Signs Follow Those Who Believe

All right, well, if you have your Bibles, we’re going to go into our message this morning. I’m going to have you turn to Mark chapter 16. Mark chapter 16, if you have your Bibles.

We have been in a series called Kingdom Come. Kingdom Come. How many of you know Jesus said, “I will build My church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it”? Do you guys remember when Jesus said that? Jesus is building His church. Jesus is in the church-building business, and I don’t know about you, but I want to be a part of that building. I want to be a part of His kingdom business.

There are so many things going on in the world around us, but how many of you know Jesus said, “And the gates of hell will not prevail against it”? In other words, Jesus is saying, “No, no, I’ve already won.” The game is already over. It’s already game, set, match. But I want to be a part of that kingdom establishing here on earth. Amen?

So we’ve been talking about Kingdom Come and what it looks like to see the establishing of His kingdom here on earth, because the primary way that He builds His church is through us. He uses people who have received the good news, who have been born again. He uses people to build His church, and I want to be a part of that building process. Amen?

The gospel is the power of God

Last week we were looking in Romans chapter 1, verses 16 through 17, and it says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.” We spent some time talking about how there is power in the gospel, that the gospel is the power of God.

When we receive the good news, when we hear the good news and His truth is revealed to us on the inside — do you guys know what I’m talking about when I say that? When you hear the truth, and all of a sudden you know there’s something real about this. There is something different about this. These aren’t just words. This isn’t just a story. This isn’t just a bunch of scriptures that talk about God. No, no, no, there’s something different about the Word.

When you hear that Word and it’s revealed on the inside, what the Bible’s saying is that is the power of God. In other words, when you receive His Word, the power of God is being released in your life, and we get to go and proclaim and preach that same good news. That’s what we talked about last week.

So it says, “For I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation,” and notice these next words: “for everyone who believes.” Who what? Who believes. I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God for those who believe. How many of you know we’ve got to believe? We’ve got to believe in who God is. We’ve got to believe that what He has said is true. And that’s what we’re talking about this week. The title of today’s message is “Signs Follow Those Who Believe.” Signs follow those who believe.

Verse 16 says, “For I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God.” I love this verse because it’s talking about how the gospel doesn’t just proclaim. It doesn’t just explain. It doesn’t just say the good news. No, it is the power of God. When God released these words, it is His power. And our job is to be people who declare His truth, who have had it revealed to us on the inside, and when we declare it, we don’t compromise it.

How many of you know there’s always that temptation to kind of sugarcoat some things? We just kind of try to make it a comfortable message. When we say what God has done, we say, “Oh yeah, God’s good, and He’ll be good to you,” right? We sugarcoat it, and we try to add our own words to it. But how many of you know that’s not where the power is? The power is in the words that have already been spoken, the words that have already been said. So our job is not to try to get His Word to validate our message or to validate our agenda. Our job is to proclaim His Word, His truth. Somebody say amen to this.

I think sometimes we kind of feel like, “Well, I can’t preach the good news because I don’t know enough, or I don’t know how to debate with people that His Word is truth.” How many of you know our job is not to debate or convince people that His Word is true? Did you know that? That’s not our job. Our job is to proclaim what He’s already said, and His power goes into operation. Amen?

Doesn’t that just feel so much better? That you don’t need a degree, that you don’t need to know every verse in the Bible, that you don’t need to know everything. All you need is what God has already put in you. If you are here and you have been someone who has received His truth, and He has done a real work on the inside, how many of you know you have a gospel to preach to somebody? Amen. How will they hear without a preacher?

You see, the way He establishes His kingdom is He speaks His Word to people, they hear it, they believe it, and something has changed on the inside, so that they must go and declare that same truth. You see, we don’t need to build a case for people to receive the gospel. The case is already won. The case is already closed.

Isaiah 55:11 says, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please.” What shall accomplish? My Word. It’s not what we can do. It’s not what we can conjure up. It’s not how charismatic we are or how good the preacher’s hair is up on stage, right? It is none of those things. What brings the power of God to people’s lives is the preaching and declaring of His Word.

