What Does the Word ‘Preach’ Mean?

…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
— Mark 16:15

In Mark 16:15, Jesus instructed believers, “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” But what did Jesus mean when He said that we were supposed to “preach”? Did He mean that every believer must have a pulpit ministry where he or she publicly stands in front of a church and preaches to a congregation? What does the word “preach” mean?

The word “preach” comes from the Greek word kerusso, which means to proclaim, to declare, to announce, or to herald a message. It was the message proclaimed by the kerux, who was the official spokesman or herald of a king. Because the kerux was the appointed, official representative of the king or government, his specific job was to announce with a clear and unquestionable voice the desires, dictates, orders, recent events, news, policy changes, or message that the king or government wished to express to the people.

The position of this kerux (“spokesman” or “herald”) was viewed to be the highest, most noble, privileged position in the kingdom because his position gave him routine access to the king that was afforded only to rare individuals. To be the king’s kerux was an honor and supreme privilege that necessitated the highest level of professionalism and excellent performance.

When the king wanted to give a message to his people, he summoned the kerux. The kerux came to the king’s throne room with writing instrument and paper in hand; then he carefully and accurately penned the communication that the king desired to express to his people. After the king was finished dictating his message, the kerux was allowed to freely speak to the king and to ask questions of clarification to make certain he understood every point of the king’s message. Because this man was speaking on behalf of the king, there was no room for mistakes in his delivery of the message. When he finally stood before the people to announce the message given to him, it had to be accurate, precise, and faithful to what the king wanted to express to his people.

As important as it was for the kerux to accurately understand and communicate the king’s message, it was equally his responsibility to capture and convey the sentiment, heart, and emotions of the king on these various issues. Thus, the kerux was expected to deliver his message with emotional impact in order to properly represent both the word and the heart of the king.

Proper attire was essential for this notable position, for when the kerux stood before the people to speak on behalf of the king, he was also to physically represent the king in all his splendor and glory. The responsibility of publicly representing the king demanded that he dress appropriately, for a shabbily dressed kerux would have been an insult to the honor of the king.

And because the kerux was the primary connection between the people and the king, he was also required to learn how to speak to people in a kind and cultured fashion. If he was rude, his behavior would reflect negatively on the king. If he was kind and courteous, this would reflect favorably on the king. As the king’s spokesman, the kerux understood that every word he spoke, every piece of clothing he wore, and all his actions, both public and private, would ultimately affect people’s opinion of the king. Consequently, because of his great responsibility as the king’s spokesman, he knew that every detail of his life was to be lived honorably, honestly, and uprightly. His personal life, as well as his public life, had to be spotless, immaculate, pristine, gleaming, and squeaky clean — free of accusation.

When the kerux had finished delivering the king’s message to the people, he turned, left the platform from which he spoke, and then remained silent until the king summoned him back to the throne room to give him another message for the people. As the king’s spokesman, he had no right to speak his own mind, give his own personal commentary about what the king meant, or draw any attention to himself. Such actions would be considered gross violations of his position and a guarantee that he would no longer serve as the king’s spokesman.

Keeping all this in mind, let’s consider again what Jesus meant when He commanded that all believers go into all the world “to preach” the Gospel. Since kerusso (“to preach”) is the message of the kerux (“the king’s spokesman”), it is clear that by using the word “preach,” God is communicating several very powerful messages to you and to me.

First, as a believer, you must learn to see yourself as the representative of Jesus Christ. Although you may never stand before a public pulpit to preach, it is a fact that your life is your most important pulpit. What you say and do in your life reflects on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Second, as a believer, it is absolutely essential that you spend time in the Presence of the Lord so you can hear His Word and capture His heart. You should never think of the time you must spend in God’s Presence praying or reading the Word as laborious or dreadful. It is a high honor that God has given you. He beckons you to come into His throne room so He can speak to you, share with you His heart, and then empower you with His Spirit to take the message to people who are desperately waiting for it. Never forget that you possess a position of great privilege.

Third, as a believer, it is imperative that you learn how to dress appropriately and how to speak kindly, courteously, and in a way that brings honor to Jesus. If your appearance communicates a low standard because you dress like a slob, never comb your hair, always look unprofessional, or allow yourself to remain overweight (yes, I know this last one affects many people, but what I am saying is true) — this is exactly the image you are imparting about Jesus Christ.

Would the president of a nation allow His spokesman to be aired on television in a sweatshirt or tennis shoes? Would a national public representative dare to go on national television to speak on behalf of the government looking like a slob? Of course not! It would be disrespectful to the office or the person the spokesman represented. Likewise, we must think about what we look like, what we sound like, and how we are perceived. We are not representing ourselves; we are representing Jesus Christ.

Fourth, as a believer, you must realize that your private life is just as important as your public life. If you publicly declare the Gospel, but later it is discovered that your private life is a horrible mess and a complete contradiction of what you’ve been preaching, this, too, will reflect poorly on the Gospel.

The lost world loathes hypocrites but enjoys it immensely when a preacher or believer is found to be a contradiction of the message he or she preaches. So never forget that as the Lord’s spokesman, you are required to do everything possible to maintain a life that is spotless, immaculate, pristine, gleaming, and squeaky clean — free of accusation.

Fifth, as a believer and a representative of Jesus Christ, you must make a decision to refrain from making personal comments that are not your business to make. Speak what Jesus tells you to speak — but if someone tries to draw you into a debate or a conversation regarding a matter you know nothing about, just remain silent. You are not required to speak or to act like an authority regarding issues about which you are not an authority!

You see, preaching the Gospel is what you do every day of your life by the way you live and conduct yourself. It is true that public pulpit ministry is a very special gift and honor that some are called to do. But the truth is, you preach every day that you get up and faithfully go to work! You preach when you choose to dress modestly or when you speak kindly to your fellow employees, believers, or friends. All these things reflect on the message of the Gospel.

So as you obey Jesus’ words to take the Gospel to every ethnic group, culture, custom, civilization, and sphere where you personally have influence, always be mindful of the fact that you are His kerux in those places. You are His personal representative, and everything you do and say preaches about Jesus Christ!

And as you go through each day, always make sure you set aside time in God’s Presence to obtain His Word and capture His heart. Then you’ll be able to turn to those you touch every day of your life and give them the message and heart that God has imparted to you on their behalf!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to please help me become an honorable representation of who You are! I am sorry for allowing myself in the past to live a low standard that gave a wrong impression about You. Now I understand that I am Your face and Your voice to the people around me. To the best of my ability, I want to speak courteously, dress appropriately, act professionally, and live in a Christ-like manner so I can accurately portray Your Word and Your heart. I know this is going to require some changes in my life, so today I am asking You to help me as I take steps toward becoming a worthy representative who brings only honor to the King of kings.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am the spokesman of the Lord. As His representative, I live respectfully, honorably, and in a way that brings glory to His name. I behave professionally; I speak courteously and kindly to others; I dress appropriately as His representative; and I preach the Gospel with excellence by the way I live both my public and private life. As a believer, I accept my assignment to be one of God’s messengers to my generation!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. After reading today’s Sparkling Gem, how do you feel you are doing at accurately representing Jesus Christ with your life? Does your life preach a message that brings honor or disgrace to Him?

2. Do you see any changes you need to make in the way you dress, speak, or act so you can present a better view of Jesus to those who don’t know Him? If the answer is yes, what are those changes you need to make?

3. Why don’t you make a list of those changes and put that list somewhere in your home where you will see it every day and be reminded to work diligently on improving those areas of your life?

Hatred, Variance, Emulations, Wrath

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath…
— Galatians 5:19,20

I once heard our six-year-old son tell his nine-year-old brother, “I hate you!”

I quickly went to my son and asked him, “What did you say to your brother?”

He firmly told me, “I hate him!”

I didn’t know what my older son had done to provoke this reaction, but I knew I had a responsibility to teach our sons this type of language was not acceptable in our home. I took our six-year-old into the bathroom, pulled out a bar of soap, and said, “Son, in our house, we don’t use language like you just spoke to your brother. Your mouth has said some pretty ugly words, so it’s time to give your mouth a bath! We’re going to wash out your mouth with soap!”

Taking a bar of soap, I inserted it into his mouth, pushed it this way and that, until I knew his mouth was full of a soapy taste. Then I pulled it out and told him to spit into the sink.

My son exclaimed, “Daddy, that soap tastes so bad!”

I answered, “Yes, it tastes just as awful as those ugly words you spoke to your brother!”

Our two other sons stood outside the bathroom watching as their middle brother spit bubbles out of his mouth. I could visibly see they were inwardly resolving that they would never say the words “I hate you!” As far as I can determine, that was the last time those words were ever spoken in our home!

Hatred:

When Paul wrote Galatians 5:19-21, he included “hate” in his villainous list of the works of the flesh. In Greek, this word “hate” is from the word echthra. This word expresses the idea of an intense hostility that one feels toward someone else. It is often used to picture enemies in a military conflict. In the New Testament, it primarily denotes a personal enemy.

This is the very word used in Luke 23:12 to depict the animosity, hostility, and hatred that existed between Herod Antipas and Pilate before they became friends at the time of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion. Prior to that moment, they hated each other. To say they were enemies is not even sufficient to express the deep animosity they felt for each other. They were bitter, sour, hardened enemies who despised one another — and all of this is expressed in the Greek word echthra.                 

