"Power"

Acts 1:8 - In Jesus final words, He said, ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

It is futile to try to live a Holy, righteous, Christian life without the power of the Holy Ghost.

Example:

A car without an engine is useless. You can speak to that car until you turn blue in the face. We can say all kinds of words, but that car is going no where until we install an engine in it, put gasoline in the gas tank. A fuel pump must pick up the gasoline from the fuel tank, pump it to the engine; then the electricity must travel through  the ignition coil, which delivers tremendous electrical power to the electrical distributor; and the spark plug wires carries the fire from the distributor to the spark plugs. The spark plugs ignites the fuel inside the engine and causes explosions that cause the pistons to go up and down inside the cylinders, and causes the engine to roar to power. Then that car can go down the road 50 - 100 or even 200 miles an hour. But without the power that car is useless. 

Example:

A jet airplane - without the engine and jet fuel, it is of no use without the engine and the fuel. But when the fuel is ignited inside the engine, that engine roars to life and that airplane can take up to 300 passengers to 30,000 feet in the air and travel thousands of mile and land at an airport on the other side of the world with all ease, because of the tremendous power of the jet engines. - It is useless without the power.

Example:

Intercontinental ballistic missiles can carry a tremendous pay load across the world and land within a few yards of its target. But without the power of its many systems working together, that missile is useless, it would never get off the launch pad.

When I was in the Air Force in Germany, I was assigned to a Missile Squadron. The Missile crew practiced day and night to be combat ready. We would go to the bomb dump and take a nuclear war head to the launch pad, attach the war head to the missile, run the missile up with the engines revved up full blast, just as if it was really going to be launched. Then we would take the war head off, take it back to the bomb dump, and repeat the process over and over again, 24 hours a day practicing for combat readiness, to be ready for the time if and when they would really be used in was. Jesus said, be ye also ready, for in such an hour as you think not the son of man cometh.

Example:

Even the old horse and buggy would have been of little use without the power of the horse. Take for instance the old plow. Until you hooked a team of horses, or mules, or a yoke of oxen to that plow, the field is not going to get broken up. But when you hook a team to that plow, then the ground gets broken, and the crops planted, but it all depends upon what kind of power is put to that plow, as to how much is going to be accomplished.

Take the lawn mower for instance, you could drag that lawn mower all over the yard, but no grass is going to be cut until you start the engine that turns the cutting blade. It is just as simple as that. - No power - no results.

The power of hydraulics is tremendous. You can move many tons by hydraulic cylinders; but without the electrical power to turn the motor, which turns the hydraulic pump, which pumps the fluid to the cylinders, nothing happens. But all of these working together, produces tremendous power.

If this same power be in you that was in Christ, it shall quicken your mortal body. Without the power of the Holy Ghost our rocket ship won't get off the launch pad. Gravity must loose its force. You must have a greater force than gravity or you are not going anywhere.

It is easy to get large crowds, by telling them to repeat a prayer like a Polly Parrot and then telling them that they are ready for the rapture. This draws crowds, and gets large numbers, but it leaves the people powerless. - Man is almost making himself God. 

It is so sad to hear a preacher preach a sermon, and hundreds and even thousands of

Honest Hearted People come down and repeat a few words after a preacher and then be told that they are as good as in heaven, as if they were already there. This gives them a false hope. 

Matt. 10:22 Jesus said, he that endure to the end, the same shall be saved. We speak very loosely, this word saved. After we obey Acts 2:38 we are in a saved condition, but we can't say we are truly safe until we have lived the Christian life all the way to the end. For instance, the seven churches spoken of in the book of Revelation. They had to be over comers. We can't live in sin and be saved at the same time. Without the Holy Ghost, we don't have the power to live above sin. I'm sorry, but it is just as simple as that. Jesus said, you must be born again of the water and of the spirit. Water Baptism is absolutely essential to remit our sins. Hebrews 9:22; Acts 2:38
Baptism for the remission of sins. 

