Supernatural Enduement for Kingdom Exploit

                               THE SUPERNATURAL ENDUEMENT

The baptism of the Holy Ghost, promised by Jesus to His believing disciples,
was to endue them with POWER FOR SERVICE. There are many works of the Holy
Ghost, too numerous to mention here. He draws the believer to God in the first
place. He reveals the Father. He develops holiness in the life of the believer. The
baptism of the Holy Ghost is to endue the believer with POWER TO WITNESS:
“And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my
Father upon you but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with
power from on high.” Luke 24:48,49.
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and
ye shall be witnesses unto me.” Acts 1:8a.
This power for service takes many forms, but the form we will consider here is
that revealed in the “gifts of the Spirit” as taught by Paul in 1 Cor. 12, and illustrated
in many other passages.
“For by one Spirit we are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or
Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one
Spirit.” 1 Cor. 12:13.
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is the true and living God about whom Jesus
said, "God is a Spirit." He is the same God about whom Moses cried unto Israel,
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord." And this same God has come and
taken up His abode in the bosom of the believer, through the Holy Spirit.
Henceforth there is an enduement of power as promised in the Scriptures quoted
above.
THE MIRACLE OF PENTECOST!
What was the great miracle of Pentecost? Many would reply, “The tongues!
They spoke in tongues and that was the great miracle of Pentecost!” However, this is
not true. Tongues were only the evidence of the miracle. The MIRACLE was the
transformed lives of the believers. They were clothed with supernatural POWER!
They had been “saved” long before this. (John 13:10, 11 and 15:3). They were already
God’s children, but they were helpless to witness for Christ effectively in carrying the
gospel of salvation to others in a heathen, hostile world. The powers of Satan were
arrayed against them. They faced opposition from their own religious world and the
heathen world outside was an overwhelming obstacle.
The coming of the Holy Spirit changed everything. It met this need. They were
changed by this enduement into strong, fearless, effective witnesses for Christ. It was
the baptizing work of Jesus, immersing them into and filling them with the Spirit
Himself, that caused this transformation.
THE POWER DEMONSTRATED: The healing power of God and the power to
witness was powerfully demonstrated in the early church. That they received great
power to witness and unusual boldness was evidenced for instance, in the life of
Peter. He had been so fearful that he allowed a little maid’s question to cause him to
deny the Lord, but after the great milling of Pentecost he was able to face the world
and declare that they had crucified Jesus. It was this baptism that enabled him to say
to the man at the gate Beautiful of the temple: “Look on us . . . Silver and gold have I
none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up
and walk.” Acts 3:4b, 6. Surely, no one could doubt that something miraculous had
happened to Peter, and that it had changed him completely. (Read Acts 3). It was the
mighty experience of Pentecost!
The gifts of the Spirit were brought into evidence by the supernatural
enduement and Paul states in his letters that there are various operations of these
gifts. “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.” l Cor. 12:4.
“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of
knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another
the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to
another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of
tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:” 1 Cor. 12:8-10.
The supernatural was so in evidence in the early church, and the people were so
blessed with these supernatural endowments, that confusion resulted in their
operation, especially in local churches. It is this confusion which Paul is seeking to
correct in 1 Cor. 12:1b when he says “I would not have you ignorant” for he is
speaking of their ignorance of the scriptural operation of the gifts. The “ignorance”
Paul had to deal with was not their lack of knowledge of the things as a spiritual
reality. He said they came behind in no gift as far as their experience was concerned.
Their need was two-fold. They had to understand that the unity of the body of Christ
demanded that they yield place to other ministers; and they needed to understand that
love must fill the hearts of those who have “gifts” if they are to exercise them
profitably. This knowledge and understanding are badly needed today.
There is no scriptural reason for the idea which many have, that those who had
these supernatural gifts of the Spirit were perfect models of holiness and spiritual
maturity. Many think that the mere fact that someone exercises a gift means that he is
a perfect Christian in every respect. The New Testament makes it clear that these
were weak human beings, although saved and baptized by the Holy Ghost, they were
still full of human frailty, made many mistakes, and needed instruction in these things.
There is another kind of ignorance which we must cope with today. It is
ignorance in the church as a whole concerning even the nature and existence of the
supernatural gifts. In addition to this, many who profess to believe in them -- even
some who exercise them -- are sometimes as faulty as were the Corinthians in their
understanding of the operation of the gifts of the Spirit.
