Scripture says, “My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:4).

In our early years of global ministry, Leslie and I opened up an event in southern Philippines. Only one feeble little 80 year-old woman who was 90% deaf, losing her eyesight and walking with a cane showed up for the event. She hadn’t gotten the message that the authorities had forbidden everyone in town from coming to hear us.

We preached to her like it was a full crowd. We could see all the windows open and people listening from the safety of their homes. At the end of the message we prayed for this  little woman and God did a miracle in her life. Strength returned to her bones and she could dance, hear and see! With great joy we let her testify in our loudspeakers, reading and repeating words to show what Jesus had done. Despite the threat from the authorities, the next night was overflowing with townspeople and great joy filled that place. Thousands were baptized in the ocean as they rejoiced!

This way of preaching is what turned the world upside down in the early church. In the book of Acts we see where Philip the evangelist won a whole city when God confirmed His message. Even the famous witch doctors wanted the power they saw in Philip and Peter. Jesus gives the idea of God working with man confirming His word on the world stage. “And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following” (Mark 16:20).

In 1837, George Mueller, known for his care for thousands of orphans, found himself in an interesting quandary. The growth of the ministry required more retirement to prayer for spiritual oversight, and more provision for the approximate 400 members.

George Mueller learned an important lesson about hard work which we can apply to every aspect of life. He discovered that 1 hour of prayer for every 4 hours of work would produce much more than 5 hours of work. He held to this rule throughout his life. He discovered that when he had no way of gaining provision from natural sources, he could go to the Lord who would grant it! Are you facing difficulties in life today?

High-octane gasoline is equated with high performance. The Christian finds their high octane fuel in the word and in prayer. Remember to go the high-octane way! Yes, it may be more expensive but in the long run—IT’S MUCH CHEAPER!

[Yes] I will grant [I Myself will do for you] whatever you shall ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM] (John 14:14 AMP).

How many have had a moment of inspiration for an invention that would bless the world, but talked themselves out of it because of age, education, or fear and never took the step to make it a reality? How many saw an illness ravage a loved one, friend, or even themselves but resigned themselves to the limits of medicine and lived with their pain? How many have wanted to study abroad and envisioned a life of service to another culture but allowed the ceiling of financial shortage to kill that vision?

The potential of a new Creation in Christ is as far superior to human potential as human potential is superior to animal potential. Jesus said “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).  He is saying that following His success will make you someone that others want to follow. Men will be caught by your posture, words, peace, and authority in the midst of challenges. That is true leadership!

We want His type of success and level of success. We want a success that goes beyond a dollar amount into a human value amount. It needs to go beyond a benefit to one generation to an eternal benefit. That is the lifestyle and leadership only He can offer.

Nothing is impossible to the new creation!

Every child knows about show and tell in school, but God wants us to demonstrate it in real life.  We have thought in the past that the witness of God was a good sermon, but that’s only half the story. Paul said what needs to be done is to tell the whole story “through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Ilyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:19).

Think about this, have you preached the Gospel until you see mighty signs and wonders?  We have settled for a word when God wants us to be a wonder! The Word of God says that we will receive power to be a witness (Acts 1:8). The witness of God is not a tongue or a good lifestyle. The witness of God is something only God’s power can produce…miracles!

Many have said that the day of the big show is over and now God does everything in the local church, but that’s not Jesus’ ministry. God likes to show off!  He showed the soldiers of Jerusalem that He could not be held in a grave.  He showed Peter’s jailer that He could not be held in a jail.  He showed the religious world of Israel that He could not be held in a temple.  He wants you and me to tell and show that Jesus is alive.  If you are going to be effective, there should be a demonstration of what you speak!

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. James 1:5,3:17 KJV

In challenging times wisdom is the voice that breaks through like the morning sun on the horizon. Wisdom is the picture of new hope and a new possibility for the situations that stand before us.

We are to ask for wisdom knowing that it can be easily entreated. That is, God will respond with the answer, idea, or nugget of truth necessary to scale our mountain. One nugget of wisdom can instantly bring clarity to any difficult decision.

Lord, grant to each one of us the wisdom sufficient to rise to the tasks ahead of us this day and this New Year. Grant to us all, wisdom from above!

Now, let’s expect it!

“Early in the morning will I seek thee…” (Psalm 63:1).

