YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER
by Gabriel Swaggart
The book of Acts is meant to portray what the church ought to be. The church was born in power, and because of that, it must remain in power to perform the task that the Holy Spirit has set out for the church to accomplish. Nevertheless, the church, for the most part, has lost that power. As a result, the church is in worse condition today than it has been since the reformation.
THE HOLY SPIRIT DREW THE BLUEPRINTS
The early church was conceived in power, which tells us that the Holy Spirit—not man and not denominations—drew the blueprints of what the church should be. It was the Holy Spirit who set the parameters, the course, and described the method. If the modern church does not abide by the earmarks set by the Holy Spirit, then the church cannot be looked at by God as a New Testament church. For God to recognize such as a New Testament church, the following earmarks must be preached from behind the pulpit: - Salvation by the blood of Jesus Christ alone—not works (Acts 20:28; Rom. 3:25; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14).
- The baptism with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking with other tongues (Acts 2:1-4; 10:44-48; 19:1-7).
- Divine healing by the power of God (Acts 3:11; Mark 16:18-20; James 5:14-15; I Pet. 2:24).
- The preaching of the cross for sanctification (Rom. 6:1-14; 8:2-11; I Cor. 1:17-18, 23; 2:2; Gal. 5; 6:14; Eph. 2:13-18; Col. 2:14-15).
- The rapture of the church (I Thess. 4:13-18; II Thess. 2:7-8; Rev. 1:19; 4:1).
- The second coming of Jesus Christ (II Thess. 2:1-8; Rev. 19:11-21).
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