For several decades I labored in the church environment and can honestly state that at this point, with hindsight, I only saw one person experience true conversion from darkness to light. I saw a handful experience “something;” whatever it might have been, however, isn’t having an impact on them now, decades later. I’m sure there were those who I have no idea of what they experienced and what happened to them.
All in all, the tally is rather dismal.
Over the last decade I’ve seen scores have a conversion experience that is paying tremendous dividends. If we follow the biblical adage of examining their “fruit,” they are being very productive. In the last five years I’ve been blessed to see several dozen not only “find” Jesus but live lives of power. Over the last year I’ve been awed to see and closely follow a baker’s dozen move into the supernatural with incredible authority, gifting and power.
What’s the difference?
As trite as it may sound, the full presentation of the good news.
Amen. No substitute for the real thing.
hmmmm….. so I not sure if I’m understanding you right, would you mind elaborating some? What does the full presentation look like? Thanks for this topic, it had me digging all morning in Romans!
They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum. (Romans 15:16)
There is the perception that all we need is a good word, THE good word, aka, The Bible. With that, and that alone, the multitudes will come into a saving knowledge of Jesus. I don’t deny the power and inspiration of the Bible; however, I’m concerned that we’ve stripped it of that power when we relegate the Being who gives it that power to a role that is that of a cheerleader at best. Jesus didn’t ask anyone to accept him at his word. He always backed it up or preceded it with demonstrations of power that proved he was speaking truth. Why is it different for us today?
It is so easy to accept the dispensational position (big word that simply means a time frame) that all such supernatural manifestations ceased when the last apostle died. Using 1 Corinthians 13:11-12 which references the coming of the perfect. This is taken to mean the Bible. So, if the Bible is the perfect and miracles were the imperfect, it only makes sense that once the biblical cannon was written, though not formed for another 300+ years, the need for the imperfect ceased. Therefore, believers no longer have the power to cast out demons, heal the sick and raise the dead.
I accepted that for most of my life. I knew there were problems with the position but I still held on to it because of the fear of what my peers would say. That’s a sad commentary, I’m ashamed to say. The reality is, that after looking with intensity for almost a year and a half, I had to conclude that not only was that not the case, the Bible spoke the contrary. We are to have the power… we do have the power.
Setting out to put it to the test I found that it was indeed true. I had a lot of misconceptions and preconceived ideas about it and it took much prayer, experimentation, more study, more experimentation and more prayer. But my experience and the proof of the results convinced me.
As Paul said in Romans 15, the gospel being fully preached dictates that signs and miracles are present to confirm it. Holding back, or denying that aspect of it, means that the gospel isn’t being fully proclaimed and that the results that should come will be minimized. The proverbial proof is supposed to be in the pudding, i.e., when one encounters the gospel there is to be a radical, supernatural, transformation that begins in that person’s life. What holds him captive to a life of sin is destroyed and he now has in him the supernatural power that allows him to remain free of it and to actually come against the force that held him captive and destroy it.
That was what I was lamenting… we are satisfied to have less and wish to belittle what is our rightful inheritance. I no longer want to live there.
Make sense?