It shouldn’t surprise you that when the sick and demonized were brought to the apostles in the Jerusalem church, all were healed. Healing and good health have always been God’s will for your body. When God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt, He told them: “I am the LORD who heals you” (Ex. 15:26). The original Hebrew text says, “I am Jehovah Rapha” or “God your Doctor.” And it is given in the present tense-He is still your Healer today!

God is so consistent in this that He repeats Himself again and again all throughout the Scriptures. “And the LORD will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known” (Deut. 7:15). He is the Lord who not only forgives all your iniquities, He “heals all your diseases” (Ps. 103:3). When the children of Israel left Egypt to embark on their wilderness journey, “there was none feeble among His tribes” (105:37). The Israelites left Egypt in good health. More than just healing you whenever you are sick, God wants you to enjoy a strong, healthy life. And if the people of God under the old covenant could have both healing and good health, how much more someone like you who is in the new covenant. You should enjoy supernatural healing and good health even more than the Old Testament saints!

In the Gospels, Jesus often healed all who came to Him. Matthew 8:17 makes it very clear that healing is in the atonement: “He Himself took our infi rmities and bore our sicknesses.” If the word “our” means that all of us can receive salvation from our Savior, then “our” must surely also mean that all of us can have healing in a divine Healer. But just as salvation is not automatic, healing is not automatic. Just as you can receive salvation only by faith, likewise healing can only come to you by faith. Seize the blessing He has provided for you through the cross. Turn your faith loose and claim your healing today!

• God’s Divine Healing
• The Vision Of The Divine Throne
• God’s Medicine Bottle
• Benefits Of The Lord
• God’s Gracious Dealings

The Jerusalem church in Acts was very powerful because those in the church were of one heart and one soul in their vision for the kingdom. Jesus says, “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven” (Matt. 18:19). The place of agreement is the place of power. Conversely, the place of disagreement is the place of powerlessness.

Every principle in the Word flows out of the character and nature of God. Although God is a triune God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit-He is always in total agreement with Himself. All three members of the Godhead are forever in unity. God wants the same in His relationship with you. If you delight yourself in Him, which means to be in agreement with His will for your life, He will give you the desires of your heart (Ps. 37:4).

In a church, God wants unity in your relationships with others. When there is one vision, there will never be division. There will be no confusion or weakness in the camp. Psalm 133:1-2 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments.” The anointing of God can flow mightily in a church where members dwell in unity. So great was the unity in the Jerusalem church that awesome power for miracles and financial provision was released (Acts 4:33-34).

In the days of Babel, “the whole earth had one language and one speech” (Gen. 11:1). Even God marvelled at the effort of the people in wanting to build a tower that reaches to the heavens. God says, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them” (11:6). As incredulous as the building of that tower may sound, God was fully convinced that the people would succeed. Make certain that you eliminate those things in your life that cause disunity-unforgiveness, anger, gossip, a critical spirit, being easily offended, unrealistic expectations, and hidden agendas. Remember that when there is unity, nothing is impossible!

• One In Christ
• Church Worship
• Receiving Kingdom Power
• True Worshipers
• Jesus’ Prayer Life

In the Scriptures, God reveals Himself by His name. More than just revealing His ability, the names of God reveal His character. God introduces Himself for the first time in Genesis 1:1 as Elohim, the Creator. As the Creator, He is full of creativity, ability and productivity.

When God created man, He put that same nature into man. Adam was created with God’s creativity, ability and productivity inside of him. When Adam sinned against God, his fall didn’t nullify those gifts. He still had them except that they were now corrupted. For example, consider his son, Cain. In Genesis 4, Cain was able to build a whole city (4:16-17), provide employment (4:20), music and entertainment (4:21), manufacturing, and the building of weapons (4:22). He was able to singlehandedly accomplish great feats out of the same creative potential God had deposited into the entire human race, albeit that they were now perverted and self-serving.

Herein lies a very important concept: When man fell, God didn’t plan for the elimination of men, society, culture, or the whole world. Instead, God sought to bring about the restoration of fallen humanity. Elohim God started to reveal Himself by another name-Yahweh, or God the Redeemer (Ex. 3:13-14). The essence of redemption is taking that which is broken, fixing it, and restoring it back to its original purpose and intention.

