Great Grace, Great Power
People in the church are looking for great power, but where is it found? The book of Acts declares that where there is great grace, there is great power (see today’s Scripture)!
When the apostle Paul preached on forgiveness, healing miracles occurred as the people listened. When people hear the good news that all their sins have been forgiven because of the cross of Jesus, something supernatural happens.
Some years ago, a pastor in a church in Bergen, Norway, shared a testimony with me. One of his church members had developed the habit of viewing pornography in his hotel room during his many and frequent business trips.
Consumed with shame and condemnation, he tried his best to break the habit, employing all kinds of spiritual methods, but he just could not overcome the habit. Each time he had to leave his family for another business trip, his heart would be filled with dread because he knew what he would end up doing in his hotel room when no one was looking.
Then, one of his business trips brought him to Singapore, and he visited our church and got hold of some of my sermon CDs on the grace of God. After listening to the messages for about three weeks, he found himself completely set free from the unclean habit! Hallelujah!
Today, when this precious brother travels, he does not depend on his willpower to overcome any temptation to indulge in pornography. He just completely rests in the revelation that he is as righteous as Jesus by God’s grace.
And the more he is conscious that he is righteous, the more the temptation to sin secretly in his hotel room dissipates. “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin” (1 Cor. 15:34)! It is the grace of God that gives us true victory!
My dear friend, who's also a pastor in Norway, shared with me about another miracle that had happened. A church member was completely healed of deafness in one ear after listening to recordings of messages that I had preached at a conference in his church.
As he was listening to one of my messages, his ear just popped open and he was healed! No hands were laid on him. No one prayed for him. He was healed just by hearing the gospel of Christ preached. All glory to Jesus!
That is the power of the gospel, my friend. It is the power of God unto your wholeness (Rom. 1:16)!
You can rely on your self-efforts and willpower all you want, but they can only bring you so far. On the other hand, the more you hear the true gospel that is unadulterated by man’s efforts, the more you will experience miracles and supernatural breakthroughs in your life.
It has pleased God to heal, rescue, supply, and deliver those who simply believe the gospel through the foolishness of preaching (1 Cor. 1:21). So keep hearing the gospel preached, and as His Word goes forth, when you believe that you are forgiven and righteous through Christ, you will be made whole!
I believe that right now, even as you are reading this devotional that is all about Jesus, you are being healed, being provided for, and being blessed!