Preaching the way Jesus preached

You know, sometimes it’s really hard for us to preach the way Jesus did. Just think about how Jesus would preach. He would say things like, “Ask, and you will receive.” “Well, yeah, but surely there are some conditions to that.” But how many of you know Jesus never gave conditions? He said, “Ask, and you will receive.”

And we struggle to preach that same way because of our experience, because of the things that have happened, because of the times that maybe we have prayed and that prayer didn’t get answered. So we kind of try to sugarcoat it and make it fit into our experience and into our theology and into our way of life and our thinking. But Jesus never preached that way.

In fact, Paul describes the Word this way in 2 Corinthians 10:4. He says, “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every” — everybody say “everything” — “everything that exalts itself against God.” Everything. In other words, His Word is power. But so often we say, “Yeah, but you see my experiences.” That’s not our job. Our job is to speak what He has already spoken.

When we preach with doubt, when we try to sugarcoat, when we add the exceptions, how many of you know people aren’t actually hearing the Word of God? They’re just hearing what’s going on in your life and what your thought is and where you are. We need His power. That’s why Paul says, “I’m not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God.” Paul is saying, “I’m not going to water this gospel down. I’m not going to say it any other way. I’m going to say what He says.” Why? Because it is the power of God. If we would be people that would just say what He has spoken and let His Word speak, it would bring faith to our hearts, and His power goes into operation.

“I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” Let me ask you: how are you going to believe? How do you believe? By having faith. How do we build our faith? Well, the Bible says faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. In other words, when we hear the gospel preached — not a watered-down gospel, not the three-steps-to-a-better-life gospel — when we hear the truth of God preached, it is the power of God when we believe it. In other words, whatever situation or circumstance you find yourself in, the gospel is the power of God to salvation.

These signs will follow

I want to share this scripture. We’re talking about the power of God. We’re talking about His kingdom come, and how many of you know His kingdom is real? Did you know that? In other words, when His kingdom rule is being established on earth, there’s a difference. It changes things. There might be one ruling reality in a moment, but when His kingdom comes, something changes. And Jesus gives us a glimpse of what this looks like in Mark chapter 16, verses 15 through 20.

This is when Jesus is about to ascend to the Father, and He’s talking to the apostles and the 120 believers in the upper room. This was the beginning of the New Testament church that we read about in the book of Acts, that exploded, that grew daily, where God was moving and signs and wonders were being done. But how many of you know Jesus said all of those things would take place?

He says in Mark 16:15, “Jesus said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel.’” What are we talking about? The gospel. We’re talking about the good news. We’re talking about preaching the things that He has shown us, that have been revealed to us, and bringing them to others. Why would Jesus want His disciples to go out and preach the gospel? Because it is the power of God to those who believe. Because when you go out and you preach the gospel, it makes a difference in people’s lives. It changes things.

He says, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” And notice these next words: “He who” — what? — “believes. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Notice, when you believe the gospel that is preached, it will save you. But if you do not believe, you will be condemned. Condemned to what? To hell, to eternal fire, to damnation. Why? Because you’re not receiving the truth. We’re not going to go there too much; we’ve gone there at other times.

Verse 17 says, “These signs” — everybody say “signs.” What is a sign? Demonstration. Reality. It’s seeing it. It’s experiencing it. Jesus is saying, “Listen, when the gospel is preached, these signs will follow those who believe.” In other words, there is supposed to be a difference when we receive the gospel and believe it. There is supposed to be evidence, things that are taking place, when we receive the gospel that has been preached to us.

You know, there are many in the church that would say miracles, healings, gifts of the Spirit — that those are things that are not for today, that those were really just for the early church, for biblical times, because apparently God just needed some momentum to get His church started. That’s not the truth. How many of you know He is still doing miracles today? His heart is still to bring life and healing today.

So when people say, “Well, gifts, healing, signs, wonders, gifts of the Spirit — those aren’t for today,” the problem with that is that when Jesus said, “These signs will follow those who believe,” He wasn’t actually talking about the people that were right there with Him. He wasn’t talking just about the apostles and the hundred and twenty. He was saying, “No, no, when you go and preach the gospel, they’re going to believe it, and these are the signs that will follow those who believe the gospel that you’ve just preached.” Jesus was saying, “This isn’t just for you guys. This is for everybody.” Are you guys with me this morning? That’s an important thing for us to recognize.