This word echthra pictures people who cannot get along with each other. They have deep issues with each other, holding resentments, grievances, complaints, and grudges that go way back in time and have very deep roots. Something occurred along the way that caused one or both of them to be offended. Instead of letting go of the offense, they became divided, hostile, and fiercely opposed to each other. Now they are antagonistic, aggressive, and harsh. They hate each other. They have a grudge and are determined to hold on to it. Doesn’t that sound just like the flesh?

If you have hatred in your heart, the Spirit of God wants you to forgive and release your offender. I realize your flesh wants your offender to feel bad, to emotionally suffer, to be paid back for his actions. Even if your flesh does finally rally around to offer a very weak version of forgiveness, it will probably still try to inflict a little punishment on your offender. You see, that is what the flesh produces! That is why it must be crucified! If you will pull the plug on the flesh and walk in the Spirit, it won’t be long until that hostility and animosity is replaced with love, joy, peace, and longsuffering!

Variance:

Paul next lists “variance” as one of the works of the flesh. This old English word is the Greek word eris, which was used in a political context to describe political parties that had different platforms or agendas. For this reason, some newer translations of the New Testament translate it as a party spirit.

In a democratic system, people tend to align themselves politically with people of like opinions. Once they congregate, discuss the issues, and concur about their political views, they then proceed to build a platform from which they can promote their own political agenda. Once the agenda is decided upon and the competition has begun, the fighting can be fierce.

As you are well aware, political races can become very ugly. Often nasty words are spoken. False representations are sometimes publicized by opponents who wish to discredit their contenders. Lies are often told and repeated as facts. As unfortunate as this behavior is for people who are running for public office, it has been this way since ancient Greek and Roman times, and it will continue to be this way because this is the nature of the flesh!

When Paul writes to us, he uses this word eris to depict how flesh erupts to divide families, destroy relationships, ruin churches, and pull apart people who once stood side by side. Those who have been offended are drawn like a magnet to others who have been offended or who feel hurt. Once they discuss their feelings and realize they have similar stories or opinions, it isn’t too long before they start thinking they are right and everyone else is wrong! That’s when they begin the process of building their own platform from which they can divide and promote their own agenda!

The apartment where my family lives in Moscow was vacant for a very long time because the family who owned it got into a terrible family fight about how the apartment should be rented, how much they should charge for rent, what should be done with the rent money, and so on. The family members who were once so close to each other all took sides in the bitter fight, and the quarrel finally divided the family in half! Both sides had their own view and were not willing to compromise. This horrible attitude is exactly what Paul was talking about when he used the word eris in Galatians 5:20.

This case may sound extreme, but it happens all the time in families, churches, and businesses. The word eris (“variance”) depicts a bitterly mean spirit that is so consumed with its own self-interests and self-ambitions that it would rather split and divide than to admit it is wrong or give an inch to an opponent! This is exactly why church splits occur and families frequently dissolve. Most of the issues that bring such division aren’t even that important. But the flesh simply hates to surrender or compromise — to admit it is wrong or to let someone else be right. The flesh would rather blow issues all out of proportion and wreak havoc than to let someone else have his way! Don’t allow this work of the flesh to operate in you!           

Emulations:

Paul goes on to state that “emulations” is also a work of the flesh. This word “emulations” is not used much in our contemporary world, so what does it mean?

The word “emulations” comes from the Greek word zelos, which often denotes enthusiasm, fervor, passion, devotion, or an eagerness to achieve something. It is where we get the word zeal. In a negative sense, it depicts a person who is upset because someone else achieved more or received more. This person is therefore jealous, envious, resentful, and filled with ill will for that other person who got what he wanted. As a result of not getting what he desired, he is irritated, infuriated, irate, annoyed, provoked, and fuming that the other person did get it! In short, you could say that this person is really incensed and ticked off! He can’t rejoice with the other person because he is so jealous.

A perfect example of the negative aspect of the word zelos is found in Acts 7:9, where it depicts the jealousy that Joseph’s brothers felt for him. It says, “And the patriarchs, [Joseph’s brothers] moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt.…” The words “moved with envy” are from the word zelos. This indicates that the brothers were incensed with Joseph. After seeing him richly rewarded over and over again by his father, they couldn’t bear it any longer. Rather than rejoice that their younger brother was so loved, they cringed every time Joseph received a blessing. Eventually, they were filled with so much ill will toward Joseph and were so overcome by their jealousy that they sold him into slavery.

It is very important to note that Acts 7:9 says they were “moved with envy.” This word zelos — envy or jealousy — is such a strong force that it will move you to action when it starts to operate in you. Unfortunately, it will usually move you to do things that are hurtful or that you will later regret. So don’t allow “emulations” or jealousy to work inside you! It is a work of the flesh that brings great hurt and destruction.

Wrath:

Next, Paul lists “wrath” as a work of the flesh. The word “wrath” is the Greek word thumos, which is used throughout the New Testament to picture a person who is literally boiling with anger about something. Although the person tries to restrain this anger by shoving it down deeper into his soul, it intermittently flares up. When it does, it is like a volcano that suddenly blows its top — scorching everything within its reach as it hurls its load of deadly molten lava onto the entire surrounding landscape. Have you ever seen someone blow his top like I’m describing to you right now?

The Greek word thumos (“wrath”) vividly paints the picture. People get hurt, offended, or upset. Rather than take the offense to the Cross and deal with it there, they choose instead to meditate on the perceived offense. The longer they think about it, the more upset they become. Soon they are inwardly boiling. They know if they don’t do something quick to restrain themselves, they are going to say or do something really ugly — so they shove it back down deep inside in an attempt to keep it under control. But if those angry emotions were never properly dealt with in the first place, one day something will happen that triggers their release.

Perhaps this has happened to you. If so, you may think those vile emotions are gone, but if you never let the Lord really deal with them or the situation that created them, they are still lying dormant inside you, just waiting for the right moment to be released. Finally, when that person who made you angry in the first place does something to make you angry again, it will be like someone opens a door on the inside of you, releasing a flood of vile and rank emotions that immediately rise to the surface! That’s when you’ll come unglued, saying things you later regret and speaking in tones you should never use!

The word thumos perfectly illustrates the way the flesh tries to deal with problems. Rather than confront the problem head-on when it happens, the flesh says, “Just shove it down deep, and keep it to yourself!” The problem is, when you shove down unresolved issues, they just keep boiling and boiling deep inside. You may think that the matter is over, but the truth is, those issues are simmering and waiting for the moment of eruption. Even though the flesh is attempting to avoid confrontation, in the end its eruption creates a confrontation more scorching and hurtful than ever. It would have been far better to deal with the issue when it first happened!

I know that confronting people and problems can be challenging, but the mature path is to take care of the problems when they first occur. It is the route of the flesh to delay issues and then to erupt in madness.

If any of the works of the flesh called hatred, variance, emulations, or wrath are trying to operate in your life, it is time for you to put an end to these strongholds right now. Go to the Lord and confess that you have allowed these fleshly works to operate in your life. Ask Him to forgive you; then ask Him to fill you with the power and fortitude you need to say no to these ungodly attitudes. With God’s help, you can allow the Holy Spirit to produce His godly fruit inside you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for opening my eyes to the truth about how You see these works of the flesh. Forgive me for being too tolerant of these areas in my life. Help me to see these fleshly works the way You see them and to detest them as much as You detest them. Teach me to hate sin! Show me how to say no to ungodliness and to yield my mind and my body as instruments of righteousness. After what You have shown me today, I never want to be the same!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I think clean thoughts and that I don’t allow the devil to mess with my mind. My mind belongs to Jesus. It is filled with the Word of God. That Word renews my mind to think God’s thoughts; therefore, Satan has no entrance into my mind or emotions to deceive me with thoughts of sin. I crucify my flesh, and I bring my body under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. I am no longer the servant of sin — I am the servant of righteousness!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever had one of those moments when you erupted and said hurtful things that you later regretted? Were you shocked that such ugly things could proceed from your mouth? What was the immediate result of this behavior? Did it help the situation or make it worse?
2. When this occurred, what did you do to let people know you were sorry for your actions? If you did nothing to let them know you were sorry, what do you think you should have done? If someone did that to you, what would you expect that person to do or say to make it right with you?
3. Have you ever been a part of a church split? If yes, what was the reason for the division?

They Shall Speak With New Tongues!

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.
— Mark 16:17

Regardless of the denomination to which you belong or what you have been taught to believe, it is an irrefutable fact that Jesus said believers would speak with new tongues. In fact, Jesus affirmed that speaking in new tongues would be one of the supernatural signs that would follow believers!

The first example of speaking in tongues is found in Acts 2:1-4, where the Bible says, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Of all the instances where people spoke in tongues in the book of Acts, this is the most famous example — perhaps because it was the first time this phenomenon ever occurred and thus set the pattern for believers to be filled with the Spirit and to speak in tongues. But this instance is very unique from any other instance recorded in the book of Acts, for several miracles occurred that day when believers spoke in tongues for the first time.