Jesus said to the Pharisees, woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him two fold more the child of hell than yourself. Matt. 23:12-15. He believes he is ready for the rapture, so it is almost impossible to convince him that he needs anything more. So the rapture takes place and he doesn't have the power for liftoff. Romans 8:11; Romans 8:22-23.

They are made to believe that they receive the Holy Spirit, by repeating a few words after a human being. This can't be found in the Bible. It absolutely can't be found in the scriptures. God said, if you speak not according to this word, it's because there is no light in you. Isaiah 5:20; Isaiah 8:20; Deut. 4:1,2; Ephesians 2:20; Ephesians 4:11; Revelation 22:18,19; Deut. 12:32. We must speak according to what is written in the word of God. No more, no less. 

We must not teach the doctrines of men for the doctrines of God. Matt. 15:9; Mark 7:7; Col. 2:22; I Tim. 4:1; Heb. 13:9; Matt. 5:17-19; Deut. 12:32.

Moses said, after my death the people will do evil in the sight of God. Deut. 32:29. The Apostles gave the same warning that there would come false prophets and false teachers, not sparing the flock. 

Romans 8:9-11 But if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His spirit that dwelleth in you. I Corin. 15:51,52 At the rapture. Oh God help us to be ready. We must have the power of the Holy Ghost to get off the launch pad. Mans tradition and theology won't do. 

Jesus told His Disciples not to leave Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. Some would say they received this power of the Holy Ghost in John 20:22, when Jesus breathed on them and said receive you the Holy Ghost. They did not receive it then because in John 7:38,39 the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. The Holy Ghost was poured out after Jesus ascended into Heaven, in an upper room in Jerusalem in Acts 2:1-4, on the day of Pentecost. We must not treat the Holy Ghost as an added attraction, because without the power of the Holy Ghost, we won't get off the ground at the rapture.

Please read your encyclopedia and it will tell you that the early church all preached and taught repentance, baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and receiving the Baptism of the Holy Ghost as the born again experience.

In Romans 10 this church had already obeyed Acts 2:38. It was a well established church that was established in the book of Acts. Acts the 28th chapter. These Epistles were written to churches, brethren. The epistles were written to saints, that had already obeyed the plan of Salvation. Paul believed and taught Acts 2:38 as the plan of salvation. Example:  Acts 19:1-6 Paul would not tell the Ephesian church one thing and then tell the Roman church something else for the plan of salvation. It was very important to Paul in Acts 19:1-6. The first question was - have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? The second question was - How then were you baptized. This was very important to Paul. 

In Romans 10 Paul was still talking about law and grace, the Jew and the Gentile. Paul is saying the Jews are no different from the Gentiles in the new covenant. If the Jew would let go of the law, the old covenant, and embrace the new covenant, if they would believe on Jesus and accept him as their Messiah, that they could be saved. If they would call on the Name of the Lord as Joel promised in Joel 2:28, that they would be saved the same as the Gentiles. Another way of saying whosoever will may come and drink of the waters of life freely.  Peter said, this is that that Joel spoke of. 

Not that a person should repeat Romans 10:9,10 as a plan of salvation. Jesus said, not everyone that says Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven Matt. 7:21. - Notice Matt. 7:13-29.

He that endures to the end, the same shall be saved. Matt. 10:22. Jesus said, search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and they are they that testily of me. John 5:39,40.

We must study to show ourselves approved, rightly dividing the word of truth . II Tim. 2:15.

Paul said in the last times men would have a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. When we tell people that they are saved without the Holy Ghost we are denying the power. The Holy Ghost is the spirit of a departed one. The definition of a ghost is the remaining spirit of a departed one. John 14:15-18; John 15:26; John 16:7; John 14:26; Col. 1:25-28. The Holy Ghost is the spirit of Christ Romans 8:9-11.