Jesus wasn’t just saying, “Well, the apostles, they’ve got a special anointing and a special calling, so they’re the only ones that are going to be able to do these things.” Jesus didn’t say that. Jesus was saying these are signs that will follow those that hear the good news that you will preach. So Jesus is saying when you preach this gospel and they believe it, that gospel will be the power of God, and signs and wonders will begin to follow those people. How many of you know if what Jesus was saying is true, then the signs, the wonders, the gifts, the healings could not have just died off with the apostles? This is still something that God wants to do today.

But I want you to notice it does not say these signs will follow those who have accepted Jesus in their heart. No, it says these signs will follow those who what? Believe. Believe what? That He will do those things.

How many of you know there are different parts to the gospel, different parts to the good news, and there are different things that we can believe and receive? So when you heard the gospel of salvation preached and you believed it — that Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead, that He overcame death so that you could have life if you would confess Him as Lord — when you heard that and you believed it and you spoke it out, all of a sudden that was the power of salvation. Your spirit that was once dead is now born again, and you now have life in Him. How many of you know that is a part of the gospel?

But how many of you know there’s more good news to that? There’s the gospel of healing. The Bible says that by His stripes you are healed. And if we hear that, the question is, do you believe that? Because the only way that that gospel will be effective for your life is if you hear it and you believe it. You see, these signs will follow those who believe the gospel. What? The whole good news. All of the good news, not just parts of it, not just some of it. These signs will follow those who believe the good news that is preached. Amen?

That’s why Romans 1:17 says, “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.” From faith — let me do it this way — from faith to faith to faith to faith to faith. How many of you know we’re supposed to go from one level of belief to the next to the next to the next? You know, it’s really difficult to believe the whole gospel in one moment.

How many of you know the Lord is working on us all the time? He knows where we are, but He is consistently speaking His truth. He’s consistently bringing the good news. Why? So that we can just go to church on a Sunday, go home, and be the same? No, no. He’s preaching the Word. The Word is going out so that we can receive it, believe it, and go from faith to faith to faith, where we see an increase of His power at work in our lives. Somebody say amen. This is so important. This is why we come to church. This is why we have to remind ourselves sometimes of who God is and what He said He would do.

So Jesus says, “These signs will follow those who believe,” and I want you to listen to the signs. “These signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Verse 19 says, “So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word” — everybody say “the word.” Confirming the word. What word? The word that they spoke, the word that they preached, the word that they had received and began to declare to others. It says, “the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.”

This is how His kingdom comes: when we no longer settle for the ordinary, when we no longer settle for the status quo, but when the Word is delivered and being brought, that we would say, “Lord, what is it that You’re speaking to me?” And that we would allow that truth to come on the inside, and that we would allow Him to do a real work on the inside that is so strong that we believe — that we believe that what He has said is true. If we can be a people who believe His Word as it is, without compromise, I am convinced that we will see the signs that Jesus said will follow, if we’ll believe. If we will believe.

In My name they will cast out demons

So Jesus said, “These signs will follow those who believe.” Notice that first one: “In My name they will cast out demons.” And we don’t like to talk about demons here in the United States, right? We like our comfort. We like our status quo. We like our pleasure. We like the weekend, right? Like, I like my time. I don’t want to be thinking about no demons. But how many of you know this is a reality? “In My name they will cast out demons.”

You know, if we really believe that there is a kingdom of God, and if we believe what the Bible says, then the reality is there is also a kingdom of darkness. And that kingdom is set out to trip you up, to destroy your life, to speak lies, to speak things that are opposing to the Lord, to bring values that are corrupt and untruths into your life and into your heart. But if you really believe, you’re going to pay attention to that. I can’t just assume that I can go through life and not be lied to, that I won’t be deceived, that attacks won’t come, because how many of you know that’s why the enemy is here — to trip you up. But what Jesus is saying is you’re not empty-handed here. Why? Because those who believe, in My name they will cast demons out. They won’t settle for those things.

