Sunday, January 21, 2007

Why Signs?

“And Jesus said unto them, Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My Name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak in 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 16:15-18

Why did Jesus say signs? He could have said works, but Jesus said signs! Jesus said that signs would follow us because we are the living testament that God is real and that He has come to dwell as one with man! People see God through us; they see works and actions that man is incapable of! God does His miraculous works through us and only God can perform the works of God. “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doth the works.” John 15:10 Jesus told the people clearly that it was not Him alone doing the works, but that it was God doing the works through Him! And then to confirm His testimony, Jesus told the people to look at the works that were happening through Him. “Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works sake.” John 15:11

We should say the exact same thing as we are ministering. “People believe that we are saved and believe that we are in God and that He is in us through Jesus Christ our Lord; or else believe that we are saved and united with God because it is God working within us and we are not harmed by deadly drinks or snakes. Believe that we are saved and united with God because devils flee from us, believe because we speak in new tongues, and believe because God leads us to lay hands on the sick and they recover!” Jesus told the people to believe because of the works they saw God performing through Him, and Jesus tells us that we will see the works of God being performed through us. Signs prove to the world that we are saved: signs both for us and for the entire world to see. “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word. That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.” John 17:20-21 We are one with God, just as Jesus is One with God. Now stop right there, we are one with God just as Jesus is One with God, when you think of Jesus and God, you too should think of you and God. That is why Jesus came, so that we could enjoy the exact same unity with our Father that our Lord and Savior enjoys! That is why Jesus freely went to the Cross! Jesus went to the Cross so that all separation between man and God would be eliminated. And as Jesus was used by God as a sign of His presence and His love, so shall we be used as a sign! Jesus didn’t come and minister with just Words, even though His Words are eternal. Jesus came in action and in deed, and God doesn’t change, He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow! “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8

Signs will follow all who believe and are saved!

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