The Bible, if we will prayerfully search the scriptures absolutely does not teach us that we can be saved without obeying Acts 2:38. This is the New Testament plan of salvation. This is that. Joel 2:28; Isaiah 28:5-18. 

1. Matt. 28:18-20 - Jesus final instructions.
2. Mark 16:15-19 - Jesus final instructions.
3. Luke 24:44-53 - Jesus final instructions.
4. Acts 1:6-15 - Jesus final instructions.

They obeyed and went to Jerusalem, into an upper room where the Holy Ghost fell. He is coming back after the same kind of a church that He left. That early church had the power of the Holy Ghost in them.

The book of Romans wasn't written for many years after the out pouring of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. It grieves God to see honest hearted people, who really want to be saved, come down and repeat a few words from a human being, and then told that they are saved. There is an experience in repentance, but we need more than repentance. When we truly accept Christ, we accept all that He said, and all that is written about Him in the law, and the prophets and the psalms. Luke 24:44-53. We must not mislead the people any longer . Don't give them a false hope. God has given you this vast audience for you to preach the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. We know that there is something missing and this is what is missing. 

We don't coach people and try to tell them how to receive the Holy Ghost. We preach the word and God will take care of the rest. If we tell people to roll their tongue in their mouth and get their tongue twisted and make sound, this is not the Holy Ghost, it is self twisting its tongue. We can't speak in tongues any time we want to. Tongues comes as the spirit of God gives the utterance. On the day of Pentecost they didn't know what to expect. They were waiting for the promise of the father, and suddenly the Holy Ghost fell, and they began to speak with other tongues as the spirit of God gave the utterance. We can't pray in tongues at will. We pray in tongues as the spirit speaks through us. Romans 8:26. There is no power in our own will, that's us, not God, if we roll our tongue and profess to speak with tongues. We need the power of God, not the power of flesh. We don't seek tongues, we seek for the Holy Ghost through true repentance and having our sins washed away by His blood by baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ. We may or may not have to seek a long time. But when the real Holy Ghost comes you will know that you have received the power of God. Christ in you. You will truly become a new creature, old things are passed away and all things are become new.

Paul said in II Timothy that in the last day men would have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof. He said from such turn away II Timothy 3:5, and in verse 7 he said, they were ever learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth. II Tim. 3:1-7. 

John 16:13 The Holy Ghost will guide you into all truth, but we must allow him to lead us and guide us, and not say my mind is made up and don't confuse me with the facts.

In II Timothy 4:1-8 Paul is charging Timothy to preach the word, because the time would come when men would not endure sound doctrine. Men would heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, that they would turn away from the truth, and turn to fables. Men are teaching fables instead of truth today. We can't teach fables and still say we have come out of darkness into His marvelous light. It is a marvelous light, but we must make sure we are living in that light. 

Jesus said because the Pharisees thought they could see they were blind. They had eyes to see, but they couldn't see. Their own traditions had them blinded. Men teach tradition for doctrine. Example:  The trinity doctrine didn't come into being until 325 AD at the council of Nicea under Constantine. Men got together and formed their own doctrine, and that tradition remains until this day. Look up trinity and baptism in almost any encyclopedia and it will tell you that the early church all believed in one God, and Jesus Christ was that one God come in the flesh. The body is the son, He got His body from Mary and His life from the spirit of God. Matt. 1:18-23.

In Matt. the 10th chapter, Jesus is giving the disciples their marching orders. He is telling them what to expect. He is like a general giving orders to his lower ranking officers what to do when then went into battle, as if to say, this is your instruction and this is what you can expect to happen. These instructions line up with his final instructions Matt. 28:16-20, Mark 16:14-20, Luke 24:44-53, Acts 1:1-11.

In Isaiah 28:10-12 precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little and there a little; for with stammering lips and another tongue shall he speak to this people. To whom He said this is the rest wherewith you may cause the weary to rest, and this is the refreshing yet they would not hear. 

