2Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come."
The new creation, new creature is an entirely different kind of being altogether, that has never before existed on earth. There was never a man who had God's Own Spirit living withing him, until now. The Firstborn of the new creation was Jesus and He alone was more than satan could handle. Now, because of the new birth, we have millions of God-filled people throughout the planet.
Satan couldn't prevent the new creation from taking place and tried stopping the revelation of who they really are. He tried using religion and tradition to convince them that they're no different tan they really were, with the exception of being different in Heaven when we die.Satan has worked diligently from the very first day of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, to stop the Church. He has established a culture of lies and deception, in order to blind the Church and causing them to believe very little of God's Word.
We've been deceived into believing that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the power from it, ceased after Pentecost and was only for the early Church. This lie has left the Church in a powerless place. Jesus said in Acts 1:8 (Amplified), "But you will receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth."
1Corinthians 12:1 (Amplified) says, "Now about the spiritual gifts (the special endowments of the supernatural energy) brethren; I do not want you to be misinformed." The main source of "misinformation" comes from the carnal minded Christians who have been misled by man's understanding, instead of the revelation of the Holy Spirit. After the Holy Spirit was poured out from Heaven to indwell God's people, God has never withdrawn or limited His ministry. More specifically, God has turned the whole ministry of the Church over to the hands of the Holy Spirit now.
When Jesus was here in His earthly ministry, He spoke about the time He would leave and return to His Father. The future event to come that Jesus spoke about, would be for the Church. Thus, He said in John 17:16-18 (Amplified), "They are not of this world (worldly, belonging to the world) (just) as I am not of this world. Sanctify them (purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy) by the Truth, Your Word is Truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world."
Jesus delineated what this worldly task was for the Church in Mark 16:9,15,17-18 (Amplified) saying, "Now Jesus having risen (from death) early on the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had driven out seven demons." Jesus directed those who were present to "Go into all the world and preach this Good News t all mankind," in Verse 15. Then Jesus said to them in Verses 17-18, "And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe; In My Name they shall drive out demons, they will speak in new languages, They will pick up serpents, and (even) if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them, they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well."
Jesus spoke again in John 17:18 (Amplified) saying, "As You have sent Me, I also have sent them. This was to be the very beginning of the new creation, the super-natural family God Himself would live in and walk. He was to be our God and we were to be His people. This was the time He prophesied about in John 14:12 (Amplified), when He said, "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, these attesting signs will accompany those who believe (Mark 16:17)." In John 14:12 (Amplified) He says of the new believer, "He himself will be able to do the things that I do, and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father."
Jesus spoke in the scripture above from John about the time after His death. In Mark 16, He was speaking to His followers after He had risen from the dead. In John, He spoke about the future, when He would go to the Father. In Mark, it was no longer a future thing, but a now thing. This promise from Jesus was for "Those who believe." One might ask, "Believe what?" Certainly, it was believing on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, but what all are we to believe in this Gospel?
Jesus did not say that "Those who believe will be saved and those who don't believe will be damned" but He said that "These signs will follow those who believe." So, Jesus was speaking about more than just being saved. He said that we would do the works that He did, including setting others free from sin, sickness, disease and death.
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