Question: Demonstration is everything. Words mean nothing. Again Word of God has to be demonstrated. And I am not getting into arguments with you. What does the Bible reveal about it?
Answer: Greetings in Jesus wonderful name. You are bound to get deceived, if God's word and the study of it means nothing to you. Demonstration will follow our faith, not vice versa.
Even false prophets who spoke in public tongues to do many wonders in Jesus name, prophesied in Jesus name, and did miracles in Jesus name, who wrongly without salvation in their lives claimed Jesus as Lord at the time of the White Throne Judgment, were somebodies to whom Jesus will say that He never knew them at all (Matt 7:21-23; Rev 20:11-15). Why salvation is the most important thing in the life of a human! Even Balaam the prophet was not a saved person (2 Peter 2:15-17), but he did have the calling and used it as a sorcerer to gain wealth for himself and gave ideas to godless pagan kings and princes that destroyed the people of God (Num 24:17; Rev 2:14; Jos 13:22; Jude 1:11; Num 31:8, 16, 32). The same with Judas, as a apostle who was called by Jesus, he was one of the twelve and later seventy special chosen person to drive out demons and did miracles in Jesus name, but at the end because he was not saved, he sold Jesus and betrayed the most holy friendship for just 7 silver coins (Luke 10:17; John 13:26-27, 28, 29-30; 18:2-5). The most common denominator and motivation for these false prophets and apostles to do the ministry in Jesus name, and also fulfill their calling, yet without repentance and change of heart and love for the truth is because of the filthy lucre and power and adulterous eyes that will feed them to be in ministry. Many people continue in ministry, to fill their belly. But any ministry that does not stand with holiness but runs for worldly gain, is something that is perverse before the Lord! So I would challenge you to be aware and beware of the last day deception that will be done in the name of the Lord Jesus and of the power of the Christ of God! Everything will look like the real ones, but it will be counterfeit of the end time, so check for the fruit of the Spirit in the lives of the prophets and apostles. Lying wonders are the vogue of the season, people of God flee in to the hands of the Scriptural Jesus instead of the modern one to receive mercy and grace and be saved from this generation!
In the end times, as the lies and deceptions of the Antichrist which Jesus and the apostles foretold to us are already upon us, we must understand that, "9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (1 Thess 2:9-12).
Jesus when asked about the end time, immediately He told to his disciples and apostles, "Take heed that no one deceives you." (Matt 24:4). Why did Jesus say like this in regard to end of end times?
Jesus foresaw how the Antichrist will deceive the Church by making it focus on the healings, signs, wonders and miracles aspect, that is, the health and wealth gospel (Rev 3:17), instead of receiving "the love of the truth, that they might be saved".
The days we live are the days of the revelation of Antichrist himself coming out in maturity our of the spirits of Antichrist (1 John 2:18), so when all the power is concentrated and given by Satan to one person the Antichrist, "according to the working of Satan, [i.e. Antichrist] with all power, signs, and lying wonders" will automatically deceive the world with his narrative of climate change, peace and safety, prosperity and universal basic income, health and wealth false gospel, one world religion, one world government and one world economy, etc...in an unprecedented way since the beginning of humankind.
If the love of truth, does not remain in a believer after a person thinks he is saved, one must check themselves whether they really have faith, and are saved or not (2 Cor 13:5-6).
"All unrighteous deception among those who perish," who are the unsaved will increase in these times of the revelation of Antichrist in which we all live, because God has Himself sent a "strong delusion, that [the unbelievers and unsaved] should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness [i.e. the Antichrist propagated lies which he uses to deceive the whole world]." So according to the Scripture, the first three and half years of the Daniel 70th week will be the times of the revelation of the Antichrist to the world and a time of testing of the faith of believers whether they are found worthy for Rapture by denying themselves to take up their cross and follow Jesus (Luke 21:36; 9:23; 2 Thess 2:3; Rev 3:10), and the second three and half weeks will be the time of the revelation of Jesus Christ to the saints and the condemnation of the world system of governance which will be judged and brought to an end at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:1; 1 Pet 1:7).