THE GIFTS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT: The great miracles, the “signs and
wonders” recorded In the Old Testament were performed by the same Spirit through
the same operations as the gifts mentioned in 1 Cor. 12. In the Old Testament,
however, this power came upon only a few from time to time. In the New Testament,
the promise is unto all that will believe for it. In the Old Testament, men
EXPERIENCED divine power; in the new dispensation of grace, they RECEIVED
power. We might say that in the old dispensation, the operation of the Spirit was
loaned to them; in this dispensation, it is a gift. In the Old Testament, the Spirit of
God operated certain ones by “remote control,” so to speak. Today, He comes into
our lives and operates from within. Many who have been studying the lessons of this
course have expressed a desire to enter into a greater anointing to work for God and
to bring deliverance and healing to others. It is for their special benefit that this
testimony is made a part of these studies.
TESTIMONY OF A. A. ALLEN
Before I was converted, I knew nothing about any part of the Bible. I could not
even quote John 3:16, nor name the four gospels. However, immediately after my
conversion, my heart being hungry to know all that I could know of my Lord, I began
to search the Scriptures, asking God to lead me to those readings from which I would
receive the greatest benefit. The Lord began to reveal to me the truths of the baptism
of the Holy Ghost, the signs following, the gifts of the Spirit, and the supernatural
things of God.
It was not long until God led me into a Pentecostal church, where I began to
see in a small measure the blessings of God, and a few of the manifestations of the
Spirit. It was in these meetings that I became convinced that I needed the baptism of
the Spirit, and there I began to pray and seek God for that experience. Thirty days
after my conversion, I was gloriously filled with the Holy Ghosts speaking in other
tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. I had read that “ye shall receive power, after that
the Holy Ghost is come upon you:” Acts 1:8. I fully expected that the infilling of the
Holy Ghost would immediately give me the power to heal the sick and to perform
miracles. It did not take me long to realize that more was required than the baptism of
the Holy Ghost, in order to consistently see these results.
The baptism of the Spirit provides access to this power, but the gifts of the
Spirit provide the channels through which this power operates. I began immediately
to pray and seek the gifts of the Spirit. I felt I must have power to heal the sick, for I
knew that according to the Scriptures, God never called anyone to preach the Gospel
without commissioning him also to heal the sick. Two years after my conversion, I
began my ministry.
For more than a year, in every revival meeting, I always planned at least two
nights in each week to be set aside to preach divine healing and to pray for the sick.
During this time, we saw a large number of miraculous healings, for God honored the
preaching of His Word. But I knew it was far short of what I should be seeing. I knew
that God’s plan included greater things for me, and I believed that there would be a
time in the future when they would be a reality in my life. Many times, I would search
the Scriptures, becoming more convinced as I did so that God’s promises concerning
the signs following, the gifts of the Spirit, healings, and miracles were meant for me
today.
It was plain to see that God had promised these things to me as His minister
but it was also plain to see that I did not possess that power in the fullness that God
had promised. I knew there must be a scriptural reason why I was so lacking in power.
Since God cannot lie, the fault had to be WITHIN MY OWN LIFE!
It was while pastoring my first church that I definitely made up my mind that I
MUST from heaven, and know the reason that my ministry was not confirmed by
signs and wonders. I felt sure that if I would fast and pray, God would in some way
speak to me and reveal what stood between me and the miracle-working power of
God in my ministry. I was so hungry for the power of God in my own life that I felt I
could not stand in my pulpit, nor ever preach again, until I had heard from God. I
made up my mind that I would fast and pray until I heard from God.
It was then that I had the greatest battle of my life. Satan was determined that I
should NOT fast and pray until God answered. Many times he whipped me or tricked
me out of the prayer closet. Satan knew that if I ever actually contacted God, there
would be much damage to his kingdom, and he meant do all in his power to hinder
me from making that contact. Day after day, I went into the prayer closet, determined
to stay until God spoke to me. Again and again, I came out without the answer. It
seemed there was always a reason why I could not stay in that closet until the answer
came. I always justified myself by saying I would pray it through tomorrow. Things
would be more favorable then. The Lord encouraged my heart by calling to my
remembrance how Daniel held on in fasting and prayer, and wrested the answer from
the hands of Satan, although it took three weeks to do so. (See Daniel 10:1-12).
The next day found me on my knees in the closet again. I had made up my
mind I would never come out until I heard from God. I really thought I meant it. A
few hours later, when I began to smell the odor of food from the kitchen, I was soon
out of the closet and in the kitchen. A few moments later, while I was at the table,
God spoke to my heart. I had only taken one bite of food and I stopped. God had
spoken to me. I knew that UNTIL I WANTED TO HEAR FROM GOD MORE
THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD, more than food, more than the
gratification of the flesh, GOD WOULD NEVER GIVE ME THE ANSWER TO
THE QUESTION THAT WAS IN MY HEART!
