Study in Prayer

We have been discussing about “What Are the Greater Works” than Jesus did. Yesterday, we left off with the explanation that nobody was born again until after Jesus accomplished His sacrifice on the Cross, was raised from the dead, ascended to Heaven and then sent the Holy Spirit to the earth.

We established the fact that people under the Old Covenant could have the FORGIVENESS of sins, but not the REMISSION of sins. That can only happen under the NEW COVENANT and only because of the redemptive work of Jesus at the Cross.

That is what we have access to today. Our sins can be remitted and wiped out through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Amen! It is as if our sins never even happened or existed. Praise God! 

Certainly, if you are born again, if you sin, your sins can be forgiven, but that does NOT mean you are NOT born again. If that were the case, you could have been born again and again and again many times over. Which also means you could be born again one minute and guaranteed to go to Heaven, eat an extra cookie from the cookie jar and die tripping down the stairs 5 minutes later and go straight to hell. It does not work that way.

We know the new birth is one of the greater works Jesus was talking about in John 14:12. People were not born again under the ministry of Jesus while He was on this earth. They were still operating and living under the Old Covenant until Jesus purchased our redemption at the Cross.

For instance, you have never read – anywhere – in the Old Testament or the Four Gospels, that Jesus “added to the church daily such as should be saved.”  But you DO read that statement about the Apostles in Acts 2:47! Amen! The Book of Acts was recorded AFTER the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. 

You see, there was not any Church of the Lord in Jesus earthly ministry. Not until Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost” in John 20:22. This is when the disciples were born again. Praise God! 

This was the establishment of the Church that began operating in the earth. Amen!

This was the actual beginning of the Church – a body of believers – that now had the ability to operate in the earth with the same Spiritual authority that Jesus had while He was in the earth. This is when the Church became the BODY OF CHRIST in this earth.

Up until that moment, the Body of Christ operating in this earth was only the BODY OF CHRIST. Amen!

Let’s Pray!

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Yesterday, we started to discuss what, exactly, are the “Greater Works” that Jesus told His disciples (and us) that we should be doing. Let’s look at our base scripture again from John 14:12-14

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

Yesterday, I shared the reason we are able to do these greater works is because Jesus has now gone to the Father in Heaven. He is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. Amen!

In John 16:7-11, we see Jesus says,

7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me;10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”

The greater works that we are supposed to be doing is getting more and more people into the Kingdom of Heaven by helping them to become BORN AGAIN! Amen!

Jesus did not get anyone born again during His earthly ministry up until just a few days following His resurrection and before He ascended back to Heaven.

It is a mistaken belief that He “saved” people, including His disciples, while He was on the earth, living in a physical body. As I said before, the disciples had a kind of “promissory note” that their salvation would be completed in that day that Jesus redeemed mankind by His sacrifice and then resurrection. But they were NOT “born again” until after that happened. They couldn’t be because there had to be a sacrifice that God would honor to whipe away their sins. And that did not happen until Jesus actually died and was buried. Amen!

“But, brother Bob, didn’t Jesus forgive people’s sins in His earthly ministry?”

Yes, He did. But there is a difference between forgiveness and being born again.

Under the Old Covenant, the people could receive forgiveness of their sins by keeping the ritual sacrifices prescribed by Moses. But they could not be born again with a rejuvenated spirit created in the image of Christ. Their sins were only covered by the blood of bulls and goats.

That was enough for them to go to the area of “Paradise” while awaiting the fulfillment of the promise of the coming Messiah. That is Jesus.

Amen!

I’m all out of time for today. We will take it up right here again tomorrow. 

Let’s Pray!

Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com. And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today.

You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2

We have been studying these last few days from John 14:12-14. We are now focusing on something Jesus told His disciples (and therefore, told us) to do in verse 12.

Let’s read these verses again. John 14:12-14

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

Someone once said, “If we just do what Jesus did first, then we will be able to do the greater works.” But that is not what Jesus was trying to teach us.

Notice WHY Jesus said we would be able to do “greater works than these.” He said, “…because I am going to my Father…” 

That means the church today, which is what? THE BODY OF CHRIST… the church today should be – and if you truly wanted to compare the works of Christian in Biblical times and the outreaches today – we ARE doing greater things. I mean, we have satellite technology, the Internet (thank you Al Gore) and all of these things that help us to get the word out into all the earth at one time! The disciples had nothing like this. 

For someone to share the Gospel in Rome or India, they would have to physically travel there. Then, there were not large convention halls and they could not run weeks of television and radio advertising that they would be in town for this large revival. “Coming in September, 7 days with two of the Apostles who walked with Jesus! Get your tickets now before they are all sold out!”

There was nothing like that. So for them – we are living in a blessed time! Amen! It may not seem so for us – but, like the Bible said, “The prophets of old desired to see the things you see but could not.” (Luke 10:24).

But here, Jesus is telling the disciples that it is BECAUSE He is going to the Father, that this would enable THEM to do even greater works that He could on the earth.

Why?

Because once Jesus ascended to Heaven, He could send the Holy Spirit into the earth.  Let’s look at John 16:7-11 and see what Jesus said about this:

7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me;10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”

What are the greater works? Getting people born again!  Jesus could  not get people born again when He was on this earth. He was there to fulfill scripture so they could get born again. But that would come AFTER His death, burial, resurrection and ascension and after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Amen!

We will leave it right there for today.

Let’s Pray!

 Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com. And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today.

