Seen any miracles lately? Have you witnessed the parting of seas? Have you seen water springing out of rocks? Have you seen manna coming down from heaven? Surely great miracles are going on all the time if we have eyes and ears to acknowledge them. Many of us have our own personal testimonies of miracles in our lives. I know that I do. But I can remember thinking as a child that if this God is so real, why did I not see all these incredible happenings like the Israelites did in the Old Testament. It has occurred to me that for many, saved or unsaved, the greatest miracle of all has been ignored, unrealized, or cast aside in disbelief. The Apostle Paul spoke of it as the mystery of God. Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col 1:26-27). We have received a precious, precious gift—the Spirit of God within us.

Can you perceive of a mighty God; a holy, holy, holy God; an all powerful, all knowing God that chose to plant His very likeness within us. "It is finished," said Jesus before His Spirit departed from His body on the cross. His reconciliation of man and God was accomplished. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit (John 12:24 ). The fruit is coming forth. His seed of Christ is scattered throughout humanity. Just as Mary, we have been overshadowed by the power of the Most High. The body of Christ, His Church, is coming forth and His glory will be seen in a people. Salvation is progressive and the Spirit of God desires to continually bring us higher. [God] delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:10). God has great purpose in us in this world and He is seeking a team of overcomers. Our salvation is an ongoing present reality, not something reserved for when our bodies meet their demise, it is for now. He has given us His precious spirit which enables us to endure and conquer. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name (John 1:12). For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Rom 8:14).

In Him we overcome. He has overcome. We must abide in him. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33). We must be part of the vine that is Jesus. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing (John 15:4-5). Without him we can do nothing. In Christ we can do all things. Christ is the anointing within us—His Spirit, the Comforter. One does not just become a strong branch. If you are one who has come to be planted by God under pastors that are truly speaking the words of life into you, you have the potential to be a strong branch. That is, if you allow yourself to be broken and purged. You must come up through God’s order of things. We must abide under His shadow. He has given us apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelist for our spiritual maturation (see Eph 4:1-16). Only by recognizing the work of God through His anointed vessels will you truly grow strong in Spirit.

There is no true spiritual growth for those who have taken it on themselves to be spiritual lone rangers—they have stepped outside of the shadow of the Most High, circumventing His order. There is one Spirit, and God dwells in the midst of His order. Those who cannot recognize Spiritual authority and anointing will continually drift and be unfulfilled in their deception. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men (Matt 12:30-31). Jesus is gathering or assembling His body now, and it begins in local churches that He has planted. One who shuns the body and does not recognize the work of God through His anointed vessels is not truly in the vine, and is operating with a spirit of antichrist. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world (1 John 4:3). The words "scattereth abroad" used in Matthew 12:30 above refer to dissipating or wasting away. Outside of the vine, you can do nothing—you are deceived. Those who truly submit to God, letting go of their pride and fear of commitment, and allow themselves to be assembled within a work of God, will see God and wax strong in the Spirit. In doing so, a person begins a course that gives avenue for the Spirit of God to work. Jesus wants us to experience him in power and to be overcomers. Throughout the book of Revelation, the spoils of victory for the overcomer are spoken of. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God (Rev 2:7b). He that overcometh shall inherit all things (Rev 21:7a).But how do I become an overcomer? Let’s return to Christ in you. If I am to be a strong branch within the vine, the Christ has to be allowed to manifest itself within me.

The Apostle Peter is a good study of one going from someone doing for the Lord to one who Jesus is truly working in and through. Peter showed great boldness during His time with Jesus, for example, when he stepped out on the stormy sea when Jesus was walking on the water (See Matt 14). And yet, he constantly displayed spiritual misunderstanding. The idea of Jesus being a servant and sacrifice to all did not sit well with Peter. He received three rebukes for this—once when he did not feel it proper to allow Jesus to wash His feet (John 13:1-17), another time when he suggested that Jesus did not have to go the way of the cross (Matt 16:21-23), and once again when he drew his sword to prevent Jesus’ arrest (John 18:10-11). Of course Peter also boldly told Jesus of how he would never forsake him, and proceeded to deny his relationship with Jesus three times, just as Jesus foretold. Can you imagine what Peter must have felt on that third denial. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly (Luke 22:60-62 ). We should keep that image in our mind when we allow ourselves to deny the Christ in us. We can deny Christ in our speech to others, but we can also deny him by not allowing him to work in our lives. We deny Jesus when we give him limited access and allow ourselves to be unfulfilled spiritually. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven (Matthew 10:33 ).

