When my ministry work began, it seemed so easy.
Back then I thought, “Oh, surely I’m going to finish strong.” But you
only finish strong if the power of God stays in your life. It was
certainly true then.
It seems even more crucial to understand that principle today, for only God’s power works! Dependence upon Him is everything!
Our Source of Power
We are told in Scripture that the source of power in the life of Jesus
and His ministry was the Holy Spirit: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and
healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him”
(Acts 10:38).
Even after His resurrection, the Lord still depended upon the Holy
Spirit: “Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through
the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had
chosen” (Acts 1:2).
If Jesus needed the Holy Spirit
after His resurrection, how much more do we need Him
before our own resurrection?
The Lord is our pattern for total dependence upon the Holy Spirit,
and the Lord promised that we would receive the same Holy Spirit that
had empowered Him:
In the last day, that great day
of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him
come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath
said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this
spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive:
for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet
glorified.) —John 7:37-39
He is our limitless Resource!
Consider John 7:38: “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath
said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” “Out of his
belly” refers to your innermost being. The Holy Spirit is your limitless
resource, an everlasting fountain. All you will ever need will be
completely fulfilled and satisfied by the Holy Spirit—every longing and
every desire in your life.
According to John 14:15-18, the Holy Spirit is our Parakletos—our
Counselor, Comforter, and Helper! And He is with us forever. Without the
Holy Spirit we would be as orphans with no one to care for us. But with
Him, we have full provision!
And since that day when the Holy Spirit came, as promised by our Lord
Jesus, He has been and still is the personal, resident representative
of the Godhead on earth. Without Him, we are powerless.
Jesus was anointed by and dependent upon the Holy Spirit. God the
Father was with Him by the Spirit. This is crucial for us to understand.
The Apostle Paul preached that message, and the known world was
revolutionized.
Even during my lifetime, I have seen with my own eyes how Kathryn
Kuhlman preached the message of utter dependency upon the Holy Spirit,
which is why God used her so dramatically.
David Wilkerson preached that same message, and that is why God shook New York City to its core.
Ralph Wilkerson preached that message, and God used him to reach Southern California.
I could go on and on.
That is why I want to tell every believer—if you get away
from depending on the Holy Spirit, you will die. Without His power, you
cannot do it. You will not do it. You will fail and fall back into
bondage, just like you were before you were saved. We know this because the Word of God tells us that where the Holy Spirit is (not was), “there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17).
It doesn’t matter what you have done in the past, nor what formulas
you try today; without the Holy Spirit, you will fail. Only the Holy
Spirit sets people free! Only the Holy Spirit can fill you with God’s
power. That is why God the Spirit is here on the earth.
What Really Happened at Pentecost?
Freedom and power are why the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost.
Just before the Lord’s ascension, Jesus promised: “For John truly
baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not
many days hence” (Acts 1:5). That baptism took place on the Day of
Pentecost:
And when the day of Pentecost
was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly
there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it
filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto
them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. —Acts 2:1-4
Pentecost was the manifestation and fulfillment of the promise made
by our Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit descended from heaven in person in
the form of a mighty wind, filled each one of the 120 individuals, and
gave them His power!
The Apostle Peter declared that because Jesus was exalted and
glorified, Pentecost took place: “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof
we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted,
and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he
hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear” (Acts 2:32-33).
The Secret of God’s Power Today
Because of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit brings freedom and power today.
The secret to the power of God is the person of the Holy Spirit!
The Holy Spirit is the One who gives you:
- The power to live a life that pleases God: “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10).
- The power to know the truth:
“And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of
judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:8-11).
- The power to be free from sin’s
dominion: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made
me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).
- The power to be strengthened in
the inner man: “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his
glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man”
(Ephesians 3:16).
Paul also tells us that when we are led by the Holy Spirit, we will
pray correctly: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for
we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself
maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered”
(Romans 8:26). When you are led by the Holy Spirit, your prayer life
will be powerful, not chaotic.
With the Holy Spirit, we have full provision. Without Him, we have no
guidance or protection. We certainly cannot fight sin effectively
without Him.
Today, we can compare our situation with what happened after
Pentecost. What are we lacking today? They went from being powerless,
oppressed, and lacking to being filled with God’s power, strength,
guidance, and direction!
And today, as in the first century, the Christian life must depend
upon the Holy Spirit. Only with Him in charge can you succeed.
My Prayer for You
It is your time for fullness and abundance!
I believe that the remainder of 2012 can be your best time ever, and
that means in every area of your life, including your finances.
It is important to be led by God in your finances, knowing that the
size of your harvest depends directly upon the size of your seed: “But
this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he
which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully” (2 Corinthians
9:6).
As you seek to depend upon God’s power in every area of your life,
why not launch out into the deep, prayerfully seek His guidance, take a
step of faith with your finances, and then expect a supernatural harvest
of abundance in your life and business?
Nothing touches God’s heart like your giving toward the Gospel.
Remember this promise from God’s blessed Word: “Honour the Lord with thy
substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy
barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new
wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10).
Sow your most generous financial seed so multitudes can hear the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. As you do, remember our Father’s glorious
promise to give you seed and multiply that seed as you sow it.
I am eager to hear from you very soon, and I pray that your gift will
bring lost souls to the cross. At the same time, I pray that your
seed-gift will be multiplied into a vast harvest of financial blessings
in your own life, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!
This is your year for answered prayer! As you finish the year strong,
seek to be led by Him in every area of your life, including your
finances.
For we know it is “not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the L
ord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6)…
Preaching the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ,
teaching the unchanging Word of God, and
expecting the mighty and miraculous
power of the Holy Spirit,
Benny Hinn
