Frank DeCenso - Gods Supernatural Power in You

Chapter 1 Warriors Mantle
Dr. James W. Goll

Chapter 2 Foundations of Power Ministry
Dr. Che Ahn with Bessie Watson Rhoades

Chapter 3 The Secret Is the Secret Place
Dr. Heidi Baker with Shara Pradhan

Chapter 4 Divine Healing Power
Jaeson Ma

Chapter 5 Why God Heals Today!
Marc A. Dupont

Chapter 6 Power Evangelism and Gods Nature
Graham Cooke

Chapter 7 Willing to Lose
Steve Sjogren

Chapter 8 Prophetic Evangelism: Intimacy for Power
Dr. Craig von Buseck

Chapter 9 The Power of Nameless and Faceless People
Wolfgang Simson

Chapter 10 Redefining Church
Dr. Scott McDermott

Chapter 11 Living From the Timeless Zone
Kris Vallotton

Chapter 12 Soaking in Gods Love
Marguerite Evans

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11).

T HE PASTORS AND TEACHERS AND MINISTERS who have contributed to this collection of chapters (as well as to the chapters in Volume One, Amazed by the Power of God) have done so to educate and equip the Church to walk in Gods Kingdom power today. In this introduction, I would like to express my God-given motive for compiling such a collection of chapters about how to move in the power of God today.

When you think of a pastor, prophet, or teacher, do you have clear ideas about their purpose? Maybe you think that a pastor is to effectively govern a church body and feed inspiring messages to the flock. Perhaps a prophets role in todays Church is a bit more confusing for you to understandyou may even question the validity of the need for prophets today. A teachers role isnt so hard for you to imagine; they should teach the Bible and spiritual truths, right?

Ephesians 4:11 leaves us no choice but to accept the reality that the ministers Paul mentioned have been given to the Church for a reason, and nothing in Scripture indicates an expiration of their necessity within the Church. We should thus conclude that there are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers today, even if we arent quite clear on their roles. Paul, however, leaves no ambiguity about their primary function in the building of Jesus Church:

for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12).

Those in Christian leadershipapostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachershave a specific assignment from Jesus. That assignment, which is given in Ephesians 4, doesnt entail making believers feel good about themselves, become better people, or cognitively learn wonderful truths. The assignment is to equip the members of the Body of Christ to become workers in ministry.

Unfortunately, many in leadership do not equip believers to do works of ministry. Instead, they focus on building robots who seek self-help techniques. Or they strive to sound like wise and wonderful shepherds of spiritual truth who can lead their flocks to pastures where the spiritual buffet is a 24/7 feast of new and exotic spiritual food.

Clearly that is not what Jesus called leaders to do. Leaders are to equip, equip, and then equip some more. The question of this introduction is: who is equipping believers to minister to the sick, dying, demonized, hurting, brokenhearted, and homeless, and to the rest of humanity?

Unfortunately, observation leads me to conclude that believers are not being equipped; theyre being strippedstripped of the purpose that develops from being trained as Jesus trained His disciples. This training is needed for believers to become power-from-on-high ambassadors of Gods Kingdom who can partner with Jesus in ministry to reach the people of this world.

This equipping and training ultimately comes from a believer spending intimate time with Jesus and garnering His insight on how to minister effectively.

But He said to them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth. And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons (Mark 1:38-39).

Notice that Jesus said, Letusgo. He wanted His disciples with Him as He preached and demonstrated the Gospel by casting out evil spirits. He did not take them to show off His preaching abilities and power. Rather, He took them to model Kingdom ministry-preaching the Kingdom of God with demonstrations of the Kingdom He preached about.

Later, Jesus sent His disciples out on their own to do the same ministry of preaching and power.

Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons (Mark 3:14-15).

And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give (Matthew 10:7-8).

Just as Jesus took His disciples with Him, trained them to minister with demonstrations of power, and then sent them out, so also He wants to equip and send us out. One way that we are equipped to do His works is by spending time with Him