Acts Today

Before Jesus left the earth, he gave the command to his disciples to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”  (Mark 16:15-18)  Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied.  (v. 20)

When did that command end?  When did the signs stop?

The book of Acts in the Bible documents the first 33 years of church history.  The entire church, not just the apostles, "preached the word wherever they went." (Acts 8:4)  The early church prayed fervently, saw angels, had visions, witnessed mighty signs and wonders, drove out demons, and healed the sick.  If the Bible were still being written, what would it say about the church today? Would we still be able to document signs and wonders?

In the first chapter of Acts, the promised Holy Spirit came upon the assembled believers to give them power.  That power allowed the followers of Christ to continue the work that had started with the ministry of Jesus and he left to the disciples.  Time and again, we read that the Holy Spirit spoke, they were led by the spirit, the spirit gave them utterance.

We are the same church and we still have the same Holy Spirit. Since Scripture never suggests that the supernatural signs were restricted to 33 years, surely Jesus intended that they were to continue in the church until He returns.

Acts is not just a history book of the early church, but should be a handbook for the Christian life and the Spirit-filled church.  We should desire and expect as the norm all the elements that were present in the first century church.

That's why I am expecting a miracle.  I believe that we can still operate in the same power and authority to see the same kinds of works that were seen by the early disciples.  If we can't--why not?