Jesus came to be our Redeemer-to bring about the conversion of fallen man from darkness to light, and from death to life. But He also seeks to convert the creativity, ability and productivity that God has put inside man back to its original purpose. Acts 3:19-21 says that this conversion is not just the restoration of man from the sin problem, it is the restoration of all things in life. People, families, marriages, businesses, education systems, culture and arts must all be born again.

You are not called to hide from the world. As a follower of Christ the Redeemer, you are now a conversionist. You are to use your creativity, ability and productivity to redeem everything you see in your world back to God’s original purpose and intention. So that they could be used for
the cause and glory of His kingdom. Start being a conversionist in your world today!

• You Are Called By God
• Are You Ready?
• You Are A Witness For God
• What Should You Confess
• God Cares How Much You Give

How do we know that Jesus was approved of God? Not by His philosophical prowess or oral eloquence, but by three things: miracles, signs and wonders. Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons, cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, fed great multitudes, turned water into wine, etc. How do you know if someone is a real servant of God? We measure his ministry according to the same standard outlined here in Acts 2:22.

Take for example, Paul’s apostleship. “Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds” (2 Cor. 12:12). The workings of miracles are the signs of true apostleship, not just the presiding over of a huge megachurch or a denomination. If a preacher claims to be an apostle, miracles must be constant occurrences in his ministry. They must be there in “all perseverance”-in other words, happening in great consistency.

Hebrews 2:4 says: “God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” Again the testimony of God was proven by miracles, signs and wonders. Miracles were so normal in the Ephesian church that God started working unusual ones among them (Acts 19:12). All throughout the New Testament, we see that the reality of God was proven time and again by supernatural miracles. To say that we have passed the days of signs and wonders is effectively denying the Holy Scriptures!

The word “miracle” in Greek is dunamis, which means “power.” As a Spirit-filled believer, you have received the dunamis of the Holy Spirit to work miracles in Jesus’ name (Acts 1:8). But why is it that we don’t see miracles or healings take place regularly in our churches today? The overwhelming reason is the presence of doubt and unbelief for them to happen in our midst (Mark 6:5-6). Remember, without faith, it is impossible to please God . . . or see the miraculous.

• Proof Producer
• Receiving Kingdom Power
• God’s Divine Healing
• Power Unlimited
• Overcoming Faith

The kingdom of God is the divine rule in human hearts, lives and situations. While the disciples were still thinking of the messianic kingdom in terms of political power, Jesus corrected their misconception (Acts 1:7). He declared that the kingdom of God is currently spiritual in character, international in its membership, and gradual in its expansion.

The kingdom of God was a prominent theme in all of Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels. Jesus taught about the kingdom of God through the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18-19). Here in Acts 1, He was about to transfer that power and responsibility to His disciples by baptizing them in the same Holy Spirit that had anointed His ministry. The disciples were not to attempt ministry without the empowering of the Spirit. Jesus then makes three points about the Holy Spirit:

(1) The Holy Spirit is a Person and He brings with Him a power that will enable you to be a witness.

(2) The Holy Spirit’s power has to be “received”; it is not an automatic experience. As surely as the Holy Spirit dwells within each believer, so surely will He fill and overflow each who receives Him in childlike faith.

(3) When the Holy Spirit fills you, you will know it. Jesus said this and His disciples found it to be true on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 2:1-4). You don’t have to claim the Spirit by faith alone. When He comes, you will experience Him in a tangible way. You will know that He has “come upon you.”

Jesus makes it clear that the ultimate purpose of the empowering of the Holy Spirit is so that you can fulfill the Great Commission-by being an effective witness for Christ. You need God’s supernatural power to minister effectively, to heal the sick, cast out demons and work miracles and wonders. But more than that, the Holy Spirit has also come to convince you to go.

As you obey that call to go, He will give you:

(1) the power to find the lost;

(2) the authority to boldly declare Jesus as the Son of God;

(3) the endurance to be strong in times of weakness and suffering; and

(4) the power to establish His Church-locally and worldwide. The intended borders of expansions are clear: Jerusalem (local), Judea (national), Samaria (crosscultural), and “the end of the earth” (global).

• Great In The Kingdom
• Power Unlimited
• Receiving The Holy Spirit
• The Power Of Fasting
• My Attitude Governs My Receiving

As the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, there were seven whole nations to defeat. They were the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites (Josh 3:10). These seven nations could well represent seven things that are an abomination to the Lord. “These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:16-19). Israel was commanded to utterly destroy these seven nations and their kings.

