those who do not believe God can do the same work through us in the twenty-first century that he did in the first century.

            There are those who say that miracles ceased after the last apostle. If that is so, how do you explain the miracles that I have seen in my life or the lives of others? Am I a liar or have I merely seen what I wanted to see and it can be explained away?