Power in the Gospel
ICS Daily Devotions
Romans 1:16-17 (NKJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
As Jesus wasn’t ashamed of us when He bore our sins on the cross, neither should we be ashamed of the Gospel. However, many of us are afraid to share the Gospel, fearing rejection by others and possible persecution. But let us remember, even if we face persecution for our faith, rewards await us in heaven.
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (NKJV) And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
The power of God is what lies behind the salvation of everyone who believes. It has nothing to do with our ability to convince or our eloquence of speech. Instead, the Gospel itself has the power to save because it is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict sinners of sin, righteousness, and judgement (John 16:8).
Mark 16:17,20 (NKJV) And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
Moreover, Jesus promised us that signs and wonders would follow the preaching of the Gospel. Because the Holy Spirit is invisible, when He demonstrates His power, it must be tangible and visible. Just like God’s power flows through the sick when someone lays hands on them, we are working in partnership with God when we respond in obedience to preach the Gospel, and God’s power will manifest in our midst.
Jesus came for the ungodly and the sinners. All of us are spiritually bankrupt, and nobody can use their own strength to stand right before God because sin has caused us to be separated from Him. No human effort can wash away the prickling of our conscience for our sins, and a continuous conviction that we are not good enough to face God after we die will linger unless we receive Jesus as our Saviour.
Rather than waiting for us to be condemned and suffer in hell, God took the initiative to send His only Son to deal with humanity’s sin issue. We are messengers of the good news, and we can stand on the promise that signs and wonders will follow the preaching of the Gospel.
Sermon Series：The Time is Now