These kings and domains represent enthroned areas of the “self life” where ego still reigns instead of the Lord. They are the pockets of resistance, preventing us from fully experiencing the kingdom of God. These kings are proud, rebellious, and self-willed. Each king guards and protects his own interests and furiously opposes anyone or anything that dares to tamper with even an inch of his territory.

God wants to ultimately settle His presence and glory on Mount Zion. But even that location was guarded by the Jebusites. Mount Zion is a picture of the believer’s heart in which God wants to reside. But the heart has many enemies of the kingdom that we need to subdue. Jesus says, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matt. 15:19).

The Lord appeared to Joshua with a sword drawn in His hand as they were about to go against the enemies of the land (Josh. 5:13-15). We must seek God earnestly and allow Him to confront us with the directness of His Word concerning those rebellious areas of our heart. Until the enemies of righteousness within us are dealt with, we can never enter into full rest. While they are still alive and active, they cause unrest, frustration and defeat.

Unfortunately, Israel was complacent and settled for compromise. They allowed many little enemies to stay in the land of their inheritance. The Scriptures make it clear that Joshua did not bring them into full rest (Heb. 4:8). Full rest is ours when we subdue all our enemies and secure our hearts-the spiritual Mount Zion-for God to build His habitation.

• A Hearing Heart
• God Tests The Heart
• Circumcise Your Heart
• Rend Your Heart Before God
• Ready For Leadership

Thomas, one of the apostles, is most remembered because he was slow to accept anything as truth without sufficient evidence. In addition to his inclusion in the list of disciples’ names, Thomas is mentioned four other times in the biblical record. The first two of these incidents give us some insight on the passage in John 20. In John 11, Thomas makes a pessimistic and perhaps sarcastic statement about following Jesus to Lazarus’ tomb, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (11:16). On another occasion, when Jesus was explaining to the disciples that He was about to go to his Father’s house, Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” (14:5).

But Thomas is best known for what occurred after Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus appeared to the disciples, but Thomas was not with them at that time. When they told Thomas they had seen Jesus, he refused to believe them. Thomas believed only when he had sufficient evidence to convince him that this astounding miracle had actually occurred. His physical senses told him that Jesus was already dead. Without evidence, he wouldn’t believe.

Many people claim to have faith in Jesus and the Bible, but their faith is only in the realm of the mind—that is head-faith or “Thomas faith.” This is a very natural, human faith which says, “I am not going to believe anything unless I can see it and feel it!”

What we need is “Abraham faith” or heart-faith. Abraham did not consider physical knowledge or the glaring fact that he was 100 years old and Sarah was 90. He only considered the spiritual truth of God’s Word; that God was going to give him a promised son. And out of that son would come descendants as numerous as the sands on the seashore and stars in the night sky.

Real faith is built on the spiritual truths of God’s promises. While we don’t deny the problems, pain and other negative symptoms of life (for they may be very real), we look beyond them to God’s Word. Real faith says, “If God says it is so, it is so!” Period. Head-faith is just an intellectual acceptance, or mental assent, of certain facts and doctrines. That is not true Bible faith. It won’t produce results or changes in the lives of people. But heart-faith will always produce a definite change in people. Romans 10:10 says, “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness.”

• The Touch Of Faith
• Heroes Of Faith
• The Just Shall Live By Faith
• Overcoming Faith
• Loving The Word Of God

The crossing of Jordan was a major turning point in Israel’s journey. It was a new day for them in almost every respect. The old generation and leadership had died off. A new generation and leadership had arisen. The wilderness testings were over and a new land awaited them.

After they crossed Jordan, their attitude was completely changed too. They never wanted to return to Egypt anymore. Something had happened in their hearts and in their nature. Even their diet changed. The manna ceased and they began to partake of the fruit of the land. What exactly does the crossing of Jordan signify? The very fact that the city of Adam is connected with their passage across Jordan is significant. Adam speaks of our old sinful nature. That they immediately came to Gilgal after crossing Jordan is remarkable too (Josh 4:19). Gilgal is the place of circumcision, the cutting away of the flesh.

The crossing of Jordan, therefore, represents the “dead to sin” experience of Romans 6:6. God’s people experienced salvation by the blood of the lamb when they were in Egypt. They marched out of Egypt, passed through the Red Sea (water baptism) and entered the wilderness. Then they came to Sinai at Pentecost. But although they were out of Egypt, Egypt had never gotten out of them. Whenever the going got tough, they murmured that they wanted to return to Egypt.

