by Paul Keith Davis

A. W. Tozer said it best with the title of his classic book, The Pursuit of God. The ultimate adventure for this generation is the pursuit of the Lord Jesus Christ. There can be no greater endeavor than to know Him as personally as he may be known. The scripture promises, that if we draw near Him, He will draw near to us.

The one thing that characterized King David’s life was his hungry heart. David loved the Lord’s presence than anything else, and for that the lord loved and trusted him (see James 4:8). Devotion to become God’s “friend” is our most noble pilgrimage (see John 15:15).

Even so, we are also given clear and concise biblical affirmations of the functioning of the victorious church. There is a mandate placed upon the latter-day to gather the harvest and awaken the misguided generation to its righteous destiny. To accomplish this mandate, we must be endowed with heaven’s virtue and empowered with the overcoming victory of the Lord’s redemptive work. The Lord’s example and demonstration of mighty works are necessary for this inevitable responsibility, and as He promised, even greater works (see John 14:12).

The gospel of the kingdom is the power of God leading to salvation, This gospel does not merely

Consist in Words, but also in sovereign power. The ministry of signs and wonders does not diminish the supernatural nature of God’s written Word; it confirms it.

God’s written Word is plainly established by the Holy Spirit’s endorsements. He demonstrates 

approval or affirmation through signs, wonders, and manifestations of the Spirit.

According to the writer of Hebrews, the Lord’s Spirit works with His people by: testifying with them, both signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. (Hebrews 2:4)

God’s power and witness are fundamentally necessary for us to accomplish heaven’s blueprint. We simply do not posses the ability within ourselves to accomplish God’s ultimate plan. We need God and His embodiment of His Spirit that provides power. Even so, as wonderful and necessary as incredible displays of the Spirit are, we cannot allow them to supersede our quest to know Him as the Living Word.

John G. Lake was a man used powerfully as a missionary to South Africa and healing evangelist throughout America. History now documents wonderful miracles and spiritual wonders that the Lord preformed through this humble servant. Nevertheless, in 1925 he discerned that his generation “missed the mark” by being more captured by the phenomena of God the person. The same was true in the days of Moses when he said: 

You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his servants and all his land; the great trials which your eyes have seen, those great signs and wonders. Yet to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear. (Deuteronomy 29: 2-4)

Consequently, there must be a balance in our endeavor to know the Lord and our mandate to win this generation through the Spirit’s demonstration of power. Through fellowship with Him, our spiritual senses become keenly sensitive to His voice and the message being confirmed through signs and wonders. These prerogatives must be maintained in the proper biblical order.

The ministry of the early church was profound on many levels. By natural standards, the credentials of the individuals utilized were not impressive for the most part, their personal abilities left them unqualified for their pioneering assignment. Even so they received an impartation from God that validated their mission and facilitated the revelation of God’s kingdom. They believed God and trusted not in their own strength, but in His.

The Bible plainly outlines the many signs and miraculous wonders that accompanied the early church in their task. The scripture tell us that reverential awe fell upon many as miraculous wonders took place. People were added to the church daily and God’s name was notably glorified (see Acts 2:41-43)

These are the same results we need today. Our task is no less important or difficult than the one given to the early apostolic church. In fact, in many ways ours is even more intense. Therefore, we need all that the early church had and in multiplied fashion.

The early disciples preached the gospel of the kingdom, and ministered to peoples spirits, souls and bodies. They did not “shrink from declaring the whole purpose of God” (see Acts 20:27)

Furthermore, in the midst of persecution and an unbelieving generation, their message was confirmed with the Holy Spirit’s power imparted to them on the Day of Pentecost. It was their prayer that the Lord would: …. would grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak your Word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus (Acts 4:29-30 NKJV).

God’s power is a witness to the gospel. That’s why the early church passionately prayed to be empowered with signs and wonders as an instrument to convey the good news of the kingdom and win the lost.

In each expression of spiritual outpouring throughout church history, God’s presence was authenticated with various expressions of His Spirit. During the early twentieth century, Maria Woodworth-Etter’s ministry was characterized by wonderful manifestations of spiritual signs and miraculous wonders like those done by the early apostolic believers. Marvelous displays of healing and deliverance were prevalent in her meetings. Additionally, it was not uncommon for many people to “fall under the power” and remain in that condition for many days. The Bible promised to “bear witness” to the kingdom message with diverse and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit (see Hebrews 2:4 )

Often times doctors would examine the people while in this condition to determine their heart rate and other vital statistics. In each case it was reported that every individual was in a perfect healthy state. They were over shadowed with God’s Spirit and prostrate before God without food, water or movement. It was reported that in some cases people remained in this condition for as long as seven days. This was confirmed by both the secular and Christian media.

Tremendous testimony of healing, deliverance, and divine commissions were reported following the encounters. During these experiences it was well documented that many people would be commissioned to foreign lands and come out of the experience able to fluently speak the language of the nation to which they were sent. Furthermore many accounts reported the spirit o conviction that accompanied these manifestations to such an extent that the most hardened characters melted into weeping repentance. This was a token of the heritage of God’s people and the empowerment of His presence essential in the fulfillment of our latter-day mandate.

Their exists an elevated atmosphere of anticipation and encouragement for this generation to experience profound expressions of God’s power. We are promised a visitation of God’s presence to awaken the church to her end-time responsibility and influence. We are now beginning to see more evidence of this in the Western church. God’s strategic plan is unfolding at an escalated pace.