I arose quickly from the table. I meant business with God this time! I went back
into that closet. I was going to stay there until I heard from God. At last, I had
definitely made up my mind to stay there until I heard from God, no matter what the
cost. Hour after hour, I battled the devil and the flesh in the closet! Many were the
times I almost gave up. It seemed to me that hours were slipping by and my progress
was so slow. Many times I was tempted to give up, and try to be satisfied, but I had
tried that, and found that it was not enough. No! I would stay right here on my knees
until God answered, or I would die in the attempt.
Then the glory of God began to fill the closet. I thought the door had opened,
as the interior of the closet began to grow light. The door had NOT opened, but Jesus
had opened the door of heaven and the closet was flooded with light -- THE LIGHT
OF THE GLORY OF GOD! I do not know how long I had spent in the closet
before this happened, but it does not matter. I do not care to know. I only know I
prayed UNTIL!
The presence of God was so real, so wonderful, and so powerful that I felt I
would die right there on my knees. It seemed that if God came any closer I could not
stand it. Yet I wanted it, and was determined to have it. Was this my answer? Was
God going to speak to me? Would God, at last, after these many years, satisfy my
longing heart? How long had I been here? I didn’t know. I seemed to lose
consciousness of everything but the mighty presence of God. I tried to see Him, and
then was afraid that I would, for suddenly I realized that should I see Him, I would
die. (Ex. 33:20). Just His glorious presence was enough. If only He would speak to me
now! If he would just answer my one question, “Lord why can’t I heal the sick? Why
cannot I work miracles in Your name? Why do the signs not follow my mini8try as
they- did that of Peter, John, and Paul?
Then, like a whirlwind, I heard His voice! It was God! He was speaking to me!
This was the glorious answer for which I had waited so long! In His presence I felt
like one of the small pebbles at the foot of the towering Rockies. I felt I was
unworthy even to hear His voice, but He was not speaking to me because I was
WORTHY. He was speaking to me because I was NEEDY. Centuries ago, He had
promised to supply that need. This was the fulfillment of that promise. It seemed that
faster than any human could possibly speak, faster than I could follow mentally, God
was talking to me. My heart cried out, “Speak a little more slowly. I want to remember
all of it.” It seemed God was speaking to me so fast, and of so many things I could
never remember all of it. Yet I knew I could never forget! God was giving me a
mental list of the things that stood between me and the power of God. After each
new requirement was added to the list in my mind, there followed a brief explanation,
or sermonette, explaining that requirement and its importance. Some of the things
God spoke to me sounded like Scripture. I knew some of them were, but those first
three; could they be Bible?
If I had known there were so many things to remember, I would have brought
a pencil and paper! I hadn’t expected that God would speak in such a definite way and
give me such a long list. I had never dreamed that I was falling so far short of the
glory of God. I hadn’t realized there were so many things in my life that generated
doubt and hindered my faith. While God continued to speak to me, I began to feel for
a pencil in my pockets. At last I located a short pencil, but the lead was broken.
Quickly I sharpened it. I searched for a piece of paper. I couldn’t find any. Suddenly I
remembered the cardboard box filled with winter clothes that I was using for an altar.
I would write on the box. Now I was ready!
I asked the Lord to please start all over again at the beginning, and let me write
the things down one at a time, so I would not forget. I asked Him to speak slowly
enough so that I could set it all on paper. This time God started again at the first, and
spoke to me, one after another, the many things He had already mentioned. As God
spoke to me, I wrote them down. When the last thing was written on the list, God
spoke once again, and said, “This is the answer. When you have placed on the altar of
consecration and obedience the last thing on your list, YE SHALL NOT ONLY HEAL
THE SICK, BUT IN MY NAME YE SHALL CAST OUT DEVILS. YE SHALL SEE
MIGHTY MIRACLES AS IN MY NAME YE PREACH THE WORD. FOR
BEHOLD I GIVE YOU POWER OVER ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY."
God revealed to me at the same time that the things that were hindrances to my
ministry, and had prevented God working with me, confirming the Word with signs
following, were the very same things which are hindering so many thousands of
others.
Now it began to grow darker in the closet. I felt His mighty power begin to lift.
For a few more moments His presence lingered and then I was alone. Alone, and yet
not alone. I trembled under the mighty lingering presence of God. I fumbled at the
bottom of the cardboard box on which I had been writing. In the dark I tore the part
on which I had written from the box. In my hand I held the list. At last there was the
price I must pay for the power of God in my life and ministry. The price tag for the
MIRACLE-WORKING POWER OF GOD!---DUNAMIS
In my hand was the old brown piece of cardboard with the answer that had
cost so many hours of fasting and prayer, and waiting and believing! I sat down at the
table with the list before me, and wept as I went down the list. There were thirteen
items on the list when I came out of the closet, but I erased the last two. No one will
ever know what they were. These things MUST remain between God and me.