After Jordan, something changed. The Jordan experience removed Egypt from their hearts once and for all. They no longer desired to go back to the world. The Adamic nature was dealt with and they were circumcised from the flesh. God broke the power of sin and the love for the world at Jordan.

Jordan is equivalent to Romans 6:6, “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” Romans 6:6 renders your old man-or sin nature in operative. Romans 6:6 is a real experience. “Knowing this” in the Greek means “knowledge that comes by an experience.” It is neither something you grow into, nor something you claim by faith. It is a sovereign appointment and meeting with God. It is a definite revelation from God of what He did on Calvary’s cross. When you have such an experience, your life will never be the same again.

• New Life Through Death
• Water Baptism
• The Ten Trials
• Seven Feasts Of Israel
• A Life In The Spirit

God, Moses and the Israelites all encouraged Joshua to excel in His leadership. What exactly is needed in leadership? Four things apply:

(1) Courage. Seventeen times, the Bible says, “Be of good courage!” Therefore, having courage is a very good thing. The primary ploy of the devil is to bring discouragement to a leader, that is to take courage out of your heart. If he succeeds, then he has trapped you in a place of weakness, despair and hopelessness. Your vision would soon disappear. What is courage? Courage is the capacity to do what is right even when it is unpopular. As such, courage relates to the integrity of character. A courageous person will do what is right in the midst of opposition and mockery, even when there are no perceived benefits to him at all. When you do what is right—simply because it is the right thing to do—that is courage.

(2) Boldness. Someone once counted that 365 times, the Bible says, “Fear not!” In other words, in every single day of the year, a leader must never be afraid. To be bold is to have confidence. David says, “Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident” (Ps. 27:3). Even under house arrest in Rome, Paul preached “with all confidence” (Acts 28:31). The Bible says, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward” (Heb. 10:35). Courage relates to character; boldness relates to your personality. Have a confident personality and be secure in who you are.

(3) Strength. Again and again, Joshua was exhorted to be strong. Strength is the ability to stand up on your feet whenever you are knocked down. There are many confident and charismatic people who are not strong. Whenever they are hit by a crisis, they wilt away without having the ability to bounce back in life.

(4) Wisdom. Proverbs constantly speaks of knowledge, understanding and wisdom. Knowledge is the getting of information. Understanding is the analyzing of information. Wisdom is solving the problem. Proverbs says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom” (Prov. 1:7). A leader must be wise.

• Standing Strong In Persecution
• Every Work Will Be Judged
• Let God Be Your King
• Five Ways God Wants To Be Known
• Be Faithful To God

The chapter of John 17 might more appropriately be called “The Lord’s Prayer” rather than Matthew 6:9-13. The prayer contains a threefold petition from Jesus:

Petition #1: That He may be glorified (John 17:1-5). Jesus says, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.” The prayer of Jesus for Himself is not for a selfish motive. His desire was to glorify the Father. To glorify God is to make Him known. Jesus knew that He would soon be manifested as the Savior of the world through His atoning death on Calvary’s cross. Believers in Him would know God and thus possess eternal life.In everything that you do, you should have this same mind—to pray that God may be glorified through your daily life.

Petition #2: That His disciples may be sanctified (17:6-19). Although Jesus does not pray that His immediate disciples be removed from the world, He does pray that they would be kept from the world’s evil through the Father’s name. He also prays that they might be sanctified, that is, set apart for the ministry of truth. Billy Graham once said, “God loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you the same.” God desires an ongoing transformation of your heart, mind and attitude. Pray that you will be changed daily from glory to glory into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).

Petition #3: That the church may be unified (John 17:20-26). In the final portion of His prayer, Jesus prays for the unity of all believers in subsequent generations. The oneness He requests is not an organizational unity, but a spiritual one. He prays that this unity will be visibly manifested in the life of the Church and will bear witness to the divine mission of Christ. Knowing Jesus’ heart in this matter, you must commit yourself to bring about the unity of the Church. Pray for the unity of your local congregation and the interchurch relationships in your nation.

• Effective Fervent Prayer
• Prayer Opens Heaven
• The Value Of Prayer
• Persistent Prayer
• The Power Of Prayer