You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2

We have been studying these last few days from John 14:12-14. Yesterday looked at some scriptures that explained WHY Jesus never had to pray for the sick. He was walking in accordance with the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant. Everywhere He went, He knew He had authority and He walked according to that purpose.

Then, as we closed yesterday, we seen several verses where “All power and authority in Heaven and earth” was given to Jesus. And how He then turned around and gave us the ability to walk in that same power and authority in order to fulfill the Great Commission.

We’ve seen that He reminded us not to rejoice that demons are subject to our commands in His Name, but to rejoice – and that means to understand – our names have been written down in Heaven. In other words, rejoice that we are born again children of the Most High God. Amen!

And then to understand, according to John 14:12-14, that we are now supposed to be doing even GREATER works than those Jesus did on this earth.

I want to look again, it is important for you to know this, that Jesus NEVER prayed for anyone’s healing. It is not recorded anywhere in the Bible that Jesus had to PRAY for someone to receive their healing.

He would COMMAND the demon behind the sickness depart – and it had to obey. In some instances, He would ask the person, “Do you believe I can do this?” Notice, He did not say, “Do you believe God can do this?” He did not say, “Do you believe I can pray for you and you will be healed.” 

No. He said, “Do you believe I can – what? – DO THIS?” Praise God. 

In those situations, the person would say “Yes” and then Jesus would reply, “OK, be it done unto you as you have believed.”

If the person lied and did not really believe, they would leave with nothing. We do not see any instances of that happening. But when they believed, they would be healed! Praise God.

Now, as we close today, I want to bring us back to John 14:!2 – the entire purpose of this teaching is to show you that we are supposed to be doing GREATER WORKS THAN THESE. Praise God! Don’t shout me down when I’m preaching good!

That does not limit us to use His Name just for healing sick folks. This applies to our own family. Our own finances and, of course, out own health as well.

Tomorrow, I will go into “What Are the Greater Works Than Jesus?”

Don’t fall for the trap of some denominations who say this type of authority was only for Jesus. Or that it was only for the Apostles. It is for US. For YOU! Praise God!

Let’s Pray!

Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com. And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today.

You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2

We have been studying these last few days from John 14:13-14. Yesterday, we backed up to see what the main point is that Jesus was teaching on. As we read verse 12, we discovered the whole purpose of these scriptures was for us to realize we have been charged by Jesus to do even greater works that what He was doing while on the earth.

 Let’s read these verses again. John 14:12-14

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Yesterday, I asked you if Jesus ever prayed for the sick. The answer to the question is NO! He never did. 

Why? After all, He held all of these public teaching sessions; thousands and thousands of people in attendance; scripture tells us some of healing lines lasted all day. I just see some great healing evangelist today in a situation like that. He or she would be praying for each person, “Lord – heal them!”

But not Jesus! He never went to the Father and asked God to heal them. There were no prayers for healing. He simply COMMANDED them to be healed.

And it was not the individual He was commanding. It was Satan or the demon that was hindering the person from being healed. THAT is who Jesus was commanding. Jesus had complete and total authority on this earth. Wherever he was at, He was in charge.

That was in fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant where God promised Abraham that “everywhere your foot trods, that I will give you.” That promise was to “Abraham and his seed.” 

Jesus is in the lineage of Abraham, in the natural. Therefore, wherever He was located, He KNEW He had authority. And Jesus stood in that authority.

Now, let’s look again at John 14:!2 and see what Jesus expects of us to do in situations like this.

 “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Before He left earth to ascend to Heaven, what did Jesus tell His disciples (and through them, charge us with also)?  Let’s look at Matthew 18:18-20

“Jesus came to them and said, All power and authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to me. Now you GO therefore and make disciples of all nations & ethnic groups, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you. Behold, I’m with you always, even to the end of the world.”

Now, I want to close today by showing you what Jesus charged His disciples with – as they were still in training. And how Jesus emphasized what we were supposed to be doing. Listen to Luke 10:17-20

“The 72 returned with great joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons ARE SUBJECT TO US IN YOUR NAME (or when we use your Name)! And Jesus said to them, “I say Satan fall like lightning from Heaven (and that indicates he fell from Heaven to the earth). Jesus goes on and says, “BEHOLD – I have given YOU authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over ALL THE POWER of the enemy (Satan and his demonic cohort). NOTHING shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you. Rejoice in the fact that your names ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN.” Praise God!

Ok, I’m way over for today. We will pick it up here tomorrow. But do you see the links between all three of these verses? Quick summary, I’ll expound on them tomorrow.

Jesus walked under the Abrahamic Covenant while on this earth. That gave Him authority everywhere He went. He used that authority to heal the sick and cast out demons.

Jesus gave His disciples that same authority. They were also walking under the Abrahamic Covenant. They received the same results and were astonished and rejoicing that they could pray “IN THE NAME OF JESUS” and demons would respond and healings would occur.

Jesus then charged them NOT to rejoice because the demons responded to their commands. But to rejoice because their names were written in Heaven. In other words, they were born again, by believing in Jesus. That is a difficult subject to expound upon and we will cover that at some point – but not today.

Finally, as Jesus was leaving, He stated that God, the Father, had given Him TOTAL and COMPLETE Authority over Heaven and earth and everything in both. Then He turned and gave His disciples – and US – the same power and authority to use HIS NAME to achieve the same results (the same WORKS), but then, in John 14 we find out we are to do even GREATER WORKS. Praise God.

Let’s close there for today. I want to pray for you right now that you are grasping this concept. Amen!

Let’s Pray!

Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com. And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today.

You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2