Is My Gospel in Power?

1 Thess. 4-8

For we know,  brothers  loved by God,  that he has chosen you,  because  our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and  in the Holy Spirit and with full  conviction. You know  what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.  And  you became imitators of us  and of the Lord, for  you received the word in much affliction,  with the  joy of the Holy Spirit,  so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.  For not only has the word of the Lord  sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth  everywhere, so that we need not say anything.

I am convicted as I set here and ponder the meaning of these wonderful and powerful verses. Paul states with assurance two things in verse 4. You and I have to know before we can begin to step in faith and serve God, we must be convinced that God does love us and has chosen us. Maybe this is easy for you or you say it is a small point, who could doubt God’s love after all he has done on the cross, but I don't think it is. When God trained His servants He uses the very fires from hell itself to do it and we will for sure think, at least that is the strategy of the enemy, that God has forgotten us, He doesn't love us, He can never use us, and why would God chose us? Look at David in the cave with his spit running down his beard after he accomplished all of those great exploits. Even Joseph in the pit and as a slave or in the dungeon, all this came after receiving such a great vision from God. What about Elijah under the tree after fighting a great victory on Mt Carmel or who could forget Job's misery. All of these men turned out to be great in the eyes of God but first they were fire tested by hell itself. All of these men had to be sure God loved and chose them or they never would have survived. Paul had faced hell as well and we are assured that God loved him and chose him for a great work.

How was Paul to accomplish this work? He gives us the clue in verse 5. Our gospel came not by word only but in Power and the Holy Spirit. That is the the only way in which our Gospel can make an impact on this dark, cruel world. What if Elijah had only preached to those prophets of Baal. What if there had never been a demonstration of power! I am afraid that we today do not know of a Gospel with power, it is in word only. We only say that Jesus is everything, we don't demonstrate it. That is why we need entertainment and pleasure. We only say that God is love. That is why we can walk by the helpless and the hurting and not be moved with compassion for them. We only say say that God has all the answers for life, but our families and marriages fall apart. We only say prayer changes things but we never see any real answers in life. We only say that Jesus is the only way to Heaven but we not concerned enough to give up pleasures or luxuries of this life to send that message across the world. No! I am afraid that we are only a "word only" people. Paul's gospel message went forth with power and conviction because he was anointed by God. Look "in the Holy Spirit" he walked in the spirit, he was biblically baptized in the Holy Spirit and he was anointed by the Holy Spirit. The evidence of this anointing was not an emotional, charismatic experience but it produced holy living and convicting preaching. Could it be the reason why no one wants to walk the aisle and receive Christ is because we are not anointed by God? Could it be our Gospel is word only?

Look at the results of an anointed man of God. It produced a people or a church that was anointed. Look in verse 6 "and ye became followers." Even in affliction, the Holy Spirit had so anointed them, that the joy was still evident. When a church is pushed by the Spirit of God, even when hard times and afflictions come, people will not become discouraged. A sign of a shallow and entertainment driven ministry is: How do the people handle heartache and hard times? A Spirit driven people lead by a Spirit driven man of God will be forged during these types of times. It also produced a mission driven people. Look at verse 8,” For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.” Paul had nothing left to preach in the unreached places of the earth because this Spirit driven church had already accomplished it! Today we stare at staggering numbers. Over half of our world has little to no access to the gospel. Where is this same Spirit that was in this church today? Today Christians are more concerned for their pets then they are the unreached of this world. They are more concerned about fighting for their rights in government then they are about keeping India and China and unreached areas out of hell! We must wake up! We have allowed the enemy to cradle us to sleep while he steals countless millions for all eternity. A spirit driven christian, a Spirit driven church will not be as such! The Gospel will be in power, it will be baptized with the anointing power of God, it will walk in holiness, and it will give all to reach Judea, Samaria and the Uttermost parts of the earth. Let us ask God to forgive us and baptizes us with the Holy Spirit so we may go forth in Power to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.