'My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.'* ( 1 Corinthians 2:4) Generally, those who speak well are thought to be Anointed but necessarily not, *'for the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power'.* ( 1 Corinthians 4:20) Rather those who demonstrate the power of the Spirit are the ones who are undoubtedly Anointed ! The Church in Corinth was not impressed with Paul's speech, for some said, *"His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing."* ( 2 Corinthians 10:10) Paul retorted saying, *"Such people should realise that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present* ( vs 11) *... I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way."* (11:6) He challenged his critics saying, *"I will come to you very soon ... and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have."* ( 1 Corinthians 4:19) This then is the sign of an Anointed servant of God; one who demonstrates the Spirit's power!
The company of the prophets were watching to see what Elisha would do, as he stood on the bank of the Jordan, with the cloak that had fallen from Elijah. He struck the water with it, saying, *"Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?"* When he struck the water, it divided to the right and the left and he crossed over. The company of the prophets who were watching, said, *"The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha."* ( 2 Kings 2:13-15) Elisha did twice as many miracles than Elijah because he inherited a double portion of Elijah's spirit. ( 2:9-10) However, the Bible considers Elijah who ascended to heaven to be greater than Elisha, his protégé ( disciple). Even so the mantle of Christ fell on the disciples and they performed more miracles than Jesus, just as he predicted: *"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."* ( John 14:12). Some think that we are never supposed to do what Jesus did, let alone greater things, because it would mean that we are vying to be greater than Jesus! *"A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master."* ( Matthew 10:24) We are commissioned to do what he did and to be like him because we are his extension on earth. His work on earth has become more widespread than before because he is working through his body, the Church.
To demonstrate the power of the Spirit, obviously the Spirit of the Lord has to be present. It is said of Jesus that *'the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.'* ( Luke 5:17) The Spirit of truth is present wherever truth is believed and proclaimed. Where the blood of the Jesus is pleaded, there the Spirit of the Lord is present. Wherever the name of Jesus is confessed, there the power of the Lord is present. In other words, the access to the Spirit is through the blood of Jesus and the access to the power is through the name of Jesus. Every generation have witnessed some who have discovered this truth and have demonstrated the power of the Spirit. This generation too shall see the *"greater things",* if we discover this truth. *"He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you."* ( John 16:14) Isn't it odd that the Spirit doesn't give to us but only makes it known to us? It is for us to believe and take it by ourselves, what has been made known to us. Paul's prayer for the Church in Ephesus echoes the same: *'I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints and his incomparably great power for us who believe.'* (Ephesians 1:18-19) Amen.
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