The
Powers of The Age to Come
Part
Two
When the Church of
Jesus Christ receives “the powers of the age to come”, the people of GOD will
work in greater anointing, and the whole-world will witness genuine revival,
and the full number of those predestined for salvation will be redeemed.
At Pentecost, the apostles declared “the wonderful works of GOD” in “other
tongues” (tongues of men) as they were
filled with The Holy Ghost (see
Acts 2).
In these
latter days, the Church will preach “the
Gospel of the Kingdom” in every language to all the nations of the world,
when GOD Almighty releases “the powers of the age to come”.
This revelation can be seen when we read and study
these two separate verses of the Scriptures: Acts 1:8 and Mathew 24:14
Acts 1:8 declares:
“But ye shall receive power, after that The Holy Ghost 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” (KJV)
Matthew 24:14 reveals:
“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world
for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (KJV)
These two separate verses of the
Scriptures are Words spoken by The Lord Jesus Himself,
and they both ‘run-parallel’—they are connected one to the other; GOD’s Divine
Purpose and Plan for unlocking the mystery of “the Gospel”, and “the mystery of
the Church” can be more clearly seen. They can be more clearly seen by the eyes
that sees and by the mind that can comprehend spiritual truths.
The
Church received “Power”
when The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost—and
filled with The Holy Spirit (Acts
2:1-4). This is known as “The Descent of
The Holy Spirit”.
The disciples of Jesus tarried in the city of
Jerusalem just as He commanded them, and suddenly, they were endued with “Power from on High”.
“And, behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye
in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with Power from on High” (Luke
24:49 KJV)
Acts
1:8
shows that, for the Church
to witness of Jesus to the nations, the Church must first, receive The Holy Spirit and be endued with “Power from on High”.
Matthew
24:14 reveals that, the message the Church will preach to the nations in
these last days is “the Gospel of the
Kingdom” and that, this Gospel will be preached “in all the world for a
witness unto all nations” (to ‘the end of the earth’)—and this shall be “the last-sign” before ‘the end will
come’.
The Church has been endued with “Power from on High”, but today, the Church is yet to preach “the Gospel of the Kingdom” “unto the
uttermost part of the earth” (‘to the end of the earth’)—to all the nations.
For this to be fulfilled, the Church must receive “the powers of the age to come”. When the Church receives “the powers of the age to come”, then,
the Church will radically fulfill “The
Great Commission”—witnessing to the
Resurrection of THE LORD JESUS CHRIST and proclaiming the Knowledge of His Saving Grace to the whole-world.
However, the Church must attain Unity in
CHRIST and with Him, before she
can receive “the powers of the age to
come”.
The disciples of Jesus received “the Great Commission” before they waited in Jerusalem for “The Coming of The Holy Spirit”:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name
of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” Amen.
Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV)
While speaking to them in Jerusalem after His resurrection,
The Lord Jesus said, “These are the Words which I spake unto you, while I was yet
with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of
Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me” (Luke 24:44 KJV).
Verse 45 states,
Then opened He their
understanding, that they might understand the scriptures
(KJV).
In verse 46 and 47 He said to them:
“Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to
rise from the dead the third day:
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His
Name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (KJV)
NKJV records it like this:
"Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ
to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and
remission of sins should be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning at
Jerusalem”.
Acts 1 narrates the appearance of the resurrected
Christ to His disciples to whom He presented Himself after His suffering,
death, and resurrection by many infallible proofs. He commanded them not to
depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the
Promise of The Father”. In verse 5,
He stated, “… for
John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with The Holy Spirit
not many days from now”.
From this passage, we understand that the great
event of Acts 2 is “The Baptism of The
Holy Spirit”.
This was fulfilled in A.D.33 and since then, true
saints of GOD, called and chosen by Him are freely given the Gift of The Holy Spirit.
After the apostles received The Holy Spirit, many
signs and wonders accompanied their works and athirsted to The Lord Jesus
Christ.
And fear came upon
every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles (Acts 2:43
KJV)
“And these signs shall follow them that believe…” (Mark 16:17 KJV)
Not “water baptism”, but “The Baptism of The Holy
Spirit” is our adoption as sons of GOD, for The Holy Spirit is “The Spirit of
adoption”.
