Signs Following Believers

There is a lot of confusion today over the speaking in other tongues issue that the Word speaks of.  Some preach it and others think it is not for today while some exclude it altogether.

I am not a pastor and I don’t see myself as a Bible scholar but I have studied the Word for many years and still do, praise the Lord!  One of the things I have learned over the years is that real truth is taught through God’s Holy Spirit; in fact He is the true teacher.  

One day Jesus told the Jews, who believed on Him, this in John 8:31-32, “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’”

Jesus taught His disciples many things.  Before this the people were taught by the Pharisees and teachers of the law who were very self-righteous.  Jesus came so that these people would know, hear the truth and even see the truth standing before them, which was Jesus Himself.  Jesus never did anything that His Father didn’t tell Him to do.  

Wouldn’t you have loved to been there to hear the sermons Jesus taught?  Personally, I would have loved to hear Him speak and felt the power and conviction through His teachings and see the signs and wonders that followed.  There were demons being cast out, there were multitudes being healed, there were many repenting and being set free.  In those days people stood amazed at what they heard and saw; the deaf hearing, the lame walking, blind eyes seeing, people being healed of every infirmity, and just think, it was all done without entertainment, how could that be?  Today it seems like most everyone needs to be entertained.

It seems like bowing down to the god of popularity is what is important today or telling people what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear.  The Bible doesn’t say that this is what we should be doing, but it does say this, as was spoken to Zerubbabel, when he and those with him were completing the temple which was completed in 516 BC.  In Zechariah 4:6 it says, “Then he said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.”  People may think that it is their own strength or other tactics that will bring about what God wants to accomplish in people’s lives, but without the power of the Spirit, nothing will be accomplished in God’s Kingdom.  And, by the way, He doesn’t need our help, we need His.  I think most Christians have heard this, “unless the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it.”

Just before Jesus was going back to heaven He told His disciples this in Acts 1:8, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”  I believe most believers, believe that this is true, but before Jesus said that, He said this in Mark 16:16-18, “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.  These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

So, what do we do, sweep these verses under the rug, because we don’t like or agree with them?  I don’t think so, but that seems to be what some people think, but that doesn’t make it any less true.  It is strange that some scriptures and verses seem to be true for some but not for others, I don’t understand it.  Jesus said these things, is He a liar?  Of course not, than what is the problem?  I believe that every true believer should speak in tongues.  

Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake and was fine, the disciples prayed for healings and people were healed, they also cast out demons and they spoke in other tongues, were they more important to the Lord than we are?  I don’t think so.  Was this written only for them or for us also?  I believe these words were written for all believers.

So if you are a born-again believer and you haven’t experienced these miraculous miracles in your walk with the Lord, then you need to pray and seek more faith and believe what God’s Word says.  I know these words can be hard to accept, but Jesus said them, so I believe that they are true.  This doesn’t mean that you put yourself in dangerous situations by putting God to the test.  Something to think about, Have a great day and God bless!!