dennis j adams

How often do great works tender the heart of your spirit? Jesus made an incredible and yet most challenging statement when He addressed His disciples on the subject of “spiritual” activity. After He had finished His work here on earth, in other words, His presence would now be with the Father. The Holy Spirit would come and bless the Church with knowledge and power that “man” had never known before.  Jesus portrayed the Father in every aspect of relational activity, from prayer to worship. Embracing a full invitation for humanity to see God as He is. He brought the will of His Father to the earth. Even in the great prayer: “The Lord’s Prayer” the word are spoken ‘Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.’(Luke 11)

When Jesus breathed on the disciples and they received the Holy Spirit,(John 20:22) - this was actually the first encounter they had with a Person of the Holy Spirit: A new dimension of relationship and confidence. This was the introduction and preparation for the soon coming birthing of the Church! (Acts 2:1-4). Soon they would receive a new and fresh anointing that would not only change thier lives but those that would come in contact with them (Acts 2:38-39)!

Works, it seems, have always been defined by men in thier pride and selfishness to obtain applause and popularity. That is why men do works only and not apply faith along with them. The real reason that Paul and James debated the activity of the Holy Spirit separated from works and faith. Both necessary for the outcome of spiritual activity to be in a greater form than what men thought they could accomplish. The word greater can have mixed responses when you try to compare the one scripture that states: Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (John 21:25 ESV) The actuality and probability of this cannot be denied: Jesus touched the world with the “Hand of God”.  He proclaimed God’s heart to mankind and proved that He is who He is with no room for error. His dynamics were supernatural and embraced the heart of the Father at all times. (John 17) The challenge that humanity has when it severs its relationship with the natural to embrace the supernatural is this: to have a balance and temperance which glorifies God as He works through humanity. This has been the struggle since the day Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1). The question still resounds throughout conversations amongst Theologians and scholars demanding an answer about these great works!

The answer is simple and yet complex in its approach to whom the glory belongs. The example found in John 4 as Jesus addressed the Samaritan women as the well brings conclusive evidence to the complexities of doing great works. His statement to her: Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”(John 4:21-24 ESV) Bringing the conclusiveness to the point that God desires to receive and give to those that will worship Him from a true heart. His manner of relationship is always built on man’s separation from carnality and self-centeredness and complete surrender to His love and grace.

Her response was yet not brought to Him immediately but to the town she lived in: Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, ”Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him. (John 4:28-30 ESV) The depth of her statement proclaims the truth and essence of moving in the power of a new dimension of “spiritual activity”. The “great works” that we can do can only be accomplished by moving men “toward” Christ that he Himself can assist humanity in the reconciliation that they desire deeply to have with God. “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42 ESV) Do you see the greater works in your life?

Dennis

Remember prayer moves the Hand of God.