Something amazing happened to Peter, however. In Acts 5, it speaks of how people flocked to Peter and the Apostles to receive miracles. And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one (Acts 5:12-16 ). The Gospels speak of people being healed by just touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. That is amazing. But in Acts, here is Peter, the very one who denied Christ, and God is using him to perform miracle after miracle. How can this be? Christ in YOU! He is taking His church to a realm where it is to take dominion of this earth and overshadow it. The Greek word for overshadow is episkiazo and can be translated to mean "to envelop in a haze of brilliancy." God wants to burst out of us, His Church.

In the second chapter of The Acts of the Apostles, we read of the day of Pentecost on which Jesus gave his precious Spirit . The Spirit roared onto the scene with a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and the disciples, who were waiting in anticipation and obedience to Jesus (refer to Acts 1:4), received the Spirit in an incredible way. From that point, the fruit of Jesus came forth from His branches. The Spirit of God exploded on the seen and came fully evidenced in those who were in a place to receive. And the Spirit was received and the evidence was speaking in other tongues. "Ye shall be baptized with the

Holy Ghost," Jesus said in Acts 1:5. And these signs shall follow them that believe; … they shall speak with new tongues (Mark 16:17). Before this time and after the crucifixion of Jesus, the disciples had been in hiding for fear of the Jews. Once the Holy Ghost was received however, there was no hiding it. Thousands of people flocked to the scene when they heard all the commotion. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? … we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" (Acts 2:5-11 ). Before ascending, Jesus said, They shall speak with new tongues (Mark 16:17b ). The tongue is a mighty tool of God, and he desires that it be a tool for His glory. Jesus, the pattern son, spoke only that which the Father would have him speak. Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works (John 14:10 ).

An interesting aspect of the day of Pentecost experience in Acts 2 is found in the reaction of those who were "mocking" the behavior of those filled with the Holy Ghost. Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine (Acts 2:13 ). The men were blaspheming the work of the Holy Ghost, and the same types of words are spoken against the work of God in our time. It is unforgivable. "New wine" hearkens me back to John 2 when Jesus performs His first recorded miracle of turning water to wine. While at a wedding party, His mother brings attention to Jesus that there was no more wine. "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come." (John 2:4 NIV) Jesus says this and then commences to turn water to wine. This chapter of John begins by saying this was on "the third day," which brings to mind a verse in Luke. Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected (Luke 13:32b ). Jesus response to His mother seems to have little to do with the situation at hand, because he has no problem with going ahead with the miracle. He makes a complete or perfect change—water to wine. He seeks to perfect His church. We are born of water and then born of Spirit. When Jesus time had come, he embedded His spirit into humanity and brought forth the new wine (His indwelling Spirit) and the new man. The new man is made complete by the presence of God in him. When the man is immersed in the Spirit of God and moves and speaks as the Father desires, the Spirit has taken precedence and he has been perfected or completed.

On a similar note, Jesus said in Luke 22:18, "I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come." He is the vine, we are the branches from which the fruit is produced. The Kingdom has come. The Kingdom is within you (see Luke 17:21). The Kingdom is in the Holy Ghost (see Rom 14:17). We are His drink offering. We are to be poured out. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (John 7:38) Some would have you believe that Luke 22:18 is telling you not to drink, but to apply His words in a natural sense is a misapplication of the scripture. He spoke in regards to the finished work of the Cross. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. (Luke 23:46) The church, His multimember body, are His hands from which He now flows forth.

Peter responded to the mocking on the day of Pentecost by first reminding those who mocked that what they were witnessing had been prophesied by Joel. And it shall come to pass in last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams (Acts 2:17). He then commenced to boldly reveal to his detractors how they had crucified the Messiah they had anticipated. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36 ). As a man, Peter risked great persecution in speaking as he did. However, as a Spirit filled man walking in God’s purpose, he had boldness in the Spirit. It is one thing to be brash and bold as a man, but to have the leading of the Spirit is a completely different experience. The words coming from Peter at this point were not his own. Then they that gladly received the word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls (Acts 2:41 ). Read Acts 2:14-41 and you can see how courageous it was for Peter to speak as he did to this crowd. However, with the leading of the Holy Ghost, I doubt that Peter had much thought for his life at this point. This crowd, if not overcome by the love of Jesus, could have turned on Peter and the disciples at that time and murdered them right then. Peter had to have had great comfort from the Holy Ghost to act as he did. There were surely many who did not "gladly receive" the word and listened with a skeptical ear, just as many do today and miss out on what the Spirit is saying to the church.

