Demonstrations Are Here!

Prophetic Scripture:

1st Corinthians 2:4-5  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

1st Corinthians portrays Christ as our ”LORD”  It contains 16 chapters, 437 verses and 9,489 words.  It’s time now for “my people” not to just talk about “my power”, but to demonstrate it!!

God wants us to step out in miracles and make a practice of signs and wonders!!

“FOR THE DEMONSTRATIONS OF GOD ARE HERE”!!

Demonstration:  the action of showing the existence or truth of something by giving proof or evidence.

Demonstration in the Greek is Apodeixis (pronounced a-pod’-ike-sis) and means manifestation; making manifest; showing forth a demonstration; proof.  The Gospel is not a verbal argument for the existence of God.  It is above all things a demonstration of God Himself.  It is the evidence of who He is in His love and power!

This word literally means a pointing out, a showing or demonstrating by argument and is found in 1st Corinthians 2:4 only.  The apostle speaks of a proof, a “showing” forth or display, by the operation of the Spirit of God in him (Paul) as affecting the hearts and lives of his hearers in contrast to the attempted methods of proof by rhetorical arts and philosophic arguments (meaning rudiments and philosophy of men).  It means to point away from one’s self; to point out; show forth (as to expose to view); to exhibit; to declare; to prove by arguments; and is used once in the sense of proving by demonstration which brings about an “approval.”

Acts 2:22  (The Lord Jesus was a) man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by HIM in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know.

Often we talk about the power of God and how it was displayed so powerfully in the lives of those in the Bible, historical figures, and in books.  But God didn’t stop these demonstrations with the early church era or even a few decades ago.  He manifests supernatural demonstrations even now because we are willing to step out on the edge and do something that causes Him to move.  Same God then; Same God now!

Did not God tell us that He became the Victim so that we could be The Victors?

Did not God tell us greater is He that is in you?  (1 John 4:4)

Did not God tell us to “activate the Word of God”?

Did not God tell us “the promises of God are built on Yea and Amen”?  (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Did not God tell us “we can breathe again”?

Did not God tell us “don’t leave home without Him”?

So today He’s saying “Now is the time to demonstrate My Word….. DEMONSTRATIONS ARE HERE”!

Remember, the Gospel is not a verbal argument for the existence of God.  It is above all things a demonstration of God Himself.  It is the evidence of who He is in His love and power!  Love is the greatest demonstration of power that there is!!  In demonstration of Christ’s love, He went to the Cross, and through His death, He destroyed the power of the enemy!!!  

Power is the undeniable demonstration of God’s love!!  Love still holds the key to His power, and His power showcases His love!!  Love and power embody the gospel of Jesus Christ with demonstration!

FIRST, THERE IS “LOVE AND ITS DEMONSTRATION”:

Do everything in love.  1 Corinthians 16:14  Let all your things be done with charity.

We ought to have no agenda but to love.  God’s agenda has always been to love!  God’s “love” reaching out to humanity and reaching its exclamation was demonstrated in His Son, Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 13:8 states Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

So we need to drop all other agendas and expectations we may have in order to be free to simply “love people”.  John 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.  We are bound by our agendas and drained by our expectations if they (our agendas and expectations) don’t work out!  But love is “freedom”………..Love is not something to do but be!!

Let us focus on the love of God, and let love melt the hearts of men.  Even if they don’t receive the gospel we give to them that day, they will never be able to shake off the fact that we loved them and told them of His irresistible love.

Jesus did not come to shame sinners but to save them.  We need to spread the good news of Jesus’ salvation of our souls from sin, which is the greatest expression of love.  Love’s presence during ministering shows that we not only believe but also care. 

In Galatians 5:22, God’s word says, The fruit of the Spirit is love.   Romans 5:5  The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.  Therefore, the result of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives will be love which is a demonstration. 

We should never forget that God made man in His image, and Jesus laid His life down for others.

Love is best defined as “selflessness” since greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down His life for His friends. (John 15:13)

This is why Perfect love casteth out fear.  (1 John 4:18)  

Fear is based out of self-consciousness, and love is being conscious of others.  Or should I say putting others before ourselves. 

We are captive to fear to the degree that we love our lives, and we fail to be witnesses for Christ.  Being caught up in our own sphere, we will simply allow fear and self-interest to remove us from the love that makes us true witnesses.  By allowing fear to silence us to the degree that we love ourselves and situations only, it shows a lack of love for others and not caring about someone else in need (sick, shut-in, co-worker, etc.).

But if we will allow the Holy Spirit to be a constant presence in our lives, His love will expand in our hearts, and self-consciousness/selfishness will dispel.  Then God will be free to extend His hand to the world through us through His love!  Love is the goal!  Love is the incentive! Love is the inspiration!  Love is the power!  Love is the gospel!  Love never fails!

SECONDLY, THERE’S THE “POWER AND ITS DEMONSTRATION”:  

The disciples demonstrated the power of God because they took a risk.  God wants to manifest miracles for those who will just step out on faith and believe.  You’ll need to step out in boldness, people of God.  They did some bold things in the Book of Acts, but they had lots of practice under the ministry of Jesus first!  They had the power walking right there with them and amongst them.

We too have the power walking right here with us, amongst us, and in us as well.  When God made it possible for the Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead to live in us, He made powerlessness inexcusable!

Jesus did not leave us powerless!  He never desired us to go without power!  To do God’s work, we need God’s power!  There is no witness without power!  Good news without power is not good!

