1 Corinthians 4:20 NKJV

FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT IN WORD BUT IN POWER.

Ephesians 3:20 NLT

Now all glory to God, who is able, THROUGH HIS MIGHTY POWER AT WORK WITHIN US, TO ACCOMPLISH INFINITELY MORE THAN WE MIGHT ASK OR THINK.

2 Corinthians 4:6–10 NIV

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. BUT WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN JARS OF CLAY TO SHOW THAT THIS ALL-SURPASSING POWER IS FROM GOD AND NOT FROM US. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

Ephesians 1:18–20 TPT

I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with light, UNTIL YOU EXPERIENCE THE FULL REVELATION OF THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING—that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that He finds in us, His holy ones! I PRAY THAT YOU WILL CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCE THE IMMEASURABLE GREATNESS OF GOD’S POWER MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU THROUGH FAITH. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you! THIS IS THE MIGHTY POWER THAT WAS RELEASED WHEN GOD RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD and exalted Him to the place of highest honor and supreme authority in the heavenly realm!

Acts 1:2–8 TPT

Just before He ascended into heaven, Jesus left instructions through the Holy Spirit for the apostles He had chosen. After the sufferings of His cross, Jesus appeared alive many times to these same apostles over a forty-day period, proving to them with many convincing signs that He had been resurrected. During these encounters, He taught them the truths of God’s kingdom. Jesus instructed them, “DON’T LEAVE Jerusalem, but WAIT here UNTIL YOU RECEIVE THE GIFT I told you about, the gift the Father has promised. For John baptized you in water, but in a few days from now YOU WILL BE BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT!” Every time they were gathered together, they asked Jesus, “Lord, is it now the time for You to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” He answered, “The Father is the One who sets the fixed dates and the times of their fulfillment. You are not permitted to know the timing of all that He has prepared by His own authority. BUT I PROMISE YOU THIS—THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL COME UPON YOU, AND YOU WILL BE SEIZED WITH POWER. YOU WILL BE MY MESSENGERS to Jerusalem, throughout Judea, the distant provinces—EVEN TO THE REMOTEST PLACES ON EARTH!”

Acts 2:1–41 NLT

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. AND EVERYONE PRESENT WAS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BEGAN SPEAKING IN OTHER LANGUAGES, AS THE HOLY SPIRIT GAVE THEM THIS ABILITY. At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages … about the wonderful things God has done!” They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” … Then Peter stepped forward … shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you … These people are not drunk … what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: ‘IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says, ‘I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT UPON ALL PEOPLE. YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS WILL PROPHESY. YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN WILL DREAM DREAMS. IN THOSE DAYS I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT EVEN ON MY SERVANTS—MEN AND WOMEN ALIKE—AND THEY WILL PROPHESY. And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below—everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved’ … “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

Zechariah 4:6–7 NLT

Then He said to me, “This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: IT IS NOT BY FORCE NOR BY STRENGTH, BUT BY MY SPIRIT, SAYS THE LORD OF HEAVEN’S ARMIES. NOTHING, NOT EVEN A MIGHTY MOUNTAIN, WILL STAND IN ZERUBBABEL’S WAY; IT WILL BECOME A LEVEL PLAIN BEFORE HIM! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’”

2 Timothy 4:1–8 NKJV

I CHARGE YOU therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. FOR I AM ALREADY BEING POURED OUT AS A DRINK OFFERING, AND THE TIME OF MY DEPARTURE IS AT HAND. I HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED THE RACE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH. Finally, THERE IS LAID UP FOR ME THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Exhortation: Arise to the Power of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit, God Eternal and Almighty

Jesus, as the Son of Man, knew He needed His Father and the Holy Spirit for all things pertaining to His Father’s kingdom, will and work. The Bible says that He did nothing on His own but always in the power of the Holy Spirit.