There is so much we could write about speaking in tongues; after all, entire books have been written and devoted to this wonderful subject. But today let’s look at the specific events that occurred the first time people ever spoke in tongues.

On the Day of Pentecost, Acts 2:5,6 tells us a “multitude” was gathered in Jerusalem from every nation under Heaven. The word “multitude” is the Greek word plethos, which is used no less than twenty-five times in the Gospels to denote a massive, huge crowd of people. This is very important, for it tells us that far more foreigners were in the crowd than were believers who had been filled with the Spirit. Acts 2:9-11 tells us that in the crowd that day were Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; dwellers of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and parts of Libya near Cyrene; strangers from Rome, both Jews and proselytes; and both Cretes and Arabians.

The believers who had just been filled with the Spirit were speaking in tongues so loudly as they exited the upper room and entered the streets that the entire crowd could hear them speaking. The crowd was amazed at what they were hearing. Acts 2:6 says they were “…confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.”

The word “confounded” is the Greek word suncheo, which means to perplex; to stun; to bewilder; to baffle; to stupefy; to amaze; to confound; or to cause an astonishment that literally throws people into a state of confusion. The word “heard” is the Greek word akouo, which simply means to hear. The word “speak” is the word lalouton, which means to speak, but the Greek tense presents the picture of people continuously speaking in tongues. In fact, this Greek word for “speak” is the same word used to describe someone who speaks fluently in his own or in some other language. This clearly shows us that the believers were speaking nonstop in tongues as they entered the streets that day.

But notice the end of Acts 2:6, where it says every man heard them speak “in his own language.” The word “language” is the Greek word dialektos, which is where we get the word dialect. This means the believers were not heard speaking only in different languages, but with all the specific dialects, idioms, phrases, vernacular, and regional accents that were used in each geographical location from which the listeners came.

Consider this: There were only 120 believers speaking in tongues, and this was a massive crowd of people. So that means this small group of 120 believers must have been speaking in hundreds of different dialects! To know a language is one thing, but to know the different dialects of another language requires years of study and the highest skill. This would be amazing for a group of highly educated language specialists, but for a group of Galilaeans to speak so fluently in so many different dialects was simply unheard of — thus, the reason the listening crowd was so baffled and stunned.

Acts 2:7 lets us know that the majority of the believers who came out of the upper room speaking in tongues that day were Galilaeans, giving further cause for the international crowd to be so confounded. Galilaeans were simple people, not known for their education or wealth. Their labor, work, profession, and way of life were all primarily connected to the region of Galilee, so they had no reason to know many foreign languages. This is why the people reacted the way they did in Acts 2:7: “And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?”

In Acts 2:7, the word “amazed” is the Greek word existimi, which means to be beside oneself or to be out of one’s head. It is the picture of one who is so stunned and amazed that he stands speechless — nearly paralyzed with shock. The word “marvelled” is the Greek word thaumadzo, which means to wonder or to stand in awe of. In our day, we might define it as one who is bowled over by something he has heard, witnessed, or seen. There is no doubt that the crowd that day was perplexed as they listened to these Galilaeans speaking in so many different languages and specific dialects.

But were the disciples supernaturally speaking in known languages that day?

Some have tried to categorically state that those who came out from the upper room that day supernaturally spoke in known human languages. But Paul specifically wrote that speaking in tongues is not speaking in a known language. In First Corinthians 14:2, Paul said, “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him.…” That word unknown is italicized in the King James Version because it doesn’t appear in the Greek text; it was supplied by the translators to affirm that Paul was not referring to known human languages; he was writing about a supernatural prayer language that is known only to God.

According to Paul’s words in First Corinthians 14:13-15, speaking in tongues is a spiritual language — never a known language. It is so supernatural and unknown to man that it cannot be understood, not even by the speaker himself, unless he prays for the ability to interpret what he is saying. Since this is Paul’s very clear teaching about speaking in tongues, it emphatically asserts that on the Day of Pentecost, the believers did not speak in known human languages, but in a supernatural, unknown prayer language, just as believers speak in tongues today.

However, on the Day of Pentecost, a special miracle occurred. The believers spoke in tongues — but by the time that supernatural language reached the ears of the listeners, they “heard” a message in their own distinct dialects. This is why Acts 2:6 says that “…every man heard them speak in his own language.” Acts 2:8 says, “And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?” And Acts 2:11 tells us that the listeners said, “…we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.”

On the Day of Pentecost, the first great work of God was to fill the believers with the Holy Spirit. The second great work was to liberate their human spirits so they could pray in tongues and worship God in the Spirit. The third great work occurred when the believers spoke in other tongues and God supernaturally translated those tongues in the ears of the listeners so that each member of the audience “heard” them speaking in his or her own language.

It is amazing what happens when God’s people open up to let Him work through them! When the believers in the book of Acts were filled with the Spirit and began to regularly speak in tongues, a door to supernatural power was opened. The power unleashed through speaking in tongues is evident throughout the book of Acts and is still in operation today.

There are several instances in the book of Acts where believers prayed and worshiped God in tongues. This was the norm, not the exception — a common practice that was expected to occur in the life of any person who was filled with the Spirit. And just as the early believers freely and fluently prayed in the Spirit, God has enabled us to do the same, if we will but open our hearts, open our mouths, and let our spirits speak to God.

How long has it been since you prayed in other tongues and allowed God’s supernatural power to operate through you? Why don’t you take a few minutes today to pray and praise in the Spirit? It will bring a divine operation of the supernatural into your day!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for filling me with the Spirit and for giving me the ability to pray and to praise You in a supernatural language. My spirit longs to pray, to express itself, and to worship You. My own mind and intellect is so limited that I don’t always know what to say or how to express myself. But when I pray and praise in the Spirit, I am very aware that I am praying perfectly and praising You on the highest level. Thank You for this wonderful ability. I want to pray in the Spirit and to worship You with all of my inner man!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am filled with the Spirit of God and that I regularly pray in the Spirit. God liberated my inner man to speak to Him on the day I was baptized in the Holy Spirit. From that time until now, I have had the ability to speak in a supernatural spiritual language. I refuse to neglect or ignore this ability God has given me; therefore, I regularly pray in tongues. As a result, I am growing stronger and more sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and I have a continual operation of divine, supernatural activity in my life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. How often do you take the time to pray in the Spirit? When you do, how much time do you devote to praying in other tongues?

2. What happens inside you when you pray in the Spirit? Do you see a greater manifestation of power, joy, victory, and personal revelation in your life? What other results do you see when you regularly pray in tongues?

3. If you have never been filled with the Spirit or spoken in other tongues, what is stopping you from receiving this glorious experience today?

They Shall Lay Hands on the Sick

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
— Mark 16:17,18

In Mark 16:18, Jesus said that believers would lay hands on the sick, and the sick would recover. What category of sick people was Jesus talking about? What did He mean when He said they would recover? Are there examples of this in Jesus’ own ministry that we can read and learn from? Let’s look deeply into this verse today to see how it applies to you and me!

First, let’s look at the word “sick,” because this describes the category of sick people Jesus was talking about. This is the Greek word arroustos, which comes from the word arunnumi. The word runnumi normally means to be well, to be strong, to be in good health, or to possess a strong physical condition. When an a is placed in front of this word, it reverses the condition and instead means to be in bad health or to possess a weak and broken condition. It is the image of a person so weak and sick that he has become critically ill. He is an invalid.

The following three scriptures show us examples of times when Jesus healed people who were afflicted with an arroustos type of sickness:

• Mathew 14:14 says, “And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.” The word “sick” in this verse is the Greek word arroustos. Matthew informs us that Jesus was especially drawn to those who were so weak that they were without strength. These people whom He healed that day were invalids.
• Mark 6:5 tells us, “And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.” In Greek, the words “sick folk” also come from the Greek word arroustos. This lets us know that these were extremely sick people. Most readers presume that these were minor ailments, but the word arroustos tells us emphatically that these were critically ill individuals.
• Mark 6:13 says, “And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.” The word “sick” is the Greek word arroustos, which means these individuals were very frail and weak in health.

These examples of the word arroustos vividly show that these were not people who were simply feeling poorly because of some small ailment; these were people who were devastated by sickness. They were so physically weak, so critically ill, and so lacking of strength that they had become invalids. This is the category of sick people that Jesus said believers would lay hands on, and they would recover. He wasn’t talking about headaches and skin abrasions! He was talking about believers laying hands on people who are critically ill and who fall into the category of invalids.

Notice that Jesus said believers would “lay hands” on the sick. These words come from the Greek word epitithimi, a compound of the words epi and tithimi. The word epi means upon, and tithmi means to place. When they are joined to become the word epitithimi, it means to place upon or to lay upon. This word is used in Luke 4:40 to describe one event during which Jesus placed His hands upon sick people.

Luke 4:40 says, “Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.” That evening the people brought to Jesus “any sick.” This word “sick” is different than the other examples we looked at earlier. It is the word asthenios, which depicts a wide range of infirmities. This is why it is further amplified by the phrase “any sick with diverse diseases.”  This represents a wide range of sicknesses, but the word “diseases” lets us know that some of these people were seriously ill. This word  “diseases” is the Greek word nosos, which always conveys the idea of a terrible malady or an affliction of the most severe nature. Often the word nosos depicted a terminal illness for which there was no natural cure. Hence, it could describe people who were terminally ill.