This past February, David and Donna Kelly hosted a conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. Wanda and I joined Rick Joyner, James Goll, and Patricia King as the speakers. At this conference the Lord granted a wonderful affirmation. It was indeed a sign and wonder that has generated fruitful results and mobilized Faith in countless believers. The theme was “Engaging Heaven.” It has been the quest of many individuals and fellowships to be awakened with acute spiritual eyes and ears that provide hearts of understanding and cooperation with heaven. During the conference, the Lord’s Spirit provided specific endorsement to the importance of this theme and its current relevance. 

According to Proverbs 29:18: “where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained” and perish. This phrase conveys the necessity for the spirit of revelation to exist in God’s people in order for there to be advancement. The Hebrew word used for “vision” implies “open vision” for communicating God’s heart and strategic design. Revelation provides spiritual eyes that see and ears that hear, therefore facilitating hearts with comprehension.

On the first evening of the conference, the host pastors, along with numerous other workers, friends, and technicians visibly saw and spoke with an individual whom they have kwon for years. This brother is an itinerant minister from Nashville who had planned to attend the conference. The people in the registration desk assisted him with the name badge and conference information. Also several people spoke with him on he opening evening of the conference, and most said his short response was merely a word or blessing. The interesting thing is, this bother was in Nashville, Tennessee at the time these appearances occurred.

Weeks earlier, the Kelly’s leadership team and intercessory base felt compelled to initiate a forty day fast leading up to the conference. There seemed to be a weightiness associated with heavens mandate for the gathering. The Holy Spirit encouraged them by releasing a prophetic word expressing His desire to deeply impact the attendees an the region’s spiritual atmosphere. The battles have been long and wearisome, but these prophetic messages of hope and destiny provide encouragement to leadership and the Lord’s body. The Lord is granting wonderful tokens of confidence to position us for our spiritual release.

The decreed fast ended on February 17. During the opening evening , someone with the identical appearance of the brother from Nashville was clearly seen in the balcony. The host pastor acknowledged His presence during the opening session prompting others in the balcony to embrace and greet him.

The following morning, February 18, this brother came to the meetings, but disclosed that he had departed Nashville at 2 a.m. in order to arrive in time for the morning session. Naturally, the Kelly’s attempted to correct this and acknowledged that he was in the service the previous evening. He had been publicly acknowledged and greeted by many friends.

Surprised at their insistence, he adamantly denied in the service the previous evening. He had been in a fellowship gathering in Nashville with other believers until 11 p.m. This fact has been confirmed and documented by witnesses. It was than that Kelly realized that something extraordinary had occurred. A heavenly messenger had been sent as a sign and witness to the truth imparted from God’s Word.

Naturally, these unusual signs and wonders do not occur needlessly. There most be some fruit or 

affirmation that is generated which advances God’s kingdom. The Lord very often allows manifestations of His Spirit with signs and wonders as:

1. A witness to the messages presented and there present emphasis.

2. An encouragement to the faith of His people.

3. Mobilization of His body into His plan and into their destiny.

4. Spiritual awakening to the lost and lukewarm.

This was the fruit of the sign and wonder in Cincinnati

Numerous witnesses have been interviewed on tape verifying their encounters with the messenger from God who took on the appearance of this brother as an affirmation of the spiritual realities being imparted during the conference. There has been a great surge of faith birthed in God’s people as a result Of this sign.

(More information and documentation on this occurrence can be obtained from David and Donna Kelly: http://www.passionandfire.org)

This was quite an unusual occurrence but one that has been extensively scrutinized and validated. The Bible provides the only source of genuine affirmation of such an encounter. The scripture admonishes us to:

- Let love of the brethren continue. 

- Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, 

- For by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13: 1-2)

The bible records countless instances of angelic appearances that marked seasons of transition and advancement. This is especially true in the early apostolic church. There is an essential cooperation between heaven and earth.

We discover Jesus walking along the road to Emmaus in “another form” in the gospel of Luke. The two disciples did not recognize Him until He came into their home and broke bread before them (see Luke 24).

In the Book of Acts, we also notice Peter’s supernatural deliverance from jail. As he came to the home of the disciples, a young girl who opened the door and was startled to see who she perceived was Peter. Upon reporting this to the other disciples, they responded that it must have been his angel. This clearly implies that their were spiritual messengers working with them who took the form and appearance of the disciples.

This gospel of the kingdom was first declared by the Lord, evidenced by the Holy Spirit, and endorsed by God. He showed His approval of the gospel of power through signs and wonders and miraculous manifestations of the heavenly realm. Angelic appearances and supernatural signs awaken people from apathy and lethargy re-ignite hearts that have grown cold or lukewarm.

It is not my intent to overly emphasize signs and wonders, but rather the messages they convey. There must also be a genuine fruitfulness that comes from the manifestation of the Spirit. To more fully understand our mission and function on earth, we must also comprehend God’s motivation. Our heavenly Father’s desire is to display His glory and bring the full measure of His reward to His Son. This is accomplished through the preaching of His Word and the testimony of His power.

When our motivations are firmly planted in the Lord’s heart, than we are biblically justified when we long to see manifestations of His Spirit that Glorify His name and convey salvation to the lost. The book of Acts alone records as many as seventeen instances of conversion birthed out of supernatural encounters.

Ultimately our highest purpose is to delight in God and display the essence of who He is to a needy generation. We simply cannot accomplish this mandate in our own strength. We need His empowering Presence and the vindication of His Spirit.

Used by Permission

Dave Loewen

Triune Last Days Ministry