In our times that we live, thank God that the Pentecostal wave that spread in the 19th century brought in the full gifts of the Spirit in demonstration, and the evidence of speaking in tongues as the basis of the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" or the "infilling of the Spirit" (Acts 2:4). But the sad thing and the unholy baggage's that came along with it is, the emphasis of the signs, wonders and miracles to all the believers instead of telling them to repent of their sins and live lives worthy of God to bear fruit of the Spirit and glorify God (John 15:9; Matt 3:8). God can be glorified through the gifts of the Spirit publicly, but God will only be glorified individually in the lives of believers and in the family of God and even in the world, only when they bear fruit of the Character of God, by the nature of God that resides within their spirit (1 Cor 6:17; Eph 4:24), that through it they become a authentic testimony of faith for the Glory of God in and through their lives (2 Pet 1:5-11; Rev 12:17). Hallelujah!
You can enter heaven without demonstration of signs, wonderful and miracles by living a holy life, but without the Holy Life only demonstration of it all do not have power to help us avoid hell (Heb 12:14; Matt 7:21-23). Clearly those who hear the Word of God and do them in their own lives are those who build their lives to remain for eternal life in Christ Jesus and his teaching, all others get added in to the category of unbeliever who will lose their eternal body to be thrown in to hell fire (Matt 7:24-29). So learning doctrine is more important than the demonstration of the signs, wonders and miracles, because by taking heed to our meditating self upon the Word of God, and continuing in it, we will save both our self and those who hear us (1 Tim 15-16). Hallelujah!
In the end times, as the lies and deceptions of the Antichrist which Jesus and the apostles foretold to us are already upon us, we must understand that, "9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (1 Thess 2:9-12).
Jesus when asked about the end time, immediately He told to his disciples and apostles, "Take heed that no one deceives you." (Matt 24:4). Why did Jesus say like this in regard to end of end times?
Jesus foresaw how the Antichrist will deceive the Church by making it focus on the healings, signs, wonders and miracles aspect, that is, the health and wealth gospel (Rev 3:17), instead of receiving "the love of the truth, that they might be saved".
The days we live are the days of the revelation of Antichrist himself coming out in maturity our of the spirits of Antichrist (1 John 2:18), so when all the power is concentrated and given by Satan to one person the Antichrist, "according to the working of Satan, [i.e. Antichrist] with all power, signs, and lying wonders" will automatically deceive the world with his narrative of climate change, peace and safety, prosperity and universal basic income, health and wealth false gospel, one world religion, one world government and one world economy, etc...in an unprecedented way since the beginning of humankind.
If the love of truth, does not remain in a believer after a person thinks he is saved, one must check themselves whether they really have faith, and are saved or not (2 Cor 13:5-6).
"All unrighteous deception among those who perish," who are the unsaved will increase in these times of the revelation of Antichrist in which we all live, because God has Himself sent a "strong delusion, that [the unbelievers and unsaved] should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness [i.e. the Antichrist propagated lies which he uses to deceive the whole world]." So according to the Scripture, the first three and half years of the Daniel 70th week will be the times of the revelation of the Antichrist to the world and a time of testing of the faith of believers whether they are found worthy for Rapture by denying themselves to take up their cross and follow Jesus (Luke 21:36; 9:23; 2 Thess 2:3; Rev 3:10), and the second three and half weeks will be the time of the revelation of Jesus Christ to the saints and the condemnation of the world system of governance which will be judged and brought to an end at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:1; 1 Pet 1:7).
In our times that we live, thank God that the Pentecostal wave that spread in the 19th century brought in the full gifts of the Spirit in demonstration, and the evidence of speaking in tongues as the basis of the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" or the "infilling of the Spirit" (Acts 2:4). But the sad thing and the unholy baggage's that came along with it is, the emphasis of the signs, wonders and miracles to all the believers instead of telling them to repent of their sins and live lives worthy of God to bear fruit of the Spirit and glorify God (John 15:9; Matt 3:8). God can be glorified through the gifts of the Spirit publicly, but God will only be glorified individually in the lives of believers and in the family of God and even in the world, only when they bear fruit of the Character of God, by the nature of God that resides within their spirit (1 Cor 6:17; Eph 4:24), that through it they become a authentic testimony of faith for the Glory of God in and through their lives (2 Pet 1:5-11; Rev 12:17). Hallelujah!
