In the Western world there seems to be such a great reliance on what we can do with money, technology and business like experience and techniques. The Church has been inundated with such ideas that to consider to do something in the work of God apart from all of these trappings is laughed at by most. But sadly God's work to build His kingdom will utilize some of these things but never depend on them.
We need to cater again a great dependence on the working of the Holy Spirit in our day. Sadly we think the Holy Spirit is here to entertain us in church with healing's and miracles but this is a deception and an abuse of the role of the Spirit. God sends us the Holy Spirit so we can live godly in this world and so when we share and preach the Gospel at times the Lord will bear great miracles and signs to verify the message.
We have to believe also that by prayer and waiting on God by the Holy Spirit that His work will be accomplished much faster for it will be a work that He ordains and men do not rush into.
God prepares vessels for His work for many years and such is the way of the Lord. He has to empty brothers and sisters of themselves so that He can have them greatly rely and depend on His power.
Here is an excerpt on these wonderful truths from the Principles Book:
The underground church relies upon and even expects that when the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is declared there will be a verification at times with great signs and wonders. This dependence on the Holy Spirit to move, direct, guide and verify the Gospel is Biblical and needed in the Church. It was not unusual for healing’s to occur in every village that the pioneers of the house church movement went into when they were driven all across China because of persecution. It must be asked in our lives, how much do we rely and depend on the Holy Spirit truly on a daily basis?
God has given us the Holy Spirit not only as a comforter and guide but also as a life-changing power. Any work done in peoples' lives, without the Holy Spirit is void of any life-changes. In Zechariah this truth is shown where it says: “So he answered and said to me: ‘This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts.”411 In the Western World we are denying the life-changing power of God and His Spirit: “Having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”412
The Holy Spirit gives us the power to witness in Acts 1:8, but we must ask Him and we must surrender to Him. Let us suppose we were being threatened with jail and beatings in the Western world for proclaiming the Gospel. Would we do it? We hardly witness now.
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Footnotes:
410 Romans 15:19
411 Zechariah 4:6
412 2 Timothy 3:5
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Gospel Fellowships ( - )
“Christianity was birthed in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and will only continue as we have this empowering from above. God is always looking for the willing vessels that will trust Him afresh for the impossible.” from: Principles for the gathering of Believers under the Headship of Jesus Christ.Since 2012, a growing group of believers in North America started to warn of coming persecution to western countries. This message was shared in a variety of ways. One of the responses to this was to compile a book taking principles from underground Churches around the world of how they thrived under pressure and persecution. The volume, Principles for the Gathering of Believers, had in a short time over 50,000 downloads in ebook format and much interest was shown. Some new house churches started through this and other existing groups were encouraged.