How many of you know there are real problems? We might think about psychological things, and how many of you know there are actually people that have psychological problems that they need help with? But so oftentimes we just assume everything is a psychological or an emotional problem, or just your unhealthy habits, and we use all these words, and sometimes we don’t give room to the idea, the possibility, and ask the Lord, “Lord, is this more than just a personal problem? Is there something coming against my life? Could it be that there is an assignment against me to keep me from what You have for me?”

See, I think we need to ask that question sometimes. It’s not that we’re run by fear, that we need to be scared and be like, “God, are there any demons around?” No, no, no. But when there are things going on — let me give you an example. There can be strife in your home, and you can go to counseling and therapy for decades and see no results, because we only try to address things in the natural. But how many of you know there is a supernatural reality all around us at play as well?

Sometimes we need to ask the Lord, “Lord, is there more going on than what I’m seeing? Is there something in the spirit that’s taking place that I need to take authority over in the name of Jesus?” Because Jesus said, “In My name they will cast out demons.” How many of you know we have been given authority, the authority of Jesus’ name? Everybody say amen. The name that is above every name. There is no competition here.

I was just texting with a student that was at a camp that I spoke at, and she was telling me about a dream she was having, and she just knew that it was gross. It was demonic. It was not good, right? It’s not one of those things like, “Oh, I watched a scary movie, and then I had a bad dream.” No, no, no. There was something demonic about this dream — vivid things. And she said, “All of a sudden in my dream I just had this awareness that Jesus was with me, and I just began to say, ‘Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,’ and all of a sudden” — she said — “boom, everything faded away.”

How many of you know attacks will come? Lies by the enemy will be spoken, but we don’t need to receive that. We can come against that with the authority of Jesus’ name, and we can allow His Spirit to show us what’s really going on. Amen? So I want to encourage you: if you have a problem in your life, ask the Lord, “Lord, is there more to this? Is there a demonic problem here?” And ask the Lord to speak to you about that, because maybe there’s something in your life that is not from Him, but it’s coming from the adversary, and He’s saying, “I’ve given you authority to cast that out.”

In Jesus’ name, I will not partner with that anymore. In Jesus’ name, I will not walk in that anymore. In Jesus’ name, whatever it is — addiction — I will not succumb to that anymore. And when that temptation comes, I’m going to use the name of Jesus to cast that temptation out, in Jesus’ name. You guys know what I’m saying? These signs will follow those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons.

New tongues and serpents

Jesus said, “These signs will follow those who believe: they will speak with new tongues.” How many of you know this is talking about being filled with the Holy Spirit and receiving your spiritual language? Have you ever noticed that when you’re in a place — maybe you’re at a church, and they don’t talk about certain things from the Word of God very often — how many of you know those things tend to not happen? Did you know that? When things aren’t being talked about from the Word of God, those same things don’t happen. There’s no room for them to take place.

Why? Because faith isn’t being brought. The good news isn’t being preached entirely. Faith isn’t being built up on the inside, because there’s nobody preaching or talking about it. Maybe it’s because they preach that it’s not for everybody, or that certain things were for a different time, or maybe they don’t understand it, so they don’t talk about it. But how many of you know Jesus said, “These signs will follow those who believe: they will speak in other tongues”? How many of you know this is Jesus talking? And how many of you would say, “You know, if Jesus says it, I believe it”?

I know that there are many of you here that heard the gospel preached straight up. You heard the gospel of salvation and you gave your life to the Lord. But you also heard the good news that on the laying on of hands we can be filled with His Spirit and receive our spiritual language, and when hands were laid on you, you began speaking in other tongues. How many of you know that’s a reality? That’s a gift. That’s something that has been given to us.

And because the gospel is the power of God for those who believe — you don’t believe it unless you hear it. How many of you know Jesus is saying this today? These signs will follow those who believe: they will speak with new tongues. We don’t need to be afraid of those things. We can receive it and walk in it because He has spoken it.