For ye have not
received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received The Spirit
of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father (Romans 8:15 KJV)
This is why The Lord Jesus gave us the revelation
that, “The Baptism of The Holy Spirit” is “in
The Name of The Father and of The Son and of The Holy Spirit.”
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in The Name
of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19 KJV).
Also, He reveals that, “He who believes and is baptized will be
saved…” (Mark
16:16).
John the Baptist, baptized the people with water
unto repentance, but “The Baptism of The Holy Spirit” is ‘the baptism of our
salvation and adoption’. Everyone that is truly ‘born of GOD’ is baptized with The Holy Spirit and fire.
John said, “I indeed baptize
you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I,
whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with The Holy Ghost,
and with fire” (Matt 3:11 KJV)
Before The Lord Jesus assigned “the Great Commission” to His disciples, He said to them, “All Power is given
unto Me in heaven and in earth” (Matt. 28:18 KJV). In this verse He
spoke of “Dominion”—“All Authority”
which He received of The Father after His resurrection. This “Dominion”, we see in Prophet Daniel's “Vision
of The Ancient of Days”.
I saw in the night
visions, and, behold, One like The Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven,
and came to The Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him.
And there was given Him
dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages,
should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass
away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Dan. 7:13-14 KJV).
And, since He has received “All Authority” in Heaven
and on earth, He commanded them, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in
The Name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew
28:19-20 KJV).
This command is also to us who are likewise called
and chosen by GOD—in order to witness for Jesus to ‘the end of the earth (see
Acts 1:8).
With “the
Gospel of the Kingdom” “the last days saints” will witness for Jesus
throughout the world fulfilling the divine
mandate:
“Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mk.
16:15).
The Lord Jesus said,
“The law and the prophets were until John: since that
time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it” (Luke
16:16 KJV).
John the Baptist
truly operated in “the powers of the age
to come”—The LORD mentioned that
John was ‘Elijah to come’.
“And from the days of
John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the
violent take it by force.
For all the prophets
and the law prophesied until John.
And if ye will receive
it, this is Elias, which was for to come” (Matthew 11:12-14 KJV)
The Angel of The LORD announced the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist.
And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord
standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear
fell upon him.
But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for
thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou
shalt call his name John.
And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall
rejoice at his birth.
For he shall be great in the sight of The Lord, and
shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with The Holy
Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to
The Lord their God.
And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of
Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient
to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for The Lord (Luke
1:11-17 KJV).
John the Baptist
witnessed to Jesus “in the spirit and
power of Elijah” and was filled with
The Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. He was indeed great in the sight of The LORD. The
prophecy of ‘the Coming of Prophet
Elijah’ was given to Prophet Malachi:
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the
coming of the great and dreadful Day of The LORD:
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the
children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite
the earth with a curse” (Mal. 4:5-6 KJV).
And, this was the
conclusion of the Old Testament.
About 400 years
later, still in the time of the Law, The Lord Jesus came to the earth as “The Lamb of GOD who takes away the sin of
the world” (John 1:29), and He said John
was ‘Elijah to come’ (Matt. 11:14).
This fulfilled the Word of The LORD in ‘the first phase’.
The fulfillment of ‘the concluding part’ of the prophecy of
‘the Coming of Prophet Elijah’ will be in these “last days”— just before
the coming of the Great Day of The LORD
(Rev. 6:12-17).
After the
personality of John the Baptist, in
the entire New Testament, the only character that we see that will fulfill ‘the
concluding part’ of this prophecy are “the
Two Witnesses” in Revelation 11—who both represent ‘a double portion anointing’ of Prophet Elijah—coming “in the
spirit and power of Elijah”.
“And I will give power
unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and
threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
These are the two olive
trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
And if any man will
hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and
if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
These have power to
shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power
over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as
often as they will” (Rev. 11:3-6 KJV).
The occurrence of
this passage will be in the time of “the Great Tribulation” (3½ years) which is
equivalent with ‘42 months’ in which the antichrist with his government and
armies will tread “the holy city”— Jerusalem.