This familiar line is an encouragement as we embark on a new year. As you begin this year remember the awesome things that God has done for you. For each one of us who are born again we have ‘super’ living in our natural!

The supernatural is Christ indwelling our natural flesh. The greatest miracle of all is the miracle of salvation! What is this? The reality that we may call on Jesus and He will forgive our sin, wash away those things which have bound us and fill us with His new life. This NEW LIFE is available to each one of us!

What do we say to these things? “YES LORD! This year I receive your NEW LIFE!”

Religion teaches people to stop thinking for themselves.

One thing people do not want to do is THINK.  They will do almost anything to avoid the trouble of thinking.  Indoctrination is when someone starts to do the thinking for you, and that’s why so many churches that were once alive are now dead.  The leader taught them doctrine rather than how to think.

Indoctrination is the process of being copied in the image of humankind rather than in the image of God.  Your goal is subtly changed from following Christ to following Christ’s church.

Satan has reserved this last trip for the most sincere of Christians.  If he could not get you to live in sin and promote the flesh life, then he takes your zeal for God and turns it into a weapon of religion to enforce a religious bondage on the people rather than a fleshly vice. Those most hungry to please God are the ones who fall for this trick.

I remember a dream God gave me back in 1984 when I was wearing a long black robe and trying to run with my pastor, but I kept falling over my robe.  I woke up and God spoke to me and said I was getting religious.  I thank God for the warning, and you should be warned as well!

One of the great truths of our era that has caused an explosion of growth in literature and given understanding to the spiritual workings of the word of God, is the revelation of seeds.

The power in life is found in the seeds of life, in every aspect of our natural life.  A farmer doesn’t need great faith to see a crop or harvest, he just needs enough good sense to plant seeds.  He doesn’t need any power or anointing to farm, all he needs is to put the seed in the ground. A farmer doesn’t check the soil to see if the soil is doing its job, he just plants the seeds.

It would be strange indeed to applaud the farmer for all his creativity in a crop, and marvel at his ability to produce. He would humbly say, I just put the seed in the ground.

Every seed in the earth will grow. God’s Word is a spiritual seed full of potential, and when put in the ground of man’s spirit, it will always grow!  This truth has revolutionized the church.  A preacher who belittles the power of words is like a surgeon who belittles what knife he uses.  Would you agree to be operated on if your surgeon was happy to use a kitchen knife?

If people are not your purpose then you don’t have God’s plan.

People are God’s number one concern.  God not only put eternity in our heart but a burden to share that eternal life with others.  I remember in 1991 when we were preaching on the streets of St. Petersburg, Russia and two Muslims received Jesus with tears in their eyes.  Their first thought was for their Muslim brethren in the city of Baku. They proceeded to take out their wallets to buy us train tickets so that we could go and tell this Good News to Baku.

Their first thought was for others, they immediately felt the need to let others have what they had.  They truly understood the value of what they had received.

Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthian church and tried to capture the idea of what God has done for them.  He was grasping for the best idea to convey how God saw them in the earth today, and of all the ways he examined, he decided that the best description of a Christian would be that of an Ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Wouldn’t it be strange if the American ambassador to another country was afraid to stand up and say, “I represent America”?  What would the American government do if the ambassador was afraid to state its point of view?

An ambassador is the sent one of the U.S.A.  Do we think he or she is being arrogant if they declare that they are sent to a certain country on behalf of the U.S.A.? No!  That’s a good thing and we expect them to do that! So why do people in Christian circles accuse others of being proud or arrogant when they do the same thing acting as an ambassador of heaven?

As an ambassador I have a right to speak for the Kingdom as long as I am speaking the message of the Kingdom, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  These are the words of my country.

The devil knows you are an ambassador, and God knows you are an ambassador. When are you going to realize that you are an ambassador?  In Acts 19:15 the demon spoke to the seven sons of Sceva, “Jesus I know and Paul I know, but who are you?” The devil will know you if you take a stand.

An Ambassador does not have to pray to act as an ambassador.  He does not need to pray to exercise his or her authority.  All they need to do is act like who their government says they are.  They don’t need to pray to get their passports stamped or have their visits approved.  No, an ambassador has the power to act and they don’t wait around to do their job.  Don’t wait on heaven anymore.  Act today!