Since God spoke to me that day in the closet, many pages have been torn from
the calendar. In fact, many calendars have been replaced by new ones. One by one, I
began to mark the requirements from my list. The list grew smaller and smaller, as one
by one I shouted the victory over Satan, and marked off another! Finally, I was down
to the last two. Satan said to me, “You’ve marked off eleven of your items, but there
are two you’ll never mark off! I’ve got you whipped!” By the grace of God, I told the
devil he was a liar. If God asked me to mark them all off and said I could do so, He
would help me to do it! Yet it seemed I would never be able to mark off the last two.
Never will I forget the day I looked over my list and found, praise God, there was
only one thing left! If I could mark that off, I could claim the promise that God had
made to me. I had to claim that promise! Millions were sick and afflicted, beyond the
help of medical science. Someone MUST bring deliverance to them. God had called
me to take that deliverance to the people. GOD HAS CALLED EVERY MINISTER
OF THE GOSPEL TO DO THE SAME. (Ezek. 34:1-4).
Many had been the times when God had poured out His ~ir1t in my meetings
in a measure, as I traveled across the states. However, I knew that when I had marked
the last item from my list, I would see such miracles as I had never seen before. In the
meantime, I would patiently strive toward victory, trusting God to help me until
victory came. Trusting that when that victory was mine, God would be glorified, and
others, too, would be encouraged to seek God for His power.
Then came the day when such MIRACLES were manifested -- such as had
never before been in my ministry! THE SICK WERE HEALED, DEVILS WERE
CAST OUT, MIGHTY MIRACLES WERE SEEN IN THE NAME OF JESUS AS
HIS WORD WAS PREACHED. I had crossed the last item off that list! Hallelujah!
Many people will never forget the campaign that was declared to be the greatest
REVIAL in the history of Oakland, California -- a “BACK TO GOD REVIVAL.”
Hundreds declared they had never witnessed such a dynamic moving of the power of
God. The meeting continued for many weeks, and from the growing interest and
increasing attendance, could, no doubt, have continued indefinitely. Night after night,
waves of DIVINE GLORY so swept over the congregation that many testified of
being healed while sitting in their seats. Again and again we felt the mighty power of
God settling over the services and people arose to testify of instant healings, some
that were visibly miraculous, such as outward tumors disappearing. Goiters left at the
touch of my hand in Jesus’ name. Cataracts vanished.
In one instance, we prayed for a woman with throat trouble. After a few
moments, she was seen hurrying to the ladies’ rest room. When she returned to the
auditorium, she testified that after prayer, something came loose in her’ throat and
came up into her mouth. She had hurried to the rest room to dispose of it. It was
some kind of foreign growth (doubtless cancer) whitish orange in color.
Ruptures as large as a person’s fist disappeared over night. Cancer, deafness,
tumors, sugar diabetes, every known disease and many unknown, disappeared as in
the name of Jesus we laid hands upon the sick. Genuine healings were proved, in
many cases, by doctors’ statements and X-rays. We stood in holy awe and marveled at
the miracle-working power of God as it moved night after night from the very
beginning of that campaign. Hundreds were delivered from the power of the enemy
— saved, or filled with the Spirit. Eternity alone will reveal the number.
It was impossible to have, what is generally termed, a “healing line”. At least
ninety percent of those upon whom we laid bands were prostrated wider the mighty
power of God. Some danced a few steps or staggered drunkenly under the Spirit
before they fell. (See Jer. 23:9). Under such circumstances, it was impossible to have
the people move on after prayer. About all we could do was to lead the person who
was to receive healing to a place where there was no one lying on the floor, and then
pray for him. Some might brand this fanaticism, but it is not. It is the mighty power of
God. It is the same miraculous power that caused John to fall “at his feet as dead.”
Rev. 1:17. The most outstanding feature of that campaign was that such a large
percentage of the sick received miraculous deliverance. It would be a conservative
estimate to say that at least ninety percent, or more, of those prayed for were
marvelously healed. We set aside a night especially for those who wanted to be
baptized in the Holy Ghost, and we announced that hands would be laid upon the
seekers for the infilling of the Spirit according to Acts 8:17.
After the sermon, all that had not already been filled during the service came
down the outside aisle in a line. With but few exceptions, everyone we touched in the
name of Jesus fell prostrate. What an unusual sight to stand on the platform
afterwards, and look upon the many “slain of the Lord” in every available altar space
and even in the aisles! Sweeter yet, the sound of the heavenly music of voices raised in
united praise to God, as the Spirit-filled obedient believers and seekers began to speak
in new tongues and magnify God. (Mark 16:17 and Acts 10:46).
God is moving today in the very same manner, and He is manifesting His
presence, performing glorious miracles of deliverance in our Miracle Revivals
throughout the nation, performing great signs and wonders in the mighty name of
Jesus.