Jesus said, “These signs will follow those who believe: they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them.” How many of you know this does not mean that next week I’m going to come in with snakes? Okay, we’re not doing that. But this phrase “take up” — it says they will take up serpents — that word “take up” is the Greek airō. I actually played it so I could say it correctly; it’s got the tongue roll. That word literally means to take away or to remove from its place.

In other words, there can be dangerous things in your life, and in His name you will remove them. There will be things in your life that will come against you, that will try to trip you up or take you out, and Jesus is saying for those who believe, when those things come into your life, they will not hurt you. They will not take you out.

We saw this in the book of Acts after Jesus said these things. Paul threw some sticks in the fire, right, and a snake came up and bit him, and he just shook it off and kept going about his business. And everybody that was around him was in awe, because this guy should be dead, but he didn’t die. You see, these are the signs that will follow those who believe. When things rise up in your life to take you out, you will put them down. You will remove them from your life. Amen?

They will lay hands on the sick

Jesus said, “These signs will follow those who believe: they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Notice how Jesus says that: they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. Why would Jesus say it like that? Didn’t He know that there were probably people there who had prayed for people to be healed and they didn’t get healed?

Do you think Jesus offended people when He would talk like this? “Jesus, I did those things and they didn’t happen. Jesus, I prayed for my family. I prayed for that person, and when I laid hands on them, nothing happened.” Do you think Jesus is caught off guard by that? Then why would Jesus say it this way? “They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

How many of you know we have a decision to make? Do you believe it or not? Because we have no right to change it or alter what He has said. “They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” What does that mean? That means even though I might not see anything with my eyes, I’m going to keep believing. I’m going to keep praying. I’m going to keep going to people, and I’m going to keep asking, “How can I pray for you?” I’m not going to live my life based on my experience, because there are way too many variables and way too many kingdoms at play for me to make assumptions and base my truth on that. I’m going to base my truth on what God has said.

And when He says they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover — because I believe the gospel of healing, that by His stripes I am healed, and I can take authority over sickness in His name because His name is above every name — if I’m going to choose to believe that, then I’m also going to pray again. I’m going to operate in that faith, in that reality, in that kingdom.

I once heard of an American pastor who asked a church leader in another country, “Why are there so many miracles here?” And he said, “The reason there are more miracles here than in America is because we pray more. Because we choose to keep believing. Just because we don’t see it, we’re going to keep praying. We’re going to keep believing. We’re going to keep calling on God. We’re going to keep calling on heaven to come. We’re going to keep calling for revival. We’re going to keep calling for His kingdom to come.”

Why? Because I believe it. I don’t have the right to make this Word say things that it never said. I’m going to preach His truth. I’m going to preach His reality. So the question is not, “Why are people not being healed when I pray over them?” The question is, will you believe? Will you believe?

You see, Jesus didn’t say these signs will follow those who have made Me the Lord of their lives — which is actually not the best example, because if we really did that, we would do this. But let me just use it this way; I’m just going to be extreme. Jesus didn’t say these signs will follow Christians, those who call themselves Christians. You can be a believer and not function in these realities. Did you know that? It’s about the gospel that you’ve received and that you believe and that you will partner with the Holy Spirit on and allow Him to work in your life. But we have to believe this gospel.

You want to see healings around you? You want to see healings? Then you need to get the gospel of healing in your heart. You need to get the scriptures in your heart that talk about His reality, His kingdom — that “I am the God who heals you,” that “by His stripes you are healed.” We need to get that reality in our heart. And when you get that truth in your heart, all of a sudden your faith starts rising on the inside, and something will click, and you believe that it is true. In that moment you feel like you can take on the world, right? You’re like, “I’m going to go pray for everybody.” So you start praying, and the Bible says that when you believe, you will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. Powerful. So powerful.

I don’t know about you, but I want to be a part of the building of His kingdom. I want to be someone who believes. I want to be someone who believes that God is who He says He is and He will do what He said He will do. Anybody else want to be that? Amen. That we would be a people that hear His truth, that allow Him to reveal it in our heart, and that we would go out and preach that same truth and allow these signs to be done in us and through us.