• He was conceived of the Holy Spirit–Luke 1:26–38
• He was baptized in the Holy Spirit–Matthew 3:16–17
• He was filled with the Holy Spirit without limit–John 3:34
• He was led by the Holy Spirit–Luke 4:1
• His strength and anointing came from the Holy Spirit–Luke 4:16–22, Acts 10:38
• He cast out demons and did miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit–Acts 10:38
• He lived, walked, moved and ministered in the Holy Spirit–Luke 4:18
• He taught and directed His disciples by the Holy Spirit–Acts 1:2
• He was strengthened by the Holy Spirit to obey His Father–Luke 22:42–43
• He submitted Himself to the cross by the Holy Spirit–Luke 22:42–43
• He was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit–Romans 8:11
• The Church must learn from Jesus. As He sought, loved, trusted, obeyed and depended on the Holy Spirit, we too, can arise in the power of the Spirit.

The Kingdom of God is Not in Word But in Power

THE CHURCH MUST UNDERSTAND that the Kingdom of God, to which we belong, is not in word but in power (1 Corinthians 4:20). Everything concerning God’s kingdom works and is accomplished through the Holy Spirit’s power and grace. As God’s people, we no longer look at what we have but at who God is in all we are and do. His indwelling Spirit gives us the grace, power, and all we need to love, serve, and please Him. The flesh can only produce things of the flesh. It is powerless to deliver anything of the Spirit that is acceptable to God or glorifying to Him.

Because the Holy Spirit never fails, neither does His power. His is the power that prevails over all for eternity. His is the power that will cause all knees to bow and tongues to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. His is the power that the gates of hell are rendered impotent to prevail against Christ’s redeemed, His Church. All hell may break loose, and every demon unleashed against His Church, but they will utterly fail as His Church arises and prevails in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s power is omnipotent—eternally supreme, sovereign, overcoming, unstoppable and invincible. Everything we need to live godly lives, serve Him fully, and love Him entirely is in the power of the Spirit. Ephesians 3:20 NLT declares, “Now all glory to God, who is able, THROUGH HIS MIGHTY POWER AT WORK WITHIN US, TO ACCOMPLISH INFINITELY MORE THAN WE MIGHT ASK OR THINK.”

Awake from Spiritual Apathy, and Arise in the Power of the Spirit

The Bible says that God’s kingdom is not in word but in power, so where is this power today concerning His Church? Is the Church only good at preaching and teaching about the power of the Spirit, yet failing to live, walk, and move in it? Where is the power of the Church to stand, withstand, and prevail over the gates of hell in this end-time spiritual warfare? Where is the victory of the Church to overcome evil, live holy, and unashamedly declare the Lordship of Jesus Christ? Where is the courage of the Church to fearlessly preach the Gospel in the midst of attacks, false accusations, and persecution? Where is the faith of the Church to take a stand for truth—to live and speak it—even when hard pressed, shamed, canceled, rejected, brought to court, or perhaps imprisoned? Where is the power to see many more captives set free and saved?

Are there many more being healed from deadly sicknesses and diseases? Are the dead being raised? Are those bound by drugs, addictions, and demonic strongholds being set free, saved, and serving God? Are cities in darkness turning to Christ and being lit up with righteousness? Are nations living in the oppression of false religions having the light shine on them, being delivered from darkness and put into Christ’s kingdom of light to worship Him? All these are to be accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through His Church, but in reality is it? Is the Church living and serving God in this power?

The kingdom of God is not in word but in power. Where then is the power in the Church to accomplish what Jesus died and rose again to fulfill? Jesus told His disciples that they would do greater works. It is time for the Church to awaken and arise in the power of the Spirit. We must not sleep anymore.

We need to face the truth concerning our spiritual bankruptcy. Not every congregation is in this state. Some believers are on fire for God, living in the power of the Holy Spirit and vigilantly advancing the kingdom of God. As of now, is it not true that there are more who profess to be children of God but are not arising and living in the power of the Holy Spirit?

As God’s sons and daughters, have we failed by refusing the Holy Spirit first place in our life, ministry, and church? We have failed in truly knowing, trusting, and yielding to Him completely. The Church has been apathetic and lukewarm. We receive a measure of His infilling and are satisfied. We experience some measures of the miraculous and are contented. We win a few battles and lose many others, and we believe that is the norm. We do not think there is more to the Holy Spirit in our lives, and we settle for limited knowledge and experience of Him. For these reasons, the Church is asleep and weak.

