Day 24 of the “What Child is This?” Advent Devotional

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14:12-13)

Christmas Eve. I sense so much prophetic anticipation surrounding this time of year. In the same way that we stand on the brink of remembering our Lord’s first Advent, I sense that there has been a continuous, ever-increasing advent taking place since Mary delivered glory incarnate in a stable all those years ago. The Advent began at the first Christmas, but an advent has been continuing ever since.

I recognize a clear and defined day will indeed come that marks Jesus’ Second Advent. He will return to the Earth with great glory and fully consummate His Kingdom. At the same time, Jesus commissioned you and I to do the same works He did. I know we are still grappling with that mandate, but if that were not enough, He invited us into even greater. Because this verse scares us, we either move passed it quickly or reduce it to something our human minds can easily wrap around. The context is clear. It’s black and white, and summons Christianity up higher.

Jesus’ works are very obvious. We see them displayed throughout the four Gospels, as He healed the sick, delivered the demon-possessed, raised the death, performed creative miracles, restored the unclean, touched the untouchable, loved the unlovely, and so on. This is not a spiritual smorgasbord we get to pick and choose from. Jesus did not offer qualifiers giving us an easy out of the more “difficult” works, such as the supernatural healing or miraculous stuff. He simply said that the works He did, we will also do, and even greater works.

We are on the edge of a greater supernatural advent than the world has ever experienced—yes, perhaps even exceeding what was demonstrated in the Book of Acts. How is this even possible? For one, Jesus made it legal when He invited us into the reality of greater works (see Jn. 14:12). Second, God’s plan has always involved an ever-increasing, expanding Kingdom (see Is. 9:7) Third, and most practically, there are more believers on the planet now then ever before.

What happens when a mere fraction of these sons and daughters of God recognize their inheritance as those filled with the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, and begin taking this mandate at face value? The landscape of the planet will change. I believe we are watching this shift take place already.

The Advent and Incarnation of Jesus Christ—God coming to Earth as a lowly babe—is unsurpassed. I am not at all presenting some rival experience. The Incarnation that we commemorate at Christmas is Advent with a capital “A.”

When I speak of a continuous advent, I am talking about a lifestyle where the sons and daughters of God continue to model Jesus to the world through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is revealed through such a people because that is the primary mission of Holy Spirit—to bring the world into a transformative encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ, further unveiling Who He is.

The word advent is defined as “a coming into being or use.” My prayer for you this season is that you would experience a greater measure of God’s presence and power coming into being through you. Remember, Advent is nothing less than your invitation into the supernatural lifestyle.

Jesus was the Slain Lamb so you could receive forgiveness from sin and become filled with the Holy Spirit. Once those two qualifiers were met, humanity was granted permission to follow the example of Jesus, the Anointed One. He modeled a lifestyle that would become available and accessible to everyone who had received His redemptive work.

Remember, when Jesus was getting ready to leave the Earth and return to the Father, He gave us marching orders: “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (see Jn. 20:21).

Right after this charge, Jesus breathed upon the disciples and they received the Holy Spirit. Thus, the lifestyle that began for Jesus at His baptism in the Holy Spirit was now being transferred to His disciples. It’s time to run with this charge and see as much of His glory cover the Earth, this side of eternity, as possible.

I encourage you, catch a fresh glimpse of the Christ child this year. His Advent made it possible for you and I to participate in the greatest restoration project in all of history: Filling the Earth with God’s glory! And to think, it all began with a Baby, wrapped up in swaddling clothes and laying in a manager.

Advent Prayer

Holy Spirit, continue to usher Your Kingdom into the Earth through Your anointed people. Here I am, Lord. Use me. Fall on me afresh this season. 

Show me what it truly means to model Jesus and follow His example in my everyday life. Help me to step out and take risks. Show me how to fully depend upon Your power. And may Your glorious Presence become my great quest and top priority.

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Day 23 of the “What Child is This?” Advent Devotional

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. (Romans 8:19)

It is common to study passages like Romans 8:19 and immediately try to decipher what they reveal about our identity as the sons and daughters of God. This season, let’s step back and instead of beginning with us, let’s start with God. Let’s start with Jesus, as He was the Son who made it possible for us to be called sons and daughter. He was born to raise the sons of Earth. Jesus’ identity as the Son of God made it possible for you and I to become sons and daughters of the Most High, operating in this identity.