When you believe, signs will follow

So what is the Lord speaking to us today? He’s speaking: when you believe, signs will follow. When you believe, signs will follow. This is just a glimpse, but if you’re here today and you’re like, “Man, I still don’t know about this whole healing thing” — there are a lot of different things we’re talking about, but maybe you don’t fully believe one of these parts — how many of you know you need to see an increase in your intake of the Word?

The Bible says don’t be conformed to the things of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Well, how does that come? When we receive His truth, it washes us. It cleanses us. It washes out all those impure thoughts, all those things that are off, all the things that we think are right but they’re not right. It breaks down those strongholds. It breaks down those barriers. It takes all of those things and washes them all away so that the only thing that is left is what God has said. And when we have that, oh, we go from faith to faith to faith. Why? Because I believe. I believe. Amen.

I’m going to invite the worship team up, and we’ll close with a song here in a moment, but I did want to share this story. When Suzie and I were the youth leaders, actually here, we would take our students to a youth camp. I remember I was giving a message, and I was preaching the gospel that God heals, that Jesus heals. After the service a girl came up to me who couldn’t hear well, and she said, “I have difficulty hearing, but I believe that God wants you to pray for me, and that when you do, I will be healed.” I was like, “Amen. That’s everything that He says.”

So I began praying over her. It was very simple. I just said, “Lord, I thank You that You want to bring healing, and so, Lord, we speak strength, we speak health, we speak complete healing into this ear in Jesus’ name.” How many of you know when we pray, we pray to the Father in Jesus’ name? So we pray to the Father and we use the name of Jesus. And I said, “In the name of Jesus, be healed.”

It wasn’t like all of a sudden there was this spectacular moment. So often I think we think that when God moves there’s got to be glitter in the air and fireworks in the sky, and we’ve got to have the feelings and the goosebumps. It wasn’t any of that. I said, “In Jesus’ name, amen,” and she said, “Amen,” and then we went about our day. The next day she said, “Man, I feel like I can hear better.” And I was like, “Praise God. But did you know that when Jesus heals, He heals us 100 percent? He doesn’t just heal a little. His will is to bring complete healing. So let’s pray again, that it would be 100 percent.” So I prayed over her, and she said amen, and I said amen, and then we went about our day.

It wasn’t until, I think it was two weeks later, that the youth leader of that church reached out to me and said, “Hey, apparently you prayed over one of the girls at our church, and she went to the doctor, and she can completely hear out of her ear.” Amen. How many of you know it’s the will of the Father to bring healing to our lives?

And this is more than a healing message. We’re talking about signs. We’re talking about speaking in new tongues, being filled with the Holy Spirit. We’re talking about casting out demons, those strongholds that are in our lives that are weighing us down, things that we just settle for because maybe we just don’t know. Maybe we just think, “This is how it’s always going to be,” or, “Man, I’ve got some real issues,” not knowing that there’s an adversary coming against your life. And Jesus is saying, “Come against that. I’ve given you My name. I’ve given you authority. Those who believe will cast out demons in My name.”

You see, we’re talking about the gospel. We’re talking about the good news. And when we go out and say it the way Jesus said it, when we go out and declare His truth to people and say, “This is what Jesus has done in me. This is what He has spoken. This is what He has said. And when I received it, it changed me, and I believe it will change you too” — can you see how He’s doing this? We’re talking about His kingdom come. When we receive the gospel and believe it, signs will follow those who believe. Amen.

And I will tell you this: it’s the most natural thing that could ever happen. We’re talking about supernatural healing, but let me tell you, it was not some freak show. It was not some spectacle. How many of you know Jesus would just say, “Rise and walk,” right? “Be healed.” He wouldn’t do the spectacular things. I kind of wonder how many healings took place that we don’t even know about. In Jesus’ name, that we would be people that would walk in faith, that believe the gospel as it is preached. Amen.

A prayer to believe at a new level

Let’s stand together. I’m going to pray for us. Right now, can we just say, “Father, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your Word to me today”? Thank You, Lord.

