From The Pastor's Pen - 4/21/14

“And these signs shall follow them that believe, in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17-18 AKJ).

Speaking to His inner circle, in Mark the 16^th Chapter, the 17^th and 18^th verses, Messiah Jesus clarified for them, and all serious believers thereafter, specific, identifiable signs for power-filled Christian ministry. Therefore, we need to understand that these particulars, which He outlined, are among the most important keys to our total victory in spiritual warfare. In fact, the failure of the individual, as well as the Church, to acknowledge His teaching in regard to these weapons of warfare is, without a doubt, the primary reason for ineffective evangelism, and daily Christian living.

As born-again believers, we need to understand that all of Jesus' teaching, as well as, Apostolic doctrine, throughout the New Testament, is relevant to our day and time, as well. And nothing in the scriptures, even remotely indicates that these Kingdom principles of power and authority have changed, despite attempts by schisms within denominationalism to reinterpret the preserved Word to conform to distorted and powerless doctrines of men.

Those promised signs, which the Lord declared, “shall follow them that believe” were among the foundational gifts for the Church, and include the other powerful gifts of the Holy Ghost explained, and listed, in I Corinthians Chapter 12, verses 1-11.

Being entrusted to the Church on the day of Pentecost, 50 days following His resurrection, these signs will remain for every believer who will dare to receive them by faith, and operate in them, until Jesus' return in glory at the end of the age.

“And being assembled together with them, commanded them that, they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence” (Acts 1:4-5 AKJ).