The Power in Each Believer

Have you ever bought into the myth that certain "Christians" have more power than others?  In other words, pastors have more power than their members; the bigger the congregation the more the power; the more letters after their name (as in degrees) the more power they have, etc.  The same myth goes on to convince "simple members" that there are limitations to what they are "allowed" to do in the body of Christ.  I am not advocating chaos and a spiritual free-for-all; however I am greatly concerned that the body of Christ today is not walking in the full power and authority to which it has been called.  

God is orderly and wants us to operate in the same manner.  In any given service, there is indeed an order, but that order should not limit the body of Christ to do what it is commanded to do in the Word of God.  Each of us has been given the same mandate: Mark 16:15-18   And then he told them, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak new languages. 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 heal them."  There are no limitations in that statement.  In fact it is pretty inclusive ~ "those who believe".  That is cut and dried; sums it up neatly.  Those who believe.  There are no qualifiers there, nothing for someone to opt out over.  Do you believe?  Then miraculous signs will accompany you.  

Acts 6:7-8  God's message was preached in ever-widening circles. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too. Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.  Stephen was working in the food ministry of the new church.  He was busy taking care of the physical needs of the growing church.  Yet notice what was happening as he was busy caring out his assignment - he performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.  He wasn't an apostle, in fact he wasn't one of the disciples who was following Jesus when Jesus was moving on the earth.  He was just one of the new believers who was full of God's grace and power.  Do you believe?  Then you are filled with God's grace and power.
 
I think I heard an objection out there....  you are not sure you are filled with His grace and power because you don't see amazing signs and wonders accompanying you?  Guess what, there aren't me either, at least none of which I am aware.  Yes, there have been healings - but not to the degree that limbs were reformed and blindness restored.  I am not exactly "feeling" the miraculous surround me, but I am not discouraged.  Someday when I least expect it, those miraculous events will explode all around me.  I will be ready too.  But there is more to it than just expecting and anticipating.  Receipt of miracles is a two way street.  

Faith on the part of the recipient is a necessary component, and as reluctant as we are to admit it, faith is not in abundance in America.  We have life too easy and do not require the miraculous in order to survive.  I know that for many of us, life has not been a cake walk lately by normal standards.  Then again, America's standards are not the norms of this world.  You know the statistics.  I don't have to repeat them for you.  Where miracles are happening in astounding frequency is in the underdeveloped nations of this world.  Do you understand why?  Faith is the only thing that stands in between life and death for many of those populations.  Their faith is what is sustaining them everyday and keeping them from giving up ~ and the miracles abound.   America however is not going to be left out in God's miracle business.  They are happening here in America, the media just is not talking about them.  The conspiracy against Christianity is huge in our country and we have got to tackle it on an individual level wherever we live and work.

I want to walk in the total fullness of God's power and grace.  I expect to see the miraculous happen around me and through my being Jesus with skin on.  When I pray for someone I expect their healing.  It may not happen in front of me and it may not happen tomorrow, but I believe that God is going to answer prayer and He is going to move in each situation.  I know the miracles He has worked in my own life - they are huge.  They may not be of the "astounding" variety but I know healings have occurred within my body and in my soul.  I know financially our survival everyday is His miracle in spite of what the "natural" looks like.  I give Him the glory and I expect to see the miraculous continue to happen.  I am not a preacher, of the ordained variety, but I am a preacher of His Word as He commanded me and I fully intend to continue to operate as a member of His royal priesthood.  Join me as you fully activate the power that He has already deposited in you!