All of us in the Church of God today need to understand more fully the role of the “gifts” of the Spirit. I hope all of you will read this brief overview along with my lead article/letter starting on page one of this issue.
We truly are near the end of an age. Christ’s ruling Kingdom on this earth—with Headquarters at Jerusalem—will probably be set up soon, within the lifetimes of many of you reading this editorial. But God Himself predicts awesome events to occur before Christ’s return. The end time false prophet will perform startling miracles. “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived” (Revelation 13:13–14).
During the end times, a number of false ministers and even false “christs” will perform miracles. “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24). Soon afterward, God’s own “two witnesses” will begin prophesying right under the very noses of the beast and false prophet in the city of Jerusalem. “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, FIRE proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that NO RAIN falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all PLAGUES, as often as they desire” (Revelation 11:3–6).
Certainly, since many false ministers will be performing miracles even before the two witnesses come along, we should expect and BELIEVE that God’s true ministers will also be granted extra spiritual power and signs. This was always God’s way. Even back in the time of Moses, when Pharaoh’s magicians would perform miracles, God’s true servants—Moses and Aaron—would perform greater miracles (see Exodus, chapters 7–9). Eventually, Pharaoh’s magicians told him, “This is the finger of GOD!” (Exodus 8:19).
Still later, God instructed Moses to tell Pharaoh, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me, for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may KNOW that there is none like Me in all the earth” (Exodus 9:13–14).
Today, more than ever, the world needs to know about the REAL God. For that great God is about to intervene in a STUPENDOUS manner— pouring out unbelievable plagues and literally SHAKING every mountain and every island out of its place (Revelation 6:14).
Therefore, not because we are so good or so righteous, but because of His mercy and His great wisdom, God will begin to grant His faithful servants increasing power to heal the sick, cast out demons and perform miracles. This will be to show HIS power—not ours. And we must always remember to give HIM the honor and the glory!
Rather than compare ourselves with the 12 Apostles, let us remember what Jesus did through 35 teams of young men—sent out even before they were fully converted, before the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost. “After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go” (Luke 10:1). Jesus instructed these young men, “And HEAL the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’” (v. 9). When they had returned with joy, they said, “Lord, even the DEMONS are subject to us in Your name” (v. 17). So these “seventy others” were to preach the Gospel, heal the sick and cast out demons.
These three things were ALL part of “doing the Work.” For we read of Jesus’ commission to the 12 Apostles, “Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons” (Mark 3:14–15). And again, Jesus Christ is, “the SAME yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Remember also that Jesus specifically stated that His servants would be doing these very things. Notice what Jesus said of His followers at the end of His own earthly ministry: “And these SIGNS will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:17–18).
Mark then writes that God’s servants of that age “went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying SIGNS” (v. 20). Notice that it was the Living Christ who was “working with them” in performing these signs.
Dear brethren, all of us need to read, to study and to meditate about these truths more and more deeply. We need to more fully SURRENDER our minds and hearts to Christ so that He can use us to do these signs. For that is HIS will for His servants in these end times!
The whole world out there is “waiting”—and is in suffering and utter confusion. The world needs to receive a clear and powerful WARNING before the darkness falls. If we in God’s Church will not fully yield ourselves to God—as His faithful instruments to give the “Ezekiel warning” and preach the inspiring message of His soon-coming Kingdom—God can always “raise up stones” to finish the job! Yet Jesus wants to use us—and has called us for this very purpose.
Jesus said, “when the Son of Man comes, will He really find FAITH on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). We must learn to be men and women of FAITH. So, again, we need to genuinely study the Bible and “FEED” on Christ in a way many have never done before (John 6:57). We need to CRY OUT to God to bring us closer to Him so we can be more powerful servants in His hands. We need to remember the inspired words of Jesus to the Apostles when even they were weak in faith: “This kind can come out by nothing but PRAYER and FASTING” (Mark 9:29).
If we so yield ourselves more zealously than ever to the Living Christ, He will build within the Church a genuine “atmosphere of faith.” In God’s time, we will be granted the “gifts” of the Spirit in order to have a real impact on this confused world. We will be blessed FOREVER for having gone “all out” to prepare for our Savior’s return. And IF we do these things with all our hearts, we certainly will hear those exceedingly precious words of Jesus Christ, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the JOY of your lord” (Matthew 25:21).