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.” — Acts 1:8
As we read the New Testament, we find that the church of Jesus Christ was alive and full of Holy Ghost power. The church had the answer for all the ailments of humanity: spiritual, physical and mental. The entire makeup of man, damaged by Adam and Eve’s fall, can still be healed and restored by the power of God found in the early church.
In Acts 3, we find Holy Ghost power for physical healing in a man, lame from birth, who was healed through the mighty name of Jesus. Prayer and faith in the name of Jesus were the answer.
The Bible says, “And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God” (Acts 3:8-9).
In Acts 9, we see Holy Ghost power in the spiritual healing (salvation) of Saul of Tarsus; a murderer who surrendered his life to Christ was converted and became the Apostle Paul. After he received the Holy Spirit, it is written, “And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20).
In Acts 16, we witness Holy Ghost power bringing mental healing to the Philippian jailer who was under such stress that when he thought the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword to take his own life. “But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’” (Acts 16:29-30).
That very night, the jailer and his entire household were set free by the power of Jesus Christ.
These and other accounts in the word of God are not there so we can read what happened in the past, but so we can see what will happen when we allow the Holy Spirit to have complete control of our lives. Our Lord declared in Matthew 16:18, “… I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Will you join with us in prayer that every church would be ablaze with Holy Ghost fire? We may attend churches with different names, but Christ only has one body called the church made up of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, who have been redeemed by his blood.
Bradeen is pastor of House of Prayer Christian Church and a member of the United Ministerial Alliance.