Ultimate Power Play

This is the Truth Network. Welcome to Running with Horses, a podcast devoted to inspire you, concerning a relationship with Almighty God that empowers you to accomplish things you never thought possible. Shirley Weaver wants to take you there. And now, here's today's episode.

Hello, everyone, and welcome. My name is Shirley Weaver, and our show is titled Running with Horses because our focus is the power of God, the demonstrations of God's power in the life of the church, in the life of the born-again believer. And Running with Horses is a title that comes from the Old Testament account of how the prophet Elijah outran the horses and the chariots that belonged to King Ahab. The power of God came on him in a supernatural manifestation of strength because we would say that a man outrunning a horse could be an unusual thing, right? But the power of God on the life of Elijah that day caused exactly that to be the result. And with that in mind, we draw so much information from the Book of Acts in the New Testament and other sources where the recommendation to believe God, just like he says, take him at his word, don't be confounded by the fact that God's power is available to the church, to the individual born-again believer, because it is God's idea.

It is his idea. And particularly concerning the Book of Acts, we find there the word power is so pronounced. For example, in the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the word love is used over a hundred times. But the word love does not appear in the Book of Acts because the important, the action word in the Book of Acts is the word power, comes from the Greek word dunamis, which we get the English word dynamite from.

So you get the idea. This is a display of unusual power, unusual, maybe explosive power, you would say. Drawing from the story of Elijah, going from Mount Carmel that day, we put these two thoughts together, and we see that in the Book of Acts, God is actually telling a story about the power that he puts in the lives of the apostles, in the lives of the church, in the lives of the believers, those who knew him. This is a display, it is a display of how God used the apostles and how the apostles were able to move and flow in Holy Spirit power, not human power, Holy Spirit power. So ultimately, and above all, the power play that God has for the church, has for the individual believer, is to be so acquainted with the Holy Spirit that it affects everything we do, the way we live, the way that we conduct our business or go about our career. This is important to our prayer life, certainly to the way that we parent our children and the way that we are exemplary before the lives of our grandchildren. Put all of that together, and you see a demonstration of the love of God, that is the power of God.

Still the love of God, but it is the power of God. An important passage, Acts 16, beginning in verse, let's start in verse six. Now when they had gone through the region, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. And after they came to Messiah, they tried to go into that town, but the Spirit did not permit them. So they passed on, and then in a vision, Paul saw a man who was standing in Macedonia saying, come over here and help us.

So three things happened in a four verse passage here out of Acts chapter 16. The idea that Paul had was to go to one area to preach. The Holy Spirit did not allow him to. Then he was going to go into another area to minister.

The Holy Spirit kept him from doing that. And by the way, in several translations, the reference to the Spirit there is called the Spirit of Jesus. So first of all, the Holy Spirit, then the Spirit of Jesus, actually one in the same, the Godhead, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, all one, but unique in the way that they minister. So the Holy Spirit would be the Spirit of God, also the Spirit of Jesus.

Just a little point there. So did not preach, did not teach. And then in a vision by the Spirit of God, Paul saw this man standing, calling to him, saying, come over here and help us.

And I love the way this verse reads. Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them there. So just for emphasis here, Paul intended to go one place. The Spirit said no. He was sensitive to that leading and did not go. In the very next verse, Paul intended to go to another city. The Spirit blocked him, forbade him. Paul was sensitive to that leading.

But after two no's of his own impression, then the Lord speaks to him in a vision, actually probably a dream, which is a night vision. And he realized, verse 10 says, he concluded, this is the leading of the Holy Spirit and what we are to do and where we are to go. So this is how Paul was led by and followed that leading of the Holy Spirit. The power that followed that leading and Paul's obedience is significant. Two things, so important. The next thing that occurs in chapter 16 of the book of Acts is his encounter, Paul's encounter with Lydia and those who had gathered to pray in Philippi.

Remember they're on the banks of a river. There's a gathering of prayer. Paul begins to teach and minister. Lydia's heart was open to hear the gospel. She became born again under the ministry of Paul. And they continued to minister there and to pray there.

And you can believe this was a power encounter. Things taking place right here on the bank of the river based on the leading of the Spirit. So the next thing that happens as Paul moves on from there, he encounters a slave girl who is being basically handled by her owners, is possessed by an evil spirit and is therefore a fortune teller.

She is actually making great income for the owners. So you've got several things happening here. There are human beings who own other human beings so you know that's demonic. Another thing happening is this act or this business of fortune telling, which was very profitable, also demonic. Fortune telling is not of God. Telling the future is not of God.

