Provided By Andrew Wommack
There is more to the Christian life than just getting your sins forgiven—much more.
The average person’s focus when they first come to the Lord is to get their sins forgiven so they can go to heaven instead of hell. Although that is wonderful and more than any of us deserve, salvation isn’t just about avoiding hell. Jesus told us to pray, “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). And Paul said that Jesus “gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world” (Gal. 1:4), not just the one to come.
We can experience a supernatural life now, one that will be amplified and completed when we get to heaven. But sadly, this kind of life is far above what most believers are living.
Most Christians know there must be more to their salvation than what they are experiencing. They believe God can do anything, and they pray for healing, prosperity, joy, peace, and many other things that seem to be lacking in their lives. Yet the vast majority of them seem to be powerless to obtain what Jesus provided.
Why?
Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
The power to live the Christian life now, in this life, comes from the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. The Christian life isn’t just difficult to live; it’s impossible without the power of the Holy Spirit.
If you take what Jesus said there in context, it makes it even more powerful. He had just told His disciples not to leave Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4–5). They possessed the greatest news the world had ever heard—Jesus’ resurrection and everything He had accomplished—but Jesus didn’t want them to share it until they received the power of the Holy Spirit.
Wow! That is amazing!
The disciples had just witnessed the greatest miracle the world had ever seen. They had all the facts. What more could they need?
They needed the power of the Holy Spirit. And so do we.
Prior to the baptism of the Holy Spirit, these same disciples ran and hid during the crucifixion of Jesus. They also displayed an amazing ability to not understand what Jesus was saying at times. There’s a reason they were called “duh-ciples.”
But after the day of Pentecost and the infilling of the Holy Spirit, these same men were transformed. They stood boldly before the scribes and Pharisees who had once intimidated them, fearlessly declaring their guilt in crucifying the Son of God. They performed miraculous acts like Jesus did (John 14:12), including raising people from the dead. Moved by the Holy Spirit, they wrote books of the Bible. All but one of these apostles went on to suffer a martyr’s death and held firm until the end.
Just as Jesus told them, the disciples received power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, and it changed these very average men into powerhouses who set in motion the new church age and established the kingdom of God here on earth.
The disciples didn’t just tell people what happened to Jesus; they demonstrated that Jesus was still alive and living in and through them. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:20, “For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.”
Receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues isn’t just a one-time experience. Those who have the Holy Spirit have God’s power, but it has to be accessed. The Holy Spirit doesn’t force Himself and His ability on anyone. You have to pursue God’s power in order to get it to manifest in your life.
If you enjoyed what I shared here, visit my website at awmi.net, where you’ll find additional free teachings and resources. If you need prayer, I encourage you to call my Helpline at 719-635-1111, where one of my trained prayer ministers would love to pray with you.
We love you,
Andrew and Jamie
