The Power of the Holy Spirit for Remnant Believers

Discover why the anointing of the Holy Spirit is so important for remnant believers and how it can help us face opposition and advance the Kingdom of God. Holy Spirit power is a must for the remnant believers. They know they need both the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Some value the Holy Spirit and some don’t. Not everyone is like you. Some embrace the Holy Spirit and others reject him.

 It’s encouraging when you see Christian leaders value the ministry of the Holy Spirit as much as Jesus did. After Christ’s resurrection, he spent 40 days ministering to his disciples about things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. I’m convinced He was going over the restoration of all things and their part in manifesting the Kingdom of God on earth. The “restoration of all things” is foundational in the Book of Acts (Acts 3:19-21). To accomplish the task of world evangelism, advancing kingdom culture and success in ministry would require the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus made it clear that his world changers and history makers should not attempt to take the gospel into the world before their endowment of power from on high (Acts 1:8). He knew there would be spiritual and natural opposition at every turn.

COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE

Taking the gospel to the world is not a Sunday morning church activity. It requires something called commitment to the cause by sold-out disciples of Christ. Some of these disciples we call remnant believers. Remnant believers are not like everyone else and not everyone is part of the remnant. Remnant believers are those rare breed of highly committed and faithful warriors that refuse to shrink back into apathy, lukewarmness, and carnality. You won’t find them compromising their faith for thirty pieces of silver or missing a church service because it’s raining outside. They don’t lose focus, are bold in spirit and remain faithful even when the devil attacks.

Remnant believers carry a different spirit. Different means differing from others. (Something is not different unless it’s different.) Remnant believers are like David, Daniel, Caleb, and Peter. David encouraged himself in the Lord when everyone was ready to abandon him, or the time when he spoke to a giant saying, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that would challenge the armies of the living God?” Remnant believers are like Daniel that knew his God would deliver him from the lion’s den, Caleb that said, “We are well able. Let us go up at once and possess it.” Or like Peter that stepped out of the boat walking on the sea toward Christ in the midst of a raging storm or the time you were challenged by demonic powers to go back to Egypt but something inside said, “I bind you devil in Jesus Name!” No, remnant believers are different and value the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Remnant believers are like you.

WORD AND SPIRIT

It’s interesting that Jesus, the very Word of God incarnate was anointed by the Holy Spirit. In other words, Jesus did not anoint himself. Think of it. Before the anointing came on the Word of God there were no signs, wonders, or miracles. It’s clear there was no activation of the Son of Man’s ministry until after the Holy Spirit came on him (Luke 4:18). Remnant believers know they need both Word and Spirit to be effective. If Jesus (God in the flesh) needed the anointing of the Holy Spirit so do we.  The word of God without the anointing of the Spirit can only accomplish so much, but when you have both, look out devil because with God “all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23).

POLISHED SHOWMANSHIP

On the other hand, it can be disheartening when some Christian leader doesn’t value the Holy Spirit. A minister told me of a great conference he was asked to speak. Thousands were saved and hundreds baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. There were many healings and a few prophetic words. In the same meeting, another speaker was invited that carried a worldly spirit. This is what we would call an unholy mixture. Maybe you have seen people like this. They can minister in a bar on Saturday night using all sorts of foul curse words and be asked to minister on a Christian television program on Sunday. This particular speaker did a good job at motivating and entertaining the people. There was a lot of excitement among the crowd, but no Holy Spirit manifesting the Kingdom. At the end of the meetings, the conference organizer was happy with the entertainer but not the other speaker. He liked the salvations but not the moving of the Holy Spirit and especially not with people speaking in other tongues and prophecy as the Spirit of God gave utterance. The next year only the Christian motivational entertainer was invited back. The reason for this is obvious: people only pursue and promote what they value. This conference organizer did not value the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, this man was overlooking the Scripture that declares, “Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues” (1 Corinthians 14:39). {module Spiritual Warfare: Learn how to fight back, Fast! Value Kit}

Remnant believers know that polished showmanship is not the anointing. It doesn’t matter how good one speaks or his ability to draw a crowd. The Apostle Paul said, “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5). According to this scripture, there is only one place where faith can make a stand and that’s in the power of God.

THAT SAME POWER

The power behind the Word of God is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It’s the same power that raised Christ from the dead. The Holy Spirit is as much God as the Father and Son are God (1 John 5:7). Without the Holy Spirit, one is limited and has problems walking on the water during life’s storms, finding the peace that passes all understanding, or fighting the good fight of faith.

Years ago a particular pastor had all the big names preach in his church. I asked him over lunch why he had so many different speakers. His response surprised me. He said the show must go on and if he didn’t keep it going the crowds would go somewhere else. He was even having guest speakers that some thought was including a lot of New Age mysticism in their messages. To him, it didn’t matter because they could draw a crowd and raise big offerings. Pleasing people or pleasing God is the choice every Christian will face. This can be a defining test for some. King Saul failed miserably and lost the kingdom because he was more concerned about his image than God’s image. David didn’t fail and, like you, was a man after God’s own heart.

I’M NOT ASHAMED

As already said, to remnant believers the Holy Spirit is important. They are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ and they are not ashamed of the Holy Spirit. Scripture says, “Those that are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God.” You can’t be led by that which you reject. Remnant believers would rather sit in a church with 50 people and the Holy Spirit than in a conference center with 30,000 and no Holy Spirit. Remnant believers don’t compromise their relationship with the Holy Spirit so they can draw big crowds.

I’m thankful for all my Holy Spirit filled Champion Partners (like you) that Christ has brought in my life. I’m not going to compromise the ministry of the Holy Spirit so I can be on a television talk show or get invited to speak in a large meeting. I would rather hang out with you and God. If someone wants me then they have to take the Holy Spirit too. Jesus said, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Your partner,

(c) Apostle Jonas Clark
www.jonasclark.com