I heard and released these words from the Lord on Sunday, November 6, 2016:
"A new spiritual era has been opened for My people! This is a time to walk into the new era by faith! I will give you the anointing that you need! I will give you the enabling that you need! Receive! A new era of walking in the Spirit and walking in My power, even in ways that the world has not seen before!"
Then, I heard and released these further words from the Lord:
"And I will cause you to rise above the status quo, and you shall fear no man, but fear God. And you shall not bow down to man-made traditions, but you shall live by the power of God, just as Peter and John were in the book of Acts."
In the book of Acts 1:8, Jesus says, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." After He had spoken these words, while the disciples were watching, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of sight (Acts 1:9). Notice Acts 1:8 were the last words of Jesus before He was taken up! Last words are important words! And here, it has to do with receiving the power of God!
The word 'power' here is 'dunamis' in Greek, meaning 'miraculous power (or ability), abundance of power (or miracle), mighty (wonderful) work', from the word 'dunamai' meaning 'to be able, to be possible'. In Matthew 19:26, Jesus said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
In 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, the apostle Paul wrote, 'And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith will not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God'. Notice 'the power of God' here?
Living by the power of God
1 Corinthians 4:20 (NKJV) says, 'For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power'.
1 Corinthians 4:20 (NIV) says, 'For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power'.
1 Corinthians 4:20 (NLT) says, 'For the kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God's power'. Oh, I love the New Living Translation (NLT) for this verse! It says, 'living by God's power'!
By whose power the lame walk?
Not long after receiving the power of God from on high, Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And they saw a certain man lame from his mother's womb asking for alms at the gate of the temple. Peter then said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." And immediately this man's feet and ankle bones received strength! (see Acts 3:1-7) That's the power of God working!
Interestingly, it was also in the ninth hour (i.e. 3pm) that Jesus gave up His Spirit on the cross! (see Luke 23:44-46) Indeed, He gave it all up on the cross, so you (like Peter and John) can now receive His Spirit and His power!
And 'Peter and John' here speaks of 'you and I, the believers today'! Why do I say that? 'Peter' ('Petrus' in Greek) means 'a piece of rock (or stone)', and 'John' ('Ioannes' in Greek) means 'grace and favor of God'. As believers today, 1 Peter 2:5 says we are 'the living stones, being built up a spiritual house', and Romans 6:14 says we are 'not under law but under grace', i.e. we are now living in the New Covenant, the covenant of the grace of God.
A time to pray in the spirit like never before!
Do you know why the apostle Paul emphasized so much on praying in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:18) and walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16)? Because to pray in the Spirit is to pray in the power of God! And to walk in the Spirit is to walk in the power of God! Even the power of God to overcome sin! In Galatians 5:16, the apostle Paul wrote, 'Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh'. It means you'll be so full of the Spirit and power (i.e. yielding to the Spirit and the power of God) that you have no desire to walk in sin!
In Ephesians 6:10-11, he wrote, 'Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, (so) that you may be able to stand against the wiles (schemings) of the devil...' And he wrapped it up with Ephesians 6:18-19 that says, '...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance...' See the word 'always' here when he wrote about praying in the Spirit?
In 1 Corinthians 14:4, he wrote, 'He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself...' The word 'edifies' here is 'oikodomeo' in Greek, meaning 'to embolden, to activate, to build up (power)'. So, people of God, when you pray in the Spirit (i.e. pray in tongues), know that you are activating the power of God to work in (and through) your life! That's the 'dunamis' power of God working for you! Let it be so! Hallelujah!
