POWER IN THE SPIRIT

“And then he told them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.’ When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.” Mark 16:15‭-‬20 NLT


I had a difficult time when I had to re-learn things about the Holy Spirit. I was raised in a church that was mission minded, rule following, and full of ritual and tradition. There wasn't a lot of teaching on the Holy Spirit. However, there was a portion of my family that became outcasts when they began to latch on to the Holy Spirit and power of the gifts of The Spirit. I was taught that they were a part of a cult and that they did unbiblical (according to whom) things like speaking in tongues. I really became untrusting of them. Then, when the Lord found me, I had to re-learn all of what I was taught. When I was saved the Spirit began to give life to the scriptures. My whole understanding of the word got turned upside down and inside out. It seemed the outcasts were onto something I wanted. I knew there was more to my relationship with God, and I wanted any and everything available to me. The outcasts quickly became my go to for information. Not because they were a cult, but because I saw truth in their lives. I saw the truth of the Gospel being walked out. I saw prophetic words. I saw healing. I saw serving and I saw power in the church that I had never seen in my own. I saw joy in serving others and ministering through the Spirit. I finally saw life from a spiritual perspective rather than a religious one. There is unbelievable power in the Spirit-filled life. My unbelief was transformed into something I cannot explain. I found myself saying and doing things that previously I would have thought a little peculiar. Recently, I realized that I had fallen back into a religious state of faith. I'm not saying it was dead, but I am saying that I was failing to use my gifts. There is a long story behind that, and it covers almost 20 years of struggling. Anyway, at this point, I feel that I am reconnecting to the Spirit and the power that comes with that relationship. I pray that the Lord continues to reestablish those gifts and allows them to bring glory to His name.