It is time to awaken and arise in the power of the Spirit. It is time to give Him first place in everything. It is time to seek Him in sweat and blood till He fills us to overflowing like the apostles and early Church in the book of Acts. The will of God must be done, and His work must be finished by the power of the Spirit. The eternal destinies of many are at stake. Our hearts must be pierced by the realization of our spiritual apathy and that we care only for ourselves and not for the world that is yet to be saved. It is time to awaken and arise in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Until the Church lives, walks, and moves in the power of the Holy Spirit like the Early Church, we are not living in the fullness of the Spirit as promised by Jesus Christ to those who thirst. In contrast to the Early Church, we are lukewarm, apathetic, blind, and indifferent. It is time to self-examine our spiritual state and contrast ourselves to the Early Church, who were awakened, filled with the Holy Spirit, and flowing in His power. It is time we awaken to our true spiritual state and be appalled at powerlessness with sporadic victories, thin in miracles and breakthroughs, weak in spiritual warfare, fearful and retreating.

We must awaken and abhor our condition of not having the fullness of the Holy Spirit inundating us and fully living and operating in His power full throttle. The Church must face the truth, see our spiritual bankruptcy and apathy, and be able, in brutal honesty, to call out our condition in contrition and repentance. Then we will arise and turn to Him with our whole heart in thirsting and seeking relentlessly after the Holy Spirit until He fills us with His fullness.

There are things taught, preached, and practiced in the Christian community that are not true to the Word of God concerning the Holy Spirit. Therefore, many still sleep comfortably despite lacking knowledge and a relationship with the Holy Spirit. They are comfortable with a lack of thirst for Him. These are difficult and dangerous days both for the world and the Church. Chaos, unrest, and turmoil are worldwide. Gross darkness has covered the earth, evil is increasing and fear is prevalent as it grips the hearts of many. These things should not surprise the Church because the Bible warns of them in the end times.

Unless we arise in the power of the Holy Spirit, we cannot stand, withstand, and prevail. These are not the days for God’s people to despair and fear but fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, trust Him wholeheartedly and be perpetually filled with the Holy Spirit and His power. If not now, when should we arise in the power of the Spirit?

Impelled by Eternity; Empowered by the Spirit

Matthew 16:15–19 NLT — Then He asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “YOU ARE THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.” Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, AND ALL THE POWERS OF HELL WILL NOT CONQUER IT. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

We must awake to live, impelled by eternity and empowered by the Spirit. The end is near. The whole world is running out of time. Paul understood this truth and was gripped by it. He lived his life driven by eternity, driven by the inward knowledge that life on earth was temporal and that how he lived had eternal consequences. The temporal will affect the eternal. Paul lived with an eternal perspective, focus, and purpose not in his strength but in the power of the Holy Spirit. All his decisions and actions were driven by eternity as he lived utterly sold out to Jesus. When he knew the end was at hand for him, he confidently charged Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5–8 NKJV,

But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. FOR I AM ALREADY BEING POURED OUT AS A DRINK OFFERING, and the time of my departure is at hand. I HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED THE RACE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH. Finally, THERE IS LAID UP FOR ME THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Paul lived this way because he loved Jesus Christ with all his heart, soul, and strength. This world held no attraction for him and had no hold over him. In Philippians 3:7–8 CEV he declared, “But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. NOTHING IS AS WONDERFUL AS KNOWING CHRIST JESUS MY LORD. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. ALL I WANT IS CHRIST.” As Paul lived driven by eternity and empowered by the Spirit, so must we.

If we are driven by eternity, we will live as aliens in this world, but as citizens of the kingdom of God in power like the heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11. These heroes of faith were driven by eternity amid severe persecution of being tortured, loved ones killed, losing all things, being naked and homeless, dressing themselves in goat skins and dwelling in caves, and sometimes losing their lives as they were sawn in two and killed by other means—THEY KEPT A GOOD TESTIMONY BY BEING WILLING TO LOSE ALL AND EVEN THEIR OWN LIVES SO THEY COULD HOLD ON TO FAITH IN CHRIST. God considered them as those whom the world was not worthy of because, by faith, they lived as driven by eternity for Jesus Christ, their Lord.