The Lord himself is the only one who knows the future. So we are led by the Holy Spirit in those things, right? So these things are going on and Paul has the power of God on him. We know that because of the way the Spirit of God is leading him. The confirmation coming there, the occurrences on the banks of the river there with Lydia at Philippi and we see that Paul recognizes the presence of this evil spirit in this young girl and just speaks to the Spirit. He says to the Spirit, come out of her and the Spirit obeyed. The Spirit obeyed the man Paul because Paul was anointed by the Holy Spirit and was obedient to the Holy Spirit, was being led by the Holy Spirit and this was the fruit. So there's fruit everywhere of what's taking place in the life of Paul as he ministers with signs and wonders and miracles.

So the emphasis here is the obedience to God and the demonstration of the power of God as a result in and through the lives of the apostles as we see in the book of Acts. And connect right there, I want to recommend a resource to you that you will love, Dutch Sheets. Remember that name? Dutch Sheets has a wonderful app that can be downloaded to your devices, primarily to your phone. If you have that and can do that, you need this app. Give Him 15. The title, the name of the app, Give Him 15 will bless you and will demonstrate what we're saying here today five days a week, Monday through Friday. And I want to just point you to the June 7th portion. Dutch is talking about the power of prayer to build a foundation and a foundational wall of protection. That particular day, that post that day is filled with examples of the power of God, which you will love and will bless you. Then look also at our devotion book, Running with Horses on July 9.

The title is Circles of Prayer because this post, Circles of Prayer, and the Post in Dutch Sheets app for July 7th basically say the same thing. Say the same thing. And what that cues is the possibility that God is speaking something in particular. He said it here.

He said it way over here. These people have not communicated but are saying the same thing. Haven't communicated other than in the Holy Ghost, right?

So important. And if you keep in mind what took place on the bank of the river that day, when Paul encountered Lydia and there was a prayer gathering, there was a prayer meeting, and then the preaching of Paul released the manifestation of salvation for Lydia and other things as well. So Circles of Prayer from our book, Running with Horses, read this to you now. There are circles of prayer, including men and women, all ages, in unity, focused, concentrated, confident. The Lord speaks to those gathered, confirming direction for action. Their conversation is about prayer, which is the priority of the day.

Strategic prayers, prophetic prayers, situations they know about and many they do not. Such is the prayer of the Spirit. Directed by the Lord, groups everywhere, circles of prayer, are on watch, declaring. And here's the declaration, so important, to declare the power of God, expect the power of God, and move in the power of God.

Here's the declaration. We stand in prayer, watching the horizon where battles are joined. We exalt the name of Almighty God and advance His kingdom.

His is an everlasting kingdom strengthened by those who stand for His righteous cause. We establish boundaries and plant truth. We have strength within and His strength upon us to press against threat and push back advances of violent and ungodly men and mark cunning, crafty tricksters for exposure. We face the whirlwind that is coming over the horizon to discern whose wind is it.

Is it the Lord's or another? We identify and we discern the difference, seeing dark forces and block their entrance to our region. We thrust with the word against terror reports, declaring this, no, not here, not now, not ever. Instead we affirm, yes, Lord, here now, yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory. In circles of prayer, we change the horizon today and then again tomorrow, again and again and again. Do you hear the power? Do you hear the strength coming from that declaration? There's the Holy Spirit mentality that comes in and takes over as we think like God thinks and we see what He sees and we're able to agree with Him and to function like Him. So here's the point.

Here's the point. Do we do that? Are we doing that? Do we believe that? Do we understand the power that's available?

Do we consider that we qualify as agents of His to demonstrate these powerful tools necessary to overwhelm darkness and advance the kingdom of light? Do we? Do we? That is, this is the ultimate power play to be led of the Spirit, obedient to the Spirit, not shy away or be intimidated or questioning what our role should be, but to be confident and to be willing and available for the release of God's power through our lives.

So important. We need to answer that question because each person must answer that question. Do we see it? Do we believe it? Are we willing? If God said it, we can. We can.

If God has said it by His Spirit, you be encouraged. You can and I believe you will. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode and you'd like to help support this podcast, please share it with others. Post about it on social media or leave a rating and review. Don't forget to check out the show notes or visit acleartrumpet.org where you can subscribe to Shirley's email list. Download the ministry app and purchase your very own copy of Shirley's 365-Day Devotional, Running with Horses. Thanks again and we'll see you next time.