You can enter heaven without demonstration of signs, wonderful and miracles by living a holy life, but without the Holy Life only demonstration of it all do not have power to help us avoid hell (Heb 12:14; Matt 7:21-23). Clearly those who hear the Word of God and do them in their own lives are those who build their lives to remain for eternal life in Christ Jesus and his teaching, all others get added in to the category of unbeliever who will lose their eternal body to be thrown in to hell fire (Matt 7:24-29). So learning doctrine is more important than the demonstration of the signs, wonders and miracles, because by taking heed to our meditating self upon the Word of God, and continuing in it, we will save both our self and those who hear us (1 Tim 15-16). Hallelujah!
But we should use the gift that is given to us to proclaim the doctrine, given to us by God through the laying hands of the eldership of the Church, so that the explosive force of the gift of the Spirit might take the doctrine and glorify God to proclaim in power through our lives (1 Tim 4:14). So which is important, both the gift of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit are important for prosperous spiritual living and effective proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all the public world (Rom 12:1-8; 1 Cor 12:1-11; Eph 4:7-16; Gal 5:22-26). But still, what is much more important within it is, without doubt, it is the fruit of the Spirit because that is the only evidence and assurance we have that we as a person is saved for eternity to enter heaven (Matt 7:19-20). In other words, a person who is saved cannot sin indefinitely without conviction of the Holy Spirit and the resultant repentance that accompanies it, as the seed of the Word of God abides in him and be cannot keep on sinning and practice it (1 John 3:8-9, 10; 5:18). To practice sin is to make it as a customary behavior, and a unrestrained repetition of activity, to exercise sin to the end until the spiritual death becomes physical, and be busy with sin and carry on never to stop it. But a believer repents! Praise the Lord!
The Gifts of the Spirit is doing things supernaturally in God's power which moves upon us in power to fulfill our calling of the ministry. It relates to the Church and Ministry work we do for the Lord. No believer has all the gifts, but gifts are one time transaction given to us as the Spirit wills, even as we desire it according to the type of ministry we are called to fulfill. Can be misused if a person is not saved or sanctified. The gifts of the Spirit glorify God publicly!
The fruit of the Spirit are all the essential character of God that a child of God needs to walk in to glorify God for the salvation He has freely given. He has given to each individual, a new perfect spirit through which God has given each individual a choice to renew their soul mind, and thus be led by the Spirit as the sons of God to walk with His Strength in God's way and God's timing. So unlike the gifts which are doings, the fruit is being attached to Christ which produces it. It relates to individuals and character. It cannot be misused because without Christ working in us we can do nothing profitable spiritually by bearing fruit for eternity which is of eternal value to God. Every believer is expected to bear all the fruit by God, and thus glorify God individually and personally before God, in which God will be very pleased if we bear much fruit to glorify him. Thus the fruit of the Spirit glorify God privately! Hallelujah!!
Some IMPORTANT POINTS to Ponder:
(1) We should desire and pray for boldness to come upon us by the power of GOD through demonstration when we speak the Word of God on earth in His time and will in all the world, we should rejoice and be glad in the party of God when sinners repent through it (Mark 16:20; Acts 4:23-31; Luke 15:7, 10, 31-32).
(2) But to think that just because we do religious work for God, we are automatically entitled to salvation is a false thinking that is very dangerous and should never be entertained within us, because it will cloud our spiritual vision enough to make us deceived in to thinking we are saved when we are not or think unsaved even when we are saved (Matt 7:22-23). The only way we can be assured of our salvation is to walk in faith and in the fear of God among the family of faith, so that good fruit of the Spirit might be exhibited to us and to all others around us (Matt 7:20; 1 John 2:19; 2 Pet 1:10-11).
(3) The first calling of the believer is not to save others, but to save himself from sin and the filth of the world (Acts 2:40; Heb 12:1; Jam 4:4; 1 Pet 2:11), once that is done for sure, then with the grace of God he could reach out to others with the Gospel that saves their soul and awakens heaven within others (1 Tim 3:12-13; Luke 17:21).