Empowered by the Holy Ghost, Peter exercised great boldness when he and John came upon a lame man at the temple Beautiful who was seeking money. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength (Acts 3:4-7). But what was it that was given? "…such as I have give I thee…" Peter had the anointing—the power and presence of God within. For too long, religion has offered sympathies and tears while the power of God lies dormant under a rug of disbelief. In order to give what we have, we must seek the giftings of God and come to know what we have. The people that witnessed the healing of the lame man at the hand of Peter were astonished. And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? (Acts 3:12 ). The working of God through man was on full display after the day of Pentecost. As one man filled with the presence of God, Jesus covered a limited amount of territory. Through the finished work at the cross, Jesus was magnified by placing His seed in each of us. On a micro scale, the coming of the Spirit in man during the early days of the church foretold of things to come. Why marvel? Peter tried to make the point in Acts 3 that the signs and wonders that were occurring with the Apostles and disciples at the time of the infant church were to be expected. This was God, Christ in us, working through His willing, receptive, and obedient vessels.

Sometimes, I find myself marveling when Jesus works through me. But it is by His order of things that He will use each of us. God desires to do so much more than we typically allow him. There will be a time when on a worldwide scale that the power of God will be manifested in a corporate body. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God (Rom 8:19 ). The miracles of God are the norm. We must seek to be completed, continually allowing the Spirit to take an ever stronger hold on us, and choose not to be bound by the lower realm of sickness, death, and complacency. Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected (Luke 13:32b ). The miracles of Jesus are types and shadows of a time when he will be perfected in His people. And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee (Deut 7:15 ). "Egypt" is now the world of the old man, and we are not to dwell in that lower realm as new creatures. What was witnessed in the early days of the church as described in The Acts of the Apostles will be manifested in a magnified way before the return of our Lord. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (2 Peter 3:8). We are in the third millennium, or third day, after Jesus came into this world. In the third day, he is raising up His body, His church. It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:11-12 NIV).

The essential ingredient in the transformation of Peter was the baptism of the Holy Ghost that he received on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. In The Acts of the Apostles, great emphasis was put in the receiving of the Holy Ghost. It is the desire of God to fully immerse us with His spirit. To truly be enabled to do all things in Christ, you have to seek to be filled with all he has for you. I can see a church that will walk in a grand scale upon this earth similarly to the early church after the Spirit was given. The Spirit of God will overshadow this world through His people. Such as those in the church have, so they will give. We must seek to have all that has been given, in order to give God’s love and power to this world. The baptism of the Holy Ghost will occur to all that will yield themselves to the will of God. …you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. …you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you (Acts 1:5 & 8 ). For myself, I came to exhibit the Holy Ghost baptism by speaking in tongues about one and a half years after being saved. There is still much that I know the Spirit desires to come forth from me, and I know that it will as I continue to submit myself to the will of God. My approach to God after being saved in December 2001 was to believe in the gifts of the spirit (read 1 Cor 12) and know that God would baptize me in His Spirit if I sought it. I had to throw out the prejudice and disbelief in the workings of the spirit that came from the religion that I experienced as a child. I just accepted the Word once I became saved. The Word is true, and now that I have experienced the work of the Spirit in my life, there is no one that can convince me that the gifts of the Spirit are not for this time. You just have to yield yourself and open your mind and heart to Jesus to experience them.

