Now Think On This
Steve Martin
“God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.” (Hebrews 2:4 NASU)
When it comes down to the end, power verses power will be the action of the day. Living in the end of days, through the end time events coming upon the earth, will require us as believers to be equipped with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We will have to be empowered with His holy fire, that working within us to give the courage, boldness and overcoming power to defeat the enemy and his attacks.
You know Satan is going to use all the power he has been allowed to have, for a given time. We better be ready to fight back – not in our own power, but in the power of the Almighty God of Israel, who has given us the supernatural weapons for warfare.
The world is seeking the unseen and the supernatural. We see it in the movies being produced in Hollywood, the TV shows that more and more depict hidden witchcraft, portrayed as “good and wholesome”, and through the increasingly dark and evil manifestations that draw the young and old after them.
We can’t win the battles we face through our own abilities. No smooth talking words will achieve the necessary force that will stop Satan and his demon henchmen in their tracks.
We need the fire of the Holy Spirit, and the gifts the Lord has made available to us.
In 1973, when I was a senior at the Catholic Columbus High School in Waterloo, Iowa, I was seeking the Lord for more. I wanted a supernatural experience that my previous Catholic upbringing didn’t provide. Even after 12 years of religious upbringing, it wasn’t enough. I wanted more.
And as He always does, the good Lord responded to my seeking heart.
At a prayer meeting with others from my class, when hands were laid upon me to receive His Holy Spirit, I was baptized with the holy fire and supernatural love of the Lord. As both a sign and a wonder, I began to speak in tongues, even as they did in Acts 2. My life was changed forever from that day forward. I experienced what the early Church had been given the first time.
The Lord has made this available to us today, because He knows we need this empowerment.
“When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force — no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.
There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world. When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues being spoken, they were thunderstruck. They couldn't for the life of them figure out what was going on, and kept saying, "Aren't these all Galileans? How come we're hearing them talk in our various mother tongues?
Parthians, Medes, and Elamites;
Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene;
Immigrants from Rome, both Jews and proselytes;
Even Cretans and Arabs!
"They're speaking our languages, describing God's mighty works!"
Their heads were spinning; they couldn't make head or tail of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: "What's going on here?"
Others joked, "They're drunk on cheap wine." (Acts 2:1-13 THE MESSAGE)
In these 42 years since that May day, I have used this gift from the Lord of speaking in tongues as my prayer language, allowing the Spirit of the Lord to intercede through me, on behalf of my family, my co-workers, my country, and the nations of the world. He has also built me up in my inner spirit, even as His word says it would.
Again, the gifts of the Holy Spirt are going to be most needed in the end of days. Those who will be standing will have been trained and daily walking in faith by using them.
“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts.” (1 Corinthians 12:1-31 NASU)
With the gifts of the Holy Spirit in use, we will be able to fight the onslaught of the enemy, encourage our brothers and sisters in the faith, and demonstrate to the world Who is the most powerful One on the throne. Working with all in the Body of Christ, together as each uses that which they have been given, we will demonstrate the miracles, signs and wonders that it will take to show the world His greatness.
Have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit? You can be. You will need to be. The Lord will freely give to you as you ask Him.
The coming days will require you to be equipped with all that the Lord has to give. Be ready.
Now think on this,
Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People. Inc.
P.S. We sure could use your help to bless the families we do in Israel, India, Pakistan, Vietnam and the hurting ones here in the USA. Please give out of the abundance you have been given.
In May, 2016, my wife Laurie and I will be traveling to Israel to spend time with our friends. We support them in word and deed. We have our plane tickets in hand.
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Now Think On This #201 “We Need His Gits” by Steve Martin
Date: In the year of our Lord 2015 (11.01.15) Sunday at 6:15 am in Charlotte, NC
All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This
I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve
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