I believe on the day of Jesus baptism, two realms were directly impacted: Heaven and Earth. We see that Heaven was torn open as the Spirit of God descended upon the Son of Man, but also, I believe the Earth recognized that the One had come who would set Romans 8:19 into motion. Since creation was subjected to sin in Eden, it had been tarnished. Its full beauty had been tainted. From the moment of Adam’s transgression, created order began to experience corruption because upon its very soil, sin was being committed. Rebellion took place.

This was not creation’s fault. Man, the delegated steward of the planet, is the one who ultimately gave it over to the evil one in the Garden.

But just as man subjected creation to futility, a Man would one day come to bring restoration and renewal.  This was the Second Adam that Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians 15:45-49.

Can you imagine creation’s anticipation when Jesus, the Second Adam, received the Holy Spirit on that glorious day? Do you know what that marked for created order? This was the moment that prophesied the inevitable and complete extinction of darkness, sin and death. After Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit, He began to model the lifestyle that every son and every daughter would be able to walk in after receiving the same Spirit.

Scripture tells us that Jesus did many works and wonders—so many that all the volumes in the world could not contain them (see Jn. 21:25). Each one of these miracles actually pushed the influence of darkness back on the Earth, satisfying the eager anticipation of creation more and more. Disease was being destroyed. Demons were being cast out. Darkness was being restrained. The Kingdom of God was advancing and gaining ground.

The thing is, Jesus never meant for His ministry on Earth to conclude with Him. In the beginning of Acts, the author notes that his former account (the Gospel of Luke) recorded “all that Jesus began both to do” (Acts 1:1).

Jesus’ earthly ministry was not over after 3 ½ years. It continued on through the apostles in the Book of Acts and continues on through you and I today. As we take our place as sons and daughters of God, following the example of our Lord, our Savior, and our Model for living, Christ Jesus, we continue to answer the cry of creation.

Advent Prayer

Father, help me to take my place as Your son/daughter. 

I am redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

I am filled with the Holy Spirit.

 I am empowered to bring Your Kingdom to this world, pushing back every strategy of darkness and filling the Earth with Your glory.

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Day 22 of the “What Child is This?” Advent Devotional

And his name will be the hope of all the world. (Matthew 12:21, NLT)

Mary gave birth to hope when she delivered her son, Jesus. His Name remains the solution to a barren planet. All one needs to do is simply look around to see that the earth and its inhabitants are currently suffering from barrenness. This is no physical lack; it is a deficit of hope.

Without hope, we are without possibilities. People don’t have faith because they have not first been introduced to hope. In Hebrews 11, the first “faith fact” we discover is that faith and hope are interconnected. Faith is an action word. The Bible tells us that faith without works is dead. Once we have faith, that faith—by nature—is active. It is kinetic. It is not passive by any means. Because it is God-birthed, and God-given, faith is a creative force. It brings resources from God’s world into this one. Faith is the tool that enables you and I to participate in what Jesus describes as “binding and loosing” in Matthew 16. Faith gives us the ability to release/loose on Earth the very things that are released in heaven, and likewise, it gives us the authority to forbid and bind on Earth the things that are prohibited in heaven.

Needless to say, faith is a powerful force. However, it is impossible for us to exercise faith without a foundation of hope. Hope positions our faith to be targeted at specific realities. Hope is what exposes us to the very possibilities that faith ends up releasing. Hope shows us what is normal in heaven and sets those realities before our spiritual eyes. Hope is what adds new possibilities to our belief grids.

And you know what I love about hope? Hope relentlessly gnaws at us. I know this doesn’t sound pretty at first, but just consider the nature of this gnawing—hope makes it absolutely unsettling to live pondering possibilities when we have the tool to make the possibilities realities through faith. Hope shows us what’s available and then faith makes it happen.

Hope makes living in the gulf between concept and reality restless. Hope causes us to press and push. Hope causes us to cry out in desperation, not for something new to come out of heaven, but for realities on Earth to come into alignment with realities in God’s world. Hope stirs up a divine discomfort with the way things are, pushing us towards exercising faith, for faith is the currency that bridges the great divide. Faith takes us from possibility to reality.

But remember, it all begins with hope. People across the Earth suffer barrenness because they are disconnected from hope. As the body of Christ, we need to be the loudest ambassador for hope imaginable. Because of our presence in the world, people should constantly be exposed to possibilities that were off their grids—first and foremost, the possibility of reconciliation to a loving Father through the work of Jesus Christ.

