WORKING THE WORKS OF GOD

Jesus demonstrated the power He was giving His disciples in the miracle of the withered fig tree (Matthew 21:19-20) and then gave them this great promise:

…Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Matthew 21:21-22)

Jesus delegated His authority. We have the tools. We can speak to mountains and they shall be removed — mountains of oppression, sickness, depression, and pain.

When confronted with the sick, brokenhearted, and captive, could it be that we have used the excuse, “I don’t have any power to heal,” because, in reality, we are not in touch spiritually with the divine flow?

Look at Peter in the third chapter of Acts. He said, “Such as I have!” No matter how you interpret it, it comes out the same: “Such as I have!”Peter had the authority and he used it just as Jesus did: He spoke the word! He said, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk” (Acts 3:6). Jesus spoke the Word and it was accomplished. Peter and the other disciples spoke the Word and it was done. We may speak the Word with that same authority, with the same invincible forces behind us.

The word “authority” in the Greek is exousia which literally means “to be out.” “Ex” means “out of” and ousia means “being.” One writer has defined it as “the ability to go beyond oneself.” It is used of that authority which a person has which is delegated to him from someone else. The Greek word also denotes complete mastery, superhuman power, complete jurisdiction.

The person delivering the authority is in a sense out of himself and acting in and through the person to whom he has delegated that authority. Do you see how totally powerful this is?

Jesus has delegated His authority to us. He lives in us, acting in us and through us. In this sense, we are out of ourselves, we go beyond ourselves and we are in Him, the Lord working with us (and through us) with signs following. That is why the methods of the disciples were so powerful, decisive, and so dynamically effective.

Look at your hands. Let the Lord work through your hands, as the disciples did.

They grasped the keys. They spoke the Word. They acted in the power and authority of God Himself. Such a method can never fail. It works the works of God.