The awakened by God will arise like Paul to live as driven by eternity in the Spirit’s power. As the church arises to live this way, it will live in the last days’ spiritual awakening and revival fires. God’s Spirit will be poured out upon all flesh as prophesied by the prophet Joel and affirmed by Peter in the Book of Acts. Peter testified to the crowd, who were amazed at what happened when the Holy Spirit came like a mighty rushing wind, filling the disciples, setting tongues of fire upon them, and giving them a new language of the Holy Spirit. The crowd was amazed, and Peter, newly baptized in the Holy Spirit, stepped forward, preached, and confronted the crowd in power to repent and be saved. Three thousand were convicted, repented, and were saved that day.

Wait for the Holy Spirit, and Do Not Leave Until We Receive the Gift

In John 20:19–23, the Resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ, appeared to His fearful disciples who were in hiding because they just witnessed the One whom they trusted and believed persecuted, whipped, crucified, and buried. Jesus, in appearing to them, said, “Peace be with you,” and showed them His hands and His side. Then Jesus told them as the Father had sent Him, He also sent them. Verse 22 says, “And when He had said this, HE BREATHED ON THEM, AND SAID TO THEM, ‘RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT.’” The assembled, discouraged, and fearful disciples received the Holy Spirit from Jesus as He breathed on them. Then the Holy Spirit indwelled them. Before the crucifixion of Jesus, the disciples had already experienced a life of power and miracles through Jesus. They were no strangers to the power of God doing supernatural and unbelievable miracles, yet in Acts 1:4–8 TPT, the resurrected Jesus again appeared to them and through the Holy Spirit commanded them,

DON’T LEAVE Jerusalem, but WAIT here UNTIL YOU RECEIVE THE GIFT I told you about, the gift the Father has promised. For John baptized you in water, but in a few days from now YOU WILL BE BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT! … I promise you this—THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL COME UPON YOU, AND YOU WILL BE SEIZED WITH POWER. YOU WILL BE MY MESSENGERS to Jerusalem, throughout Judea, the distant provinces—EVEN TO THE REMOTEST PLACES ON EARTH!

Jesus instructed them, “Don’t leave Jerusalem, but wait here until … ” they would receive the gift of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire; then they would be seized with the Spirit’s power to be witnesses everywhere for God. Although they already had the Holy Spirit, according to John 20:22, Jesus said they had to wait and not leave until the Holy Spirit would come upon them, baptizing them and filling them with His power in a measure that they never had before. This is the power of the Spirit that the Church of today must be awakened to and arise to wait until the Church is baptized with the Spirit’s fire and seized by the Spirit’s power for such a time as this.

It is time for the Church to purpose to seek, wait for the Holy Spirit, and not leave until He comes, baptizes, and inundates us with the fullness of His person, presence, and power. We will not cease waiting on Him until we are filled with His power to be His witnesses. No longer will we just seek an anointed servant of God to lay hands on us; no longer will we wait for some power-filled minister of God to impart to us and activate the anointing in us because we are seekers, chasers, and pursuers of the Holy Spirit who are not satisfied until we hear, touch and see Him personally. Our hearts burn for Him and hunger to receive from Him. We yearn to encounter Him ourselves and personally hear His voice, touch His heart, feel His fire, and be ignited by Him and His fire in intimacy.

Thirsting and seeking after the Holy Spirit must burn in our spirit like fire so that we will not be distracted, diverted, or fall short of waiting until He comes and baptizes us anew daily. Our eyes must be fixed on Jesus, and our faces set like flint that we will not leave but wait until He comes and fills us with His presence, power, and glory. Then, the Church will be set free, transformed, and filled with His power that overcomes all, and we will be able to do all He calls us to do. The Church, redeemed, transformed, and empowered, will be faithful, glorious, and shining His glory throughout the world. The Church must awake, shake off the dust, and arise in the power of the Spirit.

This is the promise that Jesus gave His Church (John 14:12–14 NKJV):

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. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.