Advent Prayer

Father, help me become an ambassador of hope. May my life continue to introduce people to new possibilities. 

And above all, help me to reveal the heart and will of a loving Father who desires reconciliation with all humanity.

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Day 21 of the “What Child is This?” Advent Devotional

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. (Psalm 22:3)

During Christmas season, why is it that people seem more open than usual to hear the Gospel? Churches talk about those they brand as “CEOs” or the Christmas and Easter only crowd. Why is this the case? Have we ever wondered, “What’s so special about Christmastime that seems to lower defenses and heighten openness to the things of God?”

It’s not shopping. It’s not presents. It’s not food. It’s not snow or Christmas trees or Santa Claus. Even going to church won’t do it. No natural acts, even through religious expression, have the ability to increase one’s openness to the things of God. This is something produced exclusively by the Holy Spirit.

I’m sure there are more factors than this, but there is a reality that God’s Presence inhabits the praise of His people. If Scripture never gave us some concrete examples of this, I would not even consider Psalm 22:3 to be a strong text to support this Truth.

But time after time, in both Old and New Testaments, we watch as people praise God, and God responds by supernaturally shifting atmospheres. Battles are won in the Old Testament, not because of some skilled military plan, but because musicians were stationed on the front lines. Praise went up to God and in response, God came down and confused Israel’s enemies. He sent ambushes against them. A prophetic shout was responsible for leveling the fortified walls of Jericho. We even see in the Book of Acts that as Paul and Silas praised God in their prison cell, the atmosphere was charged with God’s chain-break power. Paul, Silas, and all of the inmates in the vicinity were physically set free from their shackles because of what praise ushered into that environment.

As praise goes up, power comes down. As glory ascends, it also descends. It is interesting to note that a torrent of praise is being offered up across the Earth at this time of year. Christmas carols blare in shopping malls and public places that boldly proclaim the message of the Gospel. People cannot escape it. Could it be that as praise is being lifted up during this season, Heaven is actually coming down among the people and breaking through those barriers than demand divine intervention? I think so.

When Jesus’ birth is announced, the angels invite us to consider this reality as they sing, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Lk. 2:14).

After reflecting on the lyrics of their praise, it would appear that something offered up to God actually has the power to shape the climate down on Earth. There is something about giving glory in the highest that has a direct impact on the Earth, releasing peace and goodwill. This surely has the ability to shift the atmosphere and prepare hearts to receive the King.

Advent Prayer 

Father, open my eyes and ears to what is going on in the spirit this time of year. 

As glory and praise go up, I ask that Heaven would continue to come down. Release Your peace and goodwill toward men. Prepare every longing heart to receive the King of Glory.

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Day 20 of the “What Child is This?” Advent Devotional

…and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations,and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. (Haggai 2:7)

Let Earth receive her king! As nations shake, they are also longing for the unshakeable. People across the Earth are desperate to fill the void within. They have a desire that goes unfulfilled. They run to and fro, looking for the latest, greatest “it” that promises to satisfy, but in the end, they are still found wanting. There may be temporal satisfaction in a feeling or a relationship or a career or some other good thing, but when we assume these are the very things that possess the ability to close the gap in the core of our very being, we are sorely mistaken.

The deep cry of the human spirit will not be silenced by anything earthly. In Psalm 42:7, we read that “Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls.” If the deep within you is not being satisfied by the deep of God, it will continue to call for the waterfall of His Presence. It will cry out. Nothing can silence it. We may try to turn the volume down for a season, but when all is said and done, the deep of the human spirit will continue to cry out for the deep of God’s Spirit.

Now consider this. You carry the very Person and Presence that the deep place of all humanity longs for. The very spirit of men and women across the Earth cries out for the Spirit of God that lives inside of you. Advent made this possible. Jesus modeled what it would look like to carry the Presence of God, as a human being, and introduce people to the greater reality of the Kingdom of God. This is the reality that all humanity seeks. Sin is what blinds humanity from having an instant “ah-ha” moment, seeing the Light of the Gospel, and running towards King Jesus with wide open arms.

