Daily Bread – May 20, 2022 (The Sixth Day – Genesis 1:24-31) Mark 16:17 – “And these miracles will follow those who believe: in My Name, they will drive out devils and speak with new tongues.” The Authority of Jesus’ Name The utterance of the Holy Spirit by tongues is given witness to many times throughout the book of Acts and in Paul’s epistles. This special gift was the sign that the Holy Spirit had begun to speak through the New Testament saints (Acts 2:4, 33). The gift of tongues was also shown to be a part of the baptismal ministry of Jesus upon the Gentiles, and upon all men wherever the Gospel was preached (Acts 10:45-46, 11:15-16, 19:6). The gift of tongues was shown to be a manifestation of the Holy Ghost established in every local church, and was the boast of Paul’s spiritual life (1 Corinthians 12:10, 29-30, 14:2, 15, 18, 21, 39). All of these are the signs that would accompany the Name of Jesus and follow the life of the believer. Wherever proof that one of these signs existed, we can be certain all of them existed as well. God cannot lie. He watches over to perform those things He established for His Church and revealed in His word (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Romans 4:21). The model the disciples gave us for using the authority of the Name was demonstrated when they commanded the lame man to walk in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. It was not just a delegated authority that they used, but rather authority and power that was resident in the very Name itself. Therefore, Peter said it was by the Name, through faith in the Name, that the crippled man had received power to walk (Acts 3:16, 4:10). Jesus told the disciples that whatever they asked in His Name, He would do it (John 14:13-14, 15:16, 16:23). Yet, we can see the disciples did not stop to pray. This was not an occasion to bow down and talk to the Father, but rather a moment in which they were to function in the divine authority given them to speak in the Name of Jesus that the works of Christ Jesus might be done. Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Daily Bread 5/20/2022
