What is the nature of the power of the Lord?
Discussion question for December 3, 2010.
We identified that healing comes from a convergence of faith and power. Where does this power come from? How is the power general in nature, with universal application? How is the power specific, with individual application? Who can have this power? How are power levels affected?
Here’s my summary of our discussion.
The power to heal came from the Holy Spirit. Jesus received the Holy Spirit as He came up from being baptized, and operated in the power of the Holy Spirit throughout His ministry. The disciples were able to do similar signs and wonders when Jesus sent them out (the 70 and 72) because He conferred on them the Holy Spirit for that purpose. As long as they were with Him, or operating under His authority they had power to heal and cast out demons.
In John 20 Jesus tells the disciples to “receive the Holy Spirit” which happened in the upper room after He rose from the dead. It wasn’t until ten days after He ascended that they had a manifestation that they had received the Holy Spirit. Since Pentecost, the Spirit has been poured out on all believers.
Power comes to any believer that is willing to yield to the Holy Spirit. Jesus only did the miracles and signs that He had permission to do from the Father. As His disciples, we are to be similarly obedient in how we use the power.
Power management includes receiving power, as Jesus did through prayer times especially at night. It seems like He was recharging the power for the coming day, and then working off that charge. He had the capacity to pray all night, whereas the disciples had less capacity. We can receive more power through prayer and the Word of God.
Power management also has to do with fellowship. It appears that the power is cumulative among believers, and that having more people together, in agreement in prayer, presents a greater outpouring of that power. Great power would be expected among a group of believers that were united in faith, abiding in Christ, yielded to the will of God, and sharing that spirit with one another.
There seems to be a relationship to the power and the focus with which it is applied, and this is represented by the outcome. If a man in ministry is too diffused, trying to spread power in too many places, it will decrease the effect on any one situation. This is anecdotal, but seems true enough to act as a caution against being grounded in too many places.