The One Who lives inside of you is the One all nations long for. The Great Gift has been given. Christmas has come. I pray that you would experience a deep revelation of this powerful reality this season. Let’s slow down and not be as inclined to hurry through this precious time—a time where, it seems, the blinders are down a little more than usual. Now, more than any other time of year, that crying, aching deep within the core of humanity is restless for the One Who lives within you.

In Haggai 2:7, we see that the nations shall come to the Desire of all Nations, a temple filled with glory. Because of Jesus, this is you! You are the temple filled with glory because you are filled with the Holy Spirit. As you go through this Christmas season, keep this in mind. What an amazing gift we have received in Christ Jesus, not just for the sake of our own soul, but for the sake of a longing, desperate world!

Advent Prayer

Holy Spirit, open my eyes to the Truth that because of You, the Desire of All Nations now lives inside of me. 

When I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, that deep cry of my spirit was satisfied, for only Jesus can fulfill that longing.

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Day 19 of the “What Child is This?” Advent Devotional

But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Luke 11:20)

Jesus states that He cast out demons with the finger of God. In Matthew 12:28, His statement is phrased this way: “if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” These verses have so many implications to us—God’s ambassadors who are filled with the Holy Spirit and carry His Kingdom.

These Scriptures also present a reality that bring us full circle in our Advent Journey to beholding the glorious babe laying in the manger, Jesus the Anointed One. I remind you, He was and is the divine Son of God. He never ceased being God. He did not take a sabbatical or hiatus from being God during His time on Earth.

100% man, 100% God. Only God Himself could pull this off. Thinking about it too much and for too long not only causes our heads to hurt, but it can lead us into some dangerous directions as we attempt to make sense of something that, in the end, makes perfect sense to God and we must embrace it by faith. The mechanics are a mystery; the expression is not.

Here is the expression. God walked the Earth as Jesus. This is clear. While He was begotten of Father God, He entered the world like any other human being—through the womb of woman (albeit, this woman was a virgin).

He grew up. He matured. He learned. He was educated. Scripture even tells us that this Jesus “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Lk. 2:52). God in human form somehow increased in favor with God. I cannot explain it; I can only embrace it. Finally, Jesus taught us about the Kingdom of God and then demonstrated how to actually live out the lifestyle He taught about. He did not present realities that would be off limits to us. He didn’t give us pie-in-the-sky theology that sounded great and looked impressive, but was out of reach to non-God people.

We discover that God walked the Earth as a man for 3 ½ years to show humanity what type of lifestyle would become available after the cross. Jesus’ ministry, from the time He was baptized until Calvary, was a glorious invitation to you and I. He healed the sick and cast out demons and thus, increased the scope of His earthly reign by the Spirit of God. This same Holy Spirit lives inside of us. We discovered how Jesus is our great invitation into a lifestyle of Kingdom advancement and increase. Understand, Jesus did not come into the Earth to model something that was unattainable. He not only gave us the invitation and blueprint, but also gave us the power and ability to actually live this out.

Advent Prayer

Thank You, Father for sending the Holy Spirit and empowering me to accept the invitation. Jesus did not call me into something that was un-attainable; He modeled a lifestyle that was possible to every believer cleansed of sin and filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Thank You, Lord that the supernatural life is my reality today!

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Day 18 of the “What Child is This?” Advent Devotional

In this manner, therefore, pray… ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ (Matthew 6:9,10)

Jesus wants to answer every single prayer that you and I pray. It is true. He also wants to satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts. Before you write this off as some type of me-centered approach to the Gospel, think again.

Peel away all of the layers and let us honestly evaluate: what brings us the greatest satisfaction or sense of significance in life? Interestingly enough, such things are not directly consumed with us. It is when we participate in that which is greater and higher than ourselves where we ultimately experience the greatest fulfillment. When we participate in the ever-increasing government and Kingdom of God this purpose is being fulfilled. When our lives are committed to the expansion of His Kingdom on Earth, and it is from this place we pray, Heaven will unceasingly respond.

I want us to continue along the same path we were traveling yesterday. We looked at how we get to participate in the ever-increasing reign of God’s Kingdom on Earth. It is not in recession. It is not shaking, even when everything else on the planet is. If anything, God’s marching orders for those who carry His Kingdom are simple—onward and upward. Forward. I am going to leave the conclusion in His most capable control. How history ultimately comes to a finale is in the hands of the Author of History. In the meantime, I want us to enjoy this great and high honor of collaborating with Almighty God in seeing His glory flood every corner of the planet.

