Q2. The Power of the Holy Spirit

[Reuben]

Q2. (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5) Why is the Holy Spirit’s working so necessary to effective ministry? What happens when the main power behind our ministry is will-power? What is the role of miracles in Paul’s evangelism? What would happen if we saw miracles in evangelism in our day? What is hindering this?

The Holy Spirit is what convicts us , and this is what makes us listen and then we have the free will to respond. The Holy Spirit is what makes the words from the teacher sound like music to the ears. You want to keep listening and absorbing and when you see people with that light and obvious influence of the Holy Spirit , you feel you want some of that yourself.

Will power is relying on self. We know we have to be in partnership with God the Father, who makes the Holy Spirit our teacher and guide , so we have this rather than self.

Paul says it himself, they saw the power of God, and the ones that are in doubt will have no uncertainty that there is a powerful Spiritual presence when seeing miracles. The ones that are certain of the faith will see this and they will only grow stronger, and tell others. That is what we do when something amazing happens, we tell others, we become witnesses and spread the Good News.

The same would happen now as it did then, and it is happening. We see big and small miracles and we tell others as we should, and you will have some look and think and believe, ( not denying the power), and others that will try to rationalise.

Faith in the truth of miracles still existing could be lacking, once again , having a form of Godliness, but denying the power of it. Self would always be an issue as well. By this I mean that we humans think we are so clever, smart, advanced, etc. etc. , and science is the absolute truth so there "seems" to be an explanation for everything, and if we don't have the answer, we theorise, rather than giving glory to Gods power.

[Jonathan Edwards]

In our age of rationalism and unbelief, people don't see a true demonstration of the power of God.  All throughout church history, signs and wonders followed the preaching of the Gospel:. ministries of St Francis of Assisi and the early Franciscans, St Vincent Ferrer and St Thomas, Apostle to India.  Countless others thereafter, preached the Gospel and believed in God for miracles.

1 Corinthians 2:5 is our guidepost!   We need the gifts of wisdom and knowledge in the ministry.   Many times it will be day by day fulfillment of our Ministerial responsibilities; quietly and dutifully we go about preaching, witnessing and persevering as a mother goes about her daily chores maintaining her home.  In God's time and way, God will direct us.  Perseverance is truly the work of the Holy Spirit.

[Jonathan Edwards]

In our age of rationalism and unbelief, people don't see a true demonstration of the power of God.  All throughout church history, signs and wonders followed the preaching of the Gospel:. ministries of St Francis of Assisi and the early Franciscans, St Vincent Ferrer and St Thomas, Apostle to India.  Countless others thereafter, preached the Gospel and believed in God for miracles.

1 Corinthians 2:5 is our guidepost!   We need the gifts of wisdom and knowledge in the ministry.   Many times it will be day by day fulfillment of our Ministerial responsibilities; quietly and dutifully we go about preaching, witnessing and persevering as a mother goes about her daily chores maintaining her home.  In God's time and way, God will direct us.  Perseverance is truly the work of the Holy Spirit.

Will power and human ingenuity can only go so far.    Unless the Lord builds the house, they who labor, labor in vain.  A true lesson learned.   I have personally seen that the spiritual formation system of my former college can only go so far.   It was up to my former college classmates to grab the torch and carry on with apostolic endeavors.  Sadly, a number of these former classmates went off the tracks into doctrinal errors.

The role of miracles was integral in Paul's ministry.   Many Thessalonians we're  former worshippers of idols and were imbued with false narratives of their pagan gods.   The day that they heard the true Gospel with signs following.  Just ACTS 4:12 and myriads of Bible texts about JESUS CHRIST.  True miracles that bore witness to veracity of St.Paul's preaching. Many got saved and were baptized!

If there were miracles today, many would come to the Gospel.   Expository preaching is very important as it was for the Apostles; however, something about miracles grabs the hearts of unbelievers or lukewarm Christians.  The ministry of Katherine Kuhlman will always remain in my memories. Ms Kuhlman had such a deep belief in God's power to heal.!  

The Thessalonians had faith, not dead, speculative, or professing faith, but real, living, active productive faith.  Lack of this type of zealous faith is one of major causes of the lack of miracles.  The new converts we're set free from idolatry and from All sorts of immoral behaviour; they put on Christ when they were baptized into Christ.  They had a new song, a new expectation of the miraculous.

 

 

Edited April 6, 2023 by Jonathan Edwards
Had to complete my assignment

[Krissi]

I've been reading a book on the First Great Awakening. Clearly, at that time, the Spirit was moving here and there, skipping over some churches while becoming a mighty presence in others. The awakening wasn't caused by Whitfield or Tennett, but by the Spirit -- it's spokesmen were mere mouths. 

Whitfield/Whitefield was an incredibly gifted speaker in the natural, one of the best of his time. But his natural giftedness was not enough, as he knew. (Interestingly, he continually worked at keeping his ego in check which gave the Spirit room to work.). His natural gifts or will-power would probably have created churches and ministries, but they would have faltered and sputtered without the Spirit. 

Paul was not afraid of miracles and so let the Spirit do miracles. He never seemed to hinder miracles. Yet Paul was a man of words. He preached. He talked to people. He didn't let the miracle exist without explanation of the power behind it. The goal seems to be the knowledge of Jesus and then, only subsequently, a miracle or two solidifying that faith. Maybe, though, people are brought to know Christ through miracles. We always want explanations, no?

I wonder if miracles can occur without our consent. I hope so. I hope God bypasses our minds and wills, at times, and just does what has to be done.

I have never seen a healing or some sort of undeniable miracle. I would like to. I would like to see God's power displayed in this manner. Without seeing a miracle performed or knowing anyone who has experienced a miracle, it's difficult to know what to do and how to do it. I've seen people who claim to be prophets or apostles, and want to believe their claims, but there's a little hesitation in me, a step back. My faith falters at their claim. 

I pray for His intervention in my life and the lives of others. In a way, God's intervention in itself is a miracle. God downreaching to His children, to help and comfort them is a miracle.