What did Jesus do for these people? He laid His hands upon them, and He healed them. In such cases, Jesus was giving the perfect example of how believers would later lay their hands on the sick — including the terminally ill — and see them be restored back to health as a result of their obedience.

But when you look carefully at Mark 16:18, you’ll notice that Jesus promised recovery. That recovery could be instantaneous, or it could be a process that is prolonged over a period of time. The words “they shall” are from the Greek word echo, which means to have or to possess. But the tense that is used in this verse doesn’t picture something that is instantaneous, but rather something that occurs progressively. In fact, the word “healed” doesn’t speak of an instantaneous event either. It is the word kalos, which in this case means to be well, to be healthy, or to be in good shape. Taken together as one complete phrase, it could be translated, “…they shall progressively feel themselves getting better and better, until finally they are well and healthy.”

This lets us know that all healings do not occur instantly; some of them take place over a period of time. But Jesus’ promise is that if we will follow His example and lay our hands on the sick, God’s power will be released into the body of the afflicted. If we are releasing our faith and believing for healing power to flow from us to the recipient, healing virtue will be deposited into the sick person’s body. Just as medicine slowly works to reverse a medical condition, the power of God that was deposited with the laying on of our hands will begin to attack the work of the devil and progressively bring that sick person back into a state of health and well-being.

Jesus promised that any believer could do this! Any believer, including you, can lay hands on the sick and see the sick get better and better until they are finally restored back to health. All that is required for God to use you in this way are three basic criteria: 1) That you have a desire for God to heal through you; 2) That you have hands to lay on sick people; and 3) That your faith is released to activate the power of God to heal. If you can fulfill these three requirements, you’re ready to get into the healing ministry!

Healing the sick is part of your responsibility as a believer. You cannot do it alone, but the Holy Spirit is present to impart His power when you act in Jesus’ name. So rather than look at sick people and feel pity for them, why don’t you pull your hands out of your pockets and go lay them on those sick people, just as Jesus did when He was ministering on the earth? The Word of God guarantees that God will work with you to bring healing and health to those who are in need. Why don’t you get started healing the sick today?

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You for confidence to lay my hands on the sick. I want Your healing power to flow through me and to be deposited into sick bodies, attacking the enemy’s work until finally those sick people are restored back to health again. In Your Word, it is stated that when believers lay hands on the sick, the sick would be made well again. Today I am making the decision to pull my hands out of my pockets and to place them on the sick so Your healing power can be delivered to others through me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that God’s power is released into the bodies of the afflicted when I lay my hands on them. Just as medicine slowly works to reverse a medical condition, the power of God that is deposited when I lay my hands on sick people begins to attack their affliction, causing them to be progressively restored to health and well-being. Healing the sick is part of my responsibility, so I boldly confess that I am going to lay my hands on sick people just as Jesus did when He was ministering on the earth — and I expect to see them get well! 

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. How long has it been since you looked at your hands and really thought about how God wants His power to flow through them to heal sick people?

2. Have you ever laid your hands on the sick? When was the last time you did so? What was the result the last time you placed your hands on the sick and released your faith to see them get well?

3. If you interviewed the people you have laid hands on in the past, what percentage of them do you think eventually got well? Did you ever stop to think that their recovery may have been due to the power that was deposited into their bodies when you laid your hands on them?

The Works of the Flesh

Now the works of the flesh are manifest.…
— Galatians 5:19

I’ll never forget the day I saw a terrible accident in the former Soviet republic where I lived. Right in front of me, an elderly man dashed into the middle of traffic. The oncoming cars were coming so fast that it was impossible for the drivers to put on the brakes and avoid hitting this elderly gentleman. He was hit so hard by the first car that it threw him over into the next lane of traffic. Before the traffic was finally stopped, four additional automobiles had run over the man’s crumpled body, further crushing his mangled torso.

From where I was situated, I could see the whole ordeal unfold before me. The elderly man lay motionless on the pavement. People began to gather on the sides of the road to see what was happening. A police officer arrived to try to manage the crisis. To my amazement, not a single person went to see if the elderly man was dead or alive. They all assumed he was dead, so no one checked on him.

As a Christian, I felt compelled to go see if the man was alive. If he was still breathing, I wanted to pray for him. I went over to the police officer, who recognized me from my television program, and asked his permission to go see what I could do to help this man. The officer looked at me and laughed. Then he said, “Yeah, you can check on him, if you think it will help!”

I hastened over to the elderly man lying on the pavement. Blood was coming from his ears and nose. From the way his arms and legs were oddly lying, it was evident that nearly every bone in this man’s body was broken. When I looked into his face, my heart ached. I could see the deep lines and the burnt reddish color that so often accompanies severe alcoholics in this part of the world. The lines in his face were deep. He looked like a wrinkled, worn-out piece of leather. It was obvious that this man’s life had been one of misery. I estimated that he must have been approximately seventy years old.

Suddenly I noticed that the man was lightly breathing. I yelled to the police officer, and he quickly responded, calling for an ambulance. They loaded this man’s broken body into the back of the emergency vehicle, and I watched as it drove down the road to transport him to the hospital.

The next week, the local police paid a visit to my office to inform me that the man had died. They wanted me to testify in court about the events that took place that day. Then they told me something that just shocked me — the man who died had only been twenty-seven years old! When the court official told me his age, I had a difficult time hearing anything else that was said in the conversation. I was completely dumbfounded that someone so young could look so old!

When the meeting concluded that day, I sat in my office, still stunned by what I had just learned. According to the appearance of that man’s flesh, I had really thought he was elderly. For him to be so young and yet to look so old, I knew he had lived an unruly life. He had obviously soaked up vodka as if he were a sponge. He had degenerated to such a ruined state that he wandered right into heavy traffic that day and died.

As I pondered on all this, my thoughts went to Galatians 5:19-21, which says, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.…”

When Paul writes about the works of the flesh, he uses the Greek word ergos for “works.” This word signified some kind of action, deed, or activity. Very often it referred to a person’s occupation, to one’s labor, or to the things produced by someone’s effort or life. It described a person’s line of work, his career, his labor, or his profession. It denoted the results of his hard work.

Because Paul connects this word to the flesh, he is telling us something very important! Just like a person has a career or profession and works hard to achieve results, the flesh — if it is allowed to go its own way and do what it wants — will work very hard to produce fleshly results. When the flesh is not surrendered to the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, it will work around the clock, twenty-four hours a day, to produce fruit that is hurtful, damaging, and even deadly. This is the occupation of the flesh.

The word “flesh” used in Galatians 5:19 is the Greek word sarx, which is used mostly in Paul’s epistles to depict sinful impulses and carnal cravings. Paul uses the phrase “works of the flesh” to give the idea that the flesh has its own mind and desires. If a believer doesn’t crucify the flesh and keep it under control, it will eventually manifest those evil desires. In other words, the flesh will go to work!

Paul says, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest.…” The word “manifest” is the Greek word phaneros. It means to appear, to manifest, to become visible, to become apparent, to become seen, to be well known, or to become conspicuous. By using this word, Paul tells you that if you let the flesh have its way, it will jump at the chance to manifest its evil desires and carnal cravings. In fact, the flesh is so carnal and base that if you don’t stop its activity, it will even try to lead you into adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and other similar vices.

When a little baby is first born into the world, he looks so pure, so innocent, so clean. But if that child is abandoned to the control of his flesh, he’ll end up in crime, scandal, alcoholism, or drugs and become bitter, hardhearted, and filled with malice and strife. Why? Because these are the fruit that the flesh produces. This is why it is so important to teach our children and to train ourselves to mortify the deeds of the flesh and live in subjection to the control of the Holy Spirit.

The twenty-seven-year-old man whom I saw killed that afternoon was once a beautiful, pure-looking baby boy. His proud mother and father had probably carried dreams in their hearts of what their infant son would one day become. But at the age of twenty-seven, this same person looked like an old man, with deep wrinkles in his face and the appearance of a severe alcoholic. There he lay, crushed on the highway — a wasted life. The flesh had its way in that man’s life and led him to destruction — the place where flesh always wants to go.

You may not be an alcoholic or a drug addict, but let me ask you this: Are you allowing your flesh to dominate your attitudes or your relationships? Are you giving way to the carnal impulses of bitterness or anger that the flesh wants to produce inside you? If you give in to these impulses, they will destroy your relationships, make you hardhearted, and fill you with negative attitudes that steal your joy and your peace.

You see, a life dominated by the flesh is a hard life. It is filled with excess, imbalance, extremity, laziness, self-abuse, hatred, strife, bitterness, irresponsibility, and neglect. The way of the flesh is the hardest route for any individual to take; yet the flesh cries out to be in charge, screaming to have its own way, demanding to be the boss. Unless you take your flesh to the Cross and mortify it by the power of God, it will keep screaming until you finally surrender to it and allow it to produce its ruinous effects in your life.