(4) No where in the Bible, a believer is challenged to move in signs and wonders by the Scripture, but we see the same message being preached over and over by Pentecostals and other denominations of the 19th and 20th century, which has misled the entire flock of God to think that if they operate and receive the gifts of the Spirit and manifest it to others, they falsely begin to think that they are spiritual people. But it is the opposite that God expects, when the fruit of the Spirit is in exhibition, truly the Lord will be pleased and glorified through it all in our lives and in others lives for the world to see (John 17:23; 15:8; Matt 7:20; Gal 5:22; Mark 6:7, 12, 13; Luke 10:20). The greater things that Jesus said you will do (John 14:12), is not better quality of miracles than Him which we cannot because of sin nature working within (Heb 5:3, 2, 4), but of greater quantity as we as His disciple live a lifetime of testimony with both fruit and gifts. Because a servant cannot be greater than His Master, but can only be like Him in nature, God first expects a person to be saved and exhibit His fruit, and then fulfill the calling of His to do the ministry and not even vice-versa, and above all God does not want to do ministry to gain the world and remain unsaved to lose his own soul to go to hell fire and be condemned greatly and eternally (John 13:16; Matt 10:24-25).
(5) Jesus until 30 of his 33 and half years of his life, did no signs wonders or miracle demonstration (John 2:11; 4:54), but learned obedience by the things He suffered, and thus became "the author of eternal salvation" to those who obey Him (Heb 5:8-9). Even before Jesus did the first miracle, God the Father from heaven gave the testimony, of how He was his beloved Son in whom He is well pleased with his obedient character (Matt 3:16, 17). In other words, miracles, signs and wonders were the works the Father did through Jesus the Christ as He was already well pleased with him and his character seen through him (John 14:10, 11). So miraculous ministry does not save us, but a fruitful life does give us a guarantee that we are on the right track to heaven by faith!
That too, Jesus did His signs, wonders and miracles demonstration with his solid words of repentance, so that the hearer's will be able to enter in to God's Kingdom, as God is the one who appointed the time for miracles in his life (John 2:4; Mark 1:14, 15). John the Baptist the greatest prophet of the Old Testament, did no signs or miracles, yet people flocked to hear his words and repent to enter the Kingdom of God (John 4:48; 10:41; Matt 3:1-6). Which is more powerful and important, Of course to take people to heaven and feed them with the Word of God if we really love God (John 21:15-19). But more than that, words of eternal life from a saved heart is that which speaks the truth, all else is a lie, the testimony of Jesus from within the hearts and lives of believers are more important than just any demonstration (John 14:23; 8:51).
(6) Miracles Jesus did not follow, as He Himself was the wonder, Jesus waited in His life, in God's time, miracles followed Jesus. The same should be in our lives too, we should not follow miracles, signs and wonders, but they should follow us in God's timing, and in His plan for our lives. Yes indeed, when we believe and are walking in the will of God, demonstration of power will happen in God's time and place as we desire for the Kingdom of God to come in Power, along with this our character which is the fruit of God's Spirit should be seen by people who see the power displayed through us (1 Cor 2:4-5; 4:20; 1 Thess 1:5; 2 Cor 6:7). So God will break us first, melt us and mold us to make us in the wilderness, before He will use us with signs, wonders and miracles, if we are true ministers of His righteousness, and not false apostles, prophets or ministers of deception who are ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing (Matt 7:15)! May it come, above all let repentance revival come, which can only prepare the Church for the Rapture (Acts 3:19; 1 Thess 4:14-18)! Praise the Lord! GLORY!
So the bottom line is, demonstration is not everything but something that enhances our ability to reach more people, and the good theology of doctrine is everything because it saves not only ourselves, but also others who hear us. GLORY TO GOD!
The thumb rule is always balance in both, the Word without the Spirit will dry up. The Spirit without the Word will blow up. So having the 9 gifts of the Spirit activated by faith, and having all the nine fruit of the Spirit growing through us by abiding in the Words of Jesus and being in touch with Him, will make the Holy Spirit come upon us as like upon Jesus in mighty power when He was baptized in water by John. The gifts is one wing on one side and the fruit is the other wing on the other side, one without the other will make us fall down spiritually again and again because of the lack of balance to handle the power of the gifts of the Holy Spirit through the fruit bearing in our lives, which can again be described like a steering wheel which controls the four wheels of the gifts directly, so that instead of the Spirit remaining upon us, soon He will lift up once the work is done, if we are not guided by Him from within through bearing fruit of the Spirit for the Glory of God. Hallelujah!
Much Blessings ...
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