I Have Not Rendered You Powerless

POWER = Ability, Capability, Strength, Authority

God spoke to me about the lack of authority and power in ministry, and I was sorely rebuked by what I was told and shown. Now, I must share this with the Body of Christ. The Lord spoke clearly: “I have not rendered you powerless!” Then, He began to show me more.

God is not pleased with the way many of us have “done ministry.” Yet, He has called many into a season of rest, and is now bringing us into a new season and giving us an opportunity for a new beginning. In the season, our Father is requiring that we fulfill a realm of ministry that has been forgotten. God said that He desires to see His faith work in us. He showed me that many have the wrong concept of ministry. Therefore, we are not operating in the full authority He has given us. Many prayers have gone forth asking God to do things He has given us power to handle in this earth. Many are failing for reasons God has already combated. Essentially, there is a lack of faith in the Body of Christ, and our Father is mainly concerned with those in leadership, those who say they were called to true ministry.

The Father took me back to some very familiar Scriptures. First, He reminded me that none can walk in the spiritual gifts without the presence of the Holy Spirit. When my Holy Spirit resides in you, does not power accompany His presence?

Acts 1:8 But you shall 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.

Yes, God is restoring the holy boldness that many of us have lost. It has been lost because so many in the Body of Christ have neglected the Holy Spirit. Many, even those who walk in ministry, have failed to yield to the Spirit of God. They have abandoned relationship with God and attempted to depend only on their “good works.” God says these do not operate in power. He said those who have been endowed with His power have two things: boldness and the will to go. Yes, God is saying this is the season to speak what thus says the Lord. It is not the season to walk in false humility. It is not the season to allow the unholy thing to live in the Body of Christ. “I have appointed you as judges,” says God. “Judgment must begin in My house.” This is also not the season for Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers to sit inactive. There should be a yearning in the spirit of those who are called to GO. There is a work to be done. Too many that should be silent and repentant are proclaiming a false gospel while those who have truly been called of God remain silent. God is saying, “Rise, go and boldly proclaim.”

Jesus gave this very commandment, also known by many as the Great Commission:

Mark 16:15 And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach {and} publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race].
Mark 16:16 He who believes [who adheres to and trusts in and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] and is baptized will be saved [from the penalty of eternal death]; but he who does not believe [who does not adhere to and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] will be condemned.
Mark 16:17 And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages;
Mark 16:18 They will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well.

Yes, many of us are familiar and adherent to the first two verses. So many are glad to preach from church to church. We love to fill our calendars with appointments and activities. We will even preach salvation, though watered down, to those we meet during church services and conferences. Yet God is asking, “Where is your power? I have not rendered you powerless!” My Father began to show me how we are not completing our ministry assignments. The Word of God tells us those who believe and go should have signs following. There should be miracles accompanying the Word of God. Where are they? Yes, we have speaking in tongues handled, but what about the casting out of demons? What about the ability to thwart sickness and disease? Where are those who are being healed, delivered and set free?

God is issuing a strong rebuke. Many are preaching the word with no power. Therefore, God says the ministry is not pleasing to Him. The work has not been complete. “How can my leaders lack so much faith?,” God is asking. “I have called you to a greater work than what my Son did on the earth.” Yes, God said we are preaching a false hope, an incomplete word and a lie. We have become “hype men and women” for the Father, but do not operate in the power He has given. God is saying we need to examine our faith. If we can’t walk into the promises of God, why are we preaching them to others? From our hearts, many of us are preaching a lie. We are preaching a Gospel that we don’t believe ourselves. We are making promises to other people on God’s behalf, but don’t even believe He’ll keep those promises with us. The worst part is this - we then accept accolades, even money, for an incomplete work. My God, I repent!

The Father took me back to instances where I preached that He was a healer. I saw people and even laid hands on those who were sick. Yet, I limited God’s ability to work through me due to my lack of faith. My service to Him was incomplete. Often, I said “God, they must not have had the faith.” God instructed me to read the Word of God. Power that God has given us should not depend on the faith of others. Did not Jesus rebuke the Apostles for the same thing?

The instruction from the Father in this hour and season is to operate in the power and authority He has already given us, WITH SIGNS AND WONDERS FOLLOWING. If they are not operating in our ministries, we must seek the Father and find out why. Some of us need to sit down until we begin to see God working in us. God even showed me that power is withheld from many because we are preaching our own name rather than the name of Jesus Christ. These signs follow only those who glorify God! Hmmm....

Prophecy has been polluted because the standard has been compromised. How many of us have heard a prophet speak a word that never came to pass or a word that was completely against the word of God, but was never rebuked or corrected? How many of us have sat under a Pastor that prayed for the same people every Sunday for years, but saw no manifestation? It MUST be corrected IN THIS SEASON. Let God be true, and every man a liar! We must come up in the spirit realm. We must then walk in ministry as Paul did:

1 Cor 2:4 And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit and power [a proof by the Spirit and power of God, operating on me and stirring in the minds of my hearers the most holy emotions and thus persuading them],
1 Cor 2:5 So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God.

Paul did not try to excite the people with his motivating speech, clichés or cute jokes. Instead, he ministered with power. He ensured that people saw God moving rather than himself. The Word of God says that men are drawn to Jesus when they see our good works. Signs and miracles are not for us, but for those needing to be drawn.

“I have not rendered you powerless,” says God. Complete the work in this season!