"God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled." Acts of the Apostles 19:11-12 NLT).
Paul was a man who was full of the Holy Spirit. We talk, in our time, about being filled with the Holy Spirit, but often we minimize the power of God to just an unction or feeling. He is a person. He is the presence of God. God is limitless. He is Omnipotent (has all power - see Matthew 28:18 and Revelation 1:8). He is with, and in, all who truly know Jesus as Lord! He wants to manifest Himself to us in His greatness. He is so much more than we realize. God has given us His Spirit to be a deposit of Himself until we see Him face to face. "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory."(Ephesians 1:13-14 NASB). God created us, in the beginning, to have His Spirit in us. Genesis 2:7 declares "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."(Genesis 2:7 KJV). The Spirit of God is God's breath. The Word, Spirit, in the original language means breath. When Adam sinned, the Holy Spirit departed. Man, no longer had the life of God in him. God's voice was heard calling in the garden of Eden. "When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the LORD God among the trees. Then the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:8-9 NLT). Man was now lost. The Spirit of God no longer dwelt in man. The only hope for restoration was redemption. The only acceptable price was a perfect sacrifice. Jesus was the only hope of redemption. He came to live among us, as God, yet a man. The Spirit of God was in Him without measure. Through His redeeming sacrifice, we have the privilege to have the Holy Spirit indwelling us again. Being born again means to have the Holy Spirit breathed back into you. (See John 3:1-7). After Jesus resurrection, He gladly gave the Spirit to His disciples. Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit."(John 20:22 NLT). On the day of Pentecost, the church received the power of God, the Holy Spirit. O, how God wants to do so much through His saints. Let's' believe Him for greater things. (see John 14:12). He is looking for someone to use in unusual ways. Paul was a great man, but we must remember that he was a man just like us. God can use us too. Do you believe?
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![]() Rev. Curtis Norris Archives
March 2020
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