You see however with the false prophets of the early church inspite of their pretended signs they could not stand the power of God. For after all, Christ’s power is super-power Christ said “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” Matt 28:18. The Bible says “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth” Phil 2: 10. So Paul did not fail to tell them that Christ’s power superceded all other power of theirs. This is where I want to advise my readers. Many Christians think that God’s power is no longer manifested as was in the olden times even when the bible says Christ does not change Heb 13:8. They run to conclusion when they see a man of God working great signs in the name of Jesus Christ and accuse him of falsehood. So I ask often does it mean that God has no power again? You don‘t judge miracles or the miracle worker but you test his spirit. I have explained this’ biblically in the early paragraphs but for the purpose of emphasis, I just mentioned it again. So Paul told the false prophets that God’s power was mightier than their and he would prove it. writing to the church in Corinth about his opposers he said: “I will come to you soon if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power’ 1 Cor. 4: 20. His opposers were he critics and the ‘false brethren. He writes about them again challenging their power “Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they- descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of God? I am a better one… the signs of a true apostle were performed among you in all patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works” 2Cor 11:21-23; 12: 12. So Paul even confirms here that one of true signs of an apostle of Christ is the power of God in him. Praise God.
Now what is the power of Christ that should be seen with the true prophet of God? The power of Christ and the only true power of God is the power of the Holy Ghost.
“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” Acts 1:8.
The Holy Spirit is also called the spirit of Jesus. Acts 16:8 or the spirit of God. 2 Kgs 2:16, 1 Sam 10:10; Rome 8:14.
The prophet Isaiah said; “The spirit of the Lord God is upon Isa 61:1. if you are a servant of God or a prophet and your source of power is from on high i.e. by the Holy spirit and you believe in the Lord Jesus as Lord and your Saviour, your works give glory to his name. You indeed are a true prophet of God. You must be sure you are not relying on anything than the Bible -the word of God.
People want to limit the power of God or the operational dimension of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that there are “varieties of gifts, “varieties of service’ and “varieties of working”, “but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one’ 1 Cor12:6 By the phrase varieties of working” I am able to understand that the Holy Spirit works in different ways, therefore he is not stereotyped. As directed by the Holy Spirit, I have prayed for people in different ways I have laid hands on the sick, I have just said the word for a miracle even without touching and I have used symbols such as – oil to heal, all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But some Christians once they see a man of God using symbols, they frown and just pass an unreserved comment- “he is a false prophet”.
That is not right. Let us biblically various ways by which the Holy Spirit has worked through various prophets or servants of God.
1. Our Lord Jesus
(i) He just said the word and miracle took place without touching. He said to the centurion whose servant was ill at home “Go; be it done for you as you have believed”. Matt 8: 13. And the Bible says ‘And the servant was healed at that very moment” Matt 8: 13. (Other refs: Mk 10: 16; Jn 11:44; Matt 9: 6).
(ii) He laid hands on the sick for miracles. As a leper came to Christ for healing the bible says “he stretched out his hand and touched him saying … be clean” Matt 8:3 and “immediately his leprosy was cleansed” Matt 8:3 (Other refs: Matt 9:29; Lk 8:54).
(iii) The Lord applied symbols to heal. He used spittle, water, sand at various times. Healing the “man blind from his birth” Jn 9:1. “he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man’s eyes with the clay saying to him “Go wash in the pool of siloam” Jn 9:6-7.what happened? The bible says he went and washed and came back seeing” Jn 9:8 (other refs: Mk 7:33,8:23; Mk 6:13).
He urged his disciples to heal with oil Mk 6:13. A striking difference of the operation of the Holy Spirit can be seen in the different ways our Lord Jesus healed two blind beggars at different instances reported in the same synoptic gospel. At Bethsaida our Lord met a blind man who came to him to be healed. The bible says “he took the blind man by the hand and let out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes and his hands upon him, he asked him, Do you see anything?” Mk 8:23-24. But the man replied “I see men, but they look like trees walking” Mark 8:24. So our Lord again “laid his hand upon his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored and saw everything clearly Mk8:25.Yousee the procedure the Lord took. But healing another blind man at Jericho-Bartimaeus, a blind beggar’ Mk 10:46. Our Lord simply said to him “Go your way; your faith had made you well” Mk 10:52. Now I am not looking at the theological significances of these healing to explain why he did what he did at the different circumstances but I am saying that the Holy Spirit can heal the way he wills. He cannot be limited.
2 Peter the apostle of Christ: The Holy Spirit led Peter to just say the word and a miracle followed. Praying for the dead, he turned to the corpse of Tabitha, and said “Tabitha, arise, and she opened her eyes”. Act 9:40. Aemeas who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralysed (Acts 9:34) got healed when Peter led by the spirit said “Jesus Christ heals you, rise and make your bed”. “And immediately he rose Acts9:34. He did not even touch him to lay hands. Healing the man lane from birth at the gate of the temple called beautiful “he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong” Acts 3:7. At another time the shadow of Peter healed the sick (Acts 5:14-16).
(3) With Paul an apostle of Christ: Paul embraced the young man Eutychus who died to bring him back to life.Acts20:10. He laid hands on the sick at the Island of Nalta and they recovered. Acts 28: 8-9.He just said the word rebuking the false prophet Elymas and instantly he was blind Acts 13: 10.Paul anointed handkerchiefs and they became effective healing mediums because they had been anointed. Acts 19:12.
With Elisha the prophets: Elisha was a prophet of God. For the double spirit of his master Elijah vested upon him 2 Kigs 2:9.The bible says “the spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha” 2Kg 2:15and we know that the spirit possessed by Elijah was the spirit of God. The spirit of God led Elisha to do strange miracles. He raised the dead child of the Shumamite woman by lying on the child two times. 2 kg 4:32-35. He healed Naaman the lepper of simply asking him to go to river Jordan and dip himself seven times. 2 Kgs5:10. He purified water with the use of salt and anew bowl. 2Kgs 2:20-21Notice that most of these healings involved the use of symbols yet they were healings by the spirit of God.