In the next several Sparkling Gems, I want us to look very carefully at the works of the flesh that Paul specifically listed in Galatians 5:19-21. But remember — if you crucify the flesh and choose instead to walk in the Spirit, you can produce fruit in your life that is just the opposite of the works of the flesh. You can yield the sweetest, most wonderful fruit imaginable. You can live in a way that is godly and beneficial and that truly makes a difference in other people’s lives.

So make the decision today that you are not going to take the route of the flesh. It really is the hardest way to go! Turn your attention to the Holy Spirit, and determine to let Him produce the life of Jesus Christ in you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, help me to mortify the deeds of the flesh and to reckon myself alive unto God! I have walked in the flesh long enough; now I want to walk in the Spirit. I no longer want the flesh to have its way in my life. Instead, I want to let the Holy Spirit produce the life of Jesus Christ in me. I know that I ultimately make the decision of what is produced in my life, so please help me to consistently say no to the flesh and to say yes to the Spirit of God!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that it is no longer I who live, but Jesus Christ lives in me! The life I now live in the flesh, I live for the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I am His temple. I am His instrument. I refuse to allow the old flesh nature to dominate me. I willfully surrender my mind, my thoughts, my emotions, and my flesh to the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. As I yield to Him, He purifies me and makes me a worthy vessel for the work of God’s Kingdom!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of areas in your life where you have intentionally or unintentionally allowed the flesh to retain its control over you? What are those areas, and what do you plan to do to bring them under the control of the Holy Spirit?

2. Is there any specific area in your life that has been more difficult to conquer than others — a habit, a thought, or some secret deed? Can you see how the Holy Spirit has been trying to help you bring that area of your life under control?

3. How do you respond when the Holy Spirit convicts you of wrongdoing or wrong thinking? Do you ignore His voice, or do you go before the Lord in prayer and ask Him to help you overcome it?

If They Drink Any Deadly Thing, It Shall Not Hurt Them!

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them.…
— Mark 16:17,18

In yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, I mentioned a religious group in the remote hills of some states that “takes up serpents” and passes them around the congregation to demonstrate the strength of their faith. They believe that if their faith is strong, they will not be bitten. And if they are bitten, they use this as an opportunity to prove that a snake bite will have no effect on them.

But in Mark 16:18, Jesus went on to say, “…and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them….” Based on these words, this sincerely misled group also deliberately drinks deadly poisons, such as strychnine and arsenic. Just as they take up venomous snakes to prove the strength of their faith, they intentionally subject themselves to deadly poisons for the same purpose. They actually believe Jesus intended for Christians to consume lethal chemicals to prove that when their faith is strong, such substances will have no effect on them. But is this really what Jesus meant? Let’s look at this verse to see what Jesus was talking about!

The word “drink” is actually the Greek word pino, which means to drink or to consume. Although this word usually refers to drinking, it can also picture a person who is consuming something, such as meat or some other kind of food. The word “deadly” comes from the Greek word thanasimos, a derivative of the word thanatos, which is the Greek word for death. However the word used here in Mark 16:18 describes something that is deadly or fatal. The word “any” is the small word ti, which means anything. This means that Jesus wasn’t referring only to liquid chemicals, but to anything that is deadly or fatal, including chemicals or foods. Hence, this part of the verse could be translated, “…and if they consume anything that would normally be fatal.…”

Jesus continued by saying that if a believer consumes something fatal while he is on a God-sent trip, this fatal substance “shall not hurt them.” The word “hurt” is the Greek word blapto, which means to weaken, to disable, to hurt, to harm, or to injure. It depicts something that is probably not powerful enough to kill, but strong enough to make one sick or ill. Because the word thanasimos (“deadly thing”) is also used in this verse, it tells us that Jesus meant this: “…and if they consume anything that would normally be fatal, or anything that would usually make a person sick, it will have no effect upon them.…”

Remember that Jesus was speaking to followers whom He was going to send to the farthest ends of the world. To fulfill this assignment, they would be required to eat foods they had never seen before. In fact, their journeys to pagan lands would no doubt necessitate that they eat foods they previously considered to be dirty or unclean. For them to take the Gospel to new places meant they would have to eat “mystery food” — not knowing where it came from, who killed it, how long it had been dead, who cooked it, how clean or dirty the kitchen was in which it was cooked, or what effect the food was going to have on their stomachs.

Remember, the Lord had previously told His disciples, “And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give…eat such things as are set before you” (Luke 10:7,8). If the disciples had rejected what their hosts had prepared for them, they could have greatly insulted or hurt them. Therefore, Jesus said in effect, “If your hosts have prepared the best they can give you, eat it with joy!”

As one who travels worldwide, I can personally tell you that sometimes it is difficult to eat what is set before you! But when you look into a plate of food that looks scary, you must shut your eyes, bless that mess in Jesus’ name, lift your fork from the plate, open your mouth, insert, and eat the “mystery food” by faith!

I’ve seen individuals come on mission trips expecting to eat the identical kinds of food they eat at home. When they discover they can’t have the same food, the same restaurants, the same blend of coffee, and so on, I’ve seen them get very upset. But they’re not at home! They are on the other side of the world where those kinds of foods don’t even exist! If a person is going to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, he must be prepared to eat food that is prepared at the ends of the earth!

This is precisely the reason Jesus told His soon-to-be world travelers that if they consumed anything deadly or sickening, it would have no effect on them. Jesus wasn’t encouraging His disciples to deliberately consume poison; rather, He was assuring them of the divine protection that is available for those who take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

But as noted earlier (see July 7), this promise belongs to “those who believe.” If you want this promise of protection from bad foods or fatal substances, you must release your faith and activate this promise. So before you sit down to eat, take a few minutes to bless that food. Call it sanctified, and speak nutrition and health into it. Then eat the food, believing that it will only bless you and that nothing negative can happen to you as a result of eating it!

Jesus provided everything needed for those of us who would follow His call to the ends of the earth. He provided us with supernatural protection from disasters, calamities, snakes, scorpions, and all the works of the enemy. He also promised traveling mercies and protection from acts of injustice. He even guaranteed that if we accidentally consume bad foods or deadly substances, they wouldn’t weaken us physically or injure our health.

It’s time for you to quit worrying and start believing that Jesus meant what He said. If God is giving you an assignment that takes you to a foreign state, a distant country, or an unfamiliar culture, just keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and get going! God isn’t going to send you somewhere so you can eat something deadly and die! Rebuke that spirit of fear, and release your faith! Don’t let the devil keep you trapped at home because you’re afraid you won’t like the food. The Gospel and the power of God is much stronger than any meat or drink!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for giving me the courage to go wherever You want me to go. I rebuke fear; I reject intimidation; and I decide by faith that I can do anything and go anywhere Jesus wants to send me. Holy Spirit, fill me with Your power and help me think with a sound mind! There’s so much that Jesus has for me to do, and I don’t want to waste a single minute. Thank You for helping and strengthening me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I boldly declare that I am protected from bad foods or fatal substances! When I sit down to eat, I take a few minutes to bless my food. I call it sanctified; I speak nutrition and health into it; and then I eat it, believing that it will only bless and strengthen my body. Jesus has provided supernatural protection from disasters, calamities, snakes, scorpions, and all the works of the enemy. He promised me traveling mercies and protection from acts of injustice. God isn’t going to send me somewhere so I can die! I rebuke the spirit of fear — and I press forward into the divine life of Jesus Christ!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. How do you think people in other nations are affected when after preparing their best food for their guests, they watch the guests turn up their noses and act like the food is so disgusting that they cannot consume it?

2. Do you pray over your food before you eat?

3. How does today’s Sparkling Gem affect what you are going to do in the future concerning food that has been prepared for you?

They Shall Cast Out Devils!

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils.…
— Mark 16:17

I have had to deal with demonic manifestations on several occasions in my ministry. I remember one time when a young Satanist teenager came forward at the end of one of my meetings in a large church. That night this young man had come to realize that Satan’s powers had taken his mind captive, so he came forward to receive prayer and to be set free.

As I prayed for this one and then that one, I could visibly see from a distance that this particular young man was sending forth spiritual signals of a very strong, evil presence. As I came nearer to him, I sensed that he had been involved in some type of occult activity.

When I finally reached the young man, he looked up at me through eyes that were so tightly squeezed together, they looked like nothing more than little slits in his face. Looking into his eyes, I felt like a demon was looking back at me from behind his face. When I saw this young man’s condition, I knew he was serious about being helped. It had taken a great deal of determination for him to shove that manipulating force aside and forge his way down to the front of the church auditorium.

As I laid my hands on the young man that night, his body began to violently shake as it reacted to the power of God. Trembling under the weight of God’s power, he fell to the floor, crumbling down right next to my feet. Lying there under the electrifying power of God that was surging up and down his body, he cried out, as though something was trying to exit his body. As I leaned over to pray for him a second time, the horrible demonic influence that had held him captive immediately released him and fled from the scene.

This is just one instance of dealing with the demonized that I’ve encountered during our years in the former Soviet Union. We have had so many instances that I couldn’t begin to count them. When atheism took over, the people turned to psychic phenomena to satisfy their spiritual hunger. As you can imagine, that opened the floodgates for demonic activity in thousands of people’s lives.

So what do we do when we confront a demonic infestation in someone’s life? We take authority over it in Jesus’ name and cast it out!