Father, we thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth, and, Lord, I thank You that Your Word is the power of God. Lord, we don’t need to try to make things happen. We don’t have to conjure things. We don’t need to try to be something that we’re not. All that You have asked of us is to give what we’ve already received. Lord, there is truth that we have received through Your Word — whether it’s the gospel of salvation, the good news that You came so that we could be saved and have life with You forever; whether it’s the gospel of healing, that You are the God who heals us; whether it’s the gospel of provision, that You will always provide for us in every need, in every circumstance.

Lord, would You make Your truth more known to us on the inside? That we would be people who hear Your truth without hindrance. Lord, I declare right now over every person here that they would hear Your truth without hindrance. Where the enemy tries to cover, where there is like this mute button on Your good news being heard, Lord, we cast that off in Jesus’ name. And, Lord, we say that we would be a people that hear Your truth, that hear Your Word, and when we do, Lord, that You would do a real work on the inside so that we can go out and give what we have received so freely, so precious, from heaven.

We thank You, Lord, that You are not just some far-off God, but You are establishing Your kingdom here — in our nation, in our cities, in our homes, and all around the world. You are doing a real work. And so, Lord, we believe in who You say You are. We believe that You will do what You said You would do. These signs will follow those who believe. So, Lord, we ask that You would help us to believe You at a new level today. Lord, would You raise our expectations? Would You breathe new confidence in us today? As we receive Your Word, let it be planted on good soil that would bear good fruit, and, Lord, let us see Your power in operation in our day-to-day life.

And, Lord, it would not be for our glory. It’s not about us. It’s not about our ministries. It’s not about our church. Lord, it’s about Your kingdom come. It’s about You receiving all the glory. It’s about seeing life come in and hope come to those who have no hope. And so, Lord, we partner with Your Spirit. We open ourselves up, and, Lord, I ask that You would continue to speak Your truth to us as we go about this day, as we go about this week. In Jesus’ name. If you agree, say amen.

We’re going to sing this song, and then I’ll give you some closing instructions. But let’s go ahead and continue to praise the Lord this morning and receive what He has already said. Maybe you’re here and you’re like, “I don’t know about all this.” Then I would just ask you to ask the Lord, “Lord, what is it that You want to show me? What is it that You want to say?” And let’s just allow Him to continue to work on the inside and allow His Spirit to speak truth into your life. Let’s sing together.

Father, that’s the cry of our heart. Lord, that there would be an establishing in us, that that is who You are. That You are who You say You are, that You will do what You said You would do. Lord, we want to believe that way. We want to be a people who believe that way. And so, Lord, I pray that You would continue to release Your truth, that You will continue to speak Your truth into the lives of every person here. And, Lord, when we receive that truth, we say we will never be the same, because Your Word is power. Your Word brings light. Your Word is reality. And so we receive that. We partner with that today, in Jesus’ name. And we all said amen. Come on, let’s just give the Lord thanks this morning. Thank You, Lord.

You know, when I shared that story about healing — first of all, I think there’s a lot that we could share about that — what I loved about this girl that received that healing is she didn’t come because she felt like I had the lucky rabbit’s foot. She didn’t come because, “Oh, you’re the pastor or the preacher.” I was just the one that spoke the good news, and it was her faith. It was her faith that God would do what she heard — that God would do what He said He would do — that brought healing to her life. You guys see the difference?

And what I loved about it — actually, I never heard back from her. I heard back from her youth leader. And the reason I like that is because it was a real thing. It was something so significant, but it wasn’t because of, “Oh yeah, that guy, that preacher guy.” How many of you know this is the gospel to all of us, and when we go out, that same power is at work in each one of us? It’s not about position. It’s not about titles. It’s about what Jesus has done in us, on the inside. Amen? Is this making sense? All right. God is good. He’s good.

We have other stories of healing, significant healings. I was actually reminded of the grandson of someone in our church who was healed. We serve a real God. These signs will follow those who believe. So if you are here and you need prayer for healing, I’ll be up here, and anybody else that would like to pray can be up here. Let’s just pray for one another and allow the Lord to do something today. Can we do that?

Transcribed from the message recording and lightly edited for reading.