Sunday December 29
Prepare to Experience God’s Power
Luke 8:49-56
49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher." 50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well." 51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping." 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise." 55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. 56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.
In this great chapter of Luke 8, Jesus revealed His authority and power to us in several different occasions in the course of just a couple of days! He showed us His authority over the natural elements. He rebuked the wind and the waves of the stormy sea and said, “Peace be still” (Mark 4:39). And immediately there was calm! It was no problem or challenge for Him because He created them in the first place! Jesus manifested His love for individuals by crossing the sea to go to one poor lost demon possessed man on the other side. He then demonstrated His power over demons and evil spirits by casting them out of the man.
Jesus revealed His power over disease and sickness by healing the woman with an issue of blood. For twelve years she had gone to the physicians and spent all her money on them but was none the better. But when she, simply by faith, touched the hem of His garment, she was immediately healed and then declared to the whole crowd what had happened to her.
And finally, Jesus declared to the world that He has power and victory over death when He told a 12-year-old dead girl, “Little girl, arise.” “Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately.” What a wonderful Lord and Savior we have! He really does care for us and has the authority and power to keep every promise He has made to us in His Word!
Jesus promised His disciples in Acts 1:8; “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." He assured His disciples in Matthew 28:18-20 “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Then He commission them with these words: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” And His final word and promise to them was: “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Do I need to remind us that all these promises are for us today too!! Because He is with us, we can fulfill His commands and His commission. And to have and exercise His victory over any and everything we might face as will live in obedience to His will and daily follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. When we go in His name, we go in His power and authority! And when we do, we will experience great things for His glory! We are told and promised in Ephesians 3:20-21: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Please watch and listen to my video chat today as I share the testimony of being in a jail cell with an angry drunken man who was intent on killing some people on a hot summer day some years ago. I will never forget the manifestation of God’s grace and power that day. And then over the days, weeks, and years to come, the tremendous and wonderful things that continued to happen as a result of what took place in that jail cell. Please listen to it and be encouraged that there is absolutely nothing that is too hard for the Lord to accomplish through His Spirit’s power and authority!
We are almost at the end of an old year and should be preparing for the new one just around the corner! If you truly want to experience God’s power in your life you must daily feed on His Word. Please accept my challenge to faithfully and consistently read, or listen to, the entire Bible in 2025. My wife Edith has worked very hard to put together monthly calendars for a daily Bible reading schedule that will keep you on tract to go through the Bible in 2025.
Plan A: Read the OT once, the NT twice, the Psalms twice, and the Proverbs every month. (15 plus minutes a day). https://www.pmiministries.org/daily-bible-reading-calendar
Plan B: Read the OT and NT once, and the Psalms twice. (10 plus minutes a day).https://www.pmiministries.org/bible-reading-calendar-plan-b
(on a desktop computer you can easily download a PDF copy or print them)
I post these on my website each month: https://www.pmiministries.org/
God bless!
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