In Matt. 11:28-30 Jesus said come unto me all that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart; and ye shall find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

In Isaiah 28:12, Isaiah said this is the refreshing, and in Acts 3:19 Peter said repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Get your vessel ready, repent, clean up your life, and be ready for when God pours out his spirit. Be an empty vessel, because God will only fill empty vessels. Matt. 3:1-12 John wanted to see some fruit before he baptized any one. Matt. 3:8-10. Gods church is a Holy church Matt. 3:1-10. Malachi 1:6-14; Malachi 2:1-17; Malachi 3:1-18. Then comes the plight of those that did it their own way Malachi 4:1. Then in verse 2 of Malachi 4 but unto you that fear my name, shall the son of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 

We absolutely must obey Acts 2:38 to be in the rapture. Gods word is plain. Yes, we can come to the Lord just as we are as His spirit draws us, but we must leave all of our sin baggage at the foot of the cross. We are saved from our sins, not in our sins. Jesus didn't become sin for us that we could continue in our sins. He took our sins in His own body on the cross. He shed his blood for the remission of sins. You can't be a sinner and a Christian at the same time. We are not a sinner and a saint at the same time. Oh how we need to prayerfully read the Epistles from Romans to Revelation. These were letters written to churches, telling them how to live the Christian life after they have received the born again experience. Also we need to read the entire book of Deuteronomy, which are Moses last instructions, before his death, just before they crossed the Jordan into the promised land. In I Corin. 3:16 Paul said, know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and the spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy:  For the temple of God is Holy, which temple ye are. In verse 18 it says let no man deceive himself. If any among you seem to be wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise. The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. Matt. 11:6 Jesus said, blessed is he that is not offended in me. 

He is coming after a clean bride, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Without the spirit of Christ which is the Holy Ghost, Christ in you, the hope of Glory, we have no hope of heaven. Without repentance, baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of our sins and receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost, which is Christ in you the hope of glory. Romans 8:8,9 Without the spirit of Christ you are none of his. When we get the revelation of this and the backbone or the internal fortitude to preach and teach this truth, then and only then will we walk in the power of God. Then and only then will we be included in the great outpouring of the Holy Ghost in the great end time revival.

First we must preach fervently against sin; as the Apostles did in the Epistles. We must call sin, sin and declare that the wages of sin is spiritual death. Sin will send your soul to the lake of fire, where the fire never shall be quenched and the worm dieth not. Some men's sins go before them to the judgment, and some men's sins will follow them to the judgment. I Timothy 5:24. I want to send my sins on before me to the judgment. 

God will not fill an unclean vessel with the Holy Ghost. John the Baptist came preaching repent. He was a voice in the wilderness preparing the way for the Lord. Repentance and baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ prepares the way for the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he can't enter or see the kingdom of God. You must be born again, of the water and of the spirit. It does not mean repeat Romans 10:8:9,10. In Romans 10 Paul is still teaching the difference between Law and Grace; the Jew and the Gentile. Paul is simply saying that the Jews could be saved if they would let go of the law and its works, and embrace Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.   Another way of saying whosoever will may come and drink of the waters of like freely. Romans 10 was never intended for a plan of salvation, by repeating Romans 10:8-10; and then telling people a simple prayer prepares them for the rapture.

Until we turn from men's traditions and to the true plan of salvation in the book of Acts we will not be a part of the great end time revival. We must not continue to embrace tradition instead of truth. We must always leave the Bible in it's proper context. We must study to show ourselves approved, rightly dividing the word of truth. Search the scriptures you think you have eternal life and they are they that testify of me Jesus said. They that believe on him as the scripture has said, Genesis to Revelation, precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little Isaiah 28:9-18. 