In Mark 16:17, Jesus said, “…In my name shall they cast out devils.…” The word “cast out” is the Greek word ekballo, which is a compound of the words ek and ballo. The word ek means out, and the word ballo means to throw. When compounded into one word, it means to throw out, as to evict someone from a place; to drive out; or to expel. Historically it was used to describe a nation that forcibly removed its enemies out from its borders.

The word “devils” is the Greek word daimonion, meaning demons. In Jesus’ time, it was widely believed that demons thickly populated the lower, denser regions of the air and that these demons were the primary cause of most disasters and suffering that occurred in the earth. It was believed that demon spirits came into contact with humans primarily through occult practices, such as magic, spells, necromancy, or by one’s participation in religious paganism, which centered around such occult activities.

It is worth noting that the world in which Jesus lived generally believed that demon spirits were the chief cause for mental sickness or insanity. The ancients also firmly believed that demon spirits were ordered and arranged with an entire hierarchy of power. This agrees completely with the picture that Paul gives us in Ephesians 6:12, where he describes the rank and file of the devil’s kingdom (see June 10).

Today we tend to think of casting out demons in terms of ordering a demon spirit to leave a person’s body or mind. Certainly this is one aspect of casting out demons, and we need to be quick to take authority over demons in this way when we recognize their activity. We see examples of Jesus expelling demons in various places in the Gospels. Examples include:

• Matthew 8:16, where it is written, “…and he cast out the spirits with his word….” The words “cast out” are also from the Greek word ekballo, meaning to forcibly throw out. It tells us that Jesus literally kicked these demons out of people’s lives!
• Matthew 9:34, where even the Pharisees acknowledged Jesus’ authority over demon spirits. It says, “But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils.…” These words “casteth out” are also from the word ekballo, which means even the Pharisees recognized that Jesus literally tossed demons out of people’s lives.
• Matthew 10:1, which says, “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out.…” Once again, the words “cast them out” are from the Greek word ekballo. Not only did Jesus expel demons from people’s lives, but He commissioned and anointed His followers to do the same.

Mark 16:17 makes it very clear that casting out demons is a responsibility that every believer possesses. Jesus never went looking for demons, and neither should we. But when they appear, we are to act as Jesus would act — taking authority over them and kicking them out of people’s lives, thus setting the people free from demonic control.

Demons were also considered to be the chief force behind occultism, sorcery, witchcraft, and paganism. Therefore, the removal of these practices was viewed to be another facet of casting out demons. This is why events like the one recorded in Acts 19:18,19 was so serious. It says, “And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.”

Notice that verse 18 says these new converts came and showed their “deeds.” This word “deeds” is from the Greek word praksis, which definitely refers to magical arts, incantations, spells, or any item or activity connected with witchcraft or sorcery. Verse 19 then speaks of those who had been involved in the “curious arts.” This comes from the Greek word periergos, which refers to everything connected to the practice of witchcraft or sorcery.

This verse also tells us that the people “…brought their books together, and burned them before all men….” The word “books” is the Greek word biblios. Today our idea of a “book” is like the one you are reading right now. But in ancient times there were no hardbound books; instead, the word biblios referred to scrolls or parchments. These scrolls and parchments were extremely expensive because the information contained in them was written by hand. But because these new converts wanted to cast out all demonic activity from their lives, they “…burned them before all men….”

The word “burned” is the Greek word katakaino, which means to completely burn or to thoroughly burn. This was done as a public declaration that they were permanently removing these objects from their lives. They were kicking evil out from their midst and publicly announcing that they could never turn the clock back and return to these past activities. Once those books were burned, it meant evil had been cast out of their lives.

So when you think of casting out demons, don’t think only of taking authority over a yelling, screaming demon and ordering it to leave an individual. Part of casting out demons is also removing anything associated with magical arts, incantations, spells, or any items or activities connected with witchcraft or sorcery. If you study Church history, you will find that early believers were so convinced that this was vital to the removal of evil that they defaced the pagan statues and destroyed places of pagan religious practices.

As you deal with people who have been demonized, take authority over those evil spirits and cast them out. Jesus has anointed you to do this, and you can do it. But don’t forget that breaking all ties to occult practices is also a part of the process. Cleanse the person, and then cleanse the environment!

Removing every evil item in one’s possession is a part of true deliverance and repentance. So be sure to burn all bridges to the past to show that you are truly casting all evil from your presence — and help those to whom you are ministering do the same!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, give me the courage to speak up and take authority over demons! Your Word declares that You have given me power over all unclean spirits. I am ready to use that power to bring freedom into people’s lives who are bound. Help me know how to best minister to people who fall into this category so that their freedom can be full and complete!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I boldly confess that I have authority over all evil spirits. I have no reason to be afraid of them! Jesus gave me power and authority over all the works of the devil. When I am confronted with a demonic manifestation, I speak to it, take authority over it, and cast it out in Jesus’ name!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of a time when you encountered a person who you believe was genuinely demonized? What was your immediate reaction when you realized you were being confronted by an evil spiritual entity speaking through another person?

2. Have you ever taken authority over a demon spirit and commanded it to leave another person’s life? If yes, what happened? If no, is there a reason you’ve never used the power and authority Jesus gave you to do this?

3. Had you previously considered the removal of occult items and objects as a facet of casting out demons? What do you think about this, and how does it affect your view of the objects you have in your home or apartment right now?

Idolatry and Witchcraft

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft.…
— Galatians 5:19,20

When people hear the word “idolatry,” they almost always visualize a great, carved stone statue of a pagan god, with wild, naked natives dancing in the light of a huge fire burning at its base. But is this what the apostle Paul had in mind when he included “idolatry” in his lists of the works of the flesh?

Idolatry:

The word “idolatry” is from the Greek word eidololatria, which means the worship of idols. However, it is a compound of the words eidolon and latria. The word eidolon is Greek for a manmade idol; a heathen edifice; a pagan statue; or an image of a false god. Such idols were an offense to God in the Old Testament, and they were forbidden to believers in the New Testament. God’s hatred of idols is clearly demonstrated in First Samuel 5:1-4. The Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant, which represented God’s Presence, and sat it on a ledge right next to an idol of the pagan god called “Dagon.” When the Philistines came into their pagan temple the next morning, the Ark of the Covenant remained high on its ledge, but the statue of Dagon lay on the ground. The Philistines put their idol back in place; but the next morning they found Dagon lying on the ground again, facing downward with its head and hands cut off. God refused to share space with a false god!

The second part of the word eidololatria (“idolatry”) comes from the Greek word latria, derived from the word latreuo, which means to work or to serve. However, it primarily has the meaning of one’s extreme devotion and service to something he worships. In a positive sense, it is used in the Old Testament Septuagint to depict the service of the priesthood. The priests faithfully served and fulfilled their duties in the temple, believing that part of their worship was the manner in which they served.

In Romans 1:9, Paul says, “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit.…” The word “serve” is the word latreuo, which means Paul, like the Old Testament priests, viewed his service to God as a part of his worship. As a New Testament priest, Paul’s service to God was the highest goal of his life. This is the reason he served God with all his spirit — because serving God demanded his best efforts, his best work, and his undivided attention. This was how Paul viewed his worship and service to God.

When Paul wrote Romans 12:1, he used the word latreuo again. This time he said, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” The words “reasonable service” are from the word latreuo. This implies that because of all God has done for us, it is just and fair for us to serve Him with our undivided devotion. This is one of the principal ways we worship Him. So when Paul declares that yielding our bodies as living sacrifices is our “reasonable service,” he is emphatically telling us that it is reasonable for us to give our very best efforts and our complete, undivided attention to the service of God.

However, when the word latreuo is attached to the word eidolon, it forms the word eidololatria, which depicts the worship of idols, or simply put, idolatry. The act of idolatry transpires when an individual gives his complete and undivided attention, devotion, passion, love, or commitment to a person, project, or object other than God. When something other than God takes first place in that person’s mind, he has entered, at least to some measure, into the sin of idolatry.

If you don’t mortify the flesh by the power of God’s Spirit, it won’t be long until you are preoccupied with other things that steal the devotion and passion that should belong only to Jesus Christ. If you’re not extremely careful, your family, spouse, parents, children, friends, job, dream or vision, profession, possessions, school, church activities, or even your own talents will unintentionally become the focus of your worship and service. You’ll find yourself serving in your own self-consumed priesthood, giving your best effort and your undivided attention to the fulfillment of your own self-interests.

So let me ask you: What do you think of more than anything else? What consumes most of your thoughts? What do you live for? Your answer will probably tell you what you worship most in your life. You don’t have to own a carved stone statue of a pagan god in your living room in order to be an idolater. If you are attempting to place any other person, project, or object in your life on the same level with God, you are probably committing a form of idolatry. If this is the case, it won’t be long until God does something about it. Just as He shoved Dagon off that ledge and decapitated him in First Samuel 5:1-4, God will do something radical to get your attention! He will teach you that He is not willing to share His position of Lordship in your life with anything or anyone else!

Make sure that Jesus remains the primary focus of your life. God isn’t against you possessing any of the things mentioned above —family, spouse, parents, children, friends, job, vision, profession, possessions, school, church activities, or personal talents — but God is against any of those things possessing you!

