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John 16:12-15
12 I have yet many things to
say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13 Howbeit when he, the
Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall
not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak:
and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for
he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
15 All things that the Father
hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall
shew it unto you.
(KJV)
Have you ever felt powerless
in the face of trials and tribulation? I know I have. It seems like
these things will simply overwhelm me at times. Then in the midst of the
darkest hour, the Holy Spirit reminds me that He is there. How soon do
we forget the power we have in the blood of Jesus!
Let’s start with the above
scripture and study the ordination of all believers. I’m not talking
about the ordination ceremony that man has concocted through tradition.
I’m talking about God’s "choosing" of His children. Please don’t
misunderstand. I think ordination or anointing of a pastor or other
minister is important. But, we need to understand God’s way of
ordination.
In the above scripture, Jesus
said that He had a lot more to teach the disciples, but they could not
yet bear it. Why is that? They had been with Him for about three years
at this point and had seen many miracles and wonders that Jesus had
performed. They knew He was the Son of God. Some of them, through faith
in Him, had performed miracles also. What could they not bear? They did
not yet have the knowledge and authority needed to stand against the
enemy. Jesus was telling them that another "teacher" was coming in the
form of the Holy Spirit to teach and empower them for the tasks He had
asked them to do.
Matt 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spake
unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe
all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world. Amen.
(KJV)
Jesus had commissioned them,
but they had not yet been empowered to accomplish the mission. The
empowerment came later on the day of Pentecost.
Acts 2:1-4
1 And when the day of
Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a
sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the
house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto
them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled
with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the
Spirit gave them utterance.
(KJV)
The filling of the Holy
Spirit was the confirmation of the power and authority that Jesus gave
us. That empowerment enables us to stand against all the attacks of the
enemy for the glory of God’s Kingdom on this earth. The book of Romans
and several other scriptures confirm this fact.
Rom 8:1-2
1 There is therefore now no
condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit
of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
(KJV)
Rom 8:22-31
22 For we know that the whole
creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but
ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we
ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the
redemption of our body.
24 For we are saved by hope:
but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet
hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we
see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
26 Likewise the Spirit also
helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we
ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings
which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the
hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh
intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all
things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the
called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow,
he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did
predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
31 What shall we then say to
these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
(KJV)
If God be for us, who can be
against us? The answer to that question is "NO ONE!" That is the
authority of the believer as long as we honor God and seek Him. We have
overcome this world and its tribulations. |
