Want to Raise the Dead?

One of the most frustrating thing in the world for me it to look at all the promises of God in the Word and see all the things should happen in a believer's life, yet they do not.

I am not the only one experiencing this. David Hogan , a missionary to Mexico for a long time now is known for raising the dead. But it has not always been that way. He says that when he first started, he was so frustrated because what he saw in the Scriptures and what he saw in his own personal life, they did not match up. Remember where it says that believers shall lay their hands on the sick and they sahll recover, they will cast out demons, speak in new tongues, drink something harmful and they shall not be harmed, etc? We do not see a lot of that happening in our lives, when Jesus clearly said that these signs WILL follow those who believe. So, he started a fast with his wife. They fasted every other day for three whole years and finally things started happening. He has learned to trust God as a child trusts.

Isn't that the cry of your heart? Don't you want you Christian life to show power? Paul said that the Gospel is power not just words. Hmm...I believe the reason people do not stay with the Lord because there was no power to change them, transform them, etc. The reason people still leave sick after we pray is because we have no power operating through us to heal them, and so on.

I did ask the Lord about that. I want to know what are the things that made the apostles different from us. What are the things that made John G. Lake, Smith Wigglesworth, A.A. Allen., Kathryn Kuhllman, etc. different from us?

I got my answer: the Spirit of God. Yes, we are all given the Holy Spirit when we come to Jesus and become His family, but not all of us are FULL of the Spirit constantly. These people were so full of the Spirit that wherever they went things happened. They did not even have to pray. Peter's shadow would go by and people would get healed. John G. Lake would shake hands with someone and people would fall. Smith Wigglesworth would sit on the train with other people around and would not say a word and people would feel sudden conviction of their sins and start asking him what they needed to do to be saved. Wow.

The Spirit of God is the one that when in contact with darkness, will make darkness flee. But if there is not much of the Spirit around, then things do not change.

So, how can we be filled with the Spirit? Ephesians says to sing songs of praise, and spiritual hymns and speak to one another with psalms, etc. That is one way to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The apostles were famous in praying until the place they were in, shook. Now that is prayer!

I also believe that these people were so sold out for Jesus. They did not care about their own lives, but just obeying Christ. They broke it off with sin and so the flesh was so crucified that the Holy Spirit was just doing His will through them. I believe we need to die to our flesh, will, etc. and recognize that we died with Christ and start living for Him. Then the Holy Spirit can really work through us.

Steadfastness is also another way to be filled with the Spirit. Let me tell you why. See, the satan knew the disciples. I remember one instant that satan told the sons of Sceva, " I know Paul and Jesus, but who are you?" My friend, if you are not consistent in what you do, satan will not take you seriously. He knows you are not someone to be afraid of. He knows that if you do not feel well, you will not show up to visit the elderly who are alone in a nursing home. He knows you do not really mean business. You have just spurts of "ministry" here and there. See an enemy backs up, when you are constantly after him. He finally realizes that you will not quit and you will not back up. So, if you submit to God by doing what is right, resist the enemy, he will have to flee. He will. God's Word says that.

When you are consistent, satan will start knowing your name and he knows when you come around, you do not play games. The reason so many time we are back into our sins is because we are not consistent in our obedience with the Lord. We obey here and there, we minister once in a while, we pray now and then, and then we wonder why we do not see results. Satan just sits there laughing at us saying, ": Ahh, he/she is not really serious. I will just stay right here and keep doing what I am doing". But if you understand spiritual warfare and how he operates, then you will go AFTER him, over and over again.

God does say in His Word that if we keep praying, we will reap a reward. Why? Because satan will start knowing your name and will not "beat you and up" and make you run away "naked", but will run away himself.

Mayb we all understand the importance o fall this!