It distresses me to see Christians place limits on God. They use phrases such as “The only way to [….] that is approved by God is […].” Another limit placed is by using the words “can’t” and “not”. These Christians are offended when God works in the life of another believer in a way they cannot understand. Their offense is rooted in unbelief and manifests in criticism and bitterness which causes disunity in the body.
Here is the deal. God is not bound by your understanding. God is not required to move only according to your experience. God’s character is revealed by the Word of God. God’s actions and ministry cannot be contained in any one book. “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. ” (John 21:25, NIV84)
If we will become supernatural people, we must understand a few things. God is supernatural. God moves in the supernatural. God does not act in any way that violates His character. Supernatural moves are discerned by the testing the fruit and the character of the action. The only limits to the supernatural move of God is that which is in your own heart. You can experience as much of the supernatural realm of God as you are willing to believe. Every experience you have must be tested by the fruit in your life with the result that your life reflects more and more of the character of God.
Paul prayed for the supernatural move of God in the lives of believers. Paul interceded for us that all limits that we placed on God would be removed. “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. ” (Ephesians 3:14–19, NIV84)
Paul prayed that we would be strengthened by the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT. This power is the same power that healed the sick, cleansed lepers, caused Peter to walk on water, caused the disciples to see visions and have angelic encounters. It is the same power that rebuked demons and preached the Gospel and raised the dead. This power that Paul prayed for has a purpose to transform the “inward being”. Every encounter with the true power of God will result in inward transformation. This inward transformation will result in the fullness of “CHRIST dwelling in our hearts” and the growth of faith in our lives. A power encounter is nothing more than a real encounter with the love of God. That love will transform us to be “rooted and established in love” to God and one another.
I will test your supernatural encounters with God by the fruit of love and peace and righteousness in your life. I will test by looking and seeing if I can Jesus in you.
What else does Paul declare about the supernatural? “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. ” (Ephesians 3:20–21, NIV84)
God is able to do more supernaturally than I can ask for or imagine. I can imagine quite a bit. The point Paul is making is that God’s supernatural moves will always be beyond our limits, our understanding and our experience.
Are you willing to let God move beyond your limits? What will God do? I know that as I more fully surrender, God will move with power in my life and I will become more and more Christ-like because of every supernatural encounter.
I have seen angels. I have seen demons. I have dreams and I have visions. I have been healed. I have received gifts from God. I have been in the throne room. I have smelled the incense of heaven. I have had people pray over me and I have fallen down. I have felt the fire of God. I have quivered and shaken in the presence of God. I have seen angel orbs. I have had gold dust in my Bible. I have spoken to tornadoes. I have seen God multiply. I have received feathers and gems.
My imagination is pretty big and yet God is able and desires to do more.