How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? We won't escape if we neglect this great plan of God. God has a plan, and that plan is repent, turn from sin, walk in newness of life; applying the blood of Jesus Christ by Baptism in His Name and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the spirit of God gives the utterance, and living a Holy, righteous, Godly life. Be Ye Holy for I am Holy says God. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. This is quite a statement. Jesus said be ye perfect as my heavenly father is perfect. This would be impossible without the Holy Ghost living in you and guiding you. Many people preach these truths and don't live them. Some preach Christ of contention and debate, instead of love but we must preach the gospel with love, if we are to be successful in winning the world for Jesus Christ. Paul said I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one who will believe it. To the Jew first and also to the Greek. The gospel is the power and demonstration of the Holy Ghost I Corin. 2:1-5; Acts 20;26,27 Paul said, wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the council of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Consider who has spoken these things. Jesus Christ himself. God almighty. The councilor, the everlasting father and the prince of peace. The I am that met Paul or Saul on the road to Damascus, that said, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for you to kick against the pricks. Consider Paul's answer, and what happened to him. In the 19th chapter of the book of Acts Paul was preaching Acts 2:38. He asked, have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? Then, how were you baptized? They had already repented, but repentance is just part of the born again experience. This is the reason our churches are so powerless. The birth must be completed, or the baby is stillborn. 

A dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. I must be called, and chosen, and faithful to him. He called me to be a watchman and I am declaring what I see under the inspiration of almighty God. I will answer to him someday.

We can be so busy in the work of God, that we forget the God of the work. God said all souls are mine, I take no pleasure in the death of any soul. Souls are being starved to death because of the lack of the true bread of life. The church is so anemic it is pitiful, and God is not coming after a sick, anemic church, but he is coming after a glorious church, that has made herself ready. God is coming after a beautiful bride, not some decrepit old crow, but one that is healthy and waiting and looking for him, without spot, or blemish or any such thing. He is coming after a church that is longing for his return.

Isaac knew his wife by the gifts he had sent to her. Jesus is going to be looking for the gifts that he has sent to his bride. She is going to be a clean bride, one that has been faithful to the wedding vows, one that has loved him only and has sought only to please him and not another. He is a jealous God, a jealous bride groom.

It's about time to hear the midnight cry, behold the bride groom cometh, go ye out to meet him. I want to be ready, don't you? It's time we get down to business and tell the people the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, by God's help. Time is running out. It's time to get a people ready for the coming of the Lord. There is a song that says, People get ready, Jesus is coming. 

I believe that God has called you to the kingdom for such a time as this and if you fail to go before the King, to save the people; God will bring salvation from another place, but remember what Mordecai told Esther if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall enlargement and deliverance arise from another place; but thou and thy fathers house shall be destroyed. Let's be like Esther and say, if I perish, I perish. And like David when he went to fight Goliath, is there not a cause. Wicked Haman is plotting to destroy Gods people but he is going to hang on his own gallows.   Satan hates the word of God. He hates the plan of God. He hates Gods people because they refuse to bow down to him. Gods plan will come out on top every time.

The three Hebrew children came out of the fire without even the smell of smoke because they refused to bow to the King's image. If we will not bow to Satan's devices we will someday shout on the hills of glory. God said if we would humble ourselves that he would exalt us, but if we exalt ourselves we would be abased. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

God said oh that man could realize that he is only a man. We are just little pebbles in the hand of an almighty, all powerful God. Please let's throw ourselves on his mercy. Cry out to God and ask him to open our understanding. 

Jesus said, a bruised reed will he not break, and a smoking flax will he not quench. If we have just a little bit of strength, he will make us a pillar in the house of God. If our fire has almost gone down to the smoking flax he wants to blow on that little spark and make it a flaming fire. The angels are ministering spirits, and his ministers a flaming fire. Oh let him blow on that little spark, and become a great fire for God. God don't anoint programs, he anoints men. God ask Israel, why will ye die Oh house of Israel, let us awake out of sleep and realize that it is high time to wake out of sleep, and lift up our heads, for our redemption draweth nigh. God gave you this ministry to reach the world, not so you can see and be seen, and make money and get rich. We are going to give an account of our stewardship when we stand before God.