I am so grateful that the be-all and end-all of existence is not me. Think of it. If purpose and destiny ultimately ended with you and I, where is the high significance? If salvation was just about getting us into heaven one day, or saving us from our sins for the sake of us, what great fulfillment would we find while walking the Earth? God has set it up so that our great fulfillment and deepest satisfaction are found in participating with Him in seeing His glory cover the Earth.

There is no greater quest, no greater aim, and no greater pursuit than this. Why? The One who receives all the glory is the only One worthy of the glory. By participating in His glory, we are actually participating in the only thing that can bring us any legitimate form of lasting, deep satisfaction.

Advent Prayer

Father, remind me that my sense of significance and fulfillment are found in building Your Kingdom. 

You have invited me to join You in seeing Heaven transform every part of culture and society, starting with my life and my sphere of influence. 

Show me how to carry and release Your Kingdom today.

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Day 17 of the “What Child is This?” Advent Devotional

Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end… (Isaiah 9:7)

The earth is shaking. Scripture confirms this to be so. I’m not necessarily making end-time references here. Wherever we chart on the Last Days roadmap, the obvious present reality is that the world is shaking. It is groaning. Governments are collapsing. That which is not built upon the stable and eternal is crumbling all around us. Is this reason for despair and escapist Christianity? No!

When things are shaking, we know that the eternal is breaking through and breaking in. Christmas reminds us of everything that is certain, stable, and unshakeable in this world, and that is Jesus. Here is the outstanding invitation for you and I. We get to participate in seeing the unshakeable, increasing Kingdom of God advance throughout the Earth.

In the Message Bible, Isaiah 9:7 reads this way: His ruling authority will grow, and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.

Time after time, as we see Jesus bringing people into collisions with the Kingdom throughout the Gospels, what is the result? Wholeness. Healing. Deliverance. Restoration. Soundness of Mind. Today, every time we see that someone is healed of disease or emotional hurt, a marriage is restored, a mind is supernaturally delivered from torment, addictions are broken, we are actually witnessing Isaiah 9:7 coming to pass.

The Kingdom of God is increasing. It’s expanding. And the wonderful thing is, we get to participate. We are no mere spectators to the reality of God’s glory covering the Earth. We have received the Spirit of God, and as we see in the Gospel accounts, it is the Spirit of God that released the Kingdom of God through Jesus.

In the same way, the Holy Spirit empowers you and I to release the Kingdom of God in our everyday lives. Let’s start doing it. Don’t get caught up in the spectacular. You don’t need to raise the dead in order to advance the Kingdom. Simply bring encouragement. Be proactive about finding someone who is hopeless or hurting, and release life over them. Joy. Peace. Ask for God opportunities; there is no lack, trust me!

This is not license to go out and offer people some cheesy Christian platitudes or religious lingo without any substance. We carry so much more. You have the Holy Spirit. Ask Him for wisdom. Ask Him for direction. He always delivers. He will lead you and guide you.

He may release information to you about a person that you have no natural way of knowing. This is a Word of Knowledge or Word of Wisdom. He may give you words of life to speak over someone that go straight to the heart of a matter and release strength, hope and courage. This is flowing in the prophetic. It is incredible how quickly we naturally begin flowing in the supernatural when we embrace this perspective!

This is truly where increasing the reign of His Kingdom begins.

Advent Prayer

Holy Spirit, I ask that You lead me to those I can bring Your Kingdom to. Show me how I can minister life, hope, or healing to them. 

I ask that You give me ears to hear Your voice and give me eyes to see how You are working.

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Day 16 of the “What Child is This?” Advent Devotional

As the sun went down that evening, people throughout the village brought sick family members to Jesus. No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed every one. (Luke 4:40, NLT)

Maybe after yesterday, you’re thinking—I don’t get it. The Bible tells me that Jesus is Deliverer. He sets people free from all kinds of torment and bondage. But why are there people out there who are still not free? They have been prayed for. They have been prayed over, but they are still in bondage. Valid question. This is even more of a frequent question when it comes to the topic of physical healing.

In Luke 4:40, we catch a challenging glimpse of the Father’s will. Remember, Jesus came to both show us the Father and, as the Anointed One, reveal the lifestyle possible for every believer filled with the Holy Spirit. He healed every one. This shows us that the Father actually wills to heal everyone and that likewise, those filled with the Holy Spirit should pray with the expectation that healing will take place.