Did not John 16:7 say If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send HIM unto you.   In Acts 1:8  Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.  John 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him:  but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

So the Power of God is on the inside, and all we have to do is demonstrate His power!  

You can begin “demonstrating” with things like just offering to pray for someone who needs healing; or perhaps sow a larger than normal offering and expect a breakthrough in your finances.  Do something that reveals your confidence in God to act on your behalf.  If you want something you’ve never had, you must do something you’ve never done!

***A demonstration of God’s power of the Holy Spirit is for the preaching of the gospel

Isaiah 61:1-3   The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

***Another demonstration of God’s power is for the delivering of the captives

Acts 10:38  How 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.

Being captive doesn’t always mean behind bars, but there are those who have been led into captivity of their minds.  Those locked in the prison of the system of religious order as well as those made prisoners of war.  There are people who have been spoiled/robbed through philosophy (vain reasoning) and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments (orderly arrangement) of the world, and not after Christ.  (Colossians 2:8)

2 Corinthians 4:3-4  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

This word “mind” is intellect – which is having the ability to understand and accept knowledge, the truth, but many reject it!!  But it’s up to the Sons of God to deliver this gospel/good news to those lost in the house (waiting for Jesus to come back and get them)!  He is ALREADY COME, AND HE IS ALREADY HERE!!

Romans 8:

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.  Manifestation - appearing; taking the covers off; revealing of Christ’s Body on earth.

22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth (to experience a common calamity; misfortune or destruction) in pain together until now.

23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits (tongues of fire; message of the kingdom) of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption (placing of sons strategically around the world), to wit (to know), the redemption of our body.  

NOT JUST OUR SOUL, BUT ALSO OUR BODY!!  1 Thessalonians 5:23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul did not say here “until” the coming but “unto” the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  That word “UNTO” is from the root word eis, meaning “to or into” indicating the point reached or entered of place, time, or purpose as a result.  As a result of God making us in His image and after His likeness, we, the Body of Christ, are to and shall exhibit in the earth now the total of who Jesus was when He walked the earth in demonstration of “love, power, dominion, and authority”!!  1 John 4:17  As he is, so are we in this world!!!

Each of us has within ourselves “The Christ” (the Anointing) just as Jesus had, and we must look within to recognize our son-ship, our divine origin, and our birth even as He did.  

How do we do this?  We do this by continually unifying ourselves with the Most High (Highest) by our thoughts and by our words.  Then we too shall become sons of God manifested in the earth NOW!!  

“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”. (John 1:11-13)

John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same (that’s us) was in the beginning with God.  (Verse 14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.  

As Jesus was manifested in flesh, so were we manifested in flesh!  “The sons” were sent here from and by God!  You won’t know “you’re a son” unless God reveals it to you!!  You know by “REVELATION”!!

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.  (Galatians 4:4).  When God had need of a “son of God” to be born, you came in the flesh!!  HALLELUJAH!!!   I came in the flesh!!

This is the biggest Demonstration of The Power of God!!!!!  You must come to the realization of knowing who YOU are…….that we are “I AM” (God’s name and manifestation in man)!

We must let the people know this revelation. And people are perishing because of lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6)

Demonstration of God’s Power is the “power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16). 

Paul shows us that he was not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God unto salvation!  Many people are ashamed of the gospel because they have never seen it as the power of God.  Once one has witnessed God’s power in demonstration, seeing the gospel as the power of God will destroy this shame.  When one encounters the “Light”, a change is going to come!

Saul of Tarsus experienced repentance when he met The Light on the Damascus road and gave evidence of repentance. (Acts 9: 1-18)

Cornelius, his family, and friends repented when they heard the gospel preached by Simon Peter and evidence of repentance followed. (Acts 10:24-48)

The Philippian jailer and his house repented when witnessed to by Paul and Silas.  The evidence of repentance followed. (Acts 16:26-34)

When all believe, their faith in Jesus “The Christ” and His Anointing releases the Power of God that saves!!!!  So Sons of God, all we have to do is give them The Light, and the Demonstration will follow!!

A demonstration of power forces a decision by those who witness it because it shows God to the individual in an undeniable way. 

We’re going to see the sick healed on the streets, and it is such an arresting moment in the individual’s life.  Even in their shock, they are stuck with the evidence that God has just touched them!  Even if they are not sick, we seek to pray for them in an attempt to usher the presence of God into their hearts.  As they sense His Power - He who is the desire of the nations - they break internally!

Because people are beginning to seek and want more in the church, all we have to do is give them Christ!!!!  His power is irreplaceable!  Demonstration of The Power of God is coming into the lives of men (male and female) at a rapid rate!

The Power is the gospel!  Power is the demonstrated presence of God!

”The world out there is not waiting for a new definition of Christianity but a new demonstration.”

~Leonard Ravenhill

If you see someone in need reach out.  You don’t have to wait and wonder if miracles will come.  The demonstrations of God are already here!  Just step out and watch the Lord display His power.  The more you do, the more you will see demonstrations of God in your life!

SOMEBODY GIVE GOD THE PRAISE IN THE HOUSE OR WHEREVER YOU MAY BE!!!

LIFT YOUR VOICE AND GIVE GOD THE PRAISE!!!

HALLELUJAH!  FOR HE IS WORTHY!!!!

~ Evangelist Jackie Burton