MEMORISE:
And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. Luke 9:2
READ: Mark 16:16-18
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
MESSAGE
There are many benefits that believers in Christ enjoy as part of their heritage in God’s kingdom, some of which are the supernatural things outlined in today’s Bible reading. Sadly, these benefits elude some people who believe in Christ today! Why is this so? A thorough examination of Mark 16:16-18 will reveal the answer. The first key to unlocking these miraculous sign is that you must have been baptized into Jesus Christ. What does this mean? It means that you must have accepted Christ into your life by believing Him with your heart and confessing so with your mouth. Also, you must have identified yourself as belonging to His camp, and most importantly, you must have formed a union with Him that has produced a permanent change in your life. That is what it means to be baptized into Christ. It goes beyond merely accepting Him as Lord and Savior on superficial level. Speaking on this, the Holy Spirit says in Galatians 3:27:
“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
To be baptized into Christ is to put on Jesus Christ as a garment. A person is identified by his or her clothing. If you claim to be baptized into Christ, has it left a permanent change in you? When people take note of you, do they identify you with the person of Jesus Christ? The disciples were noted to have been with Jesus without them voicing it out. Is it so with you (Acts 4:13)? The next key to unlocking the manifestation of miraculous signs is having faith in the power in the Name of Jesus and using it (Acts 3:16). Some people have invented other names to call upon, whereas the Name of Jesus Christ is the only one recognized and obeyed in heaven and hell (Acts 4:10, Philippians 2:9-11).
In addition, Jesus said that believers shall speak with new tongues. Today, some people don’t believe that believers can still speak with new tongues after being baptized in the Holy Spirit. They believe that the days of speaking in tongues are over, and so they don’t even bother to seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Such people short-change themselves of the power of God that they need to overcome the devil and his agents, and easily fall prey to the challenges of these perilous times. If only they had believed, not only would they enjoy divine healing and divine health, they would also have been agents of divine healing. However, all of these benefits are lost to unbelief! Beloved of God, one can be in church for many years and still remain an unbeliever. As the old English adage goes, “The hood does not make the priest.” I therefore encourage you to be a practical believer today, and all those signs listed in Mark 16:16-18 shall be your portion in Jesus’ Name.
ACTION POINT:
Beloved, have you been baptized into Christ? Do you believe and use the power in the Name of Jesus? Have you appropriated the power of praying in the Holy Ghost? Examine yourself today.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 29-30 Ezekiel 16:1-14
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 11: WHEN THE POWER OF GOD DESCENDED
1. When the power of God descended
On the day of Pentecost,
All the day of waiting ended,
They received the Holy Ghost
Refrain:
O Lord, send the power just now,
O Lord send the power just now,
O Lord send the power just now,
And baptize, every one.
2. Tongues of flame came down upon them,
And they preached the word in power,
Listening multitudes awakened
Turned to God that very hour.
3. We are waiting Holy Spirit
We are all of one accord,
Lord fulfill just now the promise
That is given in thy Word.
4. Fill and thrill us with Thy presence,
Grant the blessing that we need
Flood our souls with wondrous glory,
While the prayer of faith we plead.
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