The spirit of witchcraft is in operation wherever you find carnal habits and legalistic practices.
The Galatians had started out in the Spirit: they were saved, were filled with the Spirit, and witnessed miracles, signs, and wonders. But ____________________ (51) influenced them to follow rules, norms, and carnal ways, which caused them to lose sight of God’s power.
The church today is in a similar situation. Let us recall that man is a spirit who has a soul and lives in a body. The soul has legitimate functions, but it cannot take the place of the spirit. When people begin to put their trust in their own abilities and strength, they move away from the spirit and toward the soul, which includes intellect and emotions. Then, a substitution takes place in which “religion” takes over for spiritual reality.
Balancing Supernatural Power
- Power and character
Character is not a requirement for obtaining a gift, but it is important in pursuing holiness and honouring the Giver of the gift and His gospel. Our character should be formed so that it is able to match the level of power we receive. Only then will we find balance and success. Therefore, it is important to have a mentor—a spiritual mother or father—who can equip and train you in God’s supernatural power and also help you to shape and maintain your character.
On the other hand, if we give character more emphasis than power, we turn the gifts of the Holy Spirit into a ____________ (52). In other words, they are no longer gifts but rewards or blessings for good behaviour. As a man committed to demonstrating the character and power of God, I cannot say that one is less important than the other, but it is a mistake to think that we can be more effective if we dedicate time and effort to shaping our character while setting aside the manifestation of power.
- Power and authority
As we’ve said, “power” is the Greek word dynamis, meaning “strength, power, ability,” while the Greek word exousia means “the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege)…jurisdiction.” “Behold, I give you the authority [exousia]….” (Luke 10:19)
When a person has dynamis but lacks exousia, he may find himself in a grave situation because of this imbalance. The duration of supernatural power is directly proportional to the level of authority in which a person operates. If you do not __________ (53) authority, you might be able to perform miracles, signs, and wonders, but your lack of submission and surrender will begin to manifest in diminished results because the power will expose flaws in the flesh.
Authority is the ability to exercise the power that leads to Godlike behaviour.
- Word and Spirit
For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. (1 John 5:7)
When we preach and teach God’s Word, we must always wait for the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. An imbalance occurs when people focus only on the Word and never allow the Holy Spirit to move freely, or when they focus only on ____________________________ (54) of power and neglect the priority of the Word. But if we keep these two—the Word and the Spirit—in balance, we will experience the full blessings of God.
It is possible to have an experience and to be deceived, but not having an experience is already a deception.
- Power and harvest
We must understand the relationship between revival and harvest. I define revival as “receiving the power to go and gather the harvest of souls.” If we fail to gather the harvest, our revival experience has been in ________ (55). You are chosen, equipped, and anointed to go throughout the world in search of souls and to perform miracles, signs, and wonders.
- Words and actions
Jesus of Nazareth…was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. (Luke 24:19) Scripture shows us a Jesus with a double-edged sword in His mouth and seven stars in His right hand, representing both words and actions. (See Revelation 1:16.)
The complete power of the kingdom can manifest only when words and actions are aligned.
Jesus operated in words and actions.
The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach…. (Acts 1:1)
God’s Word always shows Jesus…
- __________ (56)
- Teaching
Without faith, the kingdom will not have maximum impact.
“Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.” (John 14:11)
Theology without works is a dead science.
The multitudes followed Jesus not because they wanted to join a church but to hear about the His kingdom and to see the wonders and miracles He performed. After demonstrating the power, Jesus presented the kingdom. This concept appears over and over again throughout the Gospels. Often, the only way to soften the hearts of people is to demonstrate God’s power. After praying for the sick, and after people witness the miracle, they are sensitized and ready for the calling of salvation. They are eager to answer the call, walk to the altar, and receive their salvation.
There are two things we should avoid in our relationship with the Holy Spirit if we want to achieve balance in our character: ________________ (57) the Holy Spirit and __________________(58) Him.
- Do not grieve the Holy Spirit.
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)
In Greek, the word for “grieve” is the word lypeo, which means “to make sorrowful, to affect with sadness, cause grief, to throw into sorrow…offend.” How do we grieve the Holy Spirit? We do so by having bad or evil attitudes, thoughts, or actions, and by having angry outbursts, slanderous conversations, and bitter quarrels. We also grieve the Holy Spirit when we deliberately participate in sinful activities. When we live in anger, wrath, and deception, we impede the Holy Spirit from flowing through us. Therefore, we grieve Him.
- Do not quench the Holy Spirit.
“Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
What does it mean to quench the Holy Spirit? In Greek, the word for “quench” is the word sbennymi, meaning “to ____________________ (59) …of fire or things on fire…to suppress, stifle.” It also implies the idea of obstructing the flow of something—to drown out, kill, or block the source. To quench the Holy Spirit is to cut off His flow and dry up the spring. It is like crimping a hose of running water to stop the flow.
Jesus modelled how we should live with the Holy Spirit without grieving or quenching Him. As Christians, we should daily strive not to grieve or quench the Spirit in order to maintain a good relationship with the Holy Spirit.
Grieving the Holy Spirit deals with our character; quenching the Holy Spirit deals with power. Power without balance can destroy the user along with those around him. However, if power is used with wisdom and balance, it can impact thousands of lives in positive ways, glorify, and, above all, result in a great harvest of souls.
A ministry that performs miracles but fails to gather the harvest of souls does not produce anything for the kingdom; it only sensitizes hearts.
Key
| 51 | Witchcraft | ||
| 52 | Reward | 53 | Honour |
| 54 | Manifestations | 55 | Vain |
| 56 | Doing | 57 | Doing |
| 58 | Grieving | 59 | Quenching |
