There is Always More
Photo by MIGUEL GASCOJ on Unsplash
As an equipping and renewal ministry Spirit & Truth is always urging greater hunger and pursuit of God, and deeper understanding of all he desires for, and makes available to his children. It’s not uncommon to hear Emma exhorting the churches we visit during Spirit & Truth weekends: “There is more of God to receive! Keep going!”
There are more than a few verses in the Bible that describe the infinite nature of our heavenly Father, and his inexhaustible love and generosity towards us. Ephesians 3:20-21 is an excellent example of this: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Or there is, John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” Also Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Personally I love 2 Peter 1:3-4:
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
Even from this handful of verses we see that God’s intention for his children is to experience a palpable sense of his nearness, love, and power. For many of us our first foray into seeking more of God happens in the midst of exploring the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit. We can find descriptions and listings of the spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, Ephesians 4:7-13, and Romans 12:3-8. It’s a thrilling thing to know God desires to equip his children with his power, and even more thrilling is when we see God’s power made manifest in a miraculous work like physical healing. God really does still move in supernaturally miraculous ways through his children!
At our recent conference in Dayton, OH, during a prayer exercise a woman attending the conference had a word of knowledge about ear pain. A word of knowledge happens when the Holy Spirit gives someone the supernatural ability to know a verifiable piece of information that they otherwise would not have known. The woman who had the word of knowledge shared what she believed she was hearing and sure enough another woman sitting not too far away timidly raised her hand, and said she was experiencing ear pain. There was a palpable sense of awe and faith in the room. Together we all prayed for the woman with ear pain to be healed of her discomfort, and of the underlying condition that caused her pain. Nothing spectacular seemed to happen at the moment, but the next day the woman with ear pain reported that later on the day she received prayer she suddenly heard a loud pop in her ear and the pain left! She was pain free!
This is a beautiful example of what is possible when we stretch in faith and availability with the Holy Spirit. Not every instance of experiencing God’s power is dramatic, and encounters with the power of God should be experienced in the everyday, not just heightened conference environments. The passage from 2 Peter gives us good insight into the Father’s intention when he says “his divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life.” This tells us that having faith and compassion to pray for healing, and being available to the nudges and leading of the Holy Spirit are part-and-parcel of what it means to live a godly life. Living a godly life begins with understanding that God, as the creator of all things, has the best perspective on how we can, and should grow in resemblance to him, and also on the ways he desires us to be his loving ambassadors in the world.
Partnering with the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s glory through miracles, signs, and wonders is an amazing, and integral part of following Jesus. But I would argue that the fireworks of the experience aren't even the best part. In fact I would argue that there is even more beyond simply being a willing vessel for God’s power. There is total surrender. When we live in a surrendered state, indwelled by the Holy Spirit, letting him have his way in us in all things in all ways—whether miraculous or mundane, we participate in the divine nature of God himself. And that is something we can never get enough of. There is always more.