Peter stressed the receiving of the gift of the Holy Ghost to the crowd that came about during all the commotion on the day of Pentecost. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38 ). When Peter was brought before the Sanhedrin in Acts 4, the point is made that he was filled with the Holy Ghost. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel…(Acts 4:7-8 ). Just as the authority of Jesus was questioned by these religious leaders, so was that of Peter. When you are filled with the presence of God, His authority is in you. The importance of being filled is mentioned again in Acts 4:23-31 when the Apostles are released and return to their people. They pray for boldness of speech in proclaiming Jesus Christ and ask that signs and wonders be done in the name of Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31 ). To truly speak the Word as Jesus would have you, you must be filled. Note that this last example occurred with apostles and disciples who had already experienced the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Just as salvation is progressive, we must continually seek to be filled with the life of God. If our hunger and thirst for Jesus is quenched, so is the filling of the Spirit. He desires the river of His Spirit to forever fill his vessels and spill over onto all those who will gladly receive.

The writer Luke used the term "full of the Holy Ghost" to describe Jesus (Luke 4:1), as a requirement for the first deacons (Acts 6:3), to describe Stephen (Acts 7:55), and to describe Barnabus (Acts 11:24). In each case, they were enabled and led by the Spirit. Luke also uses the term "filled with the Holy Ghost" in Luke 1:15, 41, and 67 and in Acts 2:4, 4:8, 4:31, 9:17, and 13:9. All through The Acts of the Apostles the need to be filled with the Holy Ghost is emphasized. In Acts 8, the Apostles John and Peter are sent to minister in Samaria. (Incidentally, John, the Apostle of Love, was one, along with his brother James, who asked Jesus to consume some of their Samaritan foes in fire (Luke 9:51-56). What a difference the indwelling Spirit makes.) There was an outpouring of the Lord in Samaria at that time which probably began with the Samaritan woman at the well that Jesus spoke to in John 4:1-42. Jesus pointed out to that woman that she had had five husbands and was with yet a sixth man. She came to know the seventh man, the complete man (the number seven denotes completion). A man consisting of body, soul, and Spirit. The Apostles came to Samaria to bring completeness to those coming to know the Lord. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:14-17 ). The receiving of the Holy Ghost was greatly evident, so much so that the sorcerer Simon wanted to give the Apostles money to give him the gift to impart the Holy Ghost (see Acts 8:18-24).

Early on in the spreading of the gospel, there was not understanding and/or knowledge of the Holy Ghost. It had to be proclaimed. Nothing has really changed in this regard. Most people never come to know the working of the Spirit in their life due to things like doubt, unbelief, or a religious mindset. In Acts 19, the Apostle Paul runs into some disciples in Ephesus, and his first concern for them is that they receive the Holy Ghost. He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied (Acts 19:2-6 ).

Jesus showed Peter His desire for His Spirit to work in all people’s lives, not just the Jew, when he spoke to a gathering of Gentiles in Caesarea. While proclaiming the Kingdom of God to them, those who were not Jewish began speaking in other tongues. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord (Acts 10:44-48 ). In these episodes with Peter and the one above with Paul, it is obvious what the sign of being filled with the Holy Ghost is.

The word makes it clear what sign God uses to show His Holy Ghost baptism. The evidence is speaking in other tongues. It also makes clear the importance of receiving the Spirit to its fullest. To truly abide in Him and He in me, I have to yield myself and allow the work of the Spirit to take place. There must be a realization of Christ in me. My relationship with Jesus has to go beyond head knowledge. We must come to know for ourselves what it is to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). To be an overcomer, you must be overcome with the Spirit. Apart from Christ I can do nothing. I must have that special ingredient. The free gift. The life of God in me. I have to be willing to go the way of the Spirit, and risk castigation by society. The carnally minded will never understand, and will never know God until that mind be shed. The church of Christ is called to take dominion of this earth. It is to overshadow this world and to destroy the influence of the devil (Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil—the devil is defeated). At some point the church as a whole will come to know its destiny. Just as Solomon came to inherit the Kingdom of Israel from his father David, after all of his enemies were destroyed; the Church has come to inherit all things in Jesus. It will consist of an army of overcomers—sons of God, the Branches. Overcomers that are full of the Holy Ghost and led by the Spirit. It will be a body of Christ that stands tall and does not cower to the evils of this world. It starts with each individual believer yielding himself to the power of God, casting out all his preconceived notions of God, and allowing his life to be transformed. The Spirit of God is a precious commodity that Jesus has poured out on us. It has been made way only by the finished work of Jesus on the cross. He has restored avenue for humanity and divinity to be as one. We must take hold and seek all He has given. Thank you Jesus for your precious Spirit!