A Demonstration Of The Power

1 Cor 2:4

4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

apodeixis (ap-od’-ike-sis); from NT:584; manifestation:

KJV – demonstration.

apodeiknumi (ap-od-ike’-noo-mee); from NT:575 and NT:1166; to show off, i.e. exhibit; figuratively, to demonstrate, i.e. accredit:

KJV – (ap-) prove, set forth, shew.

John 16:8-15= JESUS REVEALS THE COMFORTER MUST COME/ NEW MANIFESTATION

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

1 Corinthians 4:20

20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

Demonstration of the Spirit … Persuasion is man’s means of moving his fellow-man. APOSTOLICS should rather seek God’s, which is demonstration, inspiring implicit faith by the power of the Spirit (then exhibited outwardly by miracles, and inwardly by working on the heart, now in the latter only, the more important way)

Acts 6:8-12

8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,

Rom 15:13

13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Rom 15:16

16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

                                                                                                           

Rom 15:19

19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Instead of human persuasion, Paul’s method involved the demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

The word demonstration refers to the producing of proofs in argument in court. The new life of the Corinthians was a conclusive proof of God’s power in them.

That introduces the motive. Paul’s simple preaching was designed to prevent the Corinthians’ holding a faith that rested upon logical and philosophical arguments, a faith at the mercy of other arguments of the same nature.

“What depends upon a clever argument is at the mercy of a cleverer argument”

A faith, however, that stands in the power of God has a solid and enduring foundation.

1 Thess 1:5-6

5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

[And of power]

The EFFECT of the gospel is the evidence to which the apostle appeals for its truth. That effect was seen:

(1) In the conversion of sinners to God of all classes, ages, and conditions, when all human means of reforming them was vain.

 

(2) In its giving them peace, joy, and happiness; and in its transforming their lives.

 

(3) in making them different people-in making the drunkard sober; the thief honest; the licentious pure; the profane reverent; the indolent industrious; the harsh and unkind, gentle and kind; and the wretched happy.

(4) In its diffusing a mild and pure influence over the laws and customs of society; and in promoting human happiness everywhere-And in regard to this evidence to which the apostle appeals, we may observe:

 

(1) That is a kind of evidence which anyone may examine, and which no one can deny. It does not need labored, abstruse argumentation, but it is everywhere in society. Every man has witnessed the effects of the gospel in reforming the vicious, and no one can deny that it has this power.

 

(2) It is a mighty display of the power of God. There is no more striking exhibition of his power over mind than in a revival of religion. There is no where more manifest demonstration of his presence than when, in such a revival, the proud are humbled, the profane are awed, the blasphemer is silenced, and the profligate, the abandoned, and the moral are converted unto God, and are led as lost sinners to the same cross, and find the same peace.

 

(3) The gospel has thus evidenced from age to age that it is from God. Every converted sinner furnishes such a demonstration; and every instance where it produces peace, hope, joy, shows that it is from heaven.

IN CONCLUSION

Luke 15:7

7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Luke 15:10

10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

MIDWAY WE MUST PRAY, PREACH, REACH, FAST TILL WE HAVE POWER AND DEMONSTRATION OF THE HOLY GHOST!!

John 12:32

32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

 

Do we really want to see our community saved?

PASTOR DOES !