This shows that throughout
the whole days of “the Great Tribulation”
“the Two Witnesses” will prophesy
to Israel.
Verse 2 speaks of
42 months of siege on Jerusalem.
Verse 3 speaks of 1260
days of prophesying.
1260 days are
equivalent with 42 months which exactly makes up 3½ years.
Remember Moses, one
of the Biblical patriarchs, was called by GOD as an advocate for Israel and as
a prophet. There is a connection between him and the Elijah prophetic-mantle
and anointing. Their call and ministries are “intertwined.” “The Prophecy of the Coming of Elijah”
in Malachi 4 begins like this:
Remember ye the Law of Moses My servant, which I
commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments (Malachi
4:4 KJV).
The following
verses states:
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the
coming of the great and dreadful Day of The LORD:
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the
children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite
the earth with a curse (verses 5-6 KJV).
And so, by the Power of The Holy Spirit, and ‘in the spirit and power of Elijah’,
through their prophesying shall they “turn the hearts of the fathers to the
children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just”. Through their
testimony, they will turn many of the children of Israel to The LORD their GOD.
Each time GOD sends someone in ‘the
spirit and power of Elijah’, He sends them “to make ready a people prepared for The LORD”.
Matthew 3 gave
introduction of John the Baptist, stating:
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the
wilderness of Judaea,
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand.
For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet
Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way
of The Lord, make His paths straight (Matt. 3:1-3 KJV).
Shortly, after John
fulfilled this prophecy by Prophet Isaiah (Isa. 40:3)—as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness”, he was arrested and
put in prison, and Jesus left Nazareth for Galilee, where He began to preach
and say, “Repent: for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).
Both Moses and
Elijah were revealed on the Mount of transfiguration.
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John
his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
And was transfigured before them: and His face did
shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.
And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias
talking with Him (Matt. 17:1-3).
“In the spirit and power of Elijah” they will come and restore all things”.
“… Elias truly shall
first come, and restore all things” (Mt. 17:11).
How will they
accomplish this?
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the
children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite
the earth with a curse (Malachi 4:6).
The Law was given
to the children of Israel through Moses—that’s why it was called the Law of
Moses (Mal. 4:4). THE LORD JESUS declared
that of all human born of a woman, John the Baptist is the greatest (Matt.
11:11).
John the Baptist
came “in the spirit and power of Elijah”,
and so, the days of John the Baptist
began with Elijah.
The Lord Jesus
said, “…from the days of John the Baptist until now the
Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matt. 11:12). It all began with the
prophetic ministry of Prophet Elijah, and as he was taken away by heavenly
chariot, his call and ministry was passed-on to Prophet Elisha. And after
Elisha passed-on, the prophetic-mantle and “the spirit and power of Elijah” tarried until John the Baptist.
And so, “…all the prophets and the law prophesied until John” (Matt. 11:13).
“The Two Witnesses” are the two olive trees and the two lampstands
standing before The GOD of the earth
(see Rev. 11:4; Zech. 4:2-3, 11, 14).
They must surely
come to the earth in “the powers of the
age to come”.
Prophet Elijah
demonstrated this “Power” in the
days of his ministry on earth; likewise Prophet Moses.
Prophet Elijah
called-down fire from Heaven at Mount Carmel (I Kgs. 18:17-40). He shut the
heavens so that no dew and no rain falls in the land, for years, except at his
command (I Kgs. 17:1).
And, Prophet Moses
in Egypt, turned waters to blood (Ex. 7:14-21), and struck the land,
vegetation, animals, and the people with different kinds of plagues (Ex. 8-10).
“Oil” mixed with “fire”,
and “blood” are the supernatural
composite of “the powers of the age to
come”.
“Oil” represents the anointing.
“Fire” symbolizes revival or transformation.
The Blood of the New Covenant is our redemption—and
New Life in Christ.
When the Church of Jesus Christ receives “the powers of the age to come”, then,
the people of GOD will walk in greater
anointing, and the whole-world will witness genuine revival and the full-number of those predestined for
salvation will be redeemed.