We Are Gifted to Continue His Work
ICS Daily Devotions
John 14:12 (NKJV) “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
It might sound sacrilegious to say or even think that we can do what Jesus did on earth, but that’s exactly what Jesus said we can do! In fact, it takes true humility and faith to acknowledge that we can do the work that Jesus did when He was on earth. Also, if we want to see the greater works mentioned in this passage, we need to humble ourselves to acknowledge and practise this truth. We need to act on what Jesus has said and do what He has instructed as an individual and as a church.
Ephesians 4:7-8 (NKJV) But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.
We can do greater works for many reasons. Firstly, Jesus has gone to be with the Heavenly Father and has sent us the Holy Spirit as our Helper. Secondly, the sheer number of believers empowered by the Holy Spirit will enable a much larger geographic coverage while Jesus was confined to Israel. Thirdly, the ease of communication through satellite, multi-media, internet, and social media has increased the speed of the spread of the Gospel.
Jesus had the fullness of the Holy Spirit and all the gifts of the Holy Spirit were operating in His life because He is God. Jesus is the head of the church. We, on the other hand, are the body of Christ, and the Holy Spirit has empowered us and He will help us.
John 14:16-17 (NKJV) And I will pray for the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
God distributed the gifts of the Holy Spirit to the body of Christ when Jesus ascended to heaven. God empowers us with gifts just like we have the vested authority to use the name of Jesus when we carry out ministry among the people. When God calls, He empowers and provides. The same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead resides in us, and the anointing of Jesus to do the work of the ministry is also upon the body of Christ.
Nobody on earth will have all the gifts upon them like Jesus did, but God will grant us the grace to operate in the gift or gifts that He has given to us. We don’t get to choose the kind of spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit distributes to us either. Therefore, we must depend on one another because of the diversities of gifts distributed throughout the body of Christ.
Sermon Series: What Can Jesus Do that I Can Also Do
