A Nugget from New Life Network
(excerpts from Dr. Larry Ollison)
Scripture for the Day (April 21, 2016)
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: (1 Corinthians 2:4)
The world is entertained with movies, games, and sporting events, but movies, games, and sporting events will never transform an alcoholic, will never heal the crippled, or restore a broken life to fullness. Only the revelation of the Word through the demonstration of power by the Holy Spirit will accomplish this.
One of the greatest deceptions of the modern church is the idea that to attract the world, we must show the world that we understand them by looking like and acting like them. The tolerance of sin through the searing of the conscience (1 Timothy 4:1-2) dulls the message of the gospel and eliminates the need for repentance. Of course, we do not want to be condemning and judgmental, but we cannot accept or ignore sin in order to draw the world to the church.The Holy Spirit does not condemn man (John 3:17). Man has already done that to himself (John 3:18). But the power of the Holy Spirit through the manifestations of the gifts of the Spirit and the lifestyle of the fruit of the Spirit will shed light into the dark places and expose the sin. Then once the sin is exposed, without condemnation but through love, the choice can be made to repent and turn away from the darkness of the world.
I have seen Christians spend hours trying to intellectually explain to a nonbeliever why they must repent. While it is good to share the Scriptures, we must never forget that the revelation of the Scriptures only comes through the work of the Holy Spirit. Remember, Paul said that spiritual things could not be understood by the natural mind (1 Corinthians 2:14). This is why Paul did not approach people only through natural persuasive words of wisdom, but by the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:4).
I was brought up in a denomination that did not believe in the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit. It was just a dead religion which I rejected and went the way of the world when I was old enough to do so. It wasn’t until I was 35 years old that I gave my life to the Lord and it was mainly because I witnessed first hand the power of the Holy Spirit in a small church my wife and I were attending. What I saw led me to search the Word to make sure what I was seeing was in the Word of God. To my surprise and amazement, it was.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). The power that was given to the Apostles and disciples is still available today and it is that power, and that power only, that can change a person’s heart.
For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. (1 Thessalonians 1:5)