Every single person who was diseased, afflicted and sick got healed when Jesus prayed for them. This is not an isolated occurrence. If it was, I would be more inclined to adopt some of the “pop theology” of contemporary Christianity.

Jesus heals, sure- just not everyone. I mean, see it for yourself, not everyone is healed.  My eyes do see people who get healed, and they also see people do not get healed. However, when did we start redefining the Word of God by what we saw with our eyes? It would be like second-guessing God’s desire and will to save everyone because we see people who are still lost and perishing.

Christianity that lives in a state of flux is no lifestyle I want to be part of. There are no constants or anchors. One day, God feels like healing; the next, He doesn’t. I’d rather live with my questions. God is not afraid of them. He welcomes them, actually. We all have questions. The reason so many have abandoned healing is because of the very, very poor answers that have come out from un-renewed minds concerning healing.

I am sure you have heard some of the terrible responses. “They didn’t have enough faith.” That’s a horrible answer, for it assumes the ability to solve mystery with a quick, condemning blow to the level of someone’s faith. It doesn’t hold up either. There are people everyday who are healed who have no faith whatsoever. No faith and yes, no belief in God or Jesus. They are healed becuse of a sign and wonder, with the purpose of drawing them to the Savior. The “not enough faith” bit is ridiculous.

The reality is, we must embrace mystery here. We must be open and honest with God, offering our questions and bringing our disappointments to Him. He can handle it. He wants to! He may give revelation; He may not. But I would rather live with these questions and attempt to work through them then redefine God, redefine theology, and redefine what Christianity ought to look like because of what my eyes have seen happen, or not happen. Jesus is healer. Period.

Advent Prayer

Father, You are the Healer. Jesus healed every afflicted person He came in contact with in the Bible. 

Help me to pray with expectation that Your supernatural healing power will be released through me, just as it was through Jesus. It is not because of me. I cannot heal people, only You can.

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Day 15 of the “What Child is This?” Advent Devotional

And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ,the Son of God!” (Luke 4:41)

Christianity was never meant to be pure information—it’s really designed to be a show and tell experience. We’ve gotten the “tell” part down pretty good in our information age, but somewhere along the line, the ‘show’ has been lost.

In Luke 4, Jesus announces what He has come to do—and then He does it! This is what the Anointing enables you and I to do. Not only do we understand the Word of God, but the empowerment of the Holy Spirit equips us to actually demonstrate our doctrine.

Not long after Jesus makes His great announcement in Luke 4:18-19, we see Him go into action. He goes down into Capernaum and teaches the people. They are all awed by what he is saying, as His words are delivered with authority. Remember, Jesus said “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (Jn. 6:63). He did not just speak words comprised of letters, sounds and syllables. What proceeded out of this Man’s mouth released raw supernatural power.

When He spoke, the atmosphere was charged with the power and possibilities of a very real and very near Kingdom. His teaching released the Presence of God, and it was this release of Presence that started to cause an uproar.

As he teaches, a demon manifests. In the synagogue, we see that “there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” (Lk. 4:33-34).

The demon in this guy recognizes what the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord has come to do—“To set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Lk. 4:18). Jesus is intolerant of demonic torment, and we should be of the same approach. Sovereignty does not permit this oppression to continue; sovereignty sets the man free, and we witness this through the model of Jesus.

Believer, you are here to model Jesus’ mission. He came to “destroy the works of the devil” (1 Jn. 3:8), not tolerate, permit, or allow them for some glorious, God-honoring purpose. Yes, there are sovereign mysteries that give God glory that are above and beyond human comprehension. Absolutely. However, it is clear to see through the ministry of Jesus Christ that sickness, disease, torment, demonic oppression, sin and other such issues give glory to God when they are overthrown, delivered and healed.

We watch the will of God in action in Luke 4:35, as Jesus responds to the demon: “But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him.”

Again, Christianity is not just information, it’s action. The late revivalist Leonard Ravenhill aptly noted, “That world outside there is not waiting for a new definition of Christianity, it’s waiting for a new demonstration of Christianity.” Why?  It’s in the demonstration that people are healed, delivered, restored and set free!

Advent Prayer

Father, help me to press in for greater demonstration of Your power through my life. I don’t want to just gather more information about You; I want to work out Your will and see Your character revealed to the world!

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