Jesus promised that if you would seek the Kingdom of God first, God will make sure you have all those other things (Matthew 6:33). Therefore, refuse to allow your flesh to take you down the road of self-worship, the worship of family, or the worship of material things to such an extent that you commit the act of idolatry.

Witchcraft:

Now let’s turn to the subject of “witchcraft.” Paul lists this next as one of the works of the flesh. The word “witchcraft” is from the Greek word pharmakeia, the Greek word for medicines or drugs that inhibit a person’s personality or change his behavior. We would call these mind-altering drugs. The Greek word pharmakeia is where we get the words pharmaceutical drugs or the word pharmacy. This word was used in connection with sorcery, magic, or witchcraft. But why was this word used in connection with witchcraft, and why would Paul use this word to depict the works of the flesh?

When the Church of Jesus Christ was being established in the first century, paganism ruled the Roman Empire. These were dark, demonic, pagan religions, of which one prominent feature was the use of drugs to alter the state of one’s mind.

Heathen worshipers would come to the pagan temples to find relief from their sicknesses, mental stresses, or a myriad of other personal problems. Rather than confront the real needs of the heathen worshipers and identify real solutions for their problems, the priests of these pagan religions poured hallucinogenic drugs into vials of wine, stirred it all together, and then gave the mixture to the worshipers to drink. After the recipients were medicated and under the influence of these mind-altering drugs, the priests would send them home, telling them that they would feel better. However, once the drug wore off, the worshipers still found themselves facing the same or even worse problems.

The only way these seekers found relief from their problems was to return again and again to the pagan temples for more doses of drugs. The drugs gave the people temporary relief but offered no permanent solution. The priests were powerless to heal and incapable of solving anyone’s problems. All they could do was keep dousing the worshipers with more drugs, thus temporarily altering the state of their minds and giving them a brief respite from their problems and pain. These priests were charlatans who tried to literally hypnotize people into believing their problems had gone away. But the truth is, they never dealt with the root of the problems and therefore did nothing but prolong the pain of those they pretended to help.

How does this apply to you and me today, since people in our modern-day society no longer go to pagan temples to worship? The flesh behaves the same way the pagan priests behaved in the illustration above. It doesn’t know how to fix itself or anyone else. In fact, the flesh doesn’t even want to be fixed. The flesh will try to convince a person to ignore his problem, to hide it with some superficial covering, or to drink alcohol and take drugs to make himself feel better. The alcohol and drugs may give that person a brief hiatus from reality, but when their effects wear off, he will still have the same problems to deal with that he had before.

People who refuse to look at themselves and find out what needs to change often develop chemical dependencies in their efforts to avoid seeing the truth. You see, the flesh hates confrontation. It doesn’t want to look into the mirror to see the truth. If the flesh is confronted and forced to look squarely at itself, it will have to acknowledge the real problem. Rather than look the facts squarely in the face, the flesh tries to run, to hide, to sleep, to consume itself with recreational activities — anything to stay busy, to keep from slowing down long enough to think about vital issues. In other words, flesh would rather try to learn how to cope then to be crucified and changed!

I am not giving you medical advice. If your doctor has prescribed medication for you, be faithful to take your medication. However, I am giving you spiritual advice. Don’t let your flesh tell you that you can keep covering up your problems with temporary solutions. Those temporary solutions will eventually wear off or run out, and when they do, the same ol’ you will resurface again.

What will you do then? Are you going to be like the heathen worshiper who keeps running from place to place, trying to find another temporary solution? Or are you going to let the Spirit of God deal with you and change you forever?

The Holy Spirit wants to identify the root of your problem and rip that ugly thing clear out of your soul. He wants to bring permanent change to your life. But for you to receive this soul-cleansing work of God, you will have to make your flesh shut up and move out of the way. And after you tell your flesh to be silent, then you’ll have to allow God to speak truthfully to you. This will demand that you spend time looking into the mirror of God’s Word so you can see what is wrong and what needs to be changed.

If you’re willing to do all this, God’s Spirit will set you free. Yes, your flesh will scream in pain; but when it does, just take authority over it and tell it to be silent. It is screaming because it knows that it is losing the power it has always exercised in your life!

So for our purposes in today’s world, the word “witchcraft,” from the Greek word pharmakeia, would refer to the flesh’s attempts to avoid being confronted and changed. In fact, the flesh would rather be told a lie than confronted with the truth! It wants someone to stroke it and to assure it, “You don’t need to change! Here, let me make you feel better! Just ignore those wrong things in your life, because if you ignore them long enough, they will somehow go away!” Doesn’t that sound just like someone on drugs?

Friend, it’s time for you to quit playing these games and to let the Spirit of God really deal with you. If you’ve allowed your flesh to keep you on the run from your problems, or if you have committed idolatry by worshiping something or someone else more than Jesus Christ, today is the day for you to stop what you are doing and get your heart right with God. Don’t you think that right now would be a good time to do this?

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to walk in the Spirit and to mortify the deeds of the flesh! I don’t want the flesh to have the superior role in my life that it has had in the past. I know that if Your Spirit empowers me, I can say no to the flesh and to its demands to control my life. I am tired of struggling with the same old sins again and again. So right now I am asking You to help me see the truth about what needs to change in my life. Once I see the problem, give me the courage to tell that work of the flesh that it is going to die. Then help me to fully embrace the new life You are wanting to release inside me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I boldly declare that I am no longer dominated by the flesh; instead, I walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. There is therefore no condemnation for me! I am careful to read my Bible and to hear the truths that the Holy Spirit wants to show me. When I become aware of areas that need to be changed, I quickly ask Jesus to release His power to transform me. Instead of running from the truth, I run to the Cross to find permanent solutions for the problems I confront along the way.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Is there anything in your life that you worship more than Jesus? Don’t lie to yourself about this, because Jesus knows the truth anyway. Why don’t you take a few minutes to ask the Lord to show you anything in your life that you worship more than you worship Him?

2. Have you ever known a person who refused to see the truth about himself? Instead of facing the truth and embracing change, did this person run from place to place or from person to person, trying to find assurance that he was “okay” and didn’t need to change?

3. If that person is you, what are you going to do about it now that you know your flesh is causing you to run all over the place in order to avoid the truth that can set you free?

They Shall Take Up Serpents!

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents.…
— Mark 16:17,18

In the remote back hills of some states, there are religious groups who literally “take up serpents” as a part of their church services. These groups have taken Jesus’ words in Mark 16:17 and 18 literally, where He said, “And these signs shall follow them that believe…they shall take up serpents….” Based on this scripture, these people have concluded that Jesus was actually ordering believers to “take up serpents” as a way to demonstrate the strength of their faith!

Back behind the pulpit and next to the wall in these churches are cages that contain rattlesnakes and other poisonous snakes. At a preappointed moment in the church service, the cages are popped open, the snakes are brought out, and those who are daring enough pass those serpents from one person to the next. But is this what Jesus was talking about when he said believers would “take up serpents”? Of course not!

Let’s consider the times in which Jesus uttered these words. Then we can better see how these words of Jesus apply to us today.

The word “serpents” is the Greek word ophis, which was used to depict snakes. Snakes were considered to be dangerous and life-threatening creatures. People were especially afraid of snakes because the road system at this time was very much undeveloped. This meant people often had to blaze their own trail to get to some cities or remote places. Hiding in the rocks or grasses were dangerous and poisonous snakes that frequently bit travelers, causing premature death. These snakes were a concern to all travelers, especially to those traveling by foot.

In Luke 10:19, Jesus said, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” When Jesus uttered these words to His disciples, it was right after He had commanded them to go into the harvest fields of the world to reap the souls of men (see Luke 10:2-11). This verse was Jesus’ supernatural guarantee that when they went to preach, they would have divine protection against serpents, scorpions, and anything else the enemy might try to use to stop or hurt them. This is why Jesus concluded by saying, “…nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

But notice that in addition to serpents, Jesus also mentioned scorpions! The scorpions in the Middle East were extremely feared because they were loaded with deadly poison. One sting from the tail of such a scorpion, and a person could be permanently paralyzed or even killed. When people took journeys by foot, the prospect of encountering a scorpion was just as scary as the thought of snakes. Scorpions hid in the rocks and in the ruts in the road. Therefore, sitting on the wrong rock or accidentally stepping on the wrong spot in the road could result in disaster.

Jesus’ promise to His disciples that they would “tread upon serpents and scorpions” was very important! The word “tread” is the Greek word pateo, which simply means to walk. Jesus was telling them that even if they walked right over a scorpion or snake, they didn’t need to worry because He was giving them special, supernatural protection against these natural dangers. This was a specific promise of protection for those who would be journeying long distances or through rough terrain to preach the Gospel!

To make sure the concerns of all travelers were completely covered, Jesus added, “…and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” The word “hurt” is the Greek word adikeo, which means to suffer injustice or to suffer some kind of wrong or wrongdoing. This was the Lord’s promise that we need not fear injustice or wrongdoing when we have been sent into His harvest field. In fact, the Greek uses a triple negative in this phrase. It literally says, “…and nothing (first negative), no (second negative), by no means (third negative) will injure or harm you.” Jesus said this in the strongest terms available to assure followers that if they go into the whole world to preach the Gospel, they will be divinely guarded from all forms of evil.

Now let’s go back to where we began today in Mark 16:17,18. Jesus said, “These signs will follow them that believe…they shall take up serpents….” What did this mean to the disciples, and how does it apply to you and me today?

For the disciples, it meant they were divinely guarded by the power of God. This divine protection was so powerful that even if they were to be bitten by a deadly snake or a highly venomous scorpion, it would have no effect on them. An example of this can be found in Acts 28:3-6 when the apostle Paul was bitten by a deadly viper. Paul simply shook off the snake into the fire and went away unharmed (see June 25).

You see, Jesus gave His disciples supernatural protection because He was sending them to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Things that would normally injure or kill others would have no effect on them whatsoever. Since they were required to walk by foot through dangerous and rough terrain, this was a very important promise!

What does this have to do with you and me? First of all, it has nothing to do with passing rattlesnakes around a congregation! Although believers who do this may be sincere, they are sincerely wrong. This is foolishness and presumption. Jesus never intended for us to deliberately endanger ourselves!

But if we go in Jesus’ name to carry the Gospel to parts of the world that are considered to be unsafe, it does mean that God’s power will protect us! We may not deal with serpents and scorpions like the early believers did, but there may be times when we are required to fly on rickety airplanes, drive on dangerous roads, pass through highly volatile areas, or work in regions that are considered dangerous.

But as noted earlier (see July 7), this divine protection is activated in those of us who believe that God’s promise of protection will work for us. Whenever we enter dangerous territory in fear, doubt, and unbelief, we are likely to get in trouble. But if we will go believing and claiming that God’s protection is ours and that the enemy can’t do anything to hurt us, our faith in this promise will activate it and cause it to be manifested in our lives!

The bottom line is this: Before we ever take a mission trip, move to the mission field, or go anywhere considered dangerous for the sake of the Gospel, we need to make certain that we believe and actively claim the divine promise contained in this verse!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I believe Your Word to be true! By faith, I claim that there is nothing the enemy can do to injure or hurt me when I am traveling to take Your name to a new part of the world or to people who do not know You. Thank You for this promise of divine protection for my life! I am so grateful that You have shielded me with Your power and that the enemy cannot destroy me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that God’s power shields and protects me from every attack of the enemy! If I am required to fly on rickety airplanes, drive on dangerous roads, pass through highly volatile areas, or work in regions that are considered dangerous, I will be safe. Regardless of the conditions I am forced to face in order to take the name of Jesus to people who have never heard, God will be with me. He will protect me every step of the way. I believe and claim God’s protection; therefore, the enemy cannot do anything to hurt me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of examples when people whom you personally know were supernaturally protected by the power of God — in other words, when something catastrophic happened but had no effect on them?

2. If you know of someone who was hurt on a mission trip, do you know if that person was in faith for that trip? Was he actively believing and claiming divine protection, or did he just get up and go without first making the trip a matter of fervent prayer?

3. In light of what you have learned today, how will you change your approach to the trips on which the Lord sends you to share the Gospel with others?

Are These Signs Following You?

And these signs shall follow them that believe.…
— Mark 16:17

Moments before Jesus ascended to the Father, He told the disciples, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17,18).

According to Jesus, these supernatural signs are supposed to follow those who believe. Since you and I believe, that means these signs are supposed to follow you and me! So let’s look carefully at this supernatural list to see precisely what Jesus said to us.

First of all, the word “signs” comes from the Greek word semeion, which described the official written notice that announced the final verdict of a court. It also described the signature or seal applied to a document to guarantee its authenticity and a sign that marked key locations in a city.

Jesus was sending His disciples into the world to preach the Gospel. As He sent them forth, He said that God’s signature would be upon their ministry. These “signs” were to be the signature of God — the official declaration that they were sent by Heaven and that the Gospel message was true. For unbelievers, these “signs” would authenticate the fact that this was no manmade message, but a message straight from God Himself. And just as street signs point a traveler in the right direction, these signs would point the unbeliever to the Lord if he would only pay heed to them.

The specific signs that Jesus mentioned are as follows:

• They will cast out devils.
• They will speak with new tongues.
• They will take up serpents.
• If they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them.
• They will lay hands on the sick, and the sick will recover.

The Lord said that these signs would “follow” those who believe. The word “follow” is the Greek word parakoloutheo, from the words para and akoloutheo. The word para means alongside, as to be near or in a close proximity. The word akoloutheo means to follow or to go somewhere with a person, as to accompany him on a trip. When the word para and akoloutheo are joined to form one word as in this verse, it means to tirelessly accompany someone; to constantly be at the side of an individual; to always be in close proximity with a person, like a faithful companion who is always at one’s side.

Because the word parakoloutheo has such a strong sense of following someone, it eventually came to convey the idea of discipleship. A true disciple faithfully follows his teacher anywhere he goes and is committed to his teacher’s instruction.

This picture of commitment to another person — of someone’s faithfulness to follow and his determination to never be out of step with his leader — is very significant in the context of this verse. It tells us that signs and wonders are to faithfully follow us and the Gospel message. These signs and wonders are continually to be in step with us and with the message we preach. To preach without these miraculous signs should seem very strange to us, for God intended these signs to persistently follow us and the message anywhere and everywhere we go.

These signs are God’s signature that the message is true. Hence, every time the Gospel is preached — whether at church, on the mission field, in a large crusade, in the bus or subway, at your job, or at the grocery store — you should expect these supernatural signs to be present in some form. These signs should accompany you everywhere you go because they are a part of your spiritual equipment, faithful partners of the Gospel message!

But if this is true, why don’t we see more of these signs following Christians? The answer to this question is found in Jesus’ words in Mark 16:17. He said, “And these signs shall follow them that believe.…”

I want to draw your attention to the word “believe.” Because of the tense used with this Greek word, this verse would be better translated, “These signs shall follow them that are constantly believing.…” In other words, these signs don’t come automatically just because a person once walked the aisle and gave his heart to Jesus. These signs follow those who are constantly believing for them to occur. If a Christian isn’t believing for these signs to be manifested or expecting them to follow him, they probably won’t. Like everything else in the Kingdom of God, signs and wonders are activated by faith.

Through the years of my ministry, I have observed that people who regularly experience the miraculous are those who regularly expect to see it. Rather than being passive, they are very aggressive about pushing forward in the Spirit to see the miraculous manifested in their lives or ministries. Those who press forward and release their faith to see the supernatural are the ones who see more of it than anyone else. Because they are believing for signs and wonders, they often see them manifested in their lives.

The number of signs and wonders that follow you will be determined by how intensely you are constantly believing for them to be in manifestation. As noted above, everything in the Kingdom of God is activated by faith. If you’re not releasing faith for the miraculous to occur, very little of the miraculous will be in manifestation in your life. If you want signs and wonders to faithfully follow you, you must be constantly believing for them to happen!

So when you preach and share the Gospel, expect things to happen!

• When you pray for the sick, expect them to be healed.
• When you confront someone who is demonized, expect that person to be set free.
• When you are in a situation that requires the miraculous, expect the miraculous to occur.
• When you need protection, expect God’s hand of protection to be upon you.

If you haven’t been experiencing the supernatural in your life, it may be a signal that you haven’t been releasing your faith to see signs and wonders follow you. Remember, these signs always follow wherever the Gospel is preached and believers are believing for them to occur. This was Jesus’ promise! He guaranteed that God’s supernatural signature would be on anyone who preaches the Gospel and who opens the way for the supernatural to come to pass by believing.

Today I want to encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to rekindle the flame in your heart to see the supernatural signature of God on your life, your church, or your ministry. God wants to show up when you preach or share the Gospel. He wants to authenticate and guarantee that the message you preach or share is truly Heaven-sent. But for the miraculous to occur, He needs you to be constantly releasing your faith — for it is your faith that activates the supernatural!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I prayerfully admit that I haven’t been expecting signs and wonders to follow me as I ought to be expecting them. From this moment onward, I release my faith for the miraculous to follow me when I preach or share the Gospel with unbelievers. Holy Spirit, let the power of God flow and confirm the message! Let God’s signature be all over the Gospel that I preach. Because I am constantly releasing my faith for the miraculous to follow me wherever I go, I expect to see people healed, blind eyes opened, and captives set free by the power of God!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that signs and wonders follow me! I am intensely hungry to see the miraculous, and I am constantly believing for it to be in manifestation. Since everything in the Kingdom of God is activated by faith, I release my faith right now for supernatural signs to be manifested in my life! I am among those who are constantly believing for the miraculous to happen. When I preach the Gospel, I expect signs and wonders to follow that authenticate the message and supernaturally meet the needs of those who are listening to me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of a time when you were sharing the Gospel and something supernatural happened, such as someone getting healed or God miraculously intervening in a situation to let an unbeliever know that God was speaking specifically to him?

2. Are you hungry for the supernatural, or have you been passive about seeing signs and wonders manifested in your life? How long has it been since you’ve earnestly prayed for signs and wonders to be a part of your life?

3. Do you have a desire to see the miraculous manifested in your life? If that desire has become dormant, why don’t you take a little time today to ask